Hi All,

The spring version of the Common Grackle invasion is underway.  They
are moving about our property like a convention of monks drunk on
Austrian rum, emptying the feeders.  I would estimate conservatively
that we have about 200 out on the side acre right now.  Also numerous
are Red-winged Blackbirds, Cowbirds, and European Starlings to a far
lesser degree.  Wetlands are saturated nearby, but, alas, no rusty
Blackbirds.

A nice representation of woodpeckers today: Northern flicker, Downy
Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker and a Pileated Woodpecker heard off
towards South Mountain.

The American Goldfinch males are beginning to dress up nicely - a
welcome shine of yellow on a cold, somewhat dreary day (we have sun
now that it's late and the wind has picked up).

Unrelated to sightings, but bringing me great satisfaction:  I finally
ditched AviSys after many years... I really wanted a full-blown Mac
version.  No, I refuse to run Windows on my Mac just for my birding
software.  Can't do it.  Sadly, there are no import utilities to bring
my sightings into BirdBrain, which I absolutely love!  Well worth the
price.  The e-bird exports are simple, the interface is wonderful, and
reports are a breeze. My bird photographs are added to my sightings
with a simple click.


Good Birding,


***************************
Frank Boyle
Rohrersville, MD

***************************



-- 
"I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity."
-E.A. Poe

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

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