A swing through Allegany County Wed. and Thur. in search of lingering 
waterfowl revealed a general absence of them as distinct from reports 
last week and in synchrony with numbers here in the central part of the 
state. This suggests that spring departure is triggered more by length 
of day than time since thawing of the ponds. Red-breasted Mergansers 
were the most frequently encountered, females greatly outnumbering males:

April 2:
	Rocky Gap
Horned Grebe 1
Pied-b Grebe 5
Red-br Merganser 1m, 24f

	Mason Rd Pond
Nil

	Cumberland 'Terminus'
Red-br Merg 8f
Ruddy Duck 5
Ring-billed Gull 1 (not so common this far west)
(Also a lost Meadowlark)

	Piney Run Reservoir (Garrett Co)
Pied-b Grebe 2
Gt Blue Heron
Tundra Swan 2
Lesser Scaup 14
D-c Cormorant
OSPREY, no nest evident
Red-sh Hawk

	Finzel Swamp pond
Ring-necked Duck 2m,5f

April 3:
	Pinto Pond
Nil

	Potomac at River Road, Cumberland
Wood Duck

	Potomac at Little Orleans, 1-mile stretch
Nil

Some land birds of note:

	Aaron's Run Road restored strip mine, AL
Wood Duck
N. Harrier
SHORT-EARED OWL
Red-w Blackbirds

	C&O Canal, Little Orleans, AL
E Phoebe
CAROLINA CHICKADEE
T. Titmouse 2
G-cr Kinglet 2
R-cr Kinglet
Myrtle Warbler, full spring plumage
E. Bluebird
Wh-thr Sparrow 2 - not so common out here

Perhaps the most remarkable of these was the Chickadee. Has the line 
between the 2 species shifted since the last Yellow Book? Does the 
Carolina C. now come this far up the river? Maybe the winter C&O Canal 
Count would help answer this. The bird was close enough for a pretty 
sure identification, tho' true it never vocalized.

Fred Fallon
Bowie/Huntingtown