Hi Everyone,
 
I wandered around Charles and St. Mary's Counties this afternoon, enjoying the last day of 2005 birding. Below are some highlights by location. Happy New Year!
 
Smallwood State Park (esp. Sweden Point Marina), Charles Co.
 
Mute Swans--5
Gadwall--8
Canvasbacks--6
Redheads--10
Ring-necked Ducks--200+
Mixed Scaup--50+
Bufflehead--20+
Red-breasted Mergansers--5
Ruddy Ducks--60+
Pied-billed Grebe--1
Brown Creeper--1
Winter Wren--1 singing
Cedar Waxwings--200+
Myrtle Warblers--5
Purple Finches--10
 
Beauvue Ponds, St. Mary's Co.
 
Gadwall--10
Redhead--1
Ring-necked Ducks--20+
Greater Scaup--1
scaup sp.--5
Hooded Mergansers--2
Ruddy Ducks--20+
 
St. Mary's River State Park, St. Mary's Co.
 
Tundra Swan--1
GC Kinglets--5
Hermit Thrush--1
Brown Thrasher--1
Cedar Waxwings--20+ (county closeout)

** While hiking at St. Mary's River S.P., I had brief looks at two different large gray squirrels that each made me immediately think Delmarva Fox Squirrel. They were large and what I would describe as "lumbering", more silver than a gray squirrel, and so on. One even started to climb a tree, climbed back down, and ran away (very Fox vice Gray). According to the range maps I've seen, Delmarva Fox Squirrels are by definition found on the Delmarva Peninsula, but is there an explanation other than that I'm crazy? :) 1) Has anyone seen gray/silver morph (non-Delmarva) Fox Squirrels on the western shore? (I've only seen rusty brown and black morphs on the western shore.) 2) Perhaps there is an ongoing release program? During a bit of Internet research, I was unable to crack the mystery. Any info would be much appreciated.
 
Happy New Year, everyone!  Here's to another excellent year of birding!
 
Bill 
 
Bill Hubick
Elkridge, MD

<http://www.billhubick.com>