Hello, birders.
   
  I took a birding boat trip with the Md.-Nat'l Capital Parks and Planning Commission today on the lower Patuxent River.  The focus was on raptors and waterfowl.  The trip was centered on the Rte. 231 bridge near Prince Frederick but we travelled through parts of 4 counties.  Boating is a great way to see birds and the cost of these trips are very reasonable.  
   
  We went as far S as northern St. Mary's Co.  I felt fortunate that our excellent tour guide stopped behind the Seabreeze restaurant in St. Mary's Co. so we could see if the Kelp Gull was present.  It was not there but mixed in with LAUGHING, GR. BLACK-BACKED, RING-BILLED and HERRING GULLS as well as FORSTER'S TERNS were 3 ROYAL TERNS.  I'm not sure how unusual Royal Terns are along the Patuxent but I thought that this sighting was of interest for such a late date.  All of these birds were on pilings.
   
  Except for CAN. GOOSE and RUDDY DUCK, waterfowl numbers were generally low.  Our guide speculated that the East's mild autumn weather has kept many waterfowl up north so far.  We enjoyed seeing 5 LONG-TAILED DUCKS toward the end of the trip, one in particular gave us great looks.  Other waterfowl seen were MUTE SWAN, TUNDRA SWAN, MALLARD, AM. BLACK DUCK, LSR. SCAUP (only 1), BUFFLEHEAD, COM. LOON and HORNED GREBE.  Most common raptor was B. EAGLE with 3 ad. over the river and 1 ad. overhead as I was leaving after noon. 
   
  I ran into Jason Waanders and several other birders on the canal towpath near Pennyfield Lock in Montgomery Co. this afternoon.  After birding there some of us went to Violette's Lock but we didn't get any definitive sighting of the Neotropic Cormorant there, either.  This was my second try.  Like last weekend, many BLACK and TURKEY VULTURES were overhead.
   
  Happy birding,
   
  Scott Baron
  Fairfax, Va.  

		
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