Barred Owl Photo Shoot

While hiking through the Patuxent River Park off of Governor's Bridge Road in P.G. County I kept hearing BARRED OWLS hooting down by the river. After some exploring, I found a trail that led down to the banks of the Patuxent. That is where the OWL made it's presence more visible. But first, this frog. What species is it?Anyone have the answer, hmmm? WHO WHO WHO knows about this frog? I could look it up, but I will instead await word from you... the frog expert. One thing I do know is that my lovely wife Emery 'cooked for me' tonight! Oh, it's just a bad BARRED OWL joke. Get it? I'll move on.If you ask me, in this next photo... well, it looks as if this BARRED OWL was up all night.This BARRED OWL was quite cooperative and up until the time that we were aware of each other's presence, this nocturnal predator was quite noisy.

Here are a few other birds that were seen this afternoon. There were several BLUE GREY GNATCATCHERS, WHITE-EYED VIREOS and NORTHERN PARULAS. However, two year birds (an ORCHARD ORIOLE and a PRAIRIE WARBLER) didn't pose long enough for a worthy photograph!As the weekend approaches, the migration season continues. I hope you have a wonderful weekend and if you see a great bird... let me know.

Okay, fine... here is the ORCHARD ORIOLE. It was 7:30PM when I got this photo. I wasn't expecting much and I hope you weren't either.

-Dan

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