I spent most of the weekend camping with my younger son at Fort Frederick this weekend. On Saturday, we had short trips to the fort and along the canal. A lot of birds were present in the trees, along the river and at Big Pool. Highlights included the Great White Heron. The bird was in its usual spot in the wetlands near the campground. It was actually very close to the same location where I saw the bird in July! The bird was only a short walk from our campsite, so I saw it periodically during the day on Saturday and this morning (11/4). Another highlight was a group of six Black Scoters on Big Pool yesterday afternoon. There were five males and one female in a group close to the canal. I viewed them briefly on the water, and then they flushed and flew off down the pool and out of sight. Other waterfowl included Canada Geese, Mallards, Black Ducks, a few flyover Pintails, and a lone Cackling Goose.
Passerines were also abundant in the woods. Hundreds of robins foraged in the trees and on the forest floor. Highlights included four Rusty Blackbirds in a wet area of woods. Also present were a male and female Purple Finch, several Red-breasted Nuthatches, two Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, and a calling flyover Common Raven. Good birding,
Fred Shaffer
<GlaucousGull...>
Crofton, Anne Arundel
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