Date: 2/10/13 11:08 am
From: Gail B. Mackiernan %<3Ckatahdinss...>%3E <katahdinss...>
Subject: [MDBirding] White-winged Crossbills Pax NWR



Hi,

We and a lot of other birders were at the north tract of Patuxent NWR looking for crossbills today. At first we dipped, after walking down to Lake Allen and scanning the road near Pine Trail and the airport, although we met a couple who had seen a flock of WWCR about 10 AM (?). We then walked a lot of Pine Trail and again saw no crossbills. We ran into Jared Fisher at the intersection of the trail and the main road, and while we were comparing notes, about 12 crossbills flew overhead in a SW direction. I caught wingbars on at least one of the birds, assume they were all WWCR. We and Jared then walked back up Pine Trail to the west but never relocated the birds. We had some errands to do so left at that point. (Other species seen included ring-necked duck, red-breasted nuthatch, both kinglets, bluebirds and several male red-wings singing on territory -- spring is nigh!)

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
Colesville, MD

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