Nine birders from the Patuxent Bird Club and PG Audubon Society attended a
field trip to several spots in southern Prince George's County. Highlights
from the trip included two Stilt Sandpipers at the pond at Merkle, three
Vesper Sparrows at Millton Landing, and a Red Breasted Nuthatch at Jug
Bay.  Nine sparrow species were seen, not counting Towhee, Juncos, and
House Sparrow.  Totals for the day were 69 species.  Highlights from each
stop were:

Jug Bay:
Pintails, Forster's Tern, Greater Yellowlegs, Bald Eagle, Red Breasted
Nuthatch, Ruby Crowned Kinglet, Golden Crowned Kinglet, Swamp Sparrow, Pied-
billed Grebe, Coots, Lesser Scaup, Black Duck X Mallard hybrid

Merkle:
Pectoral Sandpipers, Killdeer, Dunlin (6 or 7), Stilt Sandpipers, Green
Wing Teal (all in or around the pond behind the visitor's center), Eastern
Bluebird, Eastern Meadowlark, Cedar Waxwing

Milltown Landing:
Song Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow,
Field Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Grasshopper
Sparrow, and Vesper Sparrow.  The three Vesper Sparrows were in one of the
hedge rows running through the fields.  The birds gave wonderful long looks
to everyone on the trip through bins and scopes.  Also present at Milltown
were a Cooper's Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Bald Eagle, Red Shouldered Hawk,
Red Tailed Hawk, several Towhees, and a few Juncos.

Schoolhouse Pond:

570 Laughing Gulls
6 Ring-billed Gulls
1 Herring Gull
2 Gadwall, several Shovelers, and a Great Egret.

The day started out damp and foggy, but ended up with bright sunshine.

Fred Shaffer
Patuxent MOS