I birded a variety of places in southern Prince George's County this afternoon and the highlight was an adult dark phase Snow Goose at Merkle WMA.  The bird was with the 1,100+ Canada Geese in the fields immediately behind the visitors center.  Highlights from each stop included:

Schoolhouse Pond - 9 Double-crested Cormorants (in the AM), a high flyover Merlin (at noon), and 2 Red-tailed Hawks.  The Merlin was fairly high and apparently migrating.  There were also 14 Northern Shovelers and 1 Pied-billed Grebe.  There were flyover gulls only (Laughing, Ring-billed and Herring).

Tanyard Road (Nottingham) WMA - a very blustery stop.  There were some sparrows in the center hedgerow, but they stayed well out of sight, always flying away and never perching in the open.  Also present was a large flock of Robins, a group of 30 or so Cedar Waxwings, and a flyover immature Bald Eagle.

Merkle WMA - There were approximately 1,100 Canada Geese in the fields behind the visitors center.  The Snow Goose (dark phase) was mixed in with this group.  Also present were lots of Eastern Bluebird, an Eastern Phoebe, 4 Killdeer, a Yellow-rumped Warblers, and a Mockingbird.  

Mount Calvert - A beautiful stop in the late afternoon.  Northern Harriers (2 juveniles) hunted over the marsh and 2 adult Bald Eagles were in the trees on the far side of the river.  Waterfowl included Blue-winged Teal, Mallards, Black Ducks, 1 Wood Duck, and 2 Pied-billed Grebes.  Also present was an accipiter, Red-shouldered Hawk, and many goldfinch.  4 Forster's Terns flew over the river.  An American Kestrel was perched on a utility wire and hunted over the fields near the parking area.

Fred Shaffer

Crofton, Anne Arundel