Jim Stasz, Matt Hafner, JB Churchill, Ray Kiddy, and myself birding these two western Maryland counties today looking for Garrett waterbirds in the morning and Allegheny sparrows in the afternoon and evening.  Highlights are listed below (in no particular order):

Garrett County....

Finzel Swamp (0640-0730)
Purple Finches  several
Pine Siskin  1
Red-shouldered Hawk  1
Myrtle Warbler  2

Piney Res (0800-0835)
Rusty Blackbird  2
Ring-necked Duck  2
Ruddy Duck  1
Pine Siskin  2
Purple Finch  5
American Wigeon  4
Hooded Merganser  1
Wild Turkey  ~10 (in a field on the way in)

Meadow Lake (0850-0915)
Common Loon  1
Pied-billed Grebe  3
Ruddy Duck  19
Ring-necked Duck  105
Killdeer  2
Canada Goose  400
Snow Goose  1

4-H Camp (0935-0948)
Black-capped Chickadees  15+ (everywhere)
Golden-crowned Kinglet  2
Red-breasted Nuthatch  5
White-breasted Nuthatch  2
Northern Harrier  2
Wild Turkey  16

Deep Creek Lake  (1010-1100)
Mallard  30
Pied-billed Grebe  8
Carolina Wren  1
Canada Goose  150
Ruddy Duck  22
American Coot  75
Pectoral Sandpiper  1 (just a pec)

Broadford Reservoir (1115-1220)
Ruddy Duck 100
Hooded Merganser  3
Mallard  20
Gadwall  10
Green-winged Teal  15
Pied-billed Grebe  10
Canada Goose  661
Ring-necked Duck  10
American Black Duck  1
American Coot  81
Eastern Towhee  1
American Wigeon  2

Trout Run STP (1300-1345)
American Crow  yes
Green-winged Teal  2
American Black Duck  2
Wood Duck  4
swallow sp.  0

entering Allegheny County....

North Brand Spray Fields (1445-1800)
*sparrow numbers are rough estimates*
Killdeer  6
American Kestrel  1
Song Sparrow  60  
White-crowned Sparrow  30
White-throated Sparrow  5
Vesper Sparrow  1
Savannah Sparrow  8
Swamp Sparrow  7
Sedge Wren  1
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow  1 (alterus)
Wood Duck  25
Lincoln's Sparrow  1

Overall there were a large amount of Black-capped Chickadees around.  This is probably due to the sort of invasion which is occuring now.

The Nelson's and Lincoln's were found after JB and Ray had to leave.  I believe the Nelson's is a first county record for Allegheny.  JB, Jim, and Matt will start around 7 AM tomorrow at the North Branch spray fields to try to relocate the bird.  

Directions can be found by typing "north branch directions" into the archive search at http://mdosprey.home.att.net .  To directions describe how to get to the Sewage Ponds.  You go past this area a little ways when you approach a very large open area.  These are spray fields.  The bird was found about 50 yards down the main stretch which is kind of a road (used by a tractor presumably).  It was seen on either side of this road.

Mike Burchett
Morgantown, WV