Hello All,

Great weather today and I birded for most of it;

Delta Park- Caspian Tern and Great Egret at 6:30am

Colchester Bog- very quiet at 7:00

Woodside Natural Area- Yellow-throated Vireo and Northern Waterthrush- 8:00

Grosse Pointe- 3 Great Egrets, Northern Shoveler and Cooper's Hawk at 11:17

I then went to Dead Creek WMA/Brilyea Rd. and saw Greg Askew on the 
causeway between the two parking lots. He told me that he had seen 
Common Moorhen off Brilyea Rd. We went to that area and saw two fly out 
into the marsh. Greg was looking at the area where they landed and spotted 
an American Bittern, which we watched for a while. I left there at 12:18pm

McCuen Slang- tried for Orchard Oriole- no luck at 12:45pm

Market Rd. West- 2 Red-bellied Woodpeckers and 6 White-crowned Sparrows

I then went back to Brilyea Rd. and walked the west trail. The highlight was a 
pair of Canada Geese with 4 Goslings, having a swim at 4:30pm

I then headed to try and find some of the Shorebirds that Allan Strong had 
reported at DCWMVA two days ago- I started counting the Least Sandpipers 
and got to 37 when the entire group spooked. It looked like there could have 
been 100 of them in the air. I looked back at the mud area(no water 
remaining) and there were 5 birds still there: 3 Lesser Yellowlegs, 1 Semi-
palmated Plover and an American Pipit at 6:20pm

I then went back to the Brilyea Rd. causeway to try for Sora. I heard one call 
twice or two call once. I heard an American Bittern call and located it walking 
slowly, with its' bill pointing straight up at 6:42pm. I noticed another one 
following close behind it. I then located another one about 20 yds. to their left 
at 6:52pm. At 6:53pm a Great Egret flew over the causeway heading north. 
At 6:59 I saw another American Bittern flying from the causeway and it landed 
in the area where I saw the first two Bitterns. 4 Bitterns in 15 minutes!!!

I then drove to Bristol Pond to try again for the Sandhill Crane(s)- no luck, but 
I did hear an American Bittern there. 

I then stopped on Pond Rd. at Shelburne Pond to try for Sora- no luck, but- 
yes- you guessed it, I heard another American Bittern there. 

Enjoy Birds,

Jim Mead