My quest for Crossbills in Baltimore Co was successful. I cruised around the west side of the Prettyboy Reservoir area for a few hours in the early afternoon, Dec 26, mainly on twisty, scenic Gunpowder Rd, which runs north from Falls Rd near Mt Carmel Rd. (Rt 137). Around 1:30 I heard some probable White-winged Crossbills fly over a large area of white pines on Gunpowder Rd about 1/2 mile north of Beckleysville Rd. I went towards where they flew, and they flew off again before I could get a positive ID. I decided to wait them out there. About 2:00 PM two vocal Red Crossbills flew over, one red male and a female. About 2:20 I heard some noise and saw some activity in the distant pine tree that I just happened to have set my scope on, and indeed they were White-wings. Then they flew to the top of a much closer pine where I gorged on the sight of the two bright males and three females. Then they flew off giving me a good sample of their call notes, which are similar in pitch and rhythm to the Reds, but raspier, with a less musical tone. (My tapes don't give good examples of their flight notes as opposed to their hyperactive junco-like songs.) In the morning, several of us checked out the Pine Ridge Golf Course site, off Dulaney Valley Rd. We had a quick fly-over of 4 Red Crossbills, and a possible fly-over White-wing. I heard later from my partners that they got nothing further there during the afternoon. Only 21 counties to go! Steve Sanford