Inspired by Bob Schutsky's extraordinary run last week (while I was out of town of course), I made several stops in Harford and Cecil Counties today, November 5. I did not, of course, match his accomplishments, but there were small pleasures and a county bird in two counties for me. On the Price Road Pond near Conowingo: 600 Canada Geese and 1 Tundra Swan 18 EVENING GROSBEAKS (in trees around house across from pond) At Conowingo Dam: Bonaparte's Gull 2 Ring-billed Gull 300 Herring Gull 50 Great Black-backed Gull 24 Bald Eagle 4 (imms) Tree Swallow 1 Above the dam, on Conowingo Lake. All observations were made on a 1.5 mile walk north from the boat launch on the Cecil County side of the river. Common Loon 1 (I looked VERY closely) Pied-billed Grebe 2 Horned Grebe 14 EARED GREBE 1 GREAT CORMORANT 1 Bonaparte's Gull 600+ Ring-billed Gull 1000+ Brown Creeper 3 White-breasted Nuthatch 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3 EVENING GROSBEAK 25+ (3 flocks) The EARED GREBE, a county bird for me in both Harford and Cecil Counties (I do not know if there are any records) was about 1 mile north of the boat launch). Access is by walking up the tracks and stopping to scan occasionally. I first saw it near the shore but it swam away from me, ending up closer to the Harford side, where it joined a single Horned Grebe. Both were in winter plumage. At that distance it was hard to pick out, in part because the light is never good in the afternoon from the Cecil side of the river. The GREAT CORMORANT was an adult, feeding just north of the boat launch. I watched it for about 20 minutes and last saw it flying south towward the da,. No Double-crested Cormorants were seen. The EVENING GROSBEAKS were flyovers. I do not have my Cecil map at hand, so if Dave Webb or Les Eastman or Gary Griffiths get this, could one of them post the name of the road the boat launch is on? It is off Rt. 222 just beyond Rte. 1, but I left in such a hurry I forgot to check the signs. Thanks. Rick Rick Blom rblom@blazie.com Bel Air, Maryland "Did St. Francis preach to the birds? Whatever for? If he really liked birds he would have done better to preach to the cats." Rebecca West