Hello Everyone, 

  Got the Wye Island Dickcissel (lifer) yesterday ! On my way back from my 
trip to Cambridge and surrounding areas i did a search of Carmichael Rd. to 
look for this bird . When i went past this spot  on the way in i wasnt so sure i 
was at the right spot because i was searching for University of Md. offices 
which i may have gotten confused because the sign says Aspen Institute . I 
did the drive to the end of Wye State Park adding some new birds to my 
already nice list  and figured then that this  must be the offices spot because 
there really were no other . I stopped about two phone poles prior to the 
offices on the way back  and waited for about 15 minutes  when there he 
came right by the second pole on the power line and sang about 15 seconds 
then flew back into the nice wildflower field , about 5 minutes returned sang 
again ... As this went on for half hour before i called it a day unbelievably had 
quite a few house sparrows flying in and out too and a Eastern Meadowlark 
land in the Dickcissel spot trying to fake me out with the black chests . 
Redwinged blackbirds , American goldfinchs , Grasshopper sparrow , Northern 
flicker, also showed up . 
Now the beginning of the trip. 
Took my mother on a kinda vacation to Cambridge to go fishing and see the 
band at the festival at Sailwinds  park . Left Tuesday morning to go fishing at 
Fishing creek on Hoopers Island and made a 2 and a half hour trip into 5 hours .
Because of  my just skimming the map the night before i  ended up on Taylor 
island rather than Hoopers . Anyway found some good birds despite. Starting 2 
miles before the boat launch at Madison bay had Bobwhite singing , Redtailed 
hawk on top of phone pole taunting Orchard oriole who was in turn mobbing 
hawk, Hummingbird sitting on powerline, Northern harrier, American goldfinch , 
Eastern Meadowlark , Eastern bluebird, Northern cardinal.Bobwhite singing on 
Taylors Island close to the end .  Had Brown pelican at Fishing creek Hoopers , 
2 separate flyouts , a triple flyin, also a Surf scoter in the bay of which i tried 
to keep up with on foot to get a picture and finally did, a Forsters tern , lots 
of Osprey , a few White egret and Great blue heron. There were 6-10 Least 
terns at Cambridge motel . I believe they had nest on the roof. And about 50 
Canada goose - gooslings on land on  the town side of Cambridge bridge by 
the old Cambridge bridge fishing pier.

Bird list

Cambridge and surrounding areas
Brown Pelican    5
Osprey
White egret
Great Blue heron
Mute swan
Mallard 
SURF SCOTER
Forsters tern
Least tern
Red tailed hawk
Northern harrier
Wild turkey       2 adults 6 turkettes took photos 
Turkey vulture
Black vulture
Peacock    got photo 
NORTHERN BOBWHITE
American crow
Fish crow
Laughing gull
Ringed bill gull
Greatblack back gull
Herring gull
Killdeer
Rockdove 
Mourning dove
Ruby throated hummingbird
Eastern kingbird
Eastern meadowlark
Eastern bluebird
Orchard oriole
American goldfinch
Chimney swift
Tree swallow 
Barn swallow
Brown headed cowbird
Redwinged blackbird
Northern mockingbird
Northern cardinal
American robin
Gray catbird
Common grackle      just couldnt make one into a boat tail 
European starling
Song sparrow 
House sparrow


Wye Island State park and surrounding area (birds not already above)

Bald eagle   2 adult 1 juvinile
DICKCISSEL      1
Grasshopper sparrow 
Eastern meadowlark   singing on wire at Dickcissel spot
Horned lark
Wood thrush
Brown thrasher
Orchard oriole
Belted kingfisher
Northern flicker
Carolina wren  
Tufted titmouse


total species 54 

Had great time ! 

Saundra Byrd 

baltimore