Gosh Bob, I thought *we* were the cause of the birds all disappearing. Well,
not all -- we did see the Crane, probably about 2 pm. It was in the field
near the golf course, well back from the road, and just at the brow of a
hill or swale, where it was probably hiding when Bob went through!

We arrived too late for the swallows, and managed "too-distant-to-
ID-even-with-a-scope" looks at a grebe from the dam (we were scoping for the
loon with no luck) which was either the Eared or a Horned. When we got to
boat dock it was nowhere to be seen.

We had planned to do Lilypons and Oland Road area tomorrow so will look for
the swallows, in case they return. There is a hatch of tiny black stoneflies
from the river so this is probably what they were feeding on.

Gail Mackiernan

on 11/26/2004 5:03 PM, Bob Ringler at  wrote:

> I was unable to get out this morning as I had set aside time to work on
> Maryland Birdlife.  This afternoon I got to Black Hill Regional Park about 1PM
> just as Kathy Brown from Frederick County was about to leave.  She pointed out
> the Eared Grebe and I scoped it briefly from the parking lot.  When I walked
> down to the lake to get a better view it was nowhere in sight.  It did not
> reappear in the next 20 minutes so off to Poolesville where there were no
> cranes anywhere in sight near the golf course.  I was not too disappointed
> having seen cranes in the past but others there were hoping for a lifer which
> did not appear.  Then on to Lilypons where the swallows had not been seen for
> a few hours.  I hope I'm not the cause of all these good birds leaving.

> Bob Ringler
> Eldersburg MD
> 
>