Hi Everyone,

Merry Christmas! My wife Becky and I went for another half-birding, half-just-cruising drive around the Eastern Shore today. Below are the abridged lists from along the way. As the temperatures held steady in the mid-40s, the snow has melted enough that field birds can more easily forage away from the road edges. Good for the birds, more work for birders. The Pig Farm on Indiantown Road (Dorchester Co.) held a nice flock of gulls that is worth keeping an eye on. My X-mas present was landing my county closeout White-crowned Sparrow (#116) at Blackwater. Hope everyone had a great day.

Pickering Creek Audubon Center

Canada Goose--1000. Huge flock audible in the distance. Estimate to order of magnitudem
Northern Harrier--1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)--1
American Pipit--7
Eastern Towhee--1
Chipping Sparrow--4
Field Sparrow--12
Song Sparrow--3
White-throated Sparrow--45
White-crowned Sparrow (Eastern)--1
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)--28
Eastern Meadowlark--4

Route 50--Just north of Howell Point Road

Red-shouldered Hawk--1. Adult hunting from a telephone wire. Uncommon in the county. 

Blackwater NWR

Canada Goose--8000. Conservative minimum. 
Tundra Swan--175
American Black Duck--2
Mallard--325
Northern Shoveler--6
Northern Pintail--18
Ring-necked Duck--1
Great Blue Heron--4
Bald Eagle--9
American Coot--4. Foraging in the grass along the wildlife drive.
Killdeer--3
Ring-billed Gull--19
Herring Gull (American)--89
Great Black-backed Gull--1
Horned Lark--5. Flushed from wildlife drive
American Pipit--6
Song Sparrow--3
Swamp Sparrow--4
White-throated Sparrow--45
White-crowned Sparrow (Eastern)--1 immature. MY COUNTY CLOSEOUT (#116)
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)--10
Eastern Meadowlark--7

Bestpitch

American Black Duck--2
Northern Harrier--1
Dunlin--1. Roosting by itself on the ice; flew off, calling.
Ring-billed Gull--2
Herring Gull (American)--7
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)--4
White-throated Sparrow--20
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)--5

Indiantown Road fields
Checking for longspurs and Snow Buntings. 

Horned Lark--38
Savannah Sparrow (Eastern)--6
Song Sparrow--2

Indiantown Road--The Pig Farm

Ring-billed Gull--430
Herring Gull (American)--70
Great Black-backed Gull--9
Fish Crow--20
Horned Lark--3

Marshyhope Creek--Brookview

Common Merganser--2

Choptank (Caroline County)

Mallard--36
Common Merganser--16
Ruddy Duck--6
Pied-billed Grebe--1
Double-crested Cormorant--2
Northern Harrier--1
Ring-billed Gull--22
Herring Gull (American)--24
Great Black-backed Gull--49
Red-winged Blackbird--600. Steady stream passing by in the late afternoon.
Common Grackle--20

Good birding,

Bill

Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland

http://www.billhubick.com