Le Conte's Sparrow - Several birders arrived at the blind, just after sunrise (7:08 a.m.) and began the walk along the dyke. Three were in the advance guard, while three brought up the rear (Jared Fisher, Nancy Magnusson and me). Jared almost immediately spied the Le Conte's Sparrow just about 4-6 feet in the cattails from where we stood. The time was around 7:15 a.m. The bird moved to the edge of the dyke in/next to a small green bush with little white flowers, it stayed in that area for several minutes and then flew into the patch of young phragmites. The advanced guard were also able to get on the sparrow. The time was around 7:20 a.m. when it flew into the young phrag. The green bushes with small white flowers are about 20-30 feet east of the bayberry bush (bush with red berries) where the Le Conte's had been seen/photographed previously.

Nancy Magnusson and I walked around the wetlands after seeing the Le Conte's Sparrow. About 1/2 way around we were alerted that the Short-eared Owl was flying across the cornfield in front of us, but we did not see it. We continued around the wetland and then headed to the man-made water retention pods.

Redhead. There were I believe 13 Redhead in the largest water rentenion pond - Nancy got the exact count.

Short-eared Owl. We then made our way to behind the house walking toward the bay. We stopped to scan the area behind the barn, cornfield, and woods, when we heard crows overhead. We looked up to see the crows mobbing the Short-eared Owl. The owl was beautiful in the sunlight against the blue sky. Nancy took pictures.

What a beautiful day to be birding and to get some great birds.

Marcy Stutzman
Russett, MD


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