Hi,
 
I spent a leisurely day at Eastern Neck on Saturday.  I hadn't visited there in a long time.
 
One of the first birds that I saw when I exited my car at Eastern Neck Narrows was a FORSTER'S TERN.  At least I assume that's what it was.  Then another tern appeared with it.  What I observed was two medium sized terns flying near a flock of gulls, maybe 75' away from me.  Narrow, pointed wings, tern-like flight, not a Bonaparte's Gull.  I was preoccupied with something else so I didn't get my binoculars on them.
 
Other uncommon species - 1 E. Phoebe (overwintered or just returned?) just n. of Bogles Wharf Rd., at least 3 Brown-headed Nuthatches in various areas of the refuge, 3 Chipping Sparrows in a mixed sparrow flock at the Visitor Center. 
 
More stuff of interest: Only 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler.  3 singing Pine Warblers.  Flock of at least 500 Snow Geese way out in the Bay, seen from the volunteer housing.  400 Can. Goose mostly all in one flock.  Only 31 Tundra Swans.  106 Am. Black Duck mostly in one flock, 19 Mallard, scattered scaup (at least 35 Greater, at least 1 Lesser) plus 140 unID'd scaup, 130 scattered Bufflehead, 12 Com. Goldeneye here and there, mostly female, 1 Com. Loon, 1 Horned Grebe, lots of Turkey Vultures and Bald Eagles and various other songbirds.
 
1 Cabbage White was behind the Visitor Center.  Temp. was 46F, sunny and breezy.
 
I noted 5 wildflower species in bloom.  
 
Invasives are seriously taking over the refuge, apparently due to lack of funds to control them.  Multiflora Rose is perhaps the most abundant of them.
 
I ended the day at the Great Oak Pond at the bottom of Great Oak Landing Rd. west of Chestertown.  Lots of waterfowl on the pond at sunset, a nice sight.
 
Scott Baron
Vienna, Va.

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