I led a bird walk for the Nature Conservancy this very summerlike Monday morning at Hughes Hollow/Mckee-Beshars Wildlife Management Area in Montgomery County.  We managed 41 species on a very summer-like morning.

The highlight was a first-of-season singing male Prairie Warbler in the cedars along River Road close to the intersection with Hughes Road (they are in this area every year).  After the walk as I was leaving Hughes Hollow, I heard the bird as I first turned out onto River Road from Hughes Road around 11:30.  I stopped the car and got a quick look before the bird flew east along River continuing to sing and giving me another quick look as I drove and stopped again.  Checking eBird, this looks like the first Prairie Warbler for Montgomery County.  The only other reports are from Centennial Lake in Howard County April 10, and two in northern Virginia (Manassas Battlefield in Prince William County on April 14 and Dyke Marsh in Fairfax County on April 15).

Hughes Hollow had many fewer water birds than just a few days ago, but our group flushed a Virginia Rail from the first impoundment on the right.  Back in the fields beyond the impoundments we heard first-of-year White-eyed Vireo, Common Yellowthroat, and House Wren (though technically this was second-of-year since I heard one singing around my house in Bethesda on Sunday).  Field Sparrows and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet also entertained us with their songs.  Blue-gray gnatcatchers were everywhere

At the impoundments we saw an Osprey carry nesting material to the top of the cell tower that is visible to the northeast.  It will be interesting to see if they actually build on the tower since the vultures enjoy roosting on it.

My complete list from eBird is below.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, MD

Hughes Hollow - McKee Beshers WLMA, Montgomery, US-MD
Apr 16, 2012 7:20 AM - 11:30 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Comments: Nature Conservancy walk. Hot and hazy summer-like morning.
41 species

Canada Goose 3
Wood Duck 6
Mallard 2
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Great Blue Heron 4
Turkey Vulture 2
Osprey 1 Took nesting material to top of cell tower northeast of impoundments.
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 2
Virginia Rail 1
American Coot 4
Red-headed Woodpecker 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 7
Downy Woodpecker 3
Northern Flicker 1
Pileated Woodpecker 1
White-eyed Vireo 2
Blue Jay 6
American Crow 1
Fish Crow 1
Tree Swallow 12
Carolina Chickadee 4
Tufted Titmouse 12
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
Carolina Wren 7
House Wren 3
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 13
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Eastern Bluebird 2
American Robin 1
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 2
Common Yellowthroat 3
Prairie Warbler 1
Field Sparrow 5
Song Sparrow 4
White-throated Sparrow 19
Northern Cardinal 7
Red-winged Blackbird 25
Common Grackle (Purple) 12
American Goldfinch 6


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