Hi Everyone,

Staying local today, I was joined by John Hubbell and Rob Ostrowski to start the day with a little birding at Fort Smallwood. It turned out to be an especially good day to do so. Our most noteworthy birds were a female WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, an unexpectedly continuing RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, and a flock of 15 RUSTY BLACKBIRDs. 

Rockwood Beach 
* Scoped Rock Creek before meeting up with John Hubbell and Rob Ostrowski. 

Mallard--34
Lesser Scaup--7
Bufflehead--11
Ruddy Duck--108
Ring-billed Gull--56
Herring Gull (American)--25
Great Black-backed Gull--3

Fort Smallwood Park

Canada Goose--52
Gadwall--2; pair flushed with the Mallard flock east of the pond
Mallard--33
Lesser Scaup--6
Greater/Lesser Scaup--52
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER--1. * Very rare at this location. Female. Great spot by Rob northeast of the hawk watch area. Well seen on the water and then as it flew circuits around the area. Ultimately flew south and disappeared, disappointing us by not quite making it into Baltimore Co. during its circuits. My first at Fort Smallwood (only my second-ever individual scoter here).
Long-tailed Duck--11. Also noted in the distance in Baltimore Co.
Bufflehead--96
Common Goldeneye--1 drake
Ruddy Duck--15
Common Loon--2
Double-crested Cormorant--16
Great Blue Heron--1
Bald Eagle--1
Killdeer--2
Bonaparte's Gull--14
LAUGHING GULL--8. Roosting on a sandbar near the hawk watch and then floating further out. My new personal late date in Maryland. 12 more noted to south at Hilltop Pond later in the morning.
Ring-billed Gull--395. Steady flight to the north all morning. Many roosting on sandbars at low tide.
Herring Gull (American)--68
Great Black-backed Gull--6
gull sp.--100
Rock Pigeon--27
Mourning Dove--22
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER--1. * Locally rare, especially at this date. South of the pond, where it was seen last week by Matt Grey. Relocated later this morning by Matt as well.
Red-bellied Woodpecker--2
Downy Woodpecker--2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)--2
Blue Jay--8
American Crow--1
Carolina Chickadee--3
Tufted Titmouse--3
White-breasted Nuthatch--1
Carolina Wren--3
Winter Wren--1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet--2
American Robin--2
Northern Mockingbird--4
European Starling--30
Eastern Towhee--4
Song Sparrow--9
Swamp Sparrow--4
White-throated Sparrow--33
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)--15
Northern Cardinal--10
Red-winged Blackbird--145
RUSTY BLACKBIRD--15. * Good count for this site. Feeding on the edges of the wet woods in the center of the park, north of the pond. Enjoyed at length via scope. Only loosely associated with the Red-winged flock.
Brown-headed Cowbird--10
American Goldfinch--5

Baltimore Co. Waters (Scoped from Fort Smallwood)

Tundra Swan--7. Flying by on the Baltimore side; amazingly, we were able to hear them from Fort Smallwood.
Long-tailed Duck--12. Scoped just off the Baltimore shore, but seen very well under the calm conditions.
Bufflehead--20
Double-crested Cormorant--15
Bonaparte's Gull--4
Ring-billed Gull--200
Herring Gull (American)--50
Great Black-backed Gull--5
gull sp.--est. 500

Hilltop Road Pond 
(off Fort Smallwood Road; private, but can be viewed from the road)

American Black Duck--4
Mallard--9
Bufflehead--1
Common Goldeneye--6 hens
Pied-billed Grebe--1
Bald Eagle--2
LAUGHING GULL--12. * Unexpected count here. All roosting on the frozen pond. 
Ring-billed Gull--91
Herring Gull (American)--4
Great Black-backed Gull--4
Rock Pigeon--1
Hairy Woodpecker--1
Blue Jay--1
Northern Mockingbird--1
European Starling--5
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)--3
House Finch--5

Good birding,

Bill

Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland

http://www.billhubick.com