Hi Everyone,

I went for a run around Fort Smallwood this afternoon (4/8), stopping first at the point on White Pond (just southwest of Fort Smallwood) to view the lingering ducks. The RUDDY DUCK flock, now holding many birds in breeding plumage, still numbers at least 410. Five drake CANVASBACKs were among them, while seven BUFFLEHEAD were diving outside of the cove. An OSPREY flew by as I left my house, my first from the house this year. A pair of BROWN THRASHERs has been here for over a week now, hopefully to stay for the season. A pair successful nested in our yard last year. A flock of 21 waxwings were all the small kind. Dare I even hope for one last boreal surprise?

Highlights at Fort Smallwood including an attractive HORNED GREBE in near full breeding plumage, a lingering drake GREATER SCAUP (surfacing just feet from Shore), a new push of CHIPPING SPARROWs, and a single DARK-EYED JUNCO. Here's the full list:

Canada Goose--18; four active nests
Mallard--4
Greater Scaup--1 drake
Bufflehead--34
Horned Grebe--1; near full breeding plumage
Double-crested Cormorant--220 on White Rocks; counted by tens
Osprey--2; one calling from nest
Killdeer--6; Matt Grey said there's already a nest with two eggs on the maintenance building
Ring-billed Gull--3
Great Black-backed Gull--2
Mourning Dove--3
Red-bellied Woodpecker--3
Downy Woodpecker--1
Northern Flicker--2
Blue Jay--2
American Crow--1
Carolina Chickadee--3
Tufted Titmouse--1
White-breasted Nuthatch--1
Carolina Wren--1
Eastern Bluebird--2
American Robin--14
Northern Mockingbird--5
Brown Thrasher--1
European Starling--2
Eastern Towhee--1
Chipping Sparrow--6
Song Sparrow--3
White-throated Sparrow--1
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)--1
Northern Cardinal--2
Red-winged Blackbird--6
Common Grackle (Purple)--4
Brown-headed Cowbird--1
American Goldfinch--3

Good birding!

Bill

Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland

http://www.billhubick.com