Dear all

I took a few hours off this morning and birded Upper River Rd in Montgomery Co along with Cyndie Loeper.  We had a decent sparrow morning, topped by 3, possibly 4, Vesper Sparrows.  The first 2 of these were spotted along West Offutt Rd, on the fence at the horse field on the sharp corner of the road and were very cooperative giving great views.  A third was noted singing from a tree at the very eastern end of the Patton turf farm.  The fourth was a distant sparrow further along on the turf farm perched on a hay bale well out in the field.

There are still Savannah and White-crowned sparrow around, and we totalled 9 species of sparrows.  One of the White-crowned, found near the junction of Elmer School and River Rds, had pale grey lores and had no dark line connecting the eye to the bill or the lateral crown stripe.  I saw a bird similar to this at the same spot in December and this might be the same bird.  Its bill was pale pink, not really orange as I've seen in Gambell's in the west.  I got a couple of not great pictures showing the head pattern which I can send to anyone who is interested.  No Grasshopper Sparrows in yet but Gnatcatchers, Palm and Pine Warblers in evidence.

We also came across an adult Red-headed Woodpecker along Edwards Ferry Rd.  I see this species in this general area every time I come out - at least in fall and winter when the leaves don't obscure the view.  I wonder, like the Vespers that are seen in the area, whether they stay to breed.

Regards

Clive Harris
Cabin John, Md




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