I drove up to Baltimore this morning to check out the birds at Fort Armistead and at Fort Smallwood.
No luck on the Harlequin duck at Fort Armisted, however I did see four Red-throated loons out in the channel, about halfway to the other shore. All of the birds had that distinctive upward tilt to the head and the bill. The bills seem to be thinner than a Common loon, but they were very far away.
At Smallwood, I quickly ran into a couple of groups of Maryland birders who immediately put me onto the White-winged Crossbills.
The birds were in the sweetgum trees down near the point near the little wetland area. There were at least 20 or 30 of them up in the trees. I got some good views and some good pictures.
We also saw the female Common Redpoll. It was down on a little reed in the marsh.
In the bay were good numbers of male and female Greater and Lesser Scaup, one male and two female Goldeneye, a close in Horned Grebe, and a couple of Long-tailed ducks.
I went back to Fort Armistead in the afternoon about 3:30.
A kayaker paddled by, coming out of the area inside the bridge.
I asked if there were lots of ducks in the cove on the inside of the bridge that you can't see from Fort Armistead.
Said there were, so perhaps that's where the Harlequin is hanging out.
Nice day, nice birds, and well worth the drive.
Donald Sweig
Falls Church, Virginia
Sent from my iPad
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