At risk of really boring everyone on an obviously slow day, I'm posting
a brief account of a very leisurely 5 hr. walk, with no Black-capped
Chickadees nor hint of a Shrike, unless the southern variety (Mocker)
qualifies. The approx. 5 mi. trek went from the parking lot eastward,
then along Loch Raven Blvd. up to the dam, then reversing back to the
easternmost bridge crossing the Minebank stream, proceding westward
to the "west" bridge area before again reversing course back to the 
parking lot. Near the lower spillway of the reservoir, I spotted 17 Black
Vultures  initiating a kettle, a fishing Great Blue Heron and RS Hawk
looking for breakfast. Little to be seen in the vicinity of the dam, save
another Great Blue sunning in a tree, a few Canadas and Mallard, and
a lone Coot working the water's edge. No Tree Sparrow, only a lone
Song Sparrow and several Juncos.

A feeder hung from a sapling near the lime kilns yields several WB
Nuthatches, along with C. Chickadees and Titmice. An interesting
sight farther along the walk, in the vicinity of the hedgerow, was a group
of Bluebirds flying to and away from a box along the trail. It looked for
all the world like two adults going to the hole, as if feeding, with what
looked like several siblings taking their turns at the box entrance. On my
return walk, seeing no activity, I was emboldened to flip the lid of the
box to discover--nothing! I think they were putting on an act for the old
guy. I did proceed along the road crossing the "west" bridge for a bit, so
that I was actually heading back to the parking lot on the n. side of the
Minebank, in hopes of getting some sparrows, but no luck; however,
my effort did produce a male Kestrel, uncharacteristically on a low
perch of a fence protecting a vegetable garden. Nice. A singing C. Wren
was contrasted with a skulking Winter Wren.

All told, only a paltry count of 28 spp. was noted, but the weather was
ideal and the old legs got a work-out.

Paul Noell
Balto.  MD