Walked  up the C&O canal tow path this late afternoon from Great Falls  to
the upper the access to the river trail (about a mile). About half-way up, I
had a bright, male Scarlet Tanager bolt out of the bushes by the path, maybe
ten-feet ahead of me and a bit below eye level. It flew directly across the
canal, landed on a tree branch on the other side and hopped around those
branches, close and low, for about five-minutes, singing. What a treat!
  Also in evidence along the path were several Great-crested flycatchers,
singing loudly, a calling Acadian flycatcher, a Prothonotary warbler,
calling from the same location as the last three years. Back near the picnic
area were two different singing Orchard Orioles, a couple of singing
Warbling Vireos, and several Baltimore Orioles singing in the trees. I
followed a female Oriole to her nest near the trail (my second found nest on
the tow-path this year). In addition to several  Great-blue Herons flying in
and out of the rookery on Conn Island, I had a surprise Black-crown
Night-heron fly up river past the water intake platform.  Finally, on my way
out, I was walking up the path to the new restroom building when a bright,
orange, male  Baltimore Oriole flew down right in front of me, over the same
construction fence by the path and landed on the dirt about 15-20 feet away.
I watched it n my bins for about 30 seconds, when, at the same time, a
female oriole flew in and joined the male and the male flew off, again right
in front of me, over the building and onto the bare ground behind, offering
very good views of a striking bird. It soon flew up to the trees and I lost
it.  Another big treat!
Late last Wednesday afternoon, a friend and I witnessed an avian feeding
frenzy associated with an insect hatch, up the tow-path from Swain's Lock,
just past the WSSC plant.  We found a number of Great-crested flycatchers,
Eastern Kingbirds, Tree and Rough-wing Swallows, Purple Martins, and about
20 -25 Nighthawks feeding on the bugs in the air over the river.  Along  the
river bank we found a male Canada Warbler, male Magnolia warbler, and 8 or
10 Blackpoll warblers, all feeding on the insects. Several of the Backpolls
were fly-catching  from the trees along the river bank.  It was quite a
show.  This time of year, the canal tow-path is often a very birdy place. I
go there often.
-- 
Donald Sweig
Falls Church, Va.