Date:         Sat, 14 Apr 2001 08:21:47 -0400
Reply-To:     Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
Sender:       Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
From:         Fred Shaffer <fshaffer@MNCPPC.STATE.MD.US>
Subject:      Early Morning Patuxent Ponds Birds

I had another great early morning at Patuxent Ponds, seeing two of my
favorite birds (owls & loons).  I got there just before 6 am, hoping to see
and hear nighttime birds.  I wasn't disappointed as just inside the wet,
tall woodlands (past the rear of the area of small, second-growth trees and
fields) I heard two Barred Owls calling very close by and saw one of them
flying through the trees.  There was a third owl calling much further off.

And, still before the sun came up, but as the sky was brightening to a
clear blue, I saw a small, loose group of 5 or 6 loons flyover.  I got
great looks at the underside of the birds, and even saw their feet dangling
behind them.  About a minute later I saw another group of about the same
size, and than another, probably totaling about 15 to 20 loons.

Other birds present were a Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, Eastern Bluebird, Ruby
Crown Kinglet (all of which were singing), a Sharp Shinned Hawk, several
Blue Jays, and Crows.

Fred Shaffer
Crofton, Anne Arundel
pamthept@aol.com

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