Wheaton Regional Park today

[Gail Mackiernan]

Hi all, 

With a weak cold front passing through last night, it seemed worthwhile to check out WRP. We got there by 7 am and found quite a bit of activity from the Shorefield parking lot down to Pine Lake and into the Gude Gardens of Brookside. Ten warblers total, of four species, best being a lovely Blue-winged near the lake. Seven Redstarts, five of them adult males, and a single Chestnut-sided and a Black-and-white completed the foursome. Quite a few Gnatcatchers, Waxwings, Baltimore Orioles, Flickers, Pewees, Catbirds and Robins about as well. It was getting hot by 9 am so we headed home. Just a sample of days to come!

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper

Colesville, MD

Wheaton Regional Park and Brookside Gardens, Montgomery, Maryland, US
44 species
Birds of interest:

Wood Duck  4
Red-shouldered Hawk  1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo  1
Chimney Swift  2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  2
Belted Kingfisher  1
Northern Flicker  10
Eastern Wood-Pewee  6
Acadian Flycatcher  2
Great Crested Flycatcher  1
Eastern Kingbird  4
Red-eyed Vireo  6
Barn Swallow  1
House Wren  1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  6
Eastern Bluebird  3
American Robin  25     Estimate
Gray Catbird  12
Cedar Waxwing  8
Blue-winged Warbler  1
Black-and-white Warbler  1
American Redstart  7
Chestnut-sided Warbler  1     
Chipping Sparrow  1
Eastern Towhee  1
Scarlet Tanager  2
Baltimore Oriole  7

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31102456

Sent from my iPad

[Gail Mackiernan]

Hi all, 

An odd morning - started out with blue skies and sun at 7 am, heavy cloud by 8 am and sudden rain at 9. Not much evidence of migration but we did see 3 species of warbler including our FOS Northern Waterthrush. Everything seems to be waiting for the first big cold front - maybe tomorrow?

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper

Colesville, MD

Wheaton Regional Park and Brookside Gardens, Montgomery, Maryland, US

Aug 21, 2016 7:05 AM - 9:05 AM
40 species total, birds of interest below:

Wood Duck  4
Green Heron  2
Red-shouldered Hawk  1
Cuckoo sp. ( flyover, not seen well enough to ID)
Chimney Swift  4
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  2
Northern Flicker  8
Pileated Woodpecker  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee  3
Acadian Flycatcher  3  Family party of adult and two juveniles
Eastern Kingbird  2
Red-eyed Vireo  2
Blue Jay  6
Barn Swallow  6
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  5
Eastern Bluebird  1
Wood Thrush  1
Gray Catbird  9
Northern Waterthrush  1
American Redstart  2  Adult males
Yellow Warbler  1
Eastern Towhee  1
Baltimore Oriole  2

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31178378

Sent from my iPad

[Gail Mackiernan]

Hi all,

Nice cold front but the morning started off unexpectedly slowly - and without the usual horde of Robins, Flickers and Blue Jays that herald a strong migratory flight here. In fact, some good birds of yesterday had apparently fled the scene. However after about an hour of seeing little, we ran into a nice warbler flock and we and other birders enjoyed it for while until it slipped away. Great to see our FOS Blackburnians! Quite a few Baltimore Orioles and Wood-pewees about as well. By 9:30 it was starting to get breezy, so we zipped over to Brookside Nature center and found a few more birds in the native plant garden, including a FOS Least Flycatcher foraging low in the shrubbery. We had 6 species of warbler but dipped on the Yellowthroats seen by others. Oh well...Hopefully tomorrow will also be good!

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper

Colesville, Md

Wheaton Regional Park and Brookside Gardens, Montgomery, Maryland, US

Aug 22, 2016 7:05 AM - 10:05 AM

41 species (+3 other taxa)

Birds of interest:

Wood Duck  3
Red-shouldered Hawk  1
Chimney Swift  4
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  4
Belted Kingfisher  1
Northern Flicker  8
Eastern Wood-Pewee  10
Acadian Flycatcher  1
Alder/Willow Flycatcher (Traill's Flycatcher)  1
Least Flycatcher  1     Native plant garden, Brookside, FOS
Empidonax sp.  1
Red-eyed Vireo  1
Tree Swallow  1
Barn Swallow  4     Gude Gardens
House Wren  2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  5
American Robin  12
Gray Catbird  8
Blue-winged Warbler  1
Black-and-white Warbler  3
American Redstart  7
Blackburnian Warbler  5     FOS
Chestnut-sided Warbler  3
Canada Warbler  3
Eastern Towhee  1
Baltimore Oriole  7

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31197662

Sent from my iPad

[Gail Mackiernan]

Hi, 

Sort of a slow morning to start, only warblers were along Pine Lake but we did have five species with multiples of some. Fewer Catbirds, still good numbers of Flickers, Robins and Orioles. Two Green Herons, a Solitary Sandpiper,  6 Wood Ducks and a Kingfisher graced Pine Lake itself. 

