Hello all, I spent today looking for the Smew reported at Cambridge (I see no particular reason to assume it is an escapee, despite the comment on the Voice). I was not successful in finding the bird, nor were any of the several other birders I ran into there. I did meet up with Harry Armistead on the Cambridge Fishing Pier (which is actually Old Rte. 50 on the west side of rd., south side of bridge) who had just found an Ipswich Sparrow feeding along the wrack line in the beach grass right next to the fishing pier (between the pier and "new" Rte. 50). We were able to watch it as it fed directly below us, totally unconcerned with our presence. We watched it from 2:00-3:00 (at which time I took several photos, large even in a 300mm lens) and I returned later to watch it from 4:00-5:00 (during which time I took field notes and was able to show it to Shirley Bailey of Cambridge). To my knowledge there are only 5 previous records away from the coast in Maryland: Old reports from Kent and Anne Arundel Counties, 2 reports from Hart-Miller Island (November 1991 by Michael O'Brien et al. (photos) and November 1996 by Gene Scarpulla et al.)and one from Dorchester County (Mary Gustafson and Bruce Peterjohn (photos)). There is only one previous March report (according Iliff, Ringler, Stasz 1996 - but what do they know? <grin>). This seems a likely time for the species to be heading back north, and the Bay seems to trap some oceanic or coastal birds in their northward migration (Northern Gannets for example). Perhaps the Ipswich Sparrow thought it was following the coast northward but ended up following the eastern shore of the Bay? In any event, it might be worth looking for if anyone is heading to the coast this weekend. The Cambridge Fishing Pier is a 3 minute detour from Rte. 50, and the bird was seen directly off the west side of the pier. Very easy to find if it's there. Word has it they may be split again.... Only other birds of interest in the area were an ad. female Peregrine sitting on the east side of the bridge there and a Red-throated Loon in the center of the River. Best birds, Marshall Iliff miliff@aol.com Annapolis, MD