I participated this morning in the Bowie Christmas Count, and did the Watkins 
Park area in the southern part of the circle (Upper Marlboro, off Rt 
193/Enterprise Rd).  I was alone, and despite the inclement weather it was 
very enjoyable since wildlife was active.  In addition to many birds, I saw 
many deer (17), a red fox (came within 25 feet and never saw me!), cottontail 
rabbits, gray squirrels and heard spring peepers calling in two areas.  I was 
out from 7:30-11:00.  Noteworthy were the lack of thrushes (I saw none!) 
and blackbirds (including grackles and cowbirds); also a large flock of Canada 
Geese that passed overhead.  The geese landed in a nearby field, where I was 
able to get a good count (620), but was unable to see well enough to look for 
any cacklers.  The best birds were a lone group of 5 Snow Geese (all Blues!) 
that landed among the Canadas; a Kestrel; both Sharp-shinned and Coopers 
Hawks; and a Fox Sparrow.  I had 34 bird species (numbers not provided here 
to avoid confusing the count data; my list was provided to another person, 
who did a different area within the same part of the circle and will combine our 
numbers):

Turkey Vulture
Snow Goose (5 Blue)
Canada Goose
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
American Kestrel
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Field Sparrow
Fox Sparrow 
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Junco
Northern Cardinal
American Goldfinch

In addition, I stopped by Schoolhouse Pond in Upper Marlboro on the way 
home to see if the Ross' Goose might be present but it was absent (there 
were only about 15 Canadas).  I have been trying to figure out where it goes 
when it leaves the Merkle areaa, since it appears to be staying around (has 
been here since mid-December).  Yesterday I drove through Merkle and did 
not see it (~2,000 Canada's present; 12:00-1:15 PM).

At Schoolhouse today I saw:

Canada Goose (~15)
Mute Swan (1)
Tundra Swan (same 1 as always)
Mallard - (over 20, but hard to count with all the ferals present)
American Coot (2)

Happy New Year!!
Jeff Shenot
Croom MD