Hi Everyone,

I find it hard to resist Bay-watching on rainy days. I was glad I did today when Matt Grey and I found that Fort Smallwood's scaup flocks held two WHITE-WINGED SCOTERs and a pair of NORTHERN SHOVELERs. The shovelers were my first at Fort Smallwood, and it was only my second sighting of White-winged Scoter at the park. Very cool!

Here's the full list:

Canada Goose--8
NORTHERN SHOVELER--2. Pair roosting with the scaup flock
Greater Scaup--50
Lesser Scaup--20
Greater/Lesser Scaup--1050
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER--2. * Well seen in the largest scaup flock. Only my second record at Fort Smallwood.
Bufflehead--138
Common Goldeneye--1
Red-throated Loon--1
Horned Grebe--13
Double-crested Cormorant--147
Great Blue Heron--1
Killdeer--3
Bonaparte's Gull--1
Herring Gull (American)--4
Great Black-backed Gull--6
Red-bellied Woodpecker--1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)--3
Blue Jay--2
Fish Crow--1
Carolina Chickadee--1
Tufted Titmouse--1
Carolina Wren--1
Eastern Bluebird--4
American Robin--6
Northern Mockingbird--1
European Starling--30
Eastern Towhee--2
White-throated Sparrow--1
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)--3
Red-winged Blackbird--25
Common Grackle--8
Brown-headed Cowbird--5
American Goldfinch--1
Non-avian: Leucistic Gray Squirrel, Spring Peepers.

On 3/21, we had a MOURNING CLOAK in our yard.

I've posted a few other recent photos. Under the Tufted Duck photos are shots of the Somerset Snow Bunting found by Mike Walsh, the Bowie Painted Bunting, and the American Tree Sparrow that led to my accidental destruction of my book shelf (standing on it) during the blizzards.

http://www.billhubick.com/photos/updates/20100316.php

Good birding!

Bill

Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland

http://www.billhubick.com