Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2001 14:20:16 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Fred Shaffer Subject: Longspurs, Pipits, & Horned Larks I visited Sparks Lane in Caroline County for several hours this morning and saw a large flock of Horned Larks near the intersection of Sparks Lane and Stevenson Road. The flock moved around the fields surrounding the intersection, but stayed fairly distant at first (I was watching them from my car). However, eventually the flock approached very close, and at one point I had many Horned Larks on one side of my car (I estimated over 70 or 80 total). Also, I was able to pick out seven Lapland Longspurs (including 2 adult males), and 5 American Pipits, two of which repeatedly bathed in a roadside puddle. I got wonderful views of each type of bird, and at one point, Larks, Longspurs, and Pipits approached within twenty or thirty feet of my car. I watched the birds until a Sharp Shinned Hawk flew over and down to the field, at which point the birds dispersed. Also of note, there was a huge flock of a few thousand Snow Geese just outside of Ridgely, as well as a flyover adult Bald Eagle. I spotted one Kestrel on a wire during the drive out. 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 ======================================================================= =========================================================================