Hi Everyone,

I spent the late afternoon scanning the Bay and slowly working the area around the pond at Fort Smallwood. The big highlight was a scope view of a LEAST BITTERN in the southwester corner of the pond, a new Fort Smallwood bird for me. Also of interest were LEAST TERN, EASTERN KINGBIRD, WESTERN PALM WARBLER, and three RUSTY BLACKBIRDs. Full eBird list below.

Canada Goose--12
Mallard--2
Bufflehead--9
Double-crested Cormorant--70
LEAST BITTERN--1. * Scarce but annual or nearly so here in migration. My first at Fort Smallwood Park and my first of the year. Spotted as I scanned the southwest corner of the pond with my scope; it was perched on a reed and the flew awkwardly to another. Recognized as a Least Bittern, noting the bird's shape, very small size, distinct warm brown coloration, and streaks on breast roughly the same color as upperparts.
Great Blue Heron--2
Osprey--2
Killdeer--2
SPOTTED SANDPIPER--1. My first of the year at the park.
Ring-billed Gull--6
Herring Gull (American)--74
Great Black-backed Gull--15
gull sp.--30
LEAST TERN--1. My first of the year here.
Caspian Tern--2
Mourning Dove--3
Red-bellied Woodpecker--1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)--2
EASTERN KINGBIRD--1. My first of the year on the western shore. Vocal.
Blue Jay--4
Northern Rough-winged Swallow--1
Carolina Chickadee--3. One with a mouthful of nesting material
Carolina Wren--1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--3. Responded to pishing in a small group
Eastern Bluebird--1
American Robin--20
Northern Mockingbird--4
Brown Thrasher--1
European Starling--35
PALM WARBLER (WESTERN)--1. My first Western Palm of the year. Hopped out of scrub on the beach. Noted its colder coloration overall, limited yellow (whitish) on belly, and thin/weaker streaks on the breast. 
Eastern Towhee--5
Chipping Sparrow--3
Song Sparrow--3
Swamp Sparrow--3
White-throated Sparrow--17
Northern Cardinal--4
Red-winged Blackbird--12
RUSTY BLACKBIRD--3. Heard calling and then seen well perched in trees just north of the pond. Took a few photos and recorded a little audio of the calls, though it was a little too windy for real quality.
Common Grackle (Purple)--4
Brown-headed Cowbird--3
House Finch--14
American Goldfinch--2

Our first RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD (a male, of course) arrived yesterday, 4/20, our earliest by a few days.

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