I drove over to the Queen Anne's Sod Farm (nada) and across to RT 309
(where Stan and Bill had the Pectoral Sandpiper this past weekend).
The Pectoral may well have been there, but it wasn't making itself too
visible during my brief visit.  While I was enjoying the humidity, the
farmer who built the pond drove over on his golf cart to say hello.
At first he was there to tell me about the no trespassing.  But after
we spoke for a bit about his little gem, he genuinely was happy to
learn about some birds that use the pond he built as a food source /
rest stop on their migration route.

Regardless, the pond is in need of repairs and he will be draining it
soon.  FYI.

I got the impression that he doesn't want folks walking up to the
pond, as he is concerned about liability.  He was nice enough and
enjoyed getting some scoped views of the several of birds on his pond.
 That said, I don't think he'd be thrilled with more visits by birders
lurking close to the pond.  Scoping from the road appears to be the
next-best option. At this farmer's Starr Road Pond there were five
Killdeer (2 chicks), a Solitary Sandpiper, two Lesser Yellowlegs, a
few singing Indigo Buntings, and lots of Red-winged Blackbirds and
American Goldfinch.

I continued on my afternoon journey over to Tuckahoe SP, traveling
along Crouse Road. Along the way I saw / heard a few Field Sparrows
and some Grasshopper Sparrows. At Tuckahoe State Park, I added one
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (amoung some Tree and Barn Swallows),
two Wood Thrush and a Chipping Sparrow.  I brought home three
enormously-large flies too.

Finally, I dropped by Sandy Point State Park (7:30 PM) where the gull
numbers looked good (from the West Bound span). There were loads of
Laughing Gulls, many Ring-billed Gulls, Herring Gulls and Great
Black-backed Gulls.  Despite my best squinting, there were no
Franklin's Gulls on the beach this evening.  When I turned the scope
towards the island base of the bridge, it was jam-packed with Great
Black-backed Gulls and DC Cormorants.  The only other birds of
interest were two Forster's Terns, and an apparent evening roost for
dozens of Fish Crows on the trees that edge the marina parking lot.

Good Birding,

Dan Haas
West Annapolis, MD