Hi Everyone,
 
Hans Holbrook and I got out to do some local birding in Howard County today (11/4), then ventured a bit further afield to Montgomery and Frederick. We eventually met up with Jim Stasz, Matt Hafner, Dave Powell, and Brad Lanning at Lilypons. I guess I wasn't the only person who found today too nice for work :) 
 
Our best bird of the day was an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER within the first 50 yards of hiking at Blue Mash Nature Trail (trail to the left, in the scrub about 50 yards in, on the right). Other highlights listed below.
 
Schooley Mill Park, Howard Co.:
 
Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 1
Brown Creeper - 1
Winter Wren - 1

Golden-crowned Kinglets - 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglets - ~5
Myrtle Warblers - 3
Yellow Palm Warbler - 1
Field Sparrows - 20+

Swamp Sparrow - 1
White-throated Sparrows - 200+
Dark-eyed Juncos - 50+
 
Brighton Dam, Howard/Montgomery Co.:

Northern Harrier - 1 (distant flyby on Howard Co. side)
a few distant gulls
 
Blue Mash Nature Trail, Montgomery Co.:
 
Ruby-crowned Kinglets - ~10
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER - 1
Yellow Palm Warbler - 1
Myrtle Warblers - ~12
Field Sparrows - ~5
Swamp Sparrows - 2
White-crowned Sparrow - 1 ad.
Purple Finches - ~10
 
Lilypons, Frederick Co.:
 
Am. Kestrels - 2
Sora - 1

Am. Coots (at least if you trust Stasz and Dave) - 2
Killdeer - 32

Tree Swallows - 2
Winter Wren - 1
Vesper Sparrow - 1 (Stasz/Dave; upper pkg. area)
Fox Sparrow - 1
Rusty Blackbirds - ~15

Purple Finch - 1
 
Black Hills Regional Park
 
Ruddy Ducks - 50+
Bufflehead - ~8
Am. Coots - 20+
 
By the way, I posted quite a few photos from today in the "Latest additions" section of my web site (<http://www.billhubick.com>). I'm also just back from a month in South Korea, so the "South Korea Trip" section has quite a few Korean bird photos, if interested.
 
Enjoy the weekend!  
 
Bill
 
Bill Hubick
Elkridge, Maryland
<http://www.billhubick.com>