Hi all,
 No Cave Swallows here either P:-)
 
Not a whole lot of activity, but still lots of Fox Sparrows around, many  
still singing. I had 5 in view at once, with others flying for cover. Ducks on  
the big pond included 18 Green-winged Teal and 3 Hooded Mergs (and a Great Blue 
 Heron), and a pair of Mallard on the smaller pond. Highlight of my morning 
was a  MINK, seen both swimming and diving at the edge of the small pond, 
between the  beaver lodge and the overflow structure. It came ashore once while I 
was fairly  close, allowing me great looks at its face (small features; nose, 
eyes and ears,  pink nose), its body (length, girth and tail length), and its 
overall look. At  first we (there were 2 others present) thought it was the 
beaver, as we saw just  some movement in the water, followed by bubbles. Then 
upon closer looks (still  from a distance) we thought it was an otter, but to me 
it appeared too small,  without the big rear end of an otter. I walked in much 
closer for better looks,  and it came ashore just below me at the edge of the 
pond. It stayed mostly in  the water though, and disappeared by 
swimming/diving away, and we lost sight of  it.
 
I've seen both otter and mink before in Montgomery County, but I have never  
seen one in the water both swimming across the surface and diving under. The  
Audubon Guide to the mid-Atlantic States says they do swim a lot. Also saw a  
dead Meadow Vole along the trail, which appeared to have a broken neck, with  
blood, etc. like a hawk or owl had caught it but had been disturbed and left 
it  lay there in the middle of the trail.
 
Rick Sussman
Ashton,MD