On November 25 in the afternoon my wife and I visited Blackwater Refuge. We 
missed the Lark Sparrow but saw some other interesting birds. Bald Eagles 
were plentiful and conspicuous with most being adults but we saw one 
immature bird. A Northern harrier was near the visitor's center. Around the 
parking lot for the Marsh Edge Trail were at least a half dozen noisy Brown-
headed Nuthatches and one Red-breasted Nuthatch. The Brown-headeds 
gave us good looks which is not always the case. A Hermit thrush was calling 
from dense shrubbery in the same area. Near the Woods Trail we saw a female 
Rusty Blackbird. Further along the drive there were numbers of Tree Swallows 
and Yellow-rumped Warblers, and a small group of close Northern Pintails. We 
only saw one Snow Goose until late in the day when a flock of about 50 birds 
flew overhead. A return to the visitor center gave us Cedar Waxwings and 
several Purple Finches. A flash of color revealed a Yellow-breasted Chat 
feeding on berries near the visitor center feeders; a very nice end to the day.

Jim Wilkinson
Columbia, MD