Folks

I went out yesterday looking for month birds in Charles Co.  I started at Benedict hoping for Canvasback, Redhead,etc.  What I found was one Coot and seven Mallards.  I guess the big rafts of ducks have not arrived.  I also found about 20 Great Black-backed Gulls mixed in with 50 Herring and 9 Ring-billed Gull.  On the river were at least two Common Loon.  

Next I stopped at the Serenity Farm Fields on Rt. 231 to look for grassland birds.  I found a small flock of Horned Lark but they were so far away I could find nothing else in the mix.  

I then went to the landfill and talked to the manager.  He advised me that the landfill is still closed to birders.  I plan to talk with his supervisor tomorrow and see if I sign a release will I be permitted to study the gulls.  There was a nice mix of several thousand but I was not allowed in.  

I then went to Taste of India in the St. Charles Town Center for lunch.  What great food.  If anyone is interested in the luncheon buffet, contact me off line.

My first afternoon stop was the old Port Tobacco Court House.  Birds of note there were Pileated Woodpecker, two Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, and several Flicker.  Pretty quiet.

Next to Friendship Landing Road off Rt. 425 outside of Ironside.  I had several Fox Sparrow, a single Brown Thrasher, and a Screech Owl.  

Then to Nanjemoy Environmental Educational Center where a pair of Great Horned Owls were duetting when I got out of the car.  Remember it is one week from safe dates for Great Horned Owl.  

It was just at sunset and my goal was to see if I could find American Woodcock calling or displaying with the warm weather.  I headed to last years hot spot, Bluff Point Road.  I had only one AMWO call for about a minute during the hour I worked the road.  No displaying yet.  Maybe later in the month if the weather says warm.

Enjoy the warm weather and look for weather related birds.

George