Hi Folks,

Elaine and I spent the morning birding the wildlife management area at the
end of Smoky Rd. in Calvert Co (DeLorme, p38, C1).   This is the first time
we've been here when there were no hunters, so after circling the fields
near the parking area, we decided to brave the blustery weather and hike the
five mile round-trip to the Patuxent River and back.  Despite windchills
around 10 degrees, it was an exhiliarating walk, and well worth the trip
bird-wise.  I was shocked at the variety of birds on a day when everything
was frozen solid, except for the middle half of the river.  Here's what we
had:

Common Merganser--64 on the river
duck, sp.--a couple hundred huddled at the edge of the ice on the far (PG
Co.) side; couldn't ID without a scope, but think some were Black Ducks
Black Vulture--1
Turkey Vulture--3
Bald Eagle--3 imm over river
N. Harrier--flew over the river, then worked the marshes on the PG side
Red-shouldered Hawk--1 imm
Red-tailed Hawk--1
Ring-billed Gull--12 on river
Herring Gull--5 on river
Great Black-backed Gull--3 on river
E. Screech Owl--1
Barred Owl--there were two responses to my calls at different locations,
probably different birds
Red-bellied Woodpecker--3
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker--1
Downy Woodpecker--4
Hairy Woodpecker--2
N. Flicker--2
Pileated Woodpecker--1
E. PHOEBE--1, at edge of small frozen pond near the river
Blue Jay--2
Am. Crow--1
C. Chickadee--4
T. Titmouse--3
Brown Creeper--3
Car. Wren--7
Winter Wren--1
GC Kinglet--1 near parking area
RC Kinglet--1, flashed his red crown at me; near river
E. Bluebird--18
Hermit Thrush--3
Am. Robin--4
N. Mockingbird--2
BROWN THRASHER--3!--one near parking area, one near river, and one in
between
Eur. Starling--150
E. Towhee--8
Song Sparrow--2
Swamp Sparrow--1
WT Sparrow--125
DE Junco--20
N. Cardinal--5
Red-winged Blackbird--1

Coupled with a few short stops elsewhere in the county, we finished the
4-hour outing with 51 species, an unexpected bonanza considering the weather
conditions.

Stan Arnold
Glen Burnie