Howdy all,

There hasn't been much time lately for me to bird but I was delighted to have a Life Bird last week while helping out my brother. He runs a marina (Combs Creek Marina) just off of Breton Bay and I was there helping him get ready for the holdiay weekend. For perhaps 5 minutes I was entertained by a pair of Yellow-Billed Cuckoos along the marina driveway, about 25 feet up in the trees. He thought I was the cuckoo of course and couldn't figure out why he was the only one doing any work! :)

Regarding birds nests... For those that don't know yet I work at Point Lookout State Park as a Naturalist. One of my current projects is a display case for birds nests (and eggs when ethical) for the future re-opening of the Marshland Nature Center (previously the Visitor Center). I'm hoping a few of you might hang onto some of the nests you locate after they are abandoned so I can use them for this display. We had lots of nests but no positive ID on most of them so I'm starting fresh and labeling as I go. So far I have a Brown Thrasher, House Sparrow and (eventually) a Bluebird and Tufted Titmouse nest to start the collection. Oh, and a Carolina Wren I was forced to evict from a bad location within the Park. My display case has approx. 5" X 7" cubby holes for the nests and will eventually hang on the wall of the Nature Center to help educate the 500,000 visitors we get each year. Anyone with nests or blown eggs to donate can contact me offlist at  I trust
 everyone to use their best judgement for when the proper time is to gather the nests. Pleeeeeeease don't disturb a nest unnecessarily, I'd rather drop the whole idea than do that. Thanks a bunch!!

Happy birding,
Chris Ordiway
Callaway, Md.
www.zorb.org


---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Friends.  Fun. Try the all-new Yahoo! Messenger