This morning I covered the three miles on the C&O Canal towpath between mileposts 104 and 107 in Washington County. Highlights were five species of ducks and two Phoebes. This is a list of the species found this year with the total number for the three miles from this year followed by the same number from last year: 



Canada Goose  123-226 

Mallard  13-10 

Gadwall  1-0 

Lesser Scaup  1-0 

Common Goldeneye  1-0 

Common Merganser  51-2 

Mourning Dove  32-0 

Kingfisher  2-4 

Red-bellied Woodpecker  12-7 

Sapsucker  1-0 

Downy Woodpecker  13-9 

Hairy Woodpecker  4-0 

Flicker  3-3 

Pileated Woodpecker  2-4 

Phoebe  2-0 

Blue Jay  2-1 

American Crow  16-12 

Carolina Chickadee  20-26 

Titmouse  10-8 

White-breasted Nuthatch  4-10 

Brown Creeper  4-3 

Carolina Wren  11-14 

Winter Wren  3-1 

GC Kinglet  13-3 

RC Kinglet  2-0 

Bluebird  13-9 

Starling  1-27 

Myrtle Warbler  3-3 

Song Sparrow  5-3 

Cardinal  4-6 

Goldfinch  12-2 



Total Species  31-28 

Total Individuals  384-413 



   Species seen last year but not this year were Bufflehead, Cooper's Hawk, Robin, Waxwing, and House Finch. Notable increases were Common Merganser, Mourning Dove, both kinglets, and Goldfinch. Notable decreases were Canada Goose, White-breasted Nuthatch, and Starling. Hunters were active on the river for the first time in the years I have been doing this stretch. 

Bob Ringler 
Eldersburg MD