I decided to try the Blue Mash Nature Trail this gray Saturday morning.  Waterfowl of interest were four Bufflehead on the large pond and a lone Ruddy Duck on the small pond with 117 Ring-necked Duck.  Heard a couple of Field Sparrows and lots of Eastern Towhees.  I was surprised to find no other sparrows except Song Sparrows.  A few Tree Swallows were exploring the bluebird nest boxes.  Three Cowbird couples were courting.  Otherwise the usual suspects.  My complete list from eBird follows.

I passed a group of birders that appeared to be led by Tony Mead; they may have seen some other stuff.  

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, MD

Location:     Blue Mash Nature Trail
Observation date:     3/14/09
Number of species:     33

Canada Goose     23
Ring-necked Duck     117
Bufflehead     4
Ruddy Duck     1
Black Vulture     1
Turkey Vulture     7
Killdeer     2
Mourning Dove     8
Red-bellied Woodpecker     3
Downy Woodpecker     1
Northern Flicker     5
Eastern Phoebe     4
Blue Jay     12
American Crow     10
Fish Crow     2
crow sp.     2
Tree Swallow     4
Carolina Chickadee     4
Tufted Titmouse     2
Carolina Wren     9
Eastern Bluebird     3
American Robin     10
Northern Mockingbird     12
European Starling     3
Yellow-rumped Warbler     1
Eastern Towhee     17
Field Sparrow     2
Song Sparrow     14
Northern Cardinal     16
Red-winged Blackbird     2
Common Grackle     7
Brown-headed Cowbird     6
blackbird sp.     8