On the PG Mid-winter Count we covered Merkle WMA. Tho' rather dark, and < freezing thru-out, it was a good day.  Hi-lights included a Virginia Rail heard in the marsh from the Tower Trail, a Phoebe, and 2 Tree Sparrows in one of the open fields off-road. Most remarkable was a Barn Owl (not a Short-eared) seen flying over the marsh briefly, then into cover. The complete list:
 
Gt Blue Heron           4
Can Goose               500
Am Black Duck        17
Mallard                      21
Gr W. Teal                8   
C Merganser            9
Bald Eagle                3
N Harrier                    1
Red-tail                      1
 
VIRGINIA RAIL           1
R-bill Gull                    70
H Gull                          2
Gr B-b Gull                 1
 
M Dove                     2
SCREECH OWL     1
BARN OWL              1
Red-b W'pecker       5
Y-b Sapsucker         1
Downy                       3 
Flicker                       1
Pileated                    1
 
E PHOEBE               1 (few this winter)
Blue Jay                     4
A Crow                      55
Car Chickadee          5
T Titmouse                5
W Br Nut'h                 3
Br Creeper                1   
Car Wren                   5  (low)
W Wren                     1
E Bluebird                 2
Herm Thrush             4
Am Robin               170 - if not more
Br Thrasher               1
N Mock'bird               1
Starling                     50
C Waxwing              76
 
E Towhee                   5
Am Tree Sparrow      2
Chipping Sparrow     1
Field Sparrow            3
Song Sparrow           25
Swamp Sparrow       3
White-thr Sp             148
D-e Junco                   38
N Cardinal                  8
 
R-w B'bird                 18
RUSTY B'bird             2
C Grackle            2,000 in stream overhead    
Br-h Cowbird              3
 
H Finch                        9
Am Goldfinch              1   (most must be at our feeders)
H Sparrow                   4
 
Also  - The Am Kestrel on Bald Eagle Rd hangs on.
 
Fred & Jane Fallon
Huntingtown

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