Hi Everyone,

Jon Corcoran and I spent the afternoon today (3/23) birding a few locations in Carroll Co. The conditions were ideal for interesting waterbirds, and the rain was kind enough to remain at a steady drizzle for most of our time outside. We divided our afternoon between carefully checking Piney Run and Liberty Reservoir. My main target for the afternoon, my county closeout Red-breasted Merganser, was entertainingly easy. As we approached the water at the main (western) access to Piney Run, the very first birds we set eyes on were a flock of six RED-BREASTED MERGANSERs just feet from the near shore. A nice mix of other newly arrived and some less common species are in the full eBird lists below:

Piney Run Park

Canada Goose--6
Wood Duck--3. Two drakes, one hen
Gadwall--6. Three pairs
American Wigeon--7
American Black Duck--4
Mallard--4
Green-winged Teal (American)--13
Redhead--2. Pair at north end
Ring-necked Duck--7
Lesser Scaup--11
Bufflehead--10
Hooded Merganser--3. Pair and lone male
Common Merganser--18
Red-breasted Merganser--6. Two males, four females. My county closeout (#127). My first-ever digiscoped county bird photo (picked up a pocket camera for just that, a Canon S95).
Ruddy Duck--4
Common Loon--5. All in or nearly in full breeding plumage.
Pied-billed Grebe--6
Horned Grebe--8
Great Blue Heron--1
Cooper's Hawk--1 adult
Red-shouldered Hawk--1
American Coot--111
Herring Gull (American)--2. Seen in flight and then roosting on the south end of the lake.
gull sp.--3
Barred Owl--1. Called from the east side of the lake, well away from the rehab birds.
Belted Kingfisher--1
Downy Woodpecker--2
Hairy Woodpecker--1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)--1
Eastern Phoebe--1
Blue Jay--2
American Crow--2
Fish Crow--2
Tree Swallow--2
Carolina Chickadee--6
Tufted Titmouse--3
Carolina Wren--1
Golden-crowned Kinglet--2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet--1
Eastern Bluebird--2
Northern Mockingbird--1
Pine Warbler--1. Singing
Song Sparrow--1
Swamp Sparrow--1. White Rock end
Northern Cardinal--4
American Goldfinch--1

Liberty Reservoir--Oakland Road (Carroll Co.)
(See Bing Maps for a county lines here)

Canada Goose--2
American Black Duck--6
Bufflehead--1
Common Loon--1. Near breeding plumage, singing. 
Pied-billed Grebe--4
Horned Grebe--1
Double-crested Cormorant--37. Known roost on the small island in Baltimore Co. All members of the flock passed through both counties.
Greater Yellowlegs--1. Flyby bird, repeatedly calling.
Mourning Dove--1
Tree Swallow--6
Carolina Chickadee--1
Tufted Titmouse--2
Golden-crowned Kinglet--1
American Robin--1
Northern Cardinal--2

Liberty Reservoir--Oakland Road (Viewed in Baltimore Co.)

Canada Goose--4
American Black Duck--4
Bufflehead--1
Common Merganser--8
Common Loon--2--Two in breeding plumage, one singing
Pied-billed Grebe--4. Total of six present
Double-crested Cormorant--37
Bonaparte's Gull--1
Tree Swallow--6

With the rain slowing down considerably after dark, we decided to stick with our plan to do a bit of owling. I knew it was only a matter of time before my curse was lifted and Howard and Baltimore Counties finally offered my overdue screech-owls. We had one in each county at locations along the Patapsco River (closeout #128). 

Not bad for a rainy workday afternoon!

Good birding,

Bill

Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland

http://www.billhubick.com

############################

To unsubscribe from the MDOSPREY list:
write to: mailto:[log in to unmask]
or click the following link:
http://home.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/wa.exe?SUBED1=MDOSPREY&A=1