Hi all,
 I walked around Blue Mash yesterday AM, and found it to be rather  quiet. As 
I exited my van in the parking lot, a big dog (she being a mix of  sheppard 
and rottweiler) without collar or tags met me with a shy timid  stare. We 
quickly made friends, and she joined me for a walk around the whole  park. She went 
wherever I did, close by my heels at times, wandering around in  the weeds at 
other times. A very sweet dog, whom I nicknamed "Sweetie" (aren't I  
clever...) and a good birding companion. We didn't see a whole lot, but as we  arrived 
at the fenced big pond, an immature Bald Eagle soared directly  overhead 
looking for something for breakfast. Only a handful of Bufflehead and  
Green-winged Teal were on the pond, so the eagle flew off.
 
 Sparrow numbers have dropped off sharply. I did find Song, Swamp,  
White-throated and Field, as well as a good number of singing Fox Sparrows  throughout 
the park. Saw but one Purple Finch, their numbers dropping off since  last 
week also. A juvie N. Harrier flew by and over the landfill, and Red-tails  were 
also around. Sweetie and I took a long walk into the woods to try and find  
Brown Creeper (found 2) which was missing from my Blue Mash list. Also saw  
Hairy, Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, as well as Flickers. Small groups of  
Golden-crowned Kinglets foraged in the woods with chickadees, but I saw only a  
single Ruby-crowned. 
 
When I left, "Sweetie" ambled across the road to the small house  there, but 
then came back to the parking lot as I drove off. If I hadn't had a  dog at 
home waiting for me, "Sweetie" would now be mine. I don't know who  owns her, 
but I really fell for her, and it's a shame to see such a nice dog  with no tags 
or collar, just waiting to be hit by a car.
 
Rick Sussman
Ashton,MD
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