I had a tip this morning that a Brant was seen around 9:00 on the Patuxent at 
the lower end of Jug Bay, and after evading pursuit from an eagle, it joined up 
with a flock of Canada geese and headed North (upstream).  Brant is a very 
rare sighting here.  I looked for it from about 10:45-12:15 but had no luck.  
There were many groups of geese mingling around (I counted 630), some 
completely in the open and without the brant, and some among the channels 
within the vegetation (spadderdock), making them partially obscured.  The 
partially obscured birds I gave several hard looks at, and could have possibly 
(easily) missed the brant.  I am without a spotting scope, which is in the 
repair shop now.  Bummer.  I did have acceptable views with my binoculars, 
but will have to try again later today, and maybe again tomorrow in the 
morning.

Of note were a group of 52 American coots, ~150 Northern Pintails, 6 Mute 
Swans (the most I've ever seen here), 10 Tundra swans, and ~ 400-500 
Green-wing teal.  And 7 muscovy ducks (new here; domestic waterfowl are 
never present here - maybe the eagles will find them).  Also Mallards (~45), 
Am  black ducks (~20), ruddy ducks (6), and wood ducks (2), 6 Greater 
yellowlegs, and 5 Pied-billed grebes.

Many gulls present, resting (~300; mostly Laugh'g and Ringers, plus 3 
Herring), and 1 Forster's tern.  Saw two adult bald eagles perched; plus 1 N. 
harrier hunting over the marsh.

If I locate the Brant I will mention it.

Jeff Shenot
Croom MD