Need another cold front!

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper

Colesville, Md

Wheaton Regional Park and Brookside Gardens, Montgomery, Maryland, US

45 species; birds of interest:

Wood Duck  6
Green Heron  2
Red-shouldered Hawk  2
Red-tailed Hawk  1     Immature being mobbed by jays
Solitary Sandpiper  1

Chimney Swift  2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  2
Belted Kingfisher  1

Hairy Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker  12
Pileated Woodpecker  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee  5
Acadian Flycatcher  2
Alder/Willow Flycatcher (Traill's Flycatcher)  1     Brookside 
Great Crested Flycatcher  2
Red-eyed Vireo  3
Blue Jay 12
Tree Swallow  1     
House Wren  2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  4
Wood Thrush  1
American Robin  20     Estimate
Gray Catbird  10
Blue-winged Warbler  1
Black-and-white Warbler  4
American Redstart  2
Magnolia Warbler  1
Chestnut-sided Warbler  4
Chipping Sparrow  2

Eastern Towhee  1
Baltimore Oriole  7

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31243828

Sent from my iPad

[Gail Mackiernan]

Hi all, 

Despite the warm morning there had supposedly been a NW breeze all night so worth checking out WRP. Some obvious changes, big decline in jays, robins and catbirds for example. Warblers were mostly in ones and twos, widely scattered, but we did run into a nice flock feeding in vines near the NE corner of Pine Lake. Six species of warbler in all. Fair number of Red-eyes and still a lot of Orioles and Pewees, and we also had a Least FC near the lake as well as several Acadians. Went over to the Shorefield restrooms and found out where all the Chipping Sparrows have been hiding out! 

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper

Colesville, Md

Wheaton Regional Park and Brookside Gardens, Montgomery, Maryland, US

Aug 27, 2016 7:15 AM - 9:45 AM
42 species, birds of interest below:

Wood Duck  8
Green Heron  1
Red-shouldered Hawk  1
Chimney Swift  3
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1
Belted Kingfisher  1
Northern Flicker  5
Pileated Woodpecker  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee  9
Acadian Flycatcher  3
Least Flycatcher  1
Great Crested Flycatcher  2
Red-eyed Vireo  8

House Wren  2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  4

American Robin  10     Significant decline
Gray Catbird  6     Significant decline
Black-and-white Warbler  5
Common Yellowthroat  3
American Redstart  7  
Northern Parula  1
Chestnut-sided Warbler  2
Canada Warbler  2
Chipping Sparrow  10
Baltimore Oriole  7

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31270390
Sent from my iPad

[Gail Mackiernan]

Hi all, 

Nice little cold front and an accompanying nice little push of migrants. Blue Jays passing over constantly, although the number of robins, catbirds and orioles has declined. Again, most of the small passerine activity was along Pine Lake, with lesser numbers near the white house. We had one nice flock early, then a lull, and then another flock flew in over Pine Lake to land in the sunny edges before melting into the woods. The dominant flavor today was Red-eyed Vireos and American Redstarts. Counts of these are just an estimate! We had 9 species of warbler and another birder had seen two others earlier (No. Waterthrush and Ovenbird) so a productive morning. It died off pretty quickly about 9 am, however. Still waiting for the "big push"...

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper

Colesville, Md

Wheaton Regional Park and Brookside Gardens, Montgomery, Maryland, US

Aug 30, 2016 7:15 AM - 9:45 AM
46 species (+1 other taxa)
Birds of interest:

Wood Duck  6
Green Heron  2
Red-shouldered Hawk  

Chimney Swift  3
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  2
Northern Flicker  5
Eastern Wood-Pewee  8

Acadian Flycatcher  2
Alder/Willow Flycatcher (Traill's Flycatcher)  1

Great Crested Flycatcher  1
Red-eyed Vireo  12
Blue Jay  25     Major passage at about 7:30, small groups vocal throughout morning
House Wren  4
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1
Veery  1

