Hi everyone,

David Kidwell and I birded a few locales in Anne Arundel County today.
We first started out [8-9am] at the Oxbow Lake in Russet.  Although we had most of the same species and numbers that Jay Sheppard had today... we did not know of or find the Am. Bittern.

We moved on to Annapolis to check the bay near Thomas Point.  We were at a location just north of Thomas point and had:

Surf Scoter ~30
Long-tailed Duck 3
Bufflehead 8
Common Loon 3 [one in nice breeding plumage]
Horned Grebe 12 [some coming into breeding plumage]
Northern Gannet ~40 [much like Dan Haas's recent encounter]
DC Cormorant 14
Osprey 6

We then took off and headed for Jug Bay.  We arrived there about 11am, and late for most passerine activity, but, we were most interested in the waterbirds.  The species and numbers we had were quite similar to Jeff Shenot's post, [minus some of the raptors] and, we did have LOTS of [about 200] Laughing Gulls along with the RBGU's and HERG's there, but, no Bonaparte's gulls. A nice showing of Greater Yellowlegs today with 23 counted.  When we hiked down the railroad bed trail we came upon 3 Rusty Blackbirds.  We then walked out to the observation platform off the railroad trail, and found a few more Greater Yellowlegs, and, looking south 1 more GRYE and an American Golden Plover.  This winter-plumaged bird stayed there for the longest time, but, then flew a short distance where I could see the unmarked (light, and not black) axillaries.

All in all, a great time birding on a beautiful day!

Peter Osenton
Jessup, Md. [AA Co.]