Had a brief visit there late this AM. The White-crowned Sparrows have
arrived, at least three young birds.  Other sparrows: Song, Swamp,
Chipping, Savannah, Towhee and one bird that stumped me.  At first I
was thinking Seaside, but it was much paler.  My view was brief and I
was unable to snap a photo, but here goes:  all gray, slightly large
bill *somewhere between a Seaside and Swamp. clean belly, with a grey
malar, distinct, but not too dark and the central throat patch was
lighter, but not bright white.  The bird had some yellow in the lores,
but with my brief look, I wasn't able to notice an eye-ring.   It's
back was streaky grayish, with slight rufous coloration. I hesitate to
say that it might have been an Aimpophila Sp., but it certainly had
that look about it.  The bird was down in the wetland area, just below
the nature loop behind the visitors center building.

As I was leaving the point, an American Kestrel hunted grasshoppers
from the dead snag in the middle of the wildflower field.  I stopped
to take some photos.  Some paranoid passerby thought I looked
'suspicious' and called the Navy police on me.  What has the world
come to where someone looking a bird in a dead tree in the middle of
an open field qualifies a 'suspicious activity'?  The police were
polite and took down my information, but I'm still baffled that my
actions come even close to merit a call to the police.  I was wearing
a red sweatshirt that my wife got me from J Crew... yeah, it was
probably the red sweat shirt that qualified as 'suspicious'.

Lastly, a Ruby-throated Hummingbird just stopped by my feeder!  Sweet.

Good Birding,

Dan Haas
St. Margaret's, MD
nervousbirdsatgmail.com

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