It was a good weekend for capturing images of Tree Swallows checking out the bird houses in Montgomery County, MD, USA. Also Spring is here and pollen is intense.
#MoCo #MDBirding #MoCoParks

Birding today -- Barn, Tree, N. Rough-winged Swallows; 60+(+) Ring-necked Ducks, 4 Wilson's Snipes, 3 Blue-winged Teal, singing Pine Warblers; near Poolesville #MDBirding #Birding #MDBirds

Red-winged Blackbird turning over leaves at Wheaton Stormwater Ponds #MDBirding #WheatonMD #Birding

This afternoon I returned to the park in Kensington to look for the previously reported Marsh Wren. I did not see it, but unlike yesterday I did hear it sing. Today there were 3 Hooded Mergansers and a pair of Wood Ducks (1 and 0 yesterday), which I showed to some passersby. #MD #Birds #MDBirds #MDBirding

This afternoon I went to Kensington to look for the previously reported Marsh Wren. I did not see or hear it; I did see a female Hooded Merganser, and 4 Swamp Sparrows. #MD #Birding #MDBirding #MDBirds

Out and about today. I caught up with the Common Loon at Violette's Lock, and saw a Red-headed Woodpecker, a sneaky Wild Turkey, and four Winter Wrens at Hughes Hollow. I showed the loon to several folks, birders and non-birders both. It was overcast and a bit breezy, though not as much as predicted the night before. #MDBirding #MDBirds #Birds #Birding #MontgomeryCounty

There were quite a few #HoodedMerganser at #WheatonRegionalPark yesterday. #MDBirding #MoCo #WheatonMD

Belted Kingfisher taking flight at the #WheatonStormwaterPonds #MDBirding #MoCo #WheatonMD

This morning I was awake early enough to get to Blue Mash Nature Trail near Olney, Maryland, to see the geese before they headed out for the day. I saw at least 6 Cackling Geese, a species I've only seen a half-dozen times, and the reason I got there before sunrise. I also ran into some folks I haven't seen for a while.

Photos (not mine!) from yesterday: https://ebird.org/checklist/S126052100

#Birding #MDBirds #Birds #MDBirding

I'm up to 58 bird species seen this year, after an extended trip to Black Hill Regional Park (Boyds, MD) and Gunners Lake in Germantown. Both places held a handful of Redheads and Canvasbacks in the lakes. The Red-necked