After reading Joel Martin's post a few days ago, Mark Linardi and I went to Southwest Area Park (off Rt 648 in southern Baltimore county) Saturday Jan 3. We had good looks at the Pied Crow at the edge of the woods by the north parking lot. That was my first sighting of that handsome bird. It even vocalized a few times with croaks that sounded like a Great Blue Heron. Then we saw two or more Tree Sparrows close up in the brushy area across the wooden bridge by the boat launch area on the east side of the park. They would perch very obligingly in small trees with the sun behind us making for great light. I imagine Mark will have some great photos. We did not see any Fox or White-crowned Sparrows. There was one Ruby-crowned Kinglet along the main road. (No pheasants seen or heard.)

Steve Sanford
Randallstown MD
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