Late Saturday afternoon (about 5:00) I stopped at Brighton Dam and 
saw the 5 Greater Scaup reported earlier in the day by Howard 
County birders.  I had plenty of time to study them (so I am fairly 
confident of the ID), while I waited for them to swim over to the 
Howard County part of the lake (since it was a county bird for me).

After that I went to the Blue Mash Nature Trail in Montgomery 
County, where I hoped to relocate the Short-eared Owl reported to 
eBird on Friday.  I had no luck with the owl, but a pair of 
Northern Harriers was putting on a show over the old landfill.  
There was a good variety of ducks on the large pond as well.  In 
addition to Mallards, Black Ducks, Green-winged Teal, Buffleheads, 
and Ring-necked Ducks (8 to 12 individuals of each), I saw a pair of 
Northern Pintails and a single drake Redhead.  In what was left of 
the daylight, I went around to the Equestrian Trail parking lot.  A 
pair of meadowlarks dropped into the field, one of them singing 
that lovely song of theirs.  A nice way to end the day!


Elaine Hendricks
Greenbelt, MD  (PG County)



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