After the good reports during the week, I was looking forward to walking the
Hike/Bike Trail on Saturday. Things began auspiciously, with a SOLITARY
SANDPIPER in the tiny water-retention "pond" by the parking lot. But the
wind was dead calm, and so was the birding. There were almost no passage
migrants: 6 SWAINSON'S THRUSHES, a single YELLOW-RUMP, and 3 B&W WARBLERS.
The bobolinks were a nice consolation prize. One was singing in the trees
between the mound and the dam. Before I could find it visually, it and two
others took off and headed north out of the park, gaining altitude like the
next stop was Pennsylvania. The only other bird of note was a lingering
COOT.
Tried my luck on the boardwalk side on Sunday with Jim Mathews. And it was
even worse: 1 SWAINSON'S THRUSH, 1 GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH, 1 BLACKPOLL, and 1
VIRGINIA RAIL. And not a single shorebird?!?! Is it really early May?
Ben Jesup
Alexandria
