I spent yesterday (Saturday, December 10) driving around western Dorchester County, getting my eagle fix but also searching 
for a Rough-legged Hawk (in vain, alas).  

The bird of the day was an AMERICAN WOODCOCK.  Around 1:00 pm, I found it sitting alongside Cedar Creek Road, soon 
after I turned onto it from Wesley Church Road, south of Blackwater NWR (DeLorme 32, C2).  Cedar Creek Road is the "totally 
unmarked dirt road" mentioned by Pete Webb in his November 20 posting.  (Thanks, Pete!)  I stopped next to the Woodcock 
and put down my window, and the two of us sat and stared at each other for half a minute, before he ruffled up his pretty tail 
feathers and sidled off into the phragmites.  WOW.  Dumb luck strikes again!

In the morning I birded Blackwater and its environs.  Along Egypt Road, on the way to the refuge, I saw 7 TUNDRA SWANS in a 
farm field, 1 RED-SHOULDERED HAWK perched in a tree by an abandoned house, and near the intersection of Egypt Road 
and Key Wallace Drive, 2 KILLDEER and 1 KESTREL.  In the pines by the Marsh Edge Trail, I disturbed 3 BALD EAGLES (2 
adult, 1 immature), which took off in a huff and flew energetically over the marsh.  From the trail, I also saw 8 REDHEADS 
(males and females), 6 or 7 GREAT BLUE HERONS, a flock of GOLDFINCHES, and WHITE-THROATED, SONG, and 
SEASIDE (2) SPARROWS.  Along the Wildlife Drive, there were large numbers of waterfowl but not much variety.  I saw 
another half dozen GREAT BLUE HERONS, some of which were trying to forage in the water-filled ditches alongside the road, 
a flock of about 100 TUNDRA SWANS, 1000s of CANADA GEESE, 1000s of MALLARDS, scores of NORTHERN PINTAILS, 2 
AMERICAN COOTS, 4 BALD EAGLES (3 adult, 1 immature), 1 female NORTHERN HARRIER, and SWAMP, SAVANNAH, and 
FIELD SPARROWS.  I also flushed 1 EASTERN MEADOWLARK.

Driving west from Blackwater, I saw more GREAT BLUE HERONS, numerous TURKEY VULTURES, several RED-TAILED 
HAWKS and HARRIERS, and 2 more KESTRELS.  From the bridge leading to Middle Hooper Island, I glimpsed about a dozen 
LONG-TAILED DUCKS (males and females), a raft of scoters (no place to stop - couldn't tell the species), and another 
KILLDEER flying across the water.  There were flocks of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS everywhere I went.

I'd say that it was a pretty good day.

Elaine Hendricks
Greenbelt, MD  (PG County)
        

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