Hello, birders.

I spent a weekend in Garrett County.  At Herrington Manor State Park on Saturday morning I saw 3 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS perch in the top of a spruce for a few seconds before flying off.  This was near the house at the end of the road near the cabins.  There are feeders in the back yard of this house and there are feeders at the park office.  PINE SISKINS were attracted to these feeders, esp. the ones at the house.  I had about 75 each day this weekend.  They actively feed on or near the feeders but fly off into the nearby trees every few minutes.  Sometimes the Siskins do it suddenly and all at once.  They are quite vocal.

At the Backbone Mountain XC Ski Farm on Lynndale Road on Saturday afternoon I heard a flyover WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL over the Green Loop during a brief ski break.  Many PINE SISKINS were at the feeders at the house, maybe 20 or so.

I also visited Swallow Falls SP and Cranesville Swamp today in the late morning and afternoon but they were both very quiet.

Scott Baron
Fairfax, Va.