Hello all,

     On Sunday, Dan Haas and myself headed out to Blackwater and the
surrounding area after hearing of Joe Hanfman's sighting of the northern
goshawk, rough-legged hawk, and golden eagle during the CBC count.  We
struck out on all three species but did have a good time birding.  As
everyone surely knows this area is loaded with bald eagles.  We came up with
24 for the day.  At the bridge by the boat launch at Best Pitch we had
several Northern Harriers.  Hoping to see a short-eared owl here we again
struck out, but just down the road in the mudflats were 12 Dunlin and 3
Wilson's snipe as well as several savanna sparrows in the burnt grass. Other
birds of note and all found by Dan's one year old son Declan on his birthday
were a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL and 3 TREE SWALLOWS at the bridge crossing
into Seward.  Finally, heading home on Drawbridge rd. we spotted a
Ring-necked pheasant run off the road and into some brush.

     Monday morning I was joined by Dan Haas and Joe Hanfman as we headed to
western Maryland.  We soon learned why so many reports come in from the
shore in late December and so few from Garrett County.  We had a very slow
morning managing only 23 species by midday.   Things did get a bit more
exciting later on in the day (and further east).  Stopping off at Ft.
Frederick State Park (Big Pool area) in Washington county we were greeted by
9 Wild Turkeys at the gate.  Joe spotted a couple purple finches fly of from
the grass and perch in the trees in nice light.  This area was loaded with
woodpeckers, and we had them all except red-headed.  Down by the river also
was a lone gadwall mixed in with mallards and Canada geese, as well as a few
greater scaup and a small flock of buffleheads.

Good Birding,
Chris Murray
Annapolis MD