No new birds, but had a very enjoyable experience last weekend at a cabin camp near Manassas, VA. A pair of Carolina wrens built a nest on the windowsill by my bed, between the wooden shutter and the screen. The room inside was dark, so I could watch from about a foot away. They built the nest -- literally "from scratch" -- in about a day and a half. Hearing the tiny little sounds they made while they worked -- the banging and thumping as they packed stuff in, the flutter of wings and tiny scrabble of claws as one landed on the shutter, their soft chirrups when both were in the nest, a "beep beep" call from an arriving bird to the one in the nest to announce it wanted to use the "doorway," the loud cheep that sounded just like "drat!" when a twig wouldn't go where they wanted it -- was the best part of being so close to their activities.

I am still hearing a wood thrush, although I haven't seen one since May 1. I think there is at least one nesting pair on this block although not in my yard. They only call in the very early morning, about 5 am, and occasionally at twilight. I have wished for years that we had them here because I love their song.

I've started recording the songs of "strangers" in the neighborhood. Even if I can't recognize them now, I may learn what kind of birds they are eventually.