Hi Folks,

It was a good morning at Wooten's Landing and Sands Road Park, both in
southern Anne Arundel County along Sands Road, only two or three
minutes apart.

At Wooten's Landing, from about 9:45 to 10:45 a.m., I had fairly good
activity and variety, but nothing of note until I was walking back to
the car about 100 feet from the gate, and encountered a flock of
Juncoes in which a single CLAY-COLORED SPARROW hopped up into a tree,
allowing a good study on my part.  Looked very much like one that Bill
Schreitz had photographed last weekend at Greenbury Point: distinct
face pattern, gray nape, pink bill, but little buffiness on the
breast, suggesting it was a worn adult.

As I was leaving, I noticed there were people in the car parked next
to mine; turned out to be Mike Ostrowski and Eve ____.  Mike said they
had found a Sedge Wren at Sands Road Park where I was headed next.
The park had a good collection of sparrows today.  I did a clockwise
circuit of the periphery, and among the large numbers of Savannahs and
Songs I found a single LINCOLN'S SPARROW at the back of the property,
opposite the entry road.  As I was completing the circuit, and only
about 200 feet from the parking area (and due north of the parking
lot), I noticed a lot of activity, so I departed the grassy area and
entered the weedy area with some scrubby trees and lots of wetness.  I
was watching the sparrows when a small bird darted into the weeds.  I
continued to watch all the sparrows when this little bird popped up
onto a branch of the northmost little tree, and I got the best view of
my life of a SEDGE WREN.  After a protracted view it disappeared then
popped up again, and then while I was talking to Ross Geredien on the
phone it popped up a third time--all great looks.  A YELLOW PALM
WARBLER, came into view as I headed back to the car.  As I was
preparing to leave, Ross pulled up, so I stayed and took him to where
the Lincoln's Sparrow had been, but sadly we could not refind this
bird that he needed for his state collection.  Our consollation was
finding two VESPER SPARROWs, both together in the same small tree,
close to where I had seen the Lincoln's.  On our way back to the
parking area we stopped to try to refind the SEDGE WREN.  Dan Haas had
just arrived, and the three of us worked the small scrubby tree area
back and forth, and did refind the bird.  It was now a bit past 1
p.m., and the bird wasn't nearly as cooperative as it had been when I
was alone.  I was hoping Dan would be able to get a photo, because I'm
not sure if anyone has ever photographed a Sedge Wren in AA Co., but
the bird really played hard to get.  At least Dan and Ross got to see
it, though views were not the best.  In the same area was a single
imm. WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW.

From the park Ross and I went back to Wooten's, hoping to refind the
Clay-colored Sparrow, but we were not successful, and I'm not sure if
anyone else ever got to see it.

Being close to 2 p.m., I decided to call it quits and head home.
Elaine had another good day in the yard with a nice late SWAINSON'S
THRUSH, a BROWN CREEPER, and a flyover PEREGRINE FALCON.

Stan Arnold
Ferndale