We paid a short visit to the algae-covered pond at the South
Germantown Recreational Park, Montgomery County -- Soccerplex area --
around midday today, 5/20. Only shorebirds located were 3
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 1 LEAST SANDPIPER, 1 SEMIPALMATED PLOVER and
2 KILLDEER (one a growing youngster). There was no sign of the
White-rumped Sandpiper or Lesser Yellowlegs of a few days
ago. Another birder who was there when we arrived said that there
had earlier been a Spotted Sandpiper on the edge of the same
pond. We saw a Green Heron fly off as we arrived.
Perhaps as compensation for the dearth of waders, 2 WILLOW
FLYCATCHERS were actively flying and singing "Fitz-bew" all around
the same pond. Singing YELLOW WARBLERs and ORCHARD ORIOLEs were also present.
On our return to Bethesda in the early afternoon, we located and
photographed a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW at the edge of a tall-grass field
east of Montevideo Rd., just south of its intersection with
Sugarland Rd. Over the last few years, this general area has been
fairly dependable for breeding Grasshopper Sparrows, which are
getting hard to find in Montgomery.
Mike and Joy Bowen
Bethesda
D.H. Michael Bowen
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda, MD 20817
Telephone: (301) 530-5764
e-mail: dhmbowenATyahooDOTcom
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