Jay Sheppard didn't look for the Cackling Geese yesterday "because
no one told me about the sighting."  Sigh.....

Fran and I went back today--not a goose to be found in any field
anywhere in a 3-mile or more radius of Bob's sighting.  They must be
hunkering down for the big storm.

We stopped at the pipeline crossing on Howard Church Road where Jay
Sheppard had a potential Spotted Towhee sighting yesterday, but no
luck--that's a wonderfully birdy area though and a visit back on a
better day may well be rewarded!

The Triadelphia Reservoir Count had an overall tally in the mid 80s,
I believe.  Very low numbers of a lot of species.  Fran and I missed
House Finch and we had only 1 Blue Jay for the day.  Waterfowl
reports seemed low as well.

How did the other counts yesterday fare?

Norm

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Maryland Birds & Birding (On Behalf Of Bob Ringler)
> Sent: Friday, December 17, 2004 4:56 PM
> Subject: [MDOSPREY] Cackling Geese near Laytonsville 12-17-04
> 
> 
>    I made several stops in the Laytonsville area looking at 
> flocks of Canada Geese for Cackling Geese.  I was successful 
> with a flock of about 700 birds on Zion Road just south of 
> Gregg Road opposite Ace Nurseries.  There were 6 Cackling 
> Geese mixed in the flock.  They stayed in close proximity to 
> each other and were actively feeding in the field on the west 
> side of the road near the fence bordering a horse farm.  I 
> was here about 3:30-3:45.  I believe this is in the 
> Triadelphia CBC circle.
>    I also checked the flock on Sundown Road east of Zion 
> Road.  This one had about 400 Canada Geese with nothing 
> unusual.  On Damascus Road opposite the intersection with 
> Griffith Road there were about 800 Canada Geese with the only 
> standout being an aberrant Canada Goose with mostly white 
> head and neck, probably not a hybrid.
> 
> --
> Bob Ringler
> Eldersburg MD