Hi Folks,

On our way back from a weekend in Talbot Co., Elaine and I birded our way
through Queen Anne's Co., stopping first at John Brown Rd., where we arrived
shortly after 7 a.m., at about the same time as Shirley Bailey.  In the
first 15 minutes we had spotted two BAIRD'S SANDPIPERs and a single
BUFF-BREASTED.  Soon Carol McCoulough arrived, as did Mark Schilling, and
then Hal Wierenga and Lynn Davidson arrived with two other birders whose
names I didn't get.  The tally for the hour we were there included:

Bald Eagle--1 adult landed on the house-side of the road
Killdeer--scores
Least Sandpiper--3 or more
Baird's Sandpiper--2
Pectoral Sandpiper--1
Buff-breasted Sandpiper--1
Wilson's Snipe--1
Hummingbird--2 flew over together
Horned Lark--scores
Bobolink--two flyovers

Also, some of the folks heard Black-bellied Plover, but it doesn't appear
that they landed.  A word of CAUTION:  Hal Wierenga pointed out a very
enticing bird in the grass; we could only see the dark eye and the top of
the small head.  Very tantalizing!  After a fashion we got to see the entire
bird--a Mourning Dove!

From John Brown Rd., Elaine and I went to the Chesapeake Bay Environmental
Center (CBEC, aka Horsehead) near Grasonville.  While it appears that the
pond with the blind has been dry for quite some time, last night's rain gave
it some pools and plenty of mud, which some shorebirds found attractive.
Here we found:

Semipal. Plover--13
Lesser Yellowlegs--1
Least Sandpiper--3
WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER--2
Semipalmated Sandpiper--1
Pectoral Sandpiper--5

While taking the trail to the blind, we could hear BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH
squeaking above us, and we also saw and heard Pewee, as well as a couple of
young Pine Warblers.  The bugs, by the way, were awful; anyone coming here
needs plenty of bug juice.

Next we drove around Kent Narrows a bit, which was already getting pretty
crowded with people.  While on the north side of US 50 near Annies
Restaurant we had a single flyover Royal Tern, and two Caspians.  By the
way, on Thursday evening, 8/23, when we drove through Kent narrows, we had
an adult BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON at the pond across from the Realty
building (formerly ReMax), where Danny Poet had reported one about a month
ago.  This is probably the same bird that we saw at a pond (now dry) on the
other side of the channel two weeks ago.

Our final stop today was at Terrapin Park, where we were looking for waders
and shorebirds, so only visited the big pond as it was late in the morning
and very humid.  Our tally here included:

Snowy Egret--3
Solitary Sandpiper--1
Greater Yellowlegs--2
Least Sandpiper--1
SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER--1

It was a nice way to finish our weekend.  Reports from Poplar Island on
Friday (8/24) and other area birds will be forthcoming.

Stan Arnold
Glen Burnie