Folks

Yesterday while suffering from a cold I went out to do some light car birding.  On my stop at the old courthouse in Port Tobacco, MD I found a Merlin perched in a Sycamore Tree preening.  I took some digiscope photos.  Later in the day I met Gwen Brewer and Carol Ghebelian at the Breeze Point Sewage Treatment Plant (STP).  They were leading an Audubon Naturalist Society trip.  Gwen told me of a White-eyed Vireo she found at Myrtle Grove Wildlife Management area.  On my way back home I stopped at Myrtle Grove and relocated the vireo.  The Merlin is expected this time of the year, but this is a pretty late date for the vireo.  The vireo avoided my camera.

Other stops along the way were Allen's Fresh (AF), Morgantown (M), River Road (RR) off Wicomico Beach Rd., Breeze Point STP, Myrtle Grove, and Bumpy Oak Wetlands.   Along the way I picked up all seven eastern woodpecker species and nine species of sparrows.

Birds of note were:

Common Loons at Wicomico River at RR, and M. - a couple at both locations
Pied-billed Grebe - Myrtle Grove
Lesser Scaup - about 6 at Breeze Point
Bufflehead at RR, M, and Breeze Point
Hooded Mergansers - lots at Breeze Point
Ruddy Duck - about 600 on the Wicomico River along River Road and one at Myrtle Grove
Bald Eagle - two at River Road
Red-shouldered Hawk - Morgantown area
Red-tailed Hawk - Wicomico Beach Road
American Kestrel - Rt. 257 near Mt. Victoria
Merlin - Port Tobacco 
Forester's Terns - a few at Morgantown  Breeze Point and mixed in with the Laughing Gulls at Breeze Point
Belted Kingfisher - Bumpy Oak
Red-headed Woodpecker - Bumpy Oak
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - home and Port Tobacco
Hairy Woodpecker - home
Northern Flicker - Breeze Point
Pileated Woodpecker - Port Tobacco
Downy and Red-bellied were several locations
White-eyed Vireo - Myrtle Grove
Hermit Thrush - AF
Cedar Waxwings - Port Tobacco, AF, MG - lots there
Non-Myrtle Warbler at the house - just a quick look and a couple chip notes - maybe female Pine
Eastern Towhee - house
Chipping Sparrow - several along AF Road
Field Sparrow - two at Breeze Point
Savannah Sparrow - two at Breeze Point
Fox Sparrow - home
Song Sparrow - most locations
Swamp Sparrow - a few at Breeze Point
White-throated Sparrow - most stops
Dark-eyed Junco most spots
Purple Finch - one at AF and two at Myrtle Grove

I think I will stay in and watch the fog today.

Good birding.

George