American Robin  12
Gray Catbird  8

Cedar Waxwing  6
Black-and-white Warbler  6
Tennessee Warbler  1     FOS
Common Yellowthroat  6
American Redstart  14     estimate, most common warbler throughout area
Magnolia Warbler  2
Blackburnian Warbler  1
Chestnut-sided Warbler  6
Black-throated Blue Warbler  1     Female, FOS
Canada Warbler  2
Eastern Towhee  3
Baltimore Oriole  5

Sent from my iPad

[Gail Mackiernan]

Hi all,

The last day of August started off very slow for small passerines, although when we first arrived there were Jays passing over in little groups, and every snag seemed to hold a Flicker. A Magnolia and a Blue-winged Warbler teased us early. The area by Pine Lake which has been most active was disturbed by noisy park workers trying to remove a bench - which entailed beating a steel lever with a sledge hammer! Two Black-crowned Nightherons flew in, circled as if they wanted to land, and decided it was two noisy. Not a common bird here.  We enjoyed a family of 4 Green Herons; their first nest had been destroyed by a storm but they obviously renested successfully. 

Only a few warblers and vireos near the lake, but as we headed back towards the Shorefield area, we saw that the small trees scattered in the open area east of the white house were hopping with birds. This happens sometimes, and makes for pleasant birding as they are eye level or just a bit above. Had an exciting half hour before the flock melted into the woods. All in all, 10 species of warbler and there may have been more but we had to leave for an appointment and didn't even get into Brookside Gardens. Also unexpected were Purple Martins which suddenly showed up and were circling over the area as we left.

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper

Colesville, Md

Wheaton  Regional Park and Brookside Gardens, Montgomery, Maryland, US

Aug 31, 2016 6:45 AM - 9:00 AM
51 species (+2 other taxa)
Birds of interest:

Wood Duck  3
Green Heron  4     Two adults and two juveniles
Black-crowned Night-Heron  2     

Turkey Vulture  1
Northern Harrier  1     Fly-over, high, heading ESE; juvenile bird ( reddish underparts)
Cooper's Hawk  1
Red-shouldered Hawk  2
Chimney Swift  6
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  4
Red-bellied Woodpecker  12  everywhere!
Hairy Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker  10
Eastern Wood-Pewee  8

Alder/Willow Flycatcher (Traill's Flycatcher)  1

Empidonax sp.  1

Great Crested Flycatcher  1
Red-eyed Vireo  12

Blue Jay  25     Estimate
Purple Martin  5     Circling near White House at about 9 am, all females or juveniles
Tree Swallow  2     Flyovers
House Wren  3
American Robin  8     Low number for this time of year
Gray Catbird  12
Northern Mockingbird  2
Blue-winged Warbler  3
Black-and-white Warbler  5
Common Yellowthroat  4
American Redstart  7
Northern Parula  4   
Magnolia Warbler  1
Blackburnian Warbler  1     Immature
Yellow Warbler  1    
Chestnut-sided Warbler  6
Canada Warbler  3

Chipping Sparrow  2
Eastern Towhee  1

Baltimore Oriole  6     All immatures or females

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31343094

[Gail B. Mackiernan %3Ckatahdinss%40comcast.net%3E]

Hi all,

Great morning at WRP! I would have posted earlier but after entering my eBird list, it managed to get "eaten" in some computer glitch and I was annoyed enough to wait an hour before attempting it again.

Anyway, as expected the cold front brought in the migrants, also the birders! Barry and I had fun birding with Jeff Culler, Jeff Shenot, Susan Hunt and some with Woody and Rae Dubois and Bob Augustine, but the numbers given below are our tally only. We spent almost 3 hours in WRP, and then made a quick pass at Brookside's native plant garden with little more to add but the local gems. Highlights were 11 warbler species including two FOS, a bright Philadelphia Vireo, a Summer Tanager, two Ravens circling over Shorefield picnic area, and a slew of Empids, best being a HY Yellow-bellied FC seen as we were walking back to the car. Lots of activity early, but it died pretty abruptly as the breeze increased.

Very pleasant day, the park was quiet and the birds abundant and easy to see! Heaven knows what the impact of Hermine will be on the weekend, however...

