Today (2/6) around 10:30 AM I saw five White -winged Crossbills at the North Area of Centennial Park in Howard County (entrance off Old Annapolis Road north of Route 108). Initially, I first heard the crossbills calling in some spruce trees next to the first parking area, and then they flew to another spruce tree by the basketball courts where I could see a male and female.
Later at Font Hill Wetland Park off Font Hill Drive (a short distance north) there was a mixed flock of Pine Siskins, American Goldfinches and House Finches feeding on cones in the hemlock trees just across the bridge. I thought I heard a White-winged Crossbill in this same spot but could not see the bird. There were about a dozen noisy Pine Siskins in a deciduous tree at the intersection of Carrigan and Font Hill Drives. Also at Font Hill were an adult Bald Eagle flying overhead, an immature Sharp-shinned Hawk, male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and a Swamp Sparrow.
Jim Wilkinson
Columbia, MD |