I have just returned home from my first weekend visit of the year to my
friends Dorchester County cabin on Fishing Creek.  On Saturday, I also took
a late afternoon drive around Blackwater.  I was hoping for some early
migrants and, despite the generally unpleasant weather, I did manage to see
one, a Caspian Tern over Fishing Creek on Saturday.

65 species seen in all; most noteworthy sightings (all numbers are
approximate) include:

Common Loon (1), in beautiful breeding plummage on Fishing Creek
Double-crested Cormorant (1)
Great Egret (2)
Mute Swan (2), on Fishing Creek
Canada Goose (2) on nest w/ mate nearby on Fishing Creek
Wood Duck (3), including a pair fly into the woods and land in an area where
many of the trees have cavities
Gadwell (6), Blackwater
N. Shoveler (20), Blackwater
Blue-winged Teal (8), Blackwater
Green-winged Teal (6), Blackwater
Lesser Scaup (20), Fishing Creek
Bufflehead (8), Fishing Creek
Red-breasted Merganser (pair), Fishing Creek
Osprey (8), Fishing Creek and Blackwater - on nests everywhere it seemed
Northern Harrier (3), farm fields
Bald Eagle (4), Blackwater
Wild Turkey (2), farm fields
Greater Yellowlegs (1), Blackwater
Wilson's Snipe (10), Blackwater
Caspian Tern (1), Fishing Creek
Forster's Tern (4), Blackwater
Barred Owl (2), talking back and forth in farm pine forest
Pileated Woodpecker, heard only
Brown-headed Nuthatch (4)
Eastern Bluebird (2), male feeding female in farm fields
Hermit Thrush (4)
Cedar Waxwing (10)
Pine Warbler (8)
Louisiana Waterthrush (2)
Savannah Sparrow (20), in farm fields

Cathy Carroll
Baltimore, MD


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