I spent an hour and a half at Piney Run Park, Carroll Co today. Unlike 
most times, a lot of waterfowl was close to the boat-dock area.

The most interesting sighting was about 40 close Hooded Mergansers 
doing a lot of head-bobbing display and emitting a frog-like croak, 
which I don't think I ever heard before. There were the usual ~1000 
Canada Geese, ~100 Coots, about 20 Buffleheads, only 2 obvious 
Ring-necks, 2+ Ruddies, and one fairly distant Redhead. I didn't see 
the famous Eared Grebe.

The loop road right by the water was closed off, which may explain the 
closeness of the birds. They didn't seem to mind a few people walking 
by too much. There were two adult Bald Eagles perched high in a tall 
tree directly across the lake. There was a very vocal immature Y-b 
Sapsucker, one R-b Nuthatch, and several Hermit Thrushes in the nearby 
woods. Sparrows were quite scarce.

Steve Sanford
Randallstown MD (Balto Co)
scartanATverizonDOTnet