Hi Everyone,

The pace of our birding fun caught up with us this morning, and we got a rather late start.  We needed to be in Ellicott City (Howard County) by 1:00 for a birthday party, so we had to settle for incidental birding in Charles County and a much-too-brief visit to Prince Georges County in the morning.  Many, many thanks to Jeff Shenot, who made our limited time in PG County really count.  We birded Howard County after the party and then got back to Allens Fresh in Charles County to finish out the day.  We're in Lexington Park (St Marys County) tonight, excited about the birding opportunities in St Marys and Calvert Counties tomorrow.  A few highlights before bed:

PRINCE GEORGES

Not only did Jeff Shenot provide us with extensive suggestions by email, he offered to show us around some of his favorite spots in PG County.  We gladly accepted and only wish we could have stayed longer.  We met Jeff at the end of Mt Calvert Rd on the Patuxent River and were treated to a whirlwind orientation to this great spot.  With Jeff's help, we managed 47 species (including our highway birds) in PG in just over an hour.  Jeff, it was great to meet you, and thanks again!  Some of the birds at Mt Calvert Manor on the Patuxent:

Tundra Swan--1 (in Anne Arundel too)
Laughing Gull--4
Bonaparte's Gull--1 (in Anne Arundel too)
Tree Swallow--about 50 or more (in Anne Arundel too)
American Tree Sparrow--1

Jeff's posts to MDOsprey provide a more complete picture of the impressive diversity here.

HOWARD

Wilde Lake and Centennial Lake provided some good water birds, including Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Pied-billed Grebe, and Double-crested Cormorant.  One Herring Gull was at Wilde Lake with about 15 Ring-billed Gulls.

Bill Hubick's suggestion of Middle Patuxent Environmental Area netted us 2 Eastern Phoebes, a Brown Creeper, a Gray Catbird, an Eastern Towhee, and a Field Sparrow.  Thanks Bill!

CHARLES

Thanks to Matt Hafner, John Hubbell, Bill Hubick, and George Jett for input on Charles County.  There really are birds here, though the totals from our short visit may suggest otherwise.

Barn Swallow--1 flying over Allens Fresh close to Rt 234 among about 20 Tree Swallows

On Allens Fresh Rd, we saw 5 Green-winged Teal and a Mallard.  We searched through a concentrated flock of about 400 Tree Swallows but could find no Rough-wingeds.  We'll look forward to checking out Cobb Island and some of the WMAs on a future visit.

FUN and GAMES

Worcester--76
Somerset--52
Wicomico--65
Dorchester--69
Talbot--59
Caroline--46
Queen Annes--41
Anne Arundel--54 (we added 3 species today)
Kent--38
Cecil--35
Harford--40
Baltimore--46
Carroll--33
Howard--38 (we added 37 species today)
Frederick--43
Washington--36
Garrett--41
Allegany--36
Montgomery--35
Charles--30
Prince Georges--47

Total Species so far: 130 (1 species added today--Barn Swallow)

Total Ticks so far: 958

I still have 2 species seen in all 21 counties so far this week: Canada Goose and Mallard.  The pressure is on tomorrow to find these species in our last 2 counties!

Have fun,

Ron Gutberlet
Salisbury, MD