This afternoon Ken and I went for a walk at Wilde Lake. There was one 
Pied-billed Grebe and two pairs of Ring-necked Ducks on the lake, and 
our first Double-crested Cormorant of the year was on one of the small 
platforms. A flock of 12 Fish Crows flew across the lake calling to each 
other.

At the west end of the lake we turned and went through the woods to 
Beaverbrook. At the entrance to the woods (where the new wooden bridge 
is) we saw an OSPREY fly in, land on a branch, and began to eat a fish 
it had just caught. We also saw our first Common Grackle of the year.

After that we were actually able to get a little exercise, since we 
didn't see anything but the usual suspects ... until we got to the 
middle of the lake on our way home. As we passed the platforms in the 
center of the lake, we stopped to watch two Great Blue Herons on 
adjacent platforms. One was eating a fairly good-sized fish, and it's 
always fun to watch that process. When the fish finally bulged its way 
down the heron's throat we put down our bins -- and realized something 
large was flying overhead. It was a beautiful adult BALD EAGLE, circling 
low over the lake, gradually moving eastward toward Lake Kittamaqundi. A 
Bald Eagle has been seen relatively frequently at the two lakes since 
January -- hopefully it will continue to stay in the area.

Sherry Peruzzi
Howard County