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper

Colesville, MD

Wheaton Regional Park and Brookside Gardens, Montgomery, Maryland, US

Sep 2, 2016 7:00 AM - 10:30 AM

63 species (+2 other taxa)

Birds of interest:

Wood Duck  6
Green Heron  1
Black Vulture  1
Turkey Vulture  2

Cooper's Hawk  1
Red-shouldered Hawk  2

Solitary Sandpiper  1
Chimney Swift  2

Ruby-throated Hummingbird  5
Belted Kingfisher  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  14     everywhere!
Northern Flicker  7     4 in Brookside
Pileated Woodpecker  1
American Kestrel  1     fly-over female
Eastern Wood-Pewee  7
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher  1     HY bird, clear yellow underparts, dusky wash on upper breast, pale yellow throat and (large) eye ring; feeding in willow near white house
Acadian Flycatcher  2
Alder/Willow Flycatcher (Traill's Flycatcher)  2     one contrasty bird with obvious olive back looked very good for Alder, but silent.
Least Flycatcher  1
Empidonax sp.  2
Great Crested Flycatcher  1
Philadelphia Vireo  1     FOS, great looks! near Pine Lake
Red-eyed Vireo  10
Blue Jay  12
Common Raven  2     Our first record for WRP! Seen at abut 10 am circling and calling over Shorefield parking lot; gained altitude and drifted off to the south.
House Wren  4
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  2
Eastern Bluebird  1     heard only
Wood Thrush  2
American Robin  35     estimate, strong movement early
Gray Catbird  12     4 in Brookside
Cedar Waxwing  1     strangely alone
Blue-winged Warbler  2
Black-and-white Warbler  4
Tennessee Warbler  1
Common Yellowthroat  5
American Redstart  10
Northern Parula  1
Magnolia Warbler  8
Bay-breasted Warbler  3     FOS
Chestnut-sided Warbler  11
Black-throated Green Warbler  1     FOS
Chipping Sparrow  4
Eastern Towhee  1
Summer Tanager  1     Female, overall dull tawny color but with orange wash around head and on rump and tail. Annual here but uncommon.
Baltimore Oriole  12

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31375032

[Gail Mackiernan]

Hi all,

Overcast and breezy is not the best combination for birding, especially at WRP where the sunny edges concentrate birds. However we and other birders persevered and managed to see a reasonable selection - albeit not the variety of yesterday by a long shot. Best birds were two Yellow-bellied Flycatchers, a Least FC, and a probable Brewster's warbler which managed to show for a few seconds at the "wall of vines" before disappearing into the woods. Of course after we left the park, the sun came out!

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper,
Colesville, Md

Wheaton Regional Park and Brookside Gardens, Montgomery, Maryland, US

Sep 3, 2016 7:45 AM - 10:15 AM

36 species (+2 other taxa)

Birds of interest:

Wood Duck 6

Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 3
Belted Kingfisher 1
Northern Flicker 10
Eastern Wood-Pewee 3
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 2 Two birds seem in different locations: one probably same bird as yesterday, feeding in willow near white house, looked identical - pale yellow underparts, throat and eye ring, seen by a number of observers. The other bird was by Pine Lake, adult showing more worn plumage, yellow underparts, much more pronounced dusky upper breast, yellow eye ring, feeding very actively and moving quickly from tree to tree by lake.
Alder/Willow Flycatcher (Traill's Flycatcher) 1
Least Flycatcher 1
House Wren 1
American Robin 25 Estimate
Gray Catbird 8
Northern Waterthrush 1
Brewster's Warbler (hybrid) 1 Probable, unfortunately seen only briefly at wall of vines; immediate impression supporting the ID was: gray back with paler underparts, very bright yellow crown and wing bars, no black mask/ throat. Came into vines in small warbler flock which quickly faded into the woods.
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
American Redstart 2
Magnolia Warbler 2
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1
Chipping Sparrow 3
Baltimore Oriole 2

Sent from my iPad

[Gail Mackiernan]

Hi all,

We had a late start this morning as it looked cloudy at first, and we didn't need a repeat of yesterday's struggles. Finally got to the park by 8 am and by the time we arrived at Pine Lake, the warblers did as well. We and quite a few other birders enjoyed an hour or so of activity and then it slowed. Walking around located some other pockets of migrants, but it pretty much shut down at 10 am. We went over to Brookside Nature Center and added little to our list. We had 10 species of warbler, several in double-digits, but the best bird was probably the adult male Summer Tanager that landed in the "wall of vines" for a brief view before flicking away. Fair number of Red-eyes but no other vireos, and fewer Empids than recent days. Other birders reported additional species but the list below is just our sightings.

Seems like the recent north winds have finally let the cork out of the bottle for migrants!

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper,

Colesville, Md.

