Hi Folks,

Yesterday was a busy day for Elaine and me as we worked both gardening and
birding into our schedule.  On our way home from Behnke's Nursery we drove
through the Beltsville Ag. Research Center and in a large flock of robins,
starlings and blackbirds we saw about 35 RUSTY BLACKBIRDs.

In the afternoon we headed to the northeast with the intent of finding
woodcocks in Harford Co.  We stopped at two places in Cecil Co. in hopes of
seeing some of the massive rafts of waterfowl reported by Sean McCandless,
but apparently most of the ducks had receded into the bay.  What we saw were
mostly gulls and Canada Geese.  Here's what we could identify:

    Perryville Park, Cecil Co.:
Am. Black Duck--10
Canvasback--10
Redhead--3 (2m 1f)
L. Scaup--30
Bufflehead--pair
Hooded Merganser--1 male
Am. Coot--1

    Northeast Comm. Park, Cecil Co.:
Snow Goose--flock of about 75 overhead
Red-necked Grebe--a distance out
    the only ducks were a pair of "Swedish" Ducks (mutts, to me); plenty of
gulls

    Havre de Grace waterfront and marina, Harford Co.:
Common Goldeneye--1 male
Red-breasted Merg--1 female
Bonaparte's Gull--30

    Swan Harbor, Harford Co. (we did not see the Glossy Ibis reported
yesterday):
Am. Wigeon--pair
N. Pintail--2 pairs
N. Shoveler--2 pairs
Blue-winged Teal--2 pairs
Green-winged Teal--20
Ring-necked Duck--8 (5m 3f)
Lesser Scaup--pair
Pied-billed Grebe--1, vocalizing
Bald Eagle--adult pair
Sora--actually emerged where we could get the scope on it, but not long
enough to photograph
Am. Coot--4
Am. Woodcock--3 or 4; caretaker John Gallo took us down near the pier where
he had been watching them the past couple of evenings, and we heard many
vocalaziations and saw a couple displays
Great Horned Owl--calling very faintly at dusk

    Our yard in Ferndale (AA Co.) has had some interesting birds during the
past week.  Our last FOX SPARROW was seen on 3/22, our 9th day in a row to
enjoy this bird, and we had a high count of five of them on 3/19.  CHIPPING
SPARROWs continue to visit, with a high of four on 3/23.  On Tue., 3/20, an
adult BALD EAGLE was circling high overhead, riding a thermal up till almost
disappearing from sight.  Friday, 3/23, we tallied 30 species in the yard
for the second time this month, highlights being our second E. PHOEBE of the
season, our second BROWN CREEPER of the season, and our season's first
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET.

Regards to all,

Stan Arnold
Glen Burnie