After an unsuccessful try for Cackling Goose along Zion Road in northern 
Montgomery County (there were plenty of geese, but they were far from the 
road in a depression that was hard to penetrate by binos or scope), I went 
the short distance south to the Blue Mash trails.

This place is truly remarkable for sparrows.  Estimated numbers seen during 
a hour-long, brisk late-morning walk around:

AMERICAN TREE  10
SWAMP  2
FIELD  2
FOX  20  (at one point I had 16 in view at once!)
WHITE-THROATED  20+
WHITE-CROWNED  1 adult
SONG  30+
E. TOWHEE  10
DARK-EYED JUNCO  30+

There were many more than these if I had taken the trouble to spish them up 
every few feet.

Other nice things there:

NORTHERN HARRIER  an apparent pair, diving playfully at each other, quite 
high up for this species
AMERICAN KESTREL  1
CEDAR WAXWING  20

Mike Bowen
Montgomery Bird Club
Bethesda, MD

D. H. Michael Bowen (Mike)
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda MD 20817-3845
Tel/Fax: (301) 530-5764
e-mail: