Hi all,
 Funny how fortuitous things happen sometimes. 

I spent the better part of yesterday down in Montgomery County, running around for work. I was driving home about 5:30, coming through Brookeville when my cell phone rang. It was Dave Powell, who was just coming into Sunshine in his car, heading out towards Morgan Run to look for woodcocks. He wanted to know if he could stop by my place and look for the screech owl. He and I were only minutes apart, so we met and he followed me home. We walked out through our back gate and got really good scope looks at the little owl sitting in its cavity sunning itself. The light was sublime. It was a case of perfect timing on Daves part, calling when he did. As we were walking in my yard I mentioned the farm pond in the field down the hill, and that I had only a couple of duck species on my yard list, but that I keep looking, as they sometimes fly by in small flocks in and out of the pond area. (I have only Mallard and Wood Duck).

Well, lo and behold, this morning I was out walking along the fence with the dog and I looked down to the pond, where I saw a small group of ducks, which were NOT Mallards. They appeared to be Ring-necked Ducks, so I went and fetched the scope, and they were indeed a group of  5 Ring-necked Ducks! Yard bird #127!!

Not much else to be seen; E. Screech Owl, juncos and White-throated Sparrows, a singing, hidden towhee, Carolina Wren, geese flying over in vees, RW Blackbirds, bluebirds and robins, etc. Singing cardinals and chickadees.

Rick Sussman
Woodbine,MD