The Patuxent Bird Club/PG Audubon Society held a field trip today to Point
Lookout State Park.  Highlights on this very blustery day included a huge
raft of Surf Scoters (probably 300 or more) just off shore in the Potomac
River.  A few Black Scoters were scattered in this flock.

Other birds included around 10 Common Loons, some of which were very close
to shore.  These included several birds in breeding plumage.  2 Horned
Grebes in breeding plumage were also seen.  Other ducks included Bufflehead
and one Ruddy Duck.  Along some of the pilings in the Potomac were dozens
of Double Crested Cormorants and four Brown Pelicans.  Many Forster's Terns
joined the common gulls.  Osprey were over the river, and an adult Bald
Eagle was perched in a tree.  Most of these birds were over the Potomac,
the Bay was very choppy and wind blown and very few birds were seen over or
on it.

Landbirds were tough to come by in the wind, but we did have one Brown-
headed Nuthatch in the pines (heard only), several Yellow-rumped Warblers,
a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Barn Swallows, 1 Tree Swallow, a Chipping Sparrow,
and a pair of Brown-headed Cowbirds.  And, a Snowy Egret was seen along the
pond near the point.

A stop at Sandgates had several Forster's Terns, Royal Terns, and 1 Caspian
Tern.  Great Black-backed and Herring Gulls were present, but no Kelp
Gull.  Osprey, an immature Bald Eagle, and a Red-tailed Hawk flew overhead.

Fred Shaffer
Patuxent MOS