After striking out (again) this morning on the crossbills that have 
been seen on Wrighton Road in Anne Arundel County, I decided to 
try my luck nearby at the Twin Shields Golf Club on Rte. 260 in 
Calvert County.  Just as I pulled into the parking lot, I was treated 
to the sight of one male WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL chasing 
another around the bases of the spruces and firs planted alongside 
the drive.  Apparently they flew off to parts unknown, since I was 
unable to relocate them after about 30 minutes of trying.

Returning to Rte. 4, I stopped to check the two ponds on the west 
side of the road, just south of the interchange with Rte. 260.  In 
the larger one (the one with the duck blind), I found 5 GADWALL, 
4 AMERICAN WIGEON, a male GREEN-WINGED TEAL, an 
AMERICAN BLACK DUCK, and several MALLARDS.

Feeling on a bit of a roll at this point, I decided to try again 
for the BARROW'S GOLDENEYE at Jefferson Patterson Park.  
Following Tyler Bell's advice, I looked first in the small cove on 
the north side of the gravel road but found no ducks at all there.  
Looking on the south side, however, I spotted the BARROW'S right 
away - it was swimming and diving with a small group of COMMON 
GOLDENEYES (4 drakes, 8 to 10 hens) and 2 female scaup, fairly 
close to shore and a little south of the old pier.  Except for the cold 
drizzle, viewing conditions were just about perfect.  Also present in 
the same area:  a distant small raft of RUDDY DUCKS, 3 or 4 
HORNED GREBES, and several LONG-TAILED DUCKS flying by.

I continued on to Solomons (where I looked in vain for the Greater 
White-fronted Goose) and then crossed the bridge to St. Mary's.  By 
the time I got to the Beauvue Ponds on Abell's Wharf Road, it was 
snowing so hard that I could hardly see anything.  I managed to 
make out quite a few RING-NECKED DUCKS, good numbers of 
RUDDY DUCKS, AMERICAN WIGEON, and REDHEADS, and a 
few GADWALL.  About 20 MUTE SWANS and a few TUNDRA 
SWANS were also present.

Good winter birding!

Elaine Hendricks
Greenbelt, MD  (PG County)



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