On Friday I hit a number of locations on the middle shore. I started at Pickering Creek hoping to closeout White-crowned Sparrow, found just one, a young male singing in the rain. Also had a Richardson's Goose in with the Canadas. From there I headed to Choptank in Caroline County hoping to closeout Common Loon, after about fifteen minutes of standing in the rain, one appeared in the middle of the river right in front of me. Several ducks were moving around the river, so I stayed for nearly two hours. During this time Dave Powell showed up and was happy to pick up his closeout Common Loon. We picked up another Common Loon flying up the river. From here were headed to the bridge south of town where Dave got on a group of Ruddy Ducks with one Horned Grebe, a long awaited county bird for me. This changed my plan of heading north to Chestertown. I followed Dave down to Wicomico County to chase the previously reported Horned Grebes. Found two of them at
 Roaring Point. Ron Gutberlet had texted us about several nearby fields with shorebirds. Dave and I went up to Fire Tower Road and re-found a White-rumped Sandpiper. 
On Saturday I met up with Jim Stasz and Ed Boyd at Meadowbrook Park, were we found the Clay-colored Sparrow. It was in the cattail marsh to the west of the Park and Ride. From here we headed to Triadelphia only to find one Common Loon. From a northern access point in Montgomery County(I forget the road name), we kicked up a Woodcock and had a fly-over Merlin. We then tried for the Brant at Piney Run and came up empty like everyone else. As luck would have it the other guys ran into a birder who informed them that the Red-throated Loon had been seen after we left. It didn't take long to find it on our second try, this was a closeout for Stasz. As luck would have it, several birders came by and informed us of a Black Scoter with the Ruddy Ducks. A county bird for all of us. Also present were 2 Horned Grebes.
Sunday morning Jim Stasz and I did a loop around the top of the bay. Birding was slow, the weather was nice. In the field before Great Oak pond Jim located a second year California Gull not far from the road. This was THE highlight of the day, a long awaited state bird for me. Only other bird of note was the continuing Greater White-fronted Goose at the Chestertown wastewater treatment plant.
Good birding,
Hans HolbrookCrofton, MD