We had planned to bird Lilypons today anyway, but yesterday's excitement
lent extra incentive. We arrived at the Monocacy River bridge at about 8:15
am, quite cold but sunny, no insect hatches. So we did a bit of birding
along Lilypons and Oland roads, found a flighty Horned Lark flock along
Lilypons Rd. and managed to dig out both Lapland Longspur and Pipit. Another
check of the bridge and no swallows, so into the gardens themselves at about
9:15. It was cool and getting windy, no response from the Virginia Rail but
assume he is still there from yesterday. Folks were hunting along Monocacy
Bottom so we stuck to the upper part of the area, but did briefly check the
largest pond at the very lower part for the swallows (no). However we did
find some nice birds, including our first Tree Sparrows of the autumn. Again
checking the bridge, where we met Harvey and Marian Mudd, and after a
another unsuccessful wait, we four went over to Black Hills. There were
stoneflies coming off at the time, but alas no swallows.

Birds of interest:

Horned Lark (~150)
Lapland Longspur (3-4)
American Pipit (2)
Tree Sparrow (14)
Fox Sparrow (2)
Field Sparrow (10)
Swamp Sparrow (25)
Purple Finch (2 brownies)
Wilson's Snipe (3)
Hooded Merganser (1, female)
American Black Duck (5)

Plus lots of commoner birds coming to the feeders near the plastic
greenhouses.

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
Colesville, MD