Hi --

We had our annual Lilypons, Frederick Co., bird walk for the Montgomery Bird 
Club today, 7 of us trudged over most of the area. We had about 56 species if 
one counts our "trip extension" to Shriver Road for the Northern Shrike, which 
was not seen nor had it been seen all day per birders waiting. However, Lilypons 
did not disappoint:

Best birds included: VIRGINIA RAIL (2, heard only alas), BARRED OWL (1), GREATER YELLOWLEGS (1), WILSON'S SNIPE (~20), EASTERN PHOEBE (2), COMMON YELLOWTHROAT (1, adult male), WINTER WREN (4), MARSH WREN (1, apparent Eastern race), FOX SPARROWS (~12), SWAMP SPARROW (~20), RUSTY BLACKBIRD (1-2). We were fascinated by two male Kingfishers apparently in a territorial dispute, making a strange "humming" variation of their chatter call, locking bills and tugging at and chasing each other. None of us had ever seen anything like this before. We missed the Coots and Ravens seen on Friday. NO Juncoes, Hermit Thrushes, Yellow-rumped Warblers which was a surprise. Tree Sparrows may not be in yet.

At Shriver Road: WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS (~12), HORNED LARKS (~40). No Shrike.

Trip List:

Great Blue Heron
Canada Goose
Mallard
Hooded Merganser
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-Tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Virginia Rail (H)
Wilson's Snipe
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Morning Dove
Barred Owl
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker (H)
Northern Flicker
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark (Shriver Rd.)
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Winter Wren
Marsh Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
No. Mockingbrd
Cedar Waxwing
European Starling
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Cardinal
Eastern Towhee
Field Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow (Shriver Rd.)
Red-winged Blackbird
Rusty Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
House Finch
Am. Goldfinch
House Sparrow