In a message dated 1/21/2008 7:07:59 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
 writes:

Rob  Gibb's post several days ago about a possible Northern Shrike at the
fields  surrounding Magruder HS (on Muncaster Mill Rd in Rockville)
motivated me to  wander over there on Saturday morning, before the big
freeze.  Walking  the field between Sequoyah ES and Magruder HS, I found
crows and Canada  Geese, but also a single Eastern Meadowlark, 2 Horned
Larks, and (sitting  on the batting cage behind the MHS football field) a
Merlin.  These  are good birds for Montgomery County, though my daughter,
a senior at MHS,  seemed unthrilled.

I have a question about access that Rob  might be able to answer.  I
believe all these fields are county-owned  (specifically by Montgomery
County Public Schools).  The fields are  posted with 'No trespassing'
signs along Bowie Mill Road and Muncaster Mill  Rd, but there are no such
signs anywhere on the school grounds bordering  the fields.  Since I
parked at the elementary school, I figured I was  legal in my wanderings.
Yes?  No?



Jim



Jim,
 Though I never read Rob's post regarding a shrike, it sounds like a  good 
find. These fields are an under-birded area that are also little known even  
among birders in Montgomery County. I used to bird here on the Triadelphia CBC  
when I was in Rob's area of the count. We mostly birded these fields in the  
afternoon hours, but they almost always held some nice surprises. One year we  
watched an enormous mixed blackbird flock go to roost (10's of thousands of  
birds!) from there, another year we saw a pair of Snow Geese in with Canada's  
fly over. Usually we got Savannah Sparrows too, and meadowlarks if memory  
serves. Lots of Red Foxes back there too.
 
As to ownership, that I don't know. We never had any trouble with access,  
but once I remember running into a group of hunters there on the CBC (a  
Saturday) in the afternoon. And we used to park in the Magruder lot on the left  of 
the school and walk in from there. Certainly a good area to wander and look  
for something special!
 
Post again if you should find the shrike; yours is the first report I have  
heard about it (but I inadvertently deleted a post on Saturday which may have  
been Rob's).
 
Rick Sussman
Woodbine, MD




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