Hi Everyone,

John Hubbell and I birded Cecil and Harford Counties today, beginning the day at Turkey Point at dawn. As light fell on the point, it quickly became clear that it was going to be an impressive flight morning. We were soon treated to large, restless flocks of waxwings, several hundred birds in all, and these were joined by many robins, starlings, and blackbirds. By 6:50, we had our first flyover goldfinches, followed by our first siskins. Finch activity became constant, and it soon became difficult to estimate numbers as southbound birds mixed with redirected birds that were returning to land. At one point I realized that Purple Finch flight calls had simply become background noise. We were having trouble keeping up with the backlit flybys, when suddenly we heard a set of new, distinctive calls--a White-winged Crossbill! It was one of five backlit finches, and it repeatedly called its "jit, jit" calls. Soon after, we had a second bird pass over, higher,
 calling. I would imagine there were six or more, but we can only be sure about two. Quite a thrill!

Highlights for the rest of the day were primarily in concentrations of birds. We checked the gull flock in North East Town Park, spent some time with a 10,000+ blackbird flock on Route 272, and enjoyed nice numbers of waterbirds at Perryville Community Park. We ended the day watching geese fly over Swan Harbor in Harford Co., hoping for a Greater White-fronted Goose to lord over Matt Hafner. It was a rewarding day.

Below are our abridged lists:

Elk Neck SP--Turkey Point, Cecil Co.

Bald Eagle--3
Sharp-shinned Hawk--1
Red-shouldered Hawk--1
Red-tailed Hawk--3
Brown Creeper--1
Winter Wren--2; my county closeout (#93)
Golden-crowned Kinglet--6
Ruby-crowned Kinglet--1
Eastern Bluebird--7
American Robin--75
Gray Catbird--2
European Starling--240
Cedar Waxwing--330
Fox Sparrow (Red)--1
White-throated Sparrow--65
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)--4
Red-winged Blackbird--620
Common Grackle--50
Purple Finch--35
House Finch--14
White-winged Crossbill--2 to 6
Pine Siskin--26
American Goldfinch--108

North East Community Park, Cecil Co.

Snow Goose--2; resident with feral geese
Canada Goose--280
Great Blue Heron--16
Black Vulture--1
Killdeer--2
Bonaparte's Gull--1
Laughing Gull--320
Ring-billed Gull--1600
Herring Gull--140
Great Black-backed Gull--110
Fish Crow--100

Walnut Garden Road, Cecil Co. (very large blackbird flock)

Hooded Merganser--3 on small pond; my county closeout (#94)
Cooper's Hawk--1; harrying the blackbirds
Red-tailed Hawk--1; repeatedly harrying the blackbirds
European Starling--500
Red-winged Blackbird--5000
Rusty Blackbird--1; Bill only; male
Common Grackle--10,000+; very impressive
Common Grackle (Bronzed)--5
Brown-headed Cowbird--500

Pilot Town Rd, Cecil Co.

Red-shouldered Hawk--1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker--1

Bald Friar Rd, Cecil Co.

Hooded Merganser--6 on the river
Hairy Woodpecker--1
Brown Creeper--1
Golden-crowned Kinglet--1

Port Deposit, Cecil Co.

Mallard--18
Common Goldeneye--1 drake; first of season
Great Blue Heron--2
Ring-billed Gull--12
Ruby-crowned Kinglet--1

Perryville Community Park, Cecil Co.

Canada Goose--800
Gadwall--2
American Black Duck--7
Mallard--74
Northern Shoveler--8
Ring-necked Duck--176
Bufflehead--2
Hooded Merganser--22
Ruddy Duck--115
Pied-billed Grebe--28
Great Blue Heron--17
Bald Eagle--2
American Coot--680
Ring-billed Gull--160
Herring Gull--110
Great Black-backed Gull--40
gull sp.--400
Forster's Tern--31
Brown Creeper--1
Winter Wren--1

Swan Harbor Farm Park, Harford Co.

Canada Goose--1105; near-exact count for dusk flight
Cackling Goose (Richardson's)--1
Mallard--19
Northern Harrier--1; adult male
American Kestrel--1
Killdeer--1
Herring Gull--3; flybys
Hairy Woodpecker--2
Savannah Sparrow (Eastern)--1
Song Sparrow--4

Good birding!

Bill

Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland

http://www.billhubick.com