Hello everyone,
	I knew that I had not made a post in a long time, but searching the archives, I see that it was January.  Let me try to catch up a bit.  

	The warm weather in early January made for a wonderful start to the year with 66 species at the end of the month.  February was cold and dismal with the best effort being 39 species on 2/11.  The very slim highlights were 2 Woodcock heard displaying on 2/20 (MD), a yellow Palm Warbler on 2/11 (MD) and Chipping Sparrows at the feeder all winter.  Added Cooper's Hawk and Field Sparrow to end the month with 68 species.

	Early March was likewise cold and slow.  Wood Duck arrived on 3/4, Tree Swallow on 3/12.  Heard a Woodcock on 3/2, a White-crowned Sp. briefly at the feeder on 3/12.  All the fields were dry during the short late Feb.-early March puddle duck window.  Things began to pick up after rain in mid-March with Greater Yellowlegs, Laughing Gull and 3 Bonaparte's Gulls arriving in wet fields on 3/17.  But they were quickly frozen out and then all dried again.  Heard the FOS Pine Warbler singing on 3/18 even though it was 32 degrees.  A Belted Kingfisher on Oak Grove Rd on 3/25 was a nice surprise.  I have 20-25 Kingfisher records and, oddly, they are all on the MD side of my mile circle.  I ended March with 76 species, tying the end of March best (with 2003 when there were puddle ducks).

	In April, I got out on more time before the baby came.  On 4/3, I found 42 species with the best being a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher heard in my parent's backyard (DE) which was a local early date.  The baby (Sophia Danielle, 8 lbs 1 oz, 20.5 inches) was born on 4/4.  The next several days were devoted to the family and it was cold and windy anyway.  A decent rain on 4/12 re-charged some puddles and brought in Lesser Yellowlegs on 4/12 along with 30 Bonaparte's Gulls.  Finally got out on the farm for a bit on 4/14.  The new puddles held the FOS Solitary Sand and 2 Least Sands flew by.  Also FOS Barn Swallow and Purple Martin.  Other good birds inc. 2 Cooper's Hawks, 4 yellow Palm Warblers (DE + MD) and Vesper Sparrow (MD).

	And the big rain came on 4/15.  We got 4.25" here.  It was enough to make excellent puddles, though some were not as persistent as usual because the ground had been worked once during the dry spells.
- 4/17 - there were both yellowlegs and 1 Least Sand on the farm; 3 Bonies on Oak Grove Rd.
- 4/18 - 1 each yellowlegs, 1 Solitary and 2 Leasts on the farm; 5 Gr Yellow, Kestrel., Meadowlark, Vesper Sp., and 5 Savannah Sp. at the Vesper spot on Oak Grove Rd (MD); 7 Wild Turkey (FOS) at the sharp bend in Kinder Rd (MD).
- 4/19 - Things really begin to pick up.  Numbers of yellowlegs with at least 26 Greater and 41 Lesser in various locations.  A single Dunlin was on the farm (6th record and first actually on the property).  Also 6 Wood Duck, FOS Brown Thrasher singing, Vesper Sp. singing on the farm (all MD).  An Osprey flew over at the sharp bend in Kinder Rd (MD) and a Cooper's Hawk at the end of Wild Turkey Rd (DE).  Bonies in several spots seemed to coalesce into one flock on Oak Grove Rd late in the afternoon.  I counted at least 80 birds (the majority gull) which is a high count by far.
- 4/20 - just yellowlegs in various spots.

To be continued in part 2 since I have misplaced some of my notes.

Some other miscellaneous observations:
Cooper's Hawks - birds moved into the are during April.  I have seen them numerous times in the woods on Kinder Rd and around the intersection of N Oak Grove and Wild Turkey.  I think this represents 2 pair (having seen them in both spots in quick succession) but could be one pair seen on opposite sides of the same woods.  Either way, it seems the potential nesters are back again this year.

Starling jabber - I have been noticing resident starlings come up with some quality mimicry lately.  One does a very passable Fish Crow that made me look several times while I was searching for the FOS Fish Crow.  I have also heard Yellow-headed Blackbird and Gambel's Quail.  Where did they hear that?

Good Birding,
Glen Lovelace III
Seaford, DE