Hi --

Barry and I led a bird walk for MBC today to Lilypons, it was colder than expected and also rather windy, with spots of rain. However the birds cooperated fairly well, although many were hunkered down back along the river and we didn't run into some of the "half-hardies" we had seen Wednesday, a much warmer and sunny afternoon. We saw 50 species and had one heard-only.

Birds of interest:

Double-crested Cormorant (1, unusual to see in one of these small ponds) 
Wood Duck (~15)
Black Duck (2)
Wilson's Snipe (15+)
Barred Owl (1)
Bald Eagle (2, one adult)
Red-tail Hawk (6, plus at last that many others seen on way home, must be moving through)
Cooper's Hawk (1)
Kestrel (3)
Phoebe (2)
Winter Wren (5)
MARSH WREN (1, heard only)
RAVEN (1)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (1)
FOX SPARROW (25+)
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW (20-25, many beautiful adults, most we've seen at Lilypons for years
White-throated Sparrow (20-25)
Swamp Sparrow (35+)
Song Sparrow (50+)
Field Sparrow (5-6)
Junco (6-8)
(one probable Tree Sparrow also, but it "blew away" before we could really get on it)
PURPLE FINCH (3)

Very large flocks of Canada Geese overhead, no apparent small forms)
No sign of any rails or bitterns)

The group opted to forgo the fields as it was getting late and they have been so unproductive. Barry and I drove the "circuit" just to be sure we were not missing anything and saw nothing new.

Mammals: Gray Squirrel, Muskrat, Cottontail Rabbit, Red Fox, White-tail Deer

Also, the Potomac Hunt in full cry across Lilypons Road, red coats, hounds baying, horns and all!

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
Colesville, MD