Hi Folks,

Elaine and I had been planning to spend the morning in Calvert Co. today,
but weren't expecting to spend our time traveling through a vertiable winter
wonderland.  The inch of snow and lack of wind made the drive south
beautiful, and our 2.5 hour hike in the wildlife management area at the end
of Smoky Rd. was exceptionally picturesque and serene.  I realized today why
I like this place so much--we hiked for two and a half hours without hearing
a car or an airplane or a dog bark, and in fact never saw another human
until the very end of the hike.  Of course, come hunting season it's an
entirely different story, but for today, at least, the snow and stillness
made it almost surreal.  The best bird of the outing was a VESPER SPARROW,
viewed before we even got out of the car upon our arrival.  It was with
other sparrows feeding on the ground near the parking area.  I wanted to
digiscope it, but as stealthily as I tried to extract myself from the car,
it spooked, and that was the last we saw of it.  After Smoky Rd. we visited
Kings Landing Park and North Beach before returning home.  Highlights:

    WMA at end of Smoky Rd.:
Ruddy Duck--3 on river
DC Cormorant--4 on river
Osprey--2
Bald Eagle--2 adults
N. Harrier--1 over marsh on PG Co. side of river
Greater Yellowlegs--3 on PG side of river
Barred Owl--1 answered my calls
BG Gnatcatcher--3
GC Kinglet--2 heard
Hermit Thrush--6
Brown Thrasher--3
Pine Warbler--1
E. Towhee--12
Chipping Sparrow--10
Field Sparrow--3
Savannah Sparrow--18
VESPER SPARROW--1
Song Sparrow--1
WT Sparrow--100+
DE Junco--15

    Kings Landing Park (it was now getting fairly windy):
Wood Duck--pair
Greater Yellowlegs--1

    North Beach, in bay:
Greater Scaup--1
Surf Scoter--5
Bufflehead--10
Co. Goldeneye--1
Red-breasted Merganser--2
Am. Coot--2
PB Grebe--1
Horned Grebe--50+, all transitioning into breeding plumage
Common Loon--2

    North Beach Marsh:
Blue-winged Teal--1 male
Green-winged Teal--about 20
Wilson's Snipe--25 counted
Belted Kingfisher--1

    Small park in AA Co., a mile or so north of North Beach:
Northern Gannet--1 adult flying low over the bay

Regards to all,

Stan Arnold
Glen Burnie