Though neither Osprey nor Laughing Gulls were found during the morning walk
of the Talbot Bird Club (March 12) both species actually were present quite
close to route of the birders.  A flock of gulls in a field being tilled
beside Unionville Road actually included six Laughing Gulls amongst the
several hundred Ring-bills.  (I checked the flock with care on my way home
from the brunch.)
 
And as for the Osprey, my wife, Carolyn, saw one at our home in Tunis Mills
while the birders were birding just a couple of miles downstream.  She saw
it again early this morning, but there is still one person in our family who
continues to look for his first Osprey sighting of the year.
 
The chorus of Robins at our house this morning was absolutely delightful.
This evening the vocalizers have been a couple of Great-horned Owls.  They
have been calling to one-another  for nearly an hour.
 
There was also a bit of high drama this morning.  First, the  thirty
Mallards that loiter in our yard suddenly took to the water.  A glance
toward the sky revealed an immature Bald Eagle passing fairly high.  Moments
later about a dozen Mallards came barreling down stream past our place - and
close behind, fairly low to the water, was an adult Bald Eagle.  He/she
seemed to have one Mallard singled out, but the bird did a hard right turn
just this side of the bridge, then hit the water, and the eagle failed in
its try for duck as a mid-morning snack.
 
Les Roslund

Talbot County
Easton MD 21601