Date: Wed, 1 Mar 2000 12:05:34 -0500 Reply-To: bott@erols.com Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Bonnie Ott Subject: Howard county birds MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit This morning was quite an experience with an amazing flight of migrant geese filling the skies. Out and about in the western part of the county our sparrow searching was quickly put aside in favor of the overhead extravaganza!. An amazing 41 flocks of CANADA GEESE went over with a total of 4055 birds. One SNOW GOOSE and 3 flocks of TUNDRA SWANS - 192 in all (calling quite beautifully too). Waterfowl didn't end there with a flyover CANVASBACK, 2 pair WIGEON, 20 BLACK DUCKS and the ever present MALLARDS. 23 SNIPE were found as they flushed from the fields. Of course we quickly returned to the sparrows when the skies settled down. We were rewarded with a very accomodating TREE SPARROW who perched and let us view her from every angle. The lovely glint of coppery rust from her crown was magnificent! Plently of SONGS were scooting out of the grasses. A lone SWAMP was a treat! An elusive FOX sparrow never gave us a decent look and WHITE-THROATS stayed across the stream. The BLUEBIRDS were breathtaking and the CARDINALS singing up a storm. Bonnie Ott Ellicott city ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================