For the past 3 days a male Eastern Towhee has been scratching in the dead leaves at the edge of my back yard.  Not that its a rare bird, I just don't often see them in at my place. For some reason, this past winter I saw very few White-throated or Song Sparrows in my yard.  There were plenty of juncos.  Song Sparrow is back; White-throat is not.

Cliff Comeau
Beltsville/Calverton