Yesterday my brother Mike and I birded Harford County along with some of 
Baltimore and Carroll Counties. A quick run through our highlights:

Swan Harbor was very birdy, both around the wetlands and over the bay. 
Most of the distant gulls and waterfowl had to be left unidentified, as 
did the distant mass of swallows, even though 99% of them were probably 
Tree Swallows. It wouldn't be right to call the one Cave Swallow with 
them a Tree Swallow.

Green-winged Teal (American)     21
Ruddy Duck     8     My closeout
Pied-billed Grebe     25
Virginia Rail     1
American Coot     500
Least Sandpiper     1     In a puddle in a cornfield.
Forster's Tern     357     Careful count. Impressive numbers in-flight and sitting on flats.
Tree Swallow     50
swallow sp.     300     Probably Tree Swallows.
Winter Wren     1
Marsh Wren     1
Common Yellowthroat     1 female. The first I've seen since Oct. 13.
Savannah Sparrow (Eastern)     15
Song Sparrow     20
Swamp Sparrow     10
White-throated Sparrow     4
White-crowned Sparrow (Eastern)     2
Rusty Blackbird     2

At Harford Glen Park our biggest highlight was a calling BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE in a flock of about four or five Carolinas. Also of interest was a single Purple Finch mixed in with the House Finches. You can see the photo of the chickadee here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/35144142@N04/5112333295/

The impoundment at Perryman Park held a late SPOTTED SANDPIPER. My new personal late date.

Next we headed west into Baltimore County and stopped at a couple locations at Loch Raven Reservoir. From the Dulaney Valley Rd bridge we saw 750 American Coots which are always impressive to see. At the Skeet and Trap we found another BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, again flocking with Carolinas and kinglets. That photo is here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/35144142@N04/5112333347/ The Paper Mill Flats held both yellowlegs, 8 Wilson's Snipe and 2 Pectoral Sandpipers.

We ended the day in Carroll County at Liberty Lake and Piney Run Park. Liberty was fairly slow with the highlights being my closeout Yellow-rumped Warbler, 15 Black Ducks, and an immature Bald Eagle that just sat on the Baltimore side. Had it flown to the Carroll side, that would have also been a closeout. Piney Run held more waterfowl but diversity isn't great yet. Only Mallards, Ruddy Ducks, Pied-billed Grebes, and Coots were present.


Rob Ostrowski
Crofton, MD