Weeks ago, I read Bill Hubick's report of information on "Canadian" Red-tailed Hawks in the area.? I looked at his picture and read the description, remembering to look out in the upcoming months, or years.? Today, however, that info came into use when a heavily marked Red-tail flew over the car and sat in a close tree.? When in flight , Bill Harris and I noticed this bird had a completely black belly band, and when perched, showed it's blackish head and back.? It even showed the characteristic black chin,?and immediately I knew we were looking at the Canadian sub-species.? We regret not having?the?camera because it sat for?maybe 2-3 minutes before flying deep into the woods.? We tried relocating the bird for the next half-hour, without success.??It was seen?around?4pm?in Easton, on Kingston Rd.,?south of the bridge.?

So we continued on,?counting 5 American Pipits sitting on the 3 surrounding manure piles, right past the Red-tail spot. The near Nature Conservancy?held?5 non breeding Laughing Gulls, flying southwest towards Easton, maybe?heading for?the dump.? Down the lane?of Kingston Landing,? over 2 dozen Eastern Meadowlarks were feeding along the road.? At the ramp along the creek, a Northern Harrier put on a show not but 2 meters from the car, where she tried and failed to catch a song sparrow.? The creek held the regulars, a few Common Mergansers,?but in a flock of 20 or so Canada Geese held?1 Snow Goose with a badly broken, dislocated, and twisted left wing.

We returned back to the Harris' feeders, where 27 species and counting has been recorded today.? 19 Purple Finches were seen, down from yesterday's 40.? Only 1 Pine Siskin in?the flock of 150 American Goldfinches.? The usual Fox Sparrow decided to feed on the door steps, within a foot of the window, along with a Chipping Sparrow.? A few feeder records were broken, including a high of ?4 Red-bellied Woodpeckers,? 4 Downy Woodpeckers, and 3 Hermit Thrushes.? At one point, 3 Downy Woodpeckers, a Red-bellied Woodpecker, Carolina Wren, Brown Creeper, and Hermit Thrush were all fighting over the same suet!


Amanda Spears
Easton, MD