I checked shorebird sites in three close counties today before doing some atlasing in my Emmitsburg and Taneytown blocks. The highlight of the latter was a male Dickcissel I saw in Frederick County. It was singing from the hedgerow on Shoemaker Road near the entrance to the Taneytown Rod & Gun Club (DeLorme 73A4).
   Birds at Western Regional Park pond, Howard Co.:
Canada Goose  2
Killdeer  4
Greater Yellowlegs  1
Lesser Yellowlegs  2
Solitary Sandpiper  1
Spotted Sandpiper  4
Least Sandpiper  8
Short-billed Dowitcher  1

   Birds at Union Mills, Carroll Co. (a newly created wetland on Brown Road 0.5 mile west of Route 97):
Canada Goose  downy young
Wood Duck  downy young
Mallard  downy young
Great Blue Heron  1
Green Heron  1
Virginia Rail  2 heard
Semipalmated Plover  1
Killdeer  3
Lesser Yellowlegs  1
Solitary Sandpiper  4
Least Sandpiper  5
Willow Flycatcher  1 heard calling, not singing
Redstart  1 im male singing
Swamp Sparrow  1 seen, singing also heard

   Birds at Mason Dixon Farms east pond, Frederick Co.:
Semipalmated Plover  6
Killdeer  1
Greater Yellowlegs  2
Lesser Yellowlegs  6
Solitary Sandpiper  8
Semipalmated Sandpiper  1
Least Sandpiper  80
Short-billed Dowitcher  23
   
Bob Ringler
Eldersburg MD