Today (11/02) a 'brownie' Purple Finch finally showed up at one of my
feeders - my first one for the entire year!
    Yesterday, here at home, a Winter Wren was present beside my driveway
and an Osprey was using a branch of a dead locust tree in our yard.  Several
Red-breasted Nuthatches were also present along my driveway.
    Yesterday morning a visit to Tuckahoe Park (Queen Anne's County side)
was rewarded with a long and clear view of a Yellow-billed Cuckoo.  Lots of
Kinglets of both kinds were also there.
 
    And finally, an afternoon visit today to the Cambridge waterfront
yielded distant views of a small group of Scoters along with a few dozen
Mallards, but little else.  Sad to say, Cambridge development and
improvements dominate the area that used to be so nice for close-up views of
ducks over there (from late November through January at least).  The park
beside Oakley Street was replaced this year by a massive condo - charmingly
named Choptank Beach.  A long pier and a no-trespassing sign grace the
shoreline where the ducks used to gather so delightfully.
 
    Farther west, Great Marsh Park has been "improved" by the addition of a
huge boundary of boulder bulkheading - which should make it very
unattractive to the little groups of ducks that people would feed and enjoy
at that spot.  This was where the Eurasian Wigeon joined with a dozen
American Wigeon last year, giving many visitors excellent views.  Two new
piers extending out from the bulkheading should help to ensure that few
self-respecting ducks will gather here now - though the Mallards may like
it.  Naturally all  pilings are carefully cone-capped to be sure that no
gull will use any of them. Ain't progress wonderful!
 
    On a happier note, the portion of Hambrooks Bay bounded by Bellevue
Avenue is unchanged, so the Canvasbacks and others will probably all move
over there.  Viewing is much more difficult, but is not impossible.  
 
Les Roslund

Talbot County
Easton MD 21601