During a walk north along the beach from Scientists' Cliffs to the mouth
of Parker's Creek on Sunday morning, I found a Seaside Sparrow in one of
larger of the winter's cliff-falls.  The bird was fairly active, but
keeping low amongs the rocks and sparse vegetation that had formed the
talus cone.  So it was usually out of sight behind or under some blocks
of rock and it would scramble to the other side of the rockfall whenever
I approached to peer over the obstructions.  So it took me most of 15
minutes to get a good look at the bird.  Though far from being
cooperative (as Bob Ringler described the Seaside Sparrow he and Bill
Ellis found on Back River on Saturday), it was in fresh alternate
plumage and quite attractive.

Later in the morning, there was a Peregrine Falcon over the marsh
behind the mouth of Parker's Creek.  And an hour spent scanning the Bay
from the cliff top later in the day (1745 to 1845 EDT) turned up 3 Royal
Terns along with a couple of distant N Gannett.

Sherman Suter
Alexandria VA 22307


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