This evening I made a brief check of a local swamp (unnamed, in PG County; 
near Mt Calvert Manor).  Although some recent clearing (by Pepco's ROW 
folks) was unsightly and I have to wonder if anyone could have possibly been 
any sloppier, I was delighted to find some old friends at the swamp.

I saw 3 Red-headed Woodpeckers (2a, 1i), and it's been 3 years since I have 
seen one at this swamp.  They used to breed here, but have not bred here in 
3-4 years.  Despite the raucous noise from well over 1000 starlings, grackles 
and blackbirds also there, the woodpeckers could still be heard calling to each 
other as they fed in separate trees.  They were elegantly gorgeous in the late 
afternoon light, I wish I had a camera.

I also saw a White-crowned Sparrow, the first I've seen in 2007 anywhere in 
MD.  They were very scarce last winter for some reason.  This one was a 
hatch year bird.

Other than the large number of starlings, grackles and blackbirds, nothing else  
was noteworthy.

Cheers-
Jeff Shenot