This morning the scrubland was covered with heavy frost and even a bit of
icy crust on some puddles. Birding was not very exciting, but I was just
happy to see the sun!

Newly arrived: the yard Yellow-bellied Sapsucker has returned to drill more
holes in his favorite pear tree. This morning I also saw the first Dark-eyed
Junco of the fall in the scrub.

By the drive, a beautiful mature male Rose-breasted Grosbeak sunned himself
in a bush as many White-throated and Song Sparrows popped in and out of the
milkweed.

A new yard bird: an adult flying with four brown 1st winter birds made it
possible (for even me) to ID them as Herring Gulls. Fly-over gulls (except
for an occasional Ring-billed) are very unusual here.

Felicia Lovelett
Sykesville, MD