Hi list!

I stopped at the large pond on MD-17 (never can seem to remember the name it goes by) south of Burkittsville which is a magnet for waterfowl at this time of year.  Present with the Canadas were (likely) several rafts of Ruddy Ducks.  It was getting late and they were a distance off, but these birds were quite small with a patch of white on the head and little white on the body - so RD seems a likely ID.  Also present in the brush bordering the road was an imm. BCNH, IF the yellow eye is diagnostic in the immature.

At home (Broad Run - north of Burkittsville by a couple of miles) at the feeders were the usu birds incl White Crowned Sparrows, which have only recently appeared.  I also have noted the mystery song that i heard late last winter and which to my ear sounds like a version of that of the E Meadowlark, but which i truly believe is emanating from the White Crowneds...

Hummingbird feeder remains in place, but, sadly, has been unvisited since late SEPT.

Jim (Michael) Speicher
jugornought—at—yahoo-dot-com
Bethesda @work :(
Broad Run_S. FRED Co @home :)