With retail season in full swing It seems like  I live at work. When the call came in yesterday about the WW scoter all I could do was leave for work in disgust. The WW scoter has been my nemesis bird for 15 years! I was sure I had missed it. The news this morning was very bad, no sign of the bird. I decided to give it a try anyway and I went to Greenbridge straight from work. I arrived at 2:30 and a quick scan from the end of the ramp showed a raft of birds off to the left. I grabbed to scope and ran to the pipeline point and was rewarded with a group of 23 LONG-TAILED DUCKS (Oldsquaws) and one WHITE-WINGED SCOTER!!!. I could not believe my luck and good fortune! I was able to view them from a comfortable distance for half and hour. At 3 p.m. they all suddenly took off and flew toward the dam. They then circled up higher and higher and out of sight. What a great Christmas gift! 
    Pity, now all that is left is LeConte's sparrow (and one those tiny geese).

    Bonnie

    Bonnie Ott
Howard County Field Trip Chair
Ellicott City, MD