Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 13:41:34 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Fred Shaffer Subject: Rose Breasted Grosbeaks I had a very interesting variety of birds at Schoolhouse Pond today, in spite of the damp weather. This morning I had two adult female Rose Breasted Grosbeaks feeding low in some of the scrub willows around the Pond. One was seen on the right hand side of the pond, and the other was seen on the opposite side near the townhouses. Also of interest was an adult female Magnolia Warbler, female Redstart, House Wren, 5 Great Egrets, and a swarming flock of about 20 Chimney Swifts high above the Pond. At lunch, I got great looks at an immature Black Crowned Night Heron, just off of the boardwalk. This bird has been in the same vicinity of the pond intermittently for the last month. I saw a Black Duck along the back side of the Pond, in amongst the Mallards and Wood Ducks. I got good looks at this bird's bill, coloring (in relation to the mallards), and underwing when in flight. Both the Grosbeaks and the Black Duck were firsts for me at Schoolhouse Pond. And, yesterday, I also saw my first Pied Billed Grebe of the season. Fall migration has been very exciting around the pond the last several weeks. It seems that I've seen many more birds (in number and variety) than I did during the past spring. Fred Shaffer Crofton, Anne Arundel ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================