Hi Folks,

Taking advantage of the spectacular weather, Elaine and I did a late
afternoon jaunt around Southwest Area Park (SWAP) in Balt. Co.  The only new
arrival for the season was TREE SWALLOW.  After watching the sun set at
SWAP, we headed over to Burwood Shopping Plaza off of B&A Blvd in Ferndale
(AA Co.), and walked around the storm water pond at the south end of the
plaza, then down a path to the gas pipeline area.  Here we heard WOODCOCK
for the fourth year in a row, but only a single bird which began peenting
around 6:20, and ceased about ten minutes later.  We may have also heard a
flight sound, but it was very weak.

Birds seen at SWAP were:

Canada Goose--3
Mallard--3
Hooded Merganser--5 (4m 1f)
GB Heron--1 flyover
Bald Eagle--1 on nest on Delaware Ave., near park
Red-shouldered Hawk--1 adult
Ring-Billed Gull--scores
Herring Gull--4
B. Kingfisher--1
Downy Woodpecker--2; 1 went into a nest cavity, and stayed
crow, sp.--1
Tree Swallow--2
Am. Robin--100
Song Sparrow--3
Swamp Sparrow--1
White-throated Sparrow--1
Red-winged Blackbird--500
Common Grackle--75
Brown-headed Cowbird--25

Back home in our Ferndale yard, Elaine first saw an American Crow
nest-building in one of our pines on Tue., 27 Feb., carrying some good sized
sticks.  Also of interest is that she photographed a Red Fox under our
feeders on Monday, 26 Feb.  We would have never expected this in our yard
which is surrounded by houses, which are surrounded by more houses.  The
snows in February were most welcome for our yard list, bringing to our
feeders E. Towhee, Hairy Woodpecker, and Fox Sparrow (for five days), all
very scarce birds in our yard.

Stan Arnold
Glen Burnie