Hi Folks,

Elaine and I spent some time in western Maryland during the past two days to
look for a few county birds.  We began at Piney Run Res. in Carroll Co. to
look for the RT Loon, which wasn't seen, and ran into Kye Jenkins there, who
hadn't seen the loon either.  Our Friday (11/24) stops were:

    Piney Run Res., Carroll Co.:
Canada Goose--hundreds
Gadwall--5 (far end, viewed from road)
Am. Black Duck--10 (far end)
Mallard--scores
GW Teal--10 (far end in muck)
Ring-necked Duck--20
Bufflehead--50
CO. GOLDENEYE--3 hens
Hooded Merganser--6
Ruddy Duck--50
Am. Coot--25
Ring-billed Gull--10

    Big Pool, Washington Co.:
Canada Goose--scores
Gadwall--2
Am. Black Duck--scores
Mallard--scores
Hooded Merganser--10
Common Merganser--2 hens
Ruddy Duck--7
GB Heron--2
RUSTY BLACKBIRD--1 foraging on towpath; viewed in scope

    Rocky Gap State Park, Allegany Co.:
Canada Goose--25
Am. Black Duck--2
Mallard--15
Ring-necked Duck--4
Bufflehead--2
Hooded Merganser--5
Ruddy Duck--35
Pied-billed Grebe--5
Am. Coot--5
YB Sapsucker--1 (at aviary, behind lodge)
Brown Creeper--1 (at aviary)
GC Kinglet--5 (aviary)
Chipping Sparrow--1 along road while first entering park

    McCaugh's Pond, Allegany Co.:
Am. Black Duck--1
Mallard--12
Hooded Merganser--18
GB Heron--1

    Terminus in Cumberland:
Canada Goose--150
CACKLING GOOSE--1 (all the geese were out on the grass, and this little tyke
was utterly dwarfed by the other geese)
Common Merganser--20+ females
B. Kingfisher--1 male (county closeout; we celebrated by watching this bird
eat a 6" fish, after slapping it on the cable over the water several times)

    North Branch Spray Fields:
Am. Kestrel--1
White-crowned Sparrow--10 or more adults, many of which were singing; a few
juv.

    Today (Sat., 25 Nov) we began at dawn at Pinto Pond, where there were
only domestic geese.  After that we met JB Churchill at the North Branch
Spray Fields, and walked around a lot, but it wasn't very birdy, except for
scores of Song Sparrows.  The only birds added from the previous day's list
were Swamp Sparrow (2; county closeout), a couple of GB herons flying by,
and some bluebirds.   From North Branch we drove to Warrior Mountain WMA,
where hunter's vehicles lined the roads.  We managed some waxwings and a
noisy Hermit Thrush, but not much else.  We ended our day back at Rocky Gap,
where the only bird not seen the previous day was a hen Common Merganser.

Regards to all,

Stan Arnold
Glen Burnie