I covered miles 104, 105, and 106 in Washington County again this year for the C&O Canal Winter Count. Temperature was in the upper 20s to mid 30s; mostly cloudy with one short sprinkle of rain but no wind. Few geese this year probably because of the mild weather leaving ponds open that would normally be frozen sending the birds to the river. The river was running high and that meant few ducks. Otherwise, the only significant number change was for Carolina Wren. The list below includes all species seen in the two years with the 3-mile total for 2005 followed by the total for 2006.

Snow Goose  1-0
Canada Goose  729-63
Black Duck  1-0
Mallard  2-4
Goldeneye  7-0
Common Merganser  17-2
Great Blue Heron  1-1
Bald Eagle  2-0
Red-tailed Hawk  1-0
Mourning Dove  9-7
Kingfisher  1-2
Red-bellied Woodpecker  9-9
Sapsucker  0-1
Downy Woodpecker  10-7
Hairy Woodpecker  3-5
Flicker  1-3
Pileated Woodpecker  2-6
Blue Jay  2-2
American Crow  14-10
Carolina Chickadee  16-15
Titmouse  8-4
White-breasted Nuthatch  7-4
Brown Creeper  5-7
Carolina Wren  10-22
Winter Wren  2-2
Golden-crowned Kinglet  7-3
Bluebird  1-3
Hermit Thrush  1-0
Robin  0-6
Mockingbird  1-2
Starling  11-35
Cedar Waxwing  0-1
Myrtle Warbler  2-3
Song Sparrow  1-7
White-throated Sparrow  1-3
Junco  9-8
Cardinal  5-9
House Finch  0-1
Goldfinch  17-2
--
Bob Ringler
Eldersburg MD