Debbie Terry and I visited eastern Baltimore County and adjacent Harford County this morning to look for the Sandhill Cranes first reported in the area a month ago. We eventually saw them briefly in flight on the Baltimore County side of Little Gunpowder Falls though we were on the Harford County side at the time. The area is on DeLorme 59A4/5 and is in Gunpowder Falls State Park.
   We drove to Joppatowne and from Joppa Farm Road parked on Shore Drive just north of Towne Center Drive. We walked down the gated lane which leads to the large pond shown on the map and borders the county line. We continued along a path on the back (west) side of the pond to a point south of the powerline where the Little Gunpowder has altered direction and no further progress is possible. Apparently a passing Harrier flushed the cranes from a place where they were not visible. After a short flight they landed again out of sight.
   Access on the Baltimore County side is restricted. We drove to the Environmental Education Center near Days Cove which is restricted access also. Permission is required from the park office in Kingsville. A nearby large pond held:

Canada Goose  100
Mute Swan  2
Wood Duck  2 females, spotted first by Debbie
Gadwall  4
Baldpate  2
Black Duck  10
Mallard  10
Ring-necked Duck  3
Hooded Merganser  20
Common Merganser  80
Red-breasted merganser  40
Pied-billed Grebe  1
Great Blue Heron  3, including a courting pair
Bald Eagle 1 adult near a nest
Ring-billed, Herring, and Great Black-backed Gulls coming and going from the nearby landfill

--
Bob Ringler 
Eldersburg MD