The Bowie CBC was held yesterday, Dec 21 - beginning with sleet and 
rain, followed by dripping ice-melt, and concluding under clear skies 
with 30 mph winds. Despite these conditions Bowie birders turned in a 
remarkably good count, with a species total of 96.

Especially remarkable was a fall-out of 10 Horned Grebes scattered over 
several inland ponds. Other unusual finds were a Cackling Goose 
well-described in Bowie, an Osprey in the Crofton area, a Merlin in 
Laurel, scattered snipe and woodcock, Wild Turkeys in the PWRC North 
Tract, a Marsh Wren at the Beltsville Agr Center, a House Wren in 
Laurel, 5 Purple Finches in the Davidsonville area, and 26 Pine Siskins 
in 2 locations in Bowie and Davidsonville. Rusty Blackbirds made a good 
showing for recent years with 74 in 4 locations. Meadowlarks are still 
hanging on thanks to 2 "refugia" - one near down-town Bowie, as are 
Kestrels with 8 widely scattered. Bob-whites were missed for the 10th 
consecutive year and are probably gone forever from the count circle.

There were large counts of N. Flickers at some locations, tho' the total 
of ~350 was not exceptional; while Sapsuckers were nearly absent in some 
areas, the total of ~46 was not exceptionally low. 2200 White-throats 
was about average for this always well-represented in the Bowie circle 
species. Owls numbers were respectable despite the impossibility of 
early-morning owling, with 5 Screech, 10 Barred, and 6 Gr Horned.

Fred Fallon
Bowie CBC Compiler
Huntingtown