Folks.  

With all the springing forward, I got up about 4:45 AM (or was is 5:45 AM) to feed the animals, and watch the day begin.  The wind was ferocious, but the 3 AM rains had stopped.  Maybe something interesting might grace the house/property 04 list with all this hard NW wind.  I was not disappointed.  About 5:40 AM (or is that 6:40 AM) a flock of four small tern-like birds to the east of the deck were trying to get aloft in the winds blowing from the northeast.  I quickly realized these were not terns or the more common Ring-billed Gulls I see usually.  These four birds were Bonaparte's Gulls.  I could clearly see the white wedge in the primaries, and the dark spots on the heads.  None were in breeding plumage yet and two were sub-adult  - determined by the dark band in the tail.  Life yard bird # 154.  What a way to start a day.  New species come so seldom to the property anymore.  Maybe the hard winds drove them from the river to the west.  

Shortly later, an adult male American Kestrel spread its tail feather, soared some and headed north as well.  Yard 04 year bird #58.  The BOGU was #57 for O4.

Other birds of note today around the property were:

Several Canada Geese calling from down at the marsh.
One male Mallard flyover
One young (juvenile) Bald Eagle with its huge bill broke the surface of the woods early as well.  
Two Ring-billed Gulls - way up there
16 Mourning Dove
Two Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers (one male, one female)
Four Red-bellied Woodpecker
7 Downy  Woodpecker
4 Hairy Woodpecker
One Fish Crow - first I can remember for the year at the house.
Eight Blue Jay
One Carolina Wren
One Ruby-crowned Kinglet - still eating peanut butter
6 Carolina Chickadee
4 White-breasted Nuthatch
20+ American Robins - feeding in the woods
Three Chipping Sparrow
Two Fox Sparrow
40+ Dark-eyed Junco
20 White-throated Sparrow
Two Eastern Towhee
Two Rusty Blackbird (males)
10 Brown-headed Cowbird
16 Red-winged Blackbird
60 Common Grackle
10 Northern Cardinal
One male Purple Finch
8 House Finch
20 American Goldfinch.

When will the wind die down and what will tomorrow bring.  Gwen home from Germany I hope.

Regards
George




=======================================================================
To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to 
with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey
=======================================================================