Hi everyone,

Mike and I birded today on the Piedmont, spending most of the day in Carroll County, but also visiting Frederick County. You couldn't ask for better weather in mid-January. Our best birds were at Piney Run Park, where waterfowl diversity was high. The biggest highlight was a first cycle LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL - a tough bird in Carroll County. We didn't see the Greater White-fronted Goose that Bob found a few days ago, but there were at least two Cackling Geese mixed in with the 1500 or so Canada Geese. 

At Kershner's Pond in Frederick County, the best birds were two REDHEADS and one RUDDY DUCK.

Full lists below:

Location:     Morgan Run Natural Environmental Area
Observation date:     1/18/10
Number of species:     28

Canada Goose     100     
Black Vulture     1
Turkey Vulture     5
Red-shouldered Hawk     1
Red-tailed Hawk     2
hawk sp.     1
Herring Gull     1
Rock Pigeon     1
Mourning Dove     1
Red-bellied Woodpecker     3
Downy Woodpecker     5
Northern Flicker     3
Pileated Woodpecker     2
Blue Jay     8
American Crow     15
Carolina Chickadee     10
Tufted Titmouse     7
White-breasted Nuthatch     7
Carolina Wren     5
Northern Mockingbird     4
Eastern Towhee     5
Field Sparrow     2
Fox Sparrow (Red)     1
Song Sparrow     6
White-throated Sparrow     75
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)     3
Northern Cardinal     14
Red-winged Blackbird     10
American Goldfinch     3


Location:     Piney Run Park
Observation date:     1/18/10
Number of species:     23

Cackling Goose     2
Canada Goose     1500
American Wigeon     8
American Black Duck     16
Mallard     82
Canvasback     5
Redhead     4
Ring-necked Duck     21
Bufflehead     6
Hooded Merganser     9
Common Merganser     16
Ruddy Duck     7
Pied-billed Grebe     3
Great Blue Heron     1
American Coot     28
Ring-billed Gull     250
Herring Gull     10
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL     1     first cycle. Pretty distant but slender bill and body still evident. Pale edgings to upperparts.  Appeared to be a tad smaller than nearby Herring Gulls.
Northern Flicker     1
Blue Jay     2
American Crow     5
American Robin     3
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)     10

Location:     Lake Merle
Observation date:     1/18/10
Number of species:     4

Mute Swan     2
Mallard     20
Northern Pintail     1 - adult male. respectable bird for Frederick.
American Crow     1

Location:     Oland Road
Observation date:     1/18/10
Number of species:     4

Turkey Vulture     1
American Kestrel     1
Horned Lark     3
Eastern Bluebird     4

Location:     Lilypons Water Gardens
Observation date:     1/18/10
Number of species:     15

Great Blue Heron     1
Turkey Vulture     1
Red-shouldered Hawk     2
Belted Kingfisher     1
Red-bellied Woodpecker     1
Downy Woodpecker     1
Northern Flicker     1
crow sp.     75
Carolina Chickadee     3
White-breasted Nuthatch     1
Northern Mockingbird     1
European Starling     20
Song Sparrow     2
Swamp Sparrow     2
Northern Cardinal     1
Red-winged Blackbird     10

Location:     Kershner's Pond
Observation date:     1/18/10
Number of species:     11

Canada Goose     2000     est
Tundra Swan     6
American Black Duck     50     est
Mallard     60     est
Canvasback     1
REDHEAD     2
Ring-necked Duck     10     est
Common Merganser     10     est
RUDDY DUCK     1
Bald Eagle     2
Fish Crow     5

Location:     Weverton (Frederick County)
Observation date:     1/18/10
Number of species:     4

Canada Goose     24     fly over
American Black Duck     2     fly over
Mallard     4     fly over
Great Blue Heron     1

Location:     Weverton (Washington County)
Observation date:     1/18/10
Number of species:     7

Canada Goose     16     fly over
American Black Duck     2     fly over
Mallard     4     fly over
Bufflehead     8
Great Blue Heron     1
Downy Woodpecker     1
Carolina Chickadee     1

Robert Ostrowski
Crofton, MD