Hi Everybody:

Ron Gutberlet and I started our day at Point Lookout. Despite our best efforts we dipped on both the Harlequin Duck and the Blue-headed Vireo found by Mikey Lutmerding on 1/1/11. We saw the usual diving ducks: all 3 Scoters, Common Goldeneye, Long=tailed Ducks and several Horned Grebes. We did not see any cormorants. We saw 1 Fox Sparrow on Cornfield Harbor Road. 
Near the intersection of this same road and Rt. 235 we had 3 White-crowned Sparrows in a hedgerow. Our highlight on Long Neck Road was a group of 20-25 Eastern Meadowlarks.

We took a quick ride down part of Jerome Neck Road and were rewarded with 1 Hermit Thrush.

We made our way back into Calvert County and after asking permission (which is required by the owners) we had some nice birds on Cage Road. We found 3 White-crowned Sparrows and 1 Merlin which was perched on a telephone pole. We continued studying the Merlin from the car as we slowly drove closer and closer. We stopped briefly under the t-pole looking straight up at the bird. It acted as though we were not even there and as we continued down the road the Merlin remained on its perch.

Our next stop in Calvert County was at Dalrymple Road at the Persimmon Creek crossing. Things were very quiet here; but Ron did find a single adult Red-headed Woodpecker.

We continued on to North Beach; the water level in the marsh was extremely high and devoid of birds. We did scan the Chesapeake and had both Black & Surf Scoters.

Our last stop was at Herrington Harbor in Anne Arundel County, (where again after requesting permission) we ventured out on the north jetty. The previously reported Purple Sandpipers were still there; we counted 11. We also had all 3 Scoters in our scopes from this vantage point.

Jim Green
Gaithersburg, MD

work in moderation, BIRD IN EXCESS!!!