Hi All,

A fairly successful neighborhood walk today (10 January) induced me to post on our first week and a half here at Chesapeake Landing seven miles northwest of Chestertown on Worton Creek. It sounded and felt spring-like this morning as we walked back from the school bus stop with many birds calling and singing including a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers and a Hermit Thrush. 

I decided to take a walk later in the morning and it started well when I met with the BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES that have been coming to our feeder for the last two months at the birdbath on our deck. We had suspected there was more than one, but I hadn't seen two together until today. I heard the birds' slower and huskier "chickadee" calls and less sibilant contact notes, and had point-blank looks at six feet at the extensive white on the greater coverts, the long tail, the bright white on the face running to the nape, and the messy lower border of the bib among other more subtle points. I also had a pair of Carolina Chickadees at the time allowing an excellent comparison.

 Other nice finds on the walk were a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (I had a six woodpecker day), two Brown Thrashers, a GRAY CATBIRD, at least four Bald Eagles, 2 Eastern Towhees, and an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW.

Sightings of interest over the last eight days include a brown PURPLE FINCH at the feeder on 4 Jan, and two adult Red-shouldered Hawks yesterday (9 Jan).

Good Birding,

Walter Ellison

23460 Clarissa Road
Chestertown, MD 21620
phone: 410-778-9568
e-mail: 

"A person who is looking for something doesn't travel very fast" - E. B. White (in "Stuart Little")

"Are there *ever* enough birds?" - Connie Hagar as quoted by Edwin Way Teale in "Wandering through Winter"