At 7:30 a.m. I was at Lakeside Ponds in Harford co, checking the ponds.  The
small, lower pond was too full of water to harbor much, but a pair of Blue
Grosbeaks paused briefly atop the cattails.  A Double-crested Cormorant flew past.

At the large pond were two Green Herons and a Great Blue.  In a treetop at
the south-west corner of the large pond I found a juvenile Rusty Blackbird --
substantial rusty edges on coverts and tertials, a vaguely lighter breast with
buffy undertones, hint of a lighter supercillium, and a dark eye.  Early by six
days according to the "Yellow Book".  There were still two Barn Swallows
engaged in their local favorite passtime -- snatching insects from the yellow
walls of the buildings.

Later, around 9:30 I was at Swan Harbor Farms looking for something other
than frogs in the marshy pond and found nothing -- well -- 4 Mallards.  Too much
water for any flats.  Lots of Red-wings.  Five Bald Eagles soared along the
distant tree line for an hour.  I found a single Bobolink perched atop a plant
in the soybean field adjacent the pond.  Searching for ten minutes failed to
produce any more but I'm sure they must have been there.

Lou Nielsen
Reisterstown, MD