A birding-by-bike trip between 6:30 and 8:00 this morning yielded GREAT
CRESTED FLYCATCHER (two sightings), Wood Thrush, Yellow Warbler, Oven Bird,
Pine Warbler,  and Common Yellowthroat in the vicinity of Tunis Mills.
    Later in the morning, in our yard, the Pine Siskin showed up again,
along with the 20 or so Goldfinches that were using our thistle feeders.
    This afternoon a Sharpie showed up around the feeders, and when I first
saw it, it was dining on something in the grass beneath and to the side of
the hanging thistle feeders.  To my surprise, while the Sharpie was eating,
many of the other birds were continuing their eating too.  At least six
Goldfinches, two House Finches and a Mourning Dove were dining less that 20
feet from the hawk.  Eventually the hawk flew up to a position even closer
to the feeders - and all the feeder birds made a quick exit.
    Oh - what was the Sharpie eating?  When he left, I checked and found
remnant body parts of a male Cowbird.  Perhaps the Sharpie can develop a
special taste for them?
 
Les Roslund

Talbot County
Easton MD 21601