Hi Everybody: I spent  Saturday morning checking out a few locations looking for waterfowl. My first stop was Piney Run county Park in Carroll County. 90% of the lake is still frozen and snow covered. The little bit of open water had the following:

Amer. Coot                   54
Amer. Wigeon                5
Canvasback                   1
Ring-necked Duck          6
Bufflehead                     8
Ruddy Duck                   3
Common Merganser     23

There was also one Herring Gull among 10 Ring-billed Gulls.

Next stop was the Cranberry Reservoir in Westminister (Carroll County).

Very few ducks and lots of Canada Geese, some in the water and most on the ice. There was a single SNOW GOOSE (Blue Phase) sitting on the ice and I picked out one CACKLING GOOSE. I was there from 8:20 to 8 :45 AM. There were Canada Geese flying in and taking off the entire time I was there. The SNOW GOOSE (a county bird) took off and headed in a westerly direction with a small flock of Canada's at 8:35. Also present were 5 Ring-necked Ducks and a single Hooded Merganser.

On to Frederick County: The farm pond south of Burketsville off of Rt. 17 had a nice assortment: 

Tundra Swan                  22
Mallard                           33
Black Duck                      55
Amer. Wigeon                10
Canvasback                    5 
Ring-necked Duck          86
Common Merganser       25

A quick stop at the Campground in Brunswick along the Potomac River, not much:

Bufflehead                      2
Common Merganser       1

Nothing at Landers, at Noland's Ferry due to a motor boat cruising by it chased 25 Common Mergansers up the Potomac River.  

My last stop was at the Mouth of Monacacy. On the Frederick County side of the Potomac there were 9 Common Mergansers and 18 Common Goldeneye ( a county bird) and 4 Common Mergansers on the Montgomery County side. Walking back to the car I heard a Common Raven calling (Montg. Co.).

It was a great morning to be out. Congrats to the TERPS for beating UVA!

Jim Green
Gaithersburg, MD.

Work in moderation, BIRD IN EXCESS!!!