I met up with John Hubbell this morning, we birded mostly along the Potomac 
River from Frederick County up through Allegany County. We had three(!) 
species of shorebird in Washington County, now I know you thinking 'yeah... 
Killdeer, Snipe, Woodcock.' No, no Woodcock. Try SPOTTED SANDPIPER! Yes it 
is February and it was 10 degrees this morning. John kicked up a Spotted 
Sandpiper at Weverton this morning along the Potomac. A quick glance at the 
Yellowbook this evening and I noticed it may be the first February record 
for Maryland. Most of the rest of the birding was waterfowl, Canada Geese, 
Mallard, Black Duck, Common Merganser, Hooded Merganser, Bufflehead, 
Ring-necked Duck(all three counties), and Coot were noted at most stops. 
Raptors were dominated by Red-tailed Hawks, followed by Red-shouldered Hawks 
and Kestrels. There was also an accipiter sp. hunting pigeons in Cumberland. 
So highlights are as follows...

Burkettsville Pond (FRCO)
Snow Goose 1
Richardson's Goose 2
Canvasback 1
Ruddy Duck 1

Brunswick, C&O Canal (FRCO)
hybrid goose, possibly CanadaXWhite-fronted
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1

Weverton, C&O Canal (mostly WACO)
Gadwall 3
Redhead 30
Canvasback 5
Greater Scaup 4
Lesser Scaup 10
Goldeneye 4
Herring Gull 3
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Wild Turkey 1 of about 10 on the Virginia side flew over MD waters
Phoebe 1-2
Pipit 3
Winter Wren 1
Mutant Geese 2


Williamsport (WACO)
White waterfowl of all sizes... no Snow Goose

Dam #5 (WACO)
Red-breasted Merganser 1

Cumberland, Terminus (ALCO)
Richardson's Goose 4
Goldeneye 5
Canvasback 2
Redhead 1
Lesser Scaup
Pekin Duck 1

Rt. 67 farm pond (WACO)
Am. Green-winged Teal 10
Snipe 1

All in all a good day. John only needed three more counties to close out 
Canvasback, which he managed to do today. And for me, with picking up 
Richardson's Goose in Cumberland, I am only three counties away from closing 
it out. Hmmm, can I beat Jim Stasz to the punch and close it out first? Not 
likely, Jim will take this as a challange and go knock off his last one in 
Garrett next Saturday. I don't think a can get Harford, Somerset, and 
Garrett before then.

Good birding,

Hans



Hans Holbrook

Baltimore, MD

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