The cold weather has finally brought in some of the 'normal' species and
numbers for this spot on the headwaters of Leeds Creek.
    Today over 3000 Canada Geese settled upon the waters about 50 ft from
our deck.  Earlier in the morning some ducks were along - up to 50 Mallards,
eight Buffleheads and three Ruddies.
    This was a Project Feeder Watch Day, so I was carefully counting the
birds around the several feeding sites on the place. Results - 4 Fox
Sparrows, 40 White-throated Sparrows, 3 Song Sparrows, 30 Juncoes, 1
Cooper's Hawk, 1 Red-tailed Hawk (not close to feeders, but still seemed to
be checking things out), 10 Cardinals, 10 Mourning Doves, 4 Blue Jays, 1
Northern Mockingbird, 16 Cedar Waxwings, 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker, 2
Carolina Chickadees, 1 White-breasted Nuthatch, 1 Carolina Wren, 1 Eastern
Towhee, 8 Red-winged Blackbirds, 6 House Finches, 12 Goldfinches, and 6
House Sparrows.
    Early in the morning I heard a Kingfisher, and around mid-morning there
were three Ring-billed Gulls over the creek.
 
    This seems to be an especially good fall for Delmarva Fox Squirrels
around here.  I have seen single animals (all but one NOT road kill) about a
dozen times in the past six weeks, including two at separate sites on a
single day.
 
    Oh, since several people asked, I did indeed find my way over to Monkton
for a delightful look at the nicely cooperative Hammond's Flycatcher.
 
Les Roslund

Talbot County
Easton MD 21601