Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2000 21:02:39 EST Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Gail Mackiernan Subject: Ag Ctr. and Pax Ctr. yesterday Hi all -- Sorry this is late, my ISP could not be accessed yesterday and I was out all day today (no, not birding, unfortunately). Barry and I went to check out the Beltsville Ag Center and Patuxent National Visitor's Center, lookinh for blackbirds and whatever might be around. The Ag Center yielded two Common Yellowthroats, 3-4 Fox Sparows and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet near the sewage treatment plant. Otherwise it was rather barren. At Patuxent, we were saddened to hear that the Sandy Hill landfill was closed down last May -- so no more gulls to watch through the visitor's center window in comfort as the winter winds howl! Well, we had a couple of good years...I am sure the owners of near-by houses are happy to see the dump closed but any true-blue gull-ophile must shed a tear... Cash Lake is filling, most of the lake bottom is now overgrown with vegetation and there were no Rusty Backbirds or snipe. We did see White-crowned, Field, Swamp, White-throated, Song, Field, Savannah and Fox Sparrows but no Tree. Also a lone late Phoebe. Gail Mackiernan Colesville, MD ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================