Let's be honest here folks: Conowingo is as much fun as you can have, legally, using binoculars. Spent several hours yesterday at the dam. No great rarities, but pleasures all the same. Gull numbers were high, but the ratio of Ring-billeds was back up and there are nearly unprecedented numbers of Bonis around this winter. Highlights: Double-crested Cormorant 6 (very late) LAUGHING GULL 1 Ring-billed Gull 10,000 (half in the last hour of daylight) LESSER BLACK-BACKED 2 (adults) Herring Gull 2,000 Great Black-backed Gull 250 Peregrine Falcon 1 Oddities several The peregrine is very irregular and if it were not for the eagle watchers I would not have realized that it was still putting in an occasional appearance. I had one Ring-billed Gull in full juvenile plumage: all-black bill, no gray feathers on the back, heavily barred chest, sides, vent, and upper tail coverts. I now have proof (sort of) that there is a connection between Conowingo and Back River sewage plant. I had an adult Bonaparte's Gull that had a full hood. Such a bird has been at Back River the past several winters and I assume it is on its way there now. Waterfowl are in very low numbers so far this year. Rick There are two kinds of statistics, the kind you look up and the kind you make up. -- Rex Stout Rick Blom rblom@blazie.com 4318 Cowan Place Belcamp, Maryland 21017 (410)575-6086