Hi Folks,

Enroute to my parent's 60th wedding anniversary celebration in Indianapolis,
Elaine and I stopped for a bit of birding in western Maryland on our way
west, and did the same on the return.  Highlights were a small "flock" of
VESPER SPARROWs and RUSTY BLACKBIRD in Allegany Co.,  RUFFED GROUSE in
Garrett, a few shorebirds and some lingering waterfowl.  Here's a rundown:

Sat., 31 March

    Kirchner's Pond, Frederick Co.:
N. Shoveler--pair
Canvasback--1
L. Scaup--pair
Ruddy Duck--20
Am. Coot--15

    Rocky Gap St. Pk, Allegany Co.:
N. Shoveler--at least two in a flock of a dozen or so dabblers that flushed
(from nearby boaters?) as we got out of the car; sadly, only the shovelers
could be ID'd, and the flock was not relocated
Ring-necked Duck--1 male
Bufflehead--1 male
Common Merganser--8
Common Loon--1
PB Grebe--1
swallows--several dozen; I could only ID Tree Swallow

    Piney Reservoir, Garrett Co.:
Wood Duck--1 male
N. Pintail--pair
Blue-winged Teal--pair
Lesser Scaup--20
PB Grebe--2
Osprey--pair (have been around for years, but still no evidence of nesting)
Am. Coot--1

    Little Meadow Lake, Garrett Co.:
L. Scaup--2 pairs
Greater Yellowlegs--1

    small pond on McAndrews Hill Rd., Garrett Co.:
Ruddy Duck--pair

    Jennings Randolph Reservoir, Garrett Co.
Bald Eagle--1 adult flying over
not a single duck

    Norris Welch Rd., Garrett Co. (there were no waterbirds at the WWTP):
W. Snipe--4
Am. Kestrel--1
E. Meadowlark--several singing

    Deep Creek Lake, Garrett Co.:
Bonaparte's Gull--7

Wed., 4 April

    Piney Res., Garrett Co.:
L. Scaup--3 (1m 2f)
Co. Loon--1
PB Grebe--2
DC Cormorant--3
Osprey--4 (or 5); must come from outlying areas to feed here
RB Gull--2
RUFFED GROUSE--1 pale brown bird ambled from the roadside up into the woods,
on main road just south of reservoir; this was at 3:45 p.m., an unusual time
of day for this bird to be on the main road

    Pinto Marsh, Allegany Co. at dusk (there was nothing at Pinto Pond):
Am. Woodcock--2 or 3 peenting; one short flight seen but the virulent wind
precluded the possibility of any displays

Thursday, 5 April

    Mexico Farms Rd., Allegany Co., in field next to mail box #10814:
VESPER SPARROW--8
E. Meadowlark--2

    North Branch, Allegany Co.:
Wood Duck--pair
Bonaparte's Gull--1 flyover
E. Meadowlark--several singing
RUSTY BLACKBIRD--pair

    Rocky Gap St. Pk, Allegany Co.:
Red-breasted Merganser--6
Common Loon--3
PB Grebe--1
Common Raven--1
Brown Thrasher--1
hundreds of swallows, but the blustery wind sapped any interest I had in
sorting through them--only Trees were ID'd

    Washington Co.:
Common Loon--2 flyovers near Big Pool
Wild Turkey--1 standing along south side of I-70, just west of I-81

Regards to all--

Stan Arnold
Glen Burnie