Wheaton Regional Park and Brookside Gardens, Montgomery, Maryland, US

Sep 4, 2016 8:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.6 mile(s)
Comments:     Partly sunny, slight breeze from NE. Late start due to morning clouds, got active shortly after arrival at lake, continued until 10 am when died off. Only did small area of Brookside Gardens with little to show for it.

48 species (+2 other taxa)
Birds of interest:

Wood Duck  6
Turkey Vulture  1

Red-shouldered Hawk  1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  3
Belted Kingfisher  1

Northern Flicker  5
Pileated Woodpecker  1
Acadian Flycatcher  2     Adult with fledgling
Empidonax sp.  1
Red-eyed Vireo  15
House Wren  1
Wood Thrush  3
American Robin  30     Estimate
Gray Catbird  15     
Brown Thrasher  1     
Blue-winged Warbler  1     Maybe 2
Black-and-white Warbler  4
Common Yellowthroat  6
American Redstart  15     About 4-5 adult males.  
Northern Parula  4
Magnolia Warbler  12     
Bay-breasted Warbler  1
Chestnut-sided Warbler  15     All but one HY birds
Black-throated Blue Warbler  3
Black-throated Green Warbler  2
Canada Warbler  3
warbler sp. (Parulidae sp.)  8     Flew into "wall of vines" and promptly vanished
Chipping Sparrow  8
Eastern Towhee  3
Summer Tanager  1   Annual here and apparently becoming more frequent as this is third record this autumn.
Scarlet Tanager  2     One fall male, one adult female
Baltimore Oriole  3

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31413209

Sent from my iPad

[Gail B. Mackiernan %3Ckatahdinss%40comcast.net%3E]

Hi all,

Not as active as yesterday, but a fair number of migrants about if you worked for them. We managed to miss some of the better birds seen this morning though so feeling a but grumpy... In fact to rub it in, we just got a call from Bob Augustine who had a fly-over MISSISSIPPI KITE in late morning (well after we had left, natch!), first record for the park I am sure!

Most abundant neotropical migrants were Redstarts and Magnolias, also a fair number of Red-eyed Vireos. We saw a Warbling Vireo as well. Barry and I had 7 species of warbler, other birders saw Cape May, Canada and Blackburnian. A Nighthawk was also seen by the lake.

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper

Colesville, MD

Wheaton Regional Park and Brookside Gardens, Montgomery, Maryland, US

Sep 5, 2016 7:00 AM - 10:00 AM
40 species (+1 other taxa)

Birds of interest:

Wood Duck  6

Cooper's Hawk  1

Red-shouldered Hawk  1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  3

Red-bellied Woodpecker  10 still lots around
Northern Flicker  6
Pileated Woodpecker  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee  4
Acadian Flycatcher  1

Alder/Willow Flycatcher (Traill's Flycatcher)  1

Great Crested Flycatcher  1
Warbling Vireo  1
Red-eyed Vireo  9
Blue Jay  15

Eastern Bluebird  1     heard only

American Robin  18
Gray Catbird  9
Blue-winged Warbler  1
Black-and-white Warbler  3
Common Yellowthroat  3
American Redstart  8     3 adult males
Northern Parula  2
Magnolia Warbler  4
Chestnut-sided Warbler  2
Chipping Sparrow  3
Eastern Towhee  1
Scarlet Tanager  1

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31430516

Birds of interest:

Wood Duck  6

Cooper's Hawk  1
Red-shouldered Hawk  1
Mourning Dove  6
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  3
Red-bellied Woodpecker  10
Downy Woodpecker  5
Northern Flicker  6
Pileated Woodpecker  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee  4
Acadian Flycatcher  1

Alder/Willow Flycatcher (Traill's Flycatcher)  1

Great Crested Flycatcher  1
Warbling Vireo  1
Red-eyed Vireo  9
Blue Jay  15
American Crow  3
Fish Crow  1
Carolina Chickadee  5
Tufted Titmouse  3
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
Carolina Wren  3

Eastern Bluebird  1     heard only

American Robin  18
Gray Catbird  9
Northern Mockingbird  1
European Starling  6
Blue-winged Warbler  1
Black-and-white Warbler  3
Common Yellowthroat  3
American Redstart  8     3 adult males
Northern Parula  2
Magnolia Warbler  4
Chestnut-sided Warbler  2
Chipping Sparrow  3
Eastern Towhee  1
Scarlet Tanager  1
Northern Cardinal  6
Common Grackle  8
American Goldfinch  6
House Sparrow  2

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31430516