THE WEEKEND UPDATE

This adult male NORTHERN HARRIER flew over the many who attended this Saturday morning's WALK FOR THE WOODS presented by the SCENIC RIVERS LAND TRUST. Walkers, birders and naturalists alike thoroughly enjoyed this rare visit to the Bacon Ridge Branch in Crownsville, MD. As for this HARRIER, it was one of two adult males making their way North for the summer. Other fun birds seen and heard on Saturday were: BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, HOODED WARBLER, BLACK & WHITE WARBLER, PALM WARBLER and NORTHERN PARULA. I almost forgot... swimming in one of the containment ponds was a hybrid CANADA GOOSE x GREYLAG GOOSE.On Sunday afternoon I spent the afternoon on the Eastern Shore looking for a RUFF. My good friend Andy his fine young son James joined me for a trip to a marsh just East of Easton, Maryland. James actually spotted the WILSON'S SNIPE in the photo below! Here are some visuals from our brief visit.Early this morning I dropped by Schoolhouse Pond and got to see two life birds in five minutes! Wouldn't you know it... I left my camera at home on the shelf.

Not only did a brilliantly-colored PROTHONOTARY WARBLER sing and flit all around me as I walked the boardwalk, a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH sang and briefly showed itself as well. It was a magnificent morning. As I was leaving a WHITE-EYED VIREO perched mere feet from me to cap off my visit. As of today, I am up to 180 avian species in the state of Maryland in 2008. I'm really loving this migration season. I hope your day was wonderful too.

Good Birding,

Dan