Hi Everyone,

I spent about an hour at Fort Smallwood yesterday afternoon and found a few birds worth reporting:

Hooded Merganser--1 drake; first of the season here
Double-crested Cormorant--240; counted by tens on White Rocks
Great Blue Heron--4
Killdeer--2
Laughing Gull--3
Ring-billed Gull--38
Herring Gull (American)--14
Great Black-backed Gull--8
gull sp.--150; distant flock southeast of the park
Forster's Tern--1
Royal Tern--4; two adult-juvenile pairs fishing east of the park
Palm Warbler (Yellow)--2

On Monday, 10/27, the park hosted its first small flock (9) of AMERICAN COOTs that I've noted, huddled close together near one of the jetties. To my surprise, a Great Blue Heron suddenly flew toward them and flushed the flock. The heron gave the distinct impression of interest in taking one of the coots, and the coots went out of their way to put some distance between themselves and the heron. Also present were three AMERICAN BLACK DUCKs.

Yesterday, Matt Hafner passed on the first East Coast CAVE SWALLOW report of the year, six birds photographed near Charles City, Virginia. Game on!

There's still time to sign up for the Rarity Roundup, my favorite event of the birding year, which is scheduled for Saturday, 11/15. Cave Swallows are among the likely rarities to be found, and many of us had outstanding studies of the species last year. Please let me and/or Mark Hoffman () know if you would like to sign up. See previous post from Mark Hoffman for additional details, or just drop me a line and I'll forward details to you. Every set of eyes helps!

Good birding,

Bill

Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland

http://www.billhubick.com