Pat, Walter and Nancy and the rest of the list,

These posts come across to me as sounding like some folks are not aware that
the whole state counts on May 8. The spring count is not staggered like the
winter counts. We all do it the same day. Consequently asking for volunteers
is asking for people to neglect their home counties and help out elsewhere.
If some counties have more than enough, then yes, share the wealth. However
if some counties only have a handful of counters then it appears the birders
in that county need to get more people interested in birding.

By all means count wherever you want, but everybody should be out there.
Somewhere.

Unfortunately this suggestion comes from a guy that probably will only count
for a short time in the late afternoon. My current job has me working
Saturdays and I won't be near a bird until about 4:30. This will be the
first May count in the last several hundred years that I will not be much
involved in. Pray for me.

Drove over to the Catoctins today. Didn't get much. Some LA WATERTHRUSH and
a YELLOW WARBLER along Owens Creek was about the only neat spring things. On
a tragic note I discovered that the city of Thurmont has temporarily closed
one of my trout streams. Seems they sold some timber in the area that is
currently being harvested and some people went in there and made pests of
themselves. The city reacted by closing all access until the harvest is
done. I was rather shocked when I showed up there this AM and found no
trespassing signs all over the place. So I drove down and personally spoke
to the town administrator about it. He explained that if he lets me in there
to do my annual religious ritual with the trout, he has to let everybody in.
He took down my number and will call me to tell me when the place opens back
up. Another case of the actions of a few affecting the many. It is a nice
area for hiking and birding. I've seen folks jogging and riding horses, not
to mention a few hunters. The administrator assured me I was not the first
to complain.

On a brighter note this was a lovely day. One of those days when you don't
get your vehicle up near the speed limit. Annoys people behind you but they
aren't really going anywhere either. They just don't know it.

Jerry Tarbell
Back home in Carroll County