Way too wet and windy for "great", but still had some good bird watching
excitement.  I was out last week and returned home (Jug Bay area/Prince
Georges Co.) to find the chipping sparrows have arrived, in full force.
Desite the weather they were singing incessantly, and present everywhere in
our neighborhood.  I also heard a singing field sparrow; the first one I've
heard singing this year.  Sunday was an exciting morning looking at the
river from inside the house; the wind made for a lot of very fast flying
birds that were challenging to follow with a scope, but I managed to see
several interesting new "year" birds for the "yard" list, while playing
inside with the kids:

YELLOWLEGS - 1 (probably GREATER, based on size only; admittedly a poor
field mark since there was only one bird and no vocalization; but I used
several much smaller snipe for comparison);
FORSTER'S TERN - several, seen 3 times but possibly same birds, most was 3
at once;
BONAPARTE'S GULL - at least 10, probably more; I looked out and saw a mixed
flock of 60+ gulls, and while I indulged on viewing a few that flew low
over the house, many more birds passed up the river without me getting a
look to count the # of bonnies in the group;
WILD TURKEY - 1 (a very nervous young male; it came up from the river and
walked through our feeder area but did not remain; I got some nice video as
we all enjoyed the close-up view).

Was anyone out this weekend birding around Jug Bay?

Jeff Shenot
Croom MD