[Mark England asked me to report on his trip on his behalf].

Mark England led appx 15 birders on a Montgomery Bird Club trip to 
the limited access, and now capped, Oaks Landfill, which adjoins 
Blue Mash Nature Trail in Montgomery County.  Sparrows and raptors 
were plentiful, with highlights including a Merlin, male and 
female Northern Harriers, 9 species of sparrows including a late 
Grasshopper Sparrow (it's the latest eBird county record and the 
first eBird record for Blue Mash/Oaks Landfill), and a latish 
Blue-headed Vireo.  Full eBird list below.

One surprising aspect of the trip was the total absence of the 
normally ubiquitous (at this time of year) Yellow-rumped Warblers.

Special thanks to Pete Karasik for being our host and explaining 
the history and engineering behind the former landfill.

Participants Included: Michelle Bloch, Linda Friedland, Steven 
Jones, Brendan Lanpher, Jim Moore, Ed Patten, John Pangborn, Steve 
Pretl, Evelyn Ralston, Lydia Schindler, Richard Schubert, Anna 
Urciolo (apologies to those I have left off the list; I did not 
have everyone's names)

Location:     Oaks Landfill
Observation date:     10/31/10
Numbers are conservative estimates

Canada Goose     100
American Black Duck     1
Mallard     6
Green-winged Teal     9
Ruddy Duck     2
Great Blue Heron     1
Black Vulture     1
Turkey Vulture     20
Bald Eagle     1
Northern Harrier     2
Sharp-shinned Hawk     1
Accipiter sp.     2
Red-shouldered Hawk     1
Red-tailed Hawk     3
Merlin     1
Rock Pigeon     30
Mourning Dove     5
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker     2
Hairy Woodpecker     1
Northern Flicker     3
Blue-headed Vireo     1
Blue Jay     3
American Crow     10
Fish Crow     30
crow sp.     20
Carolina Chickadee     1
Carolina Wren     1
Eastern Bluebird     5
American Robin     60
Northern Mockingbird     4
European Starling     1
Cedar Waxwing     20
Palm Warbler (Yellow)     2
Eastern Towhee     1
Chipping Sparrow     1
Field Sparrow     3
Savannah Sparrow     15
Grasshopper Sparrow     1     Late; seen well through scope.  
Buff-orange face, short, spiky tail, and pinkish bill seen well.
Song Sparrow     35
White-throated Sparrow     5
White-crowned Sparrow     5
Dark-eyed Junco     20
Northern Cardinal     6
Common Grackle     20
American Goldfinch     40

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)