Hi Everyone,

I did some birding with Jim Brighton yesterday morning, starting with a
visit to Fort Smallwood. To our disbelief, we quickly re-found one of the
females, which was foraging with the junco flock between the parking lot
closest to the pond and the old stone fort. Once you find the junco flock,
scan every bird on the ground carefully and listen for the redpolls' calls
if any of the birds fly off. The "chit, chit" call they make is very
distinctive. Good luck if you try! 

We then did a loop through Carroll, Howard, and Montgomery Counties,
hoping for unusual waterfowl. The best bird of the day after the redpoll
was a COMMON RAVEN that flew over I-70 just EAST of the Baltimore/Howard
line. As it soared over the car we had a great look at its large size and
shape, including wedge-shaped tail and so on. It's not an easy bird in
Baltimore Co., but at this rate, it will probably be easier in years to
come.

Water areas throughout the counties had large numbers of COMMON
MERGANSERs, and it was clear that CANVASBACKs are already on the move.
They were found on most ponds in the area, including those that regularly
would not hold them. On a pond on the west side of Marriottsville Road in
Howard Co. (just south of Driver Road), we had two GADWALL mixed with the
70 Ring-necked Ducks and several hoodies. Piney Run hosted nice waterfowl
numbers, the highlight of which was four GREATER SCAUP (plus six LESSERs),
two NORTHERN PINTAIL, and 19 AMERICAN BLACK DUCKs. If anyone sees the
eBird Google Gadget today, my supposed Garrett rarities were incorrectly
filed as Piney Reservoir instead of Piney Run. Although the report has
been updated in my account, the Google Gadget didn't automatically update
yet. Sorry for any confusion--I sure wouldn't mind a Fish Crow in Garrett,
but alas it didn't happen yesterday.

Elsewhere, we noted FOX SPARROWs at several locations, highlighting their
surprisingly early start of migration. A GREEN-WINGED TEAL was probably
the most noteworthy bird from a brief stop at Blue Mash in Montgomery Co.
Mr. Brighton closed out Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Swamp Sparrow during the
day.

It was a good day to be out!  You can't complain when you kick off the day
with a redpoll. :)

OK, I'm going to go look for more...

Good birding,

Bill

Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland

http://www.billhubick.com