Hi --

Hit our local area at Layhill Park, Mont. Co, this morning, arriving a bit
late. Ran into Rick Sussman there, he had just seen a Lincoln's Sparrow and
a Horned Owl. Rick had to hurry off to work, but we stayed on doing both
north and south ends of the park. The north trail has been, miraculously,
mowed for some way (this park is very poorly maintained, except for the ball
fields!) It's looking even worse now because of trash left by folks as
MNCPPC in their wisdom have removed the trash barrels from this heavily used
(by sports groups) park. Plastic bags of trash in the streams, etc.

But enough moaning -- there were birds including tons of sparrows. In a
couple of hours' birding we saw:

White-throated Sparrow (~200), White-crowned Sp. (2), Field Sp. (8), Swamp
Sp. (~20), Chipping Sp. (4), Song Sp. (~50), LINCOLN'S SP. (1), Junco (6),
Eastern Towhee (~20), Indigo Bunting (1), Blue-headed Vireo (1),
Black-throated Blue Warbler (1, female), Yellowthroat (3), Myrtle W. (~12),
Palm W. (1), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (5), Golden-crowned Kinglet (15), Hermit
Thrush (2), House Wren (2), Catbird (4), Brown Creeper (1), Cedar Waxwing
(12).

Not much diurnal migration due to weather, but some Robins and Jays passing
overhead.

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
Colesville, MD