Hi Everyone,

I birded around Fort Smallwood this morning. The highlights were a late BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER and a cooperative LINCOLN'S SPARROW. Here's the full eBird list with some in-line comments.

Canada Goose--55
Mallard--3
Bufflehead--6. First of the season for me here.
Double-crested Cormorant--56
Great Blue Heron--1
Bald Eagle--1. Third-year.
Killdeer--1
Bonaparte's Gull--3
Laughing Gull--1
Ring-billed Gull--18
Herring Gull (American)--6
Great Black-backed Gull--2
gull sp.--95
Forster's Tern--15
Mourning Dove--13
Red-bellied Woodpecker--3
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)--2
PILEATED WOODPECKER--1. Uncommon here.
Blue Jay--3
American Crow--2
Carolina Chickadee--3
Tufted Titmouse--3
White-breasted Nuthatch--2. (Side note: Interestingly, as my eBird bar charts make clear, this species is exclusively a winter resident in my yard. Right on schedule, they have begun visiting the feeders again, and they'll probably here through spring. Funny that a species that nests just two blocks away would have such a set pattern over multiple years.)
Brown Creeper--1
Carolina Wren--2
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER--1. * Late. First October record in eBird for Anne Arundel County (though one was found at Greenbury Point on 10/24/10 - Marenghi, Arnold, Schreitz). ID obvious as bird was spotted feeding in goldenrod in the wet meadow. Seen/heard at close range and photographed later on the north side of the pond (also in goldenrod). My latest in AA. Becomes a really good month bird tomorrow. 
Golden-crowned Kinglet--1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet--1
Eastern Bluebird--11
American Robin--1
Northern Mockingbird--3
European Starling--4
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--2
Eastern Towhee--3
Chipping Sparrow--3
FIELD SPARROW--1
Song Sparrow--23
LINCOLN'S SPARROW--1--Uncommon. Feeding in goldenrod in the wet meadow. Enjoyed hearing it chip at me at length. Not something I hear as often as I'd like.
Swamp Sparrow--7
White-throated Sparrow--31
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW (Eastern)--1 juvenile
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)--6
Northern Cardinal--7
Red-winged Blackbird--4
Common Grackle--4
House Finch--16
American Goldfinch--64. Large flock feeding in the road near the old battery. 54 was highest in sight at one time, but there were other small flocks all around the park. Probably well over 100.

Good birding,

Bill

Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland

http://www.billhubick.com