Dear All

I spent the end of the day on Saturday and yesterday out and about in the Easton, Cambridge & Blackwater areas, along with a friend Frank Hawkins.

We were amongst a number of folk who saw the Harlequin really well at the Cambridge Choptank Marina plus a fantastic showing of sea duck on the river.  Many birds were very close in to the shore and in the beautiful warm sunshine and still air they were displaying and calling - wonderful. Highlights were Surf Scoter c750, Black Scoter c400, Long-tailed Duck c75, Goldeneye c50, Horned Grebe 2.  

We spent the middle part of the day in the Blackwater area, focussing on the eastern side heading down towards the Cedar Creek area.  We managed to find one Rough-legged Hawk quartering the marsh.  It remained distant but was really nice to see nevertheless.  Lots of Northern Harriers too. The oddest bird of the day was a Tree Swallow which was feeding on berries in a garden in the same area.  The first time I have seen a hirundine do such a thing - really quite weird!

We found a Peregrine tearing up its prey on a post by the Egypt Road as we headed north.  It was a very small dark immature bird which had a green band on its left leg and probably one on the right leg too.  It is possibly an escaped falconer's bird with the remnants of jesses on(?).

A friend of ours who was birding the Egypt Road/Blackwater area also saw a Golden Eagle but I am not sure exactly where.  If anyone is especially interested then contact me off list and I will find out.

All the best

Gary Allport