Hi, all -

I spent the late afternoon trying to re-find the flock of gulls in Howard County - it didn't happen. 

I stopped at Brighton Dam about 3:30 and found that the ice is mostly gone. I estimated 1100 COMMON MERGs there - this is fairly early in the day for them to be congregating down by the dam. I'm guessing the wind had something to do with that. It was blowing straight into my face as I was watching them. I stuck it out until I found a least one RED-BREASTED MERG (a female) before heading to the parking lot. I was just about to get in the car when I saw an immature BALD EAGLE over the woods and put my bins on him/her/it. Glad I did because a PEREGRINE was swooping up and down at it - the eagle seemed totally oblivious. The peregrine had its fun and headed off into the wilds of Montgomery County.

After striking out a few more places gull-wise, I ended up at the Race Rd wetlands about 5:00. Five male GADWALLs were as good as it got. Since that's about my favorite duck, as good as it got was plenty!

Cheers!
Nancy Magnusson
Ellicott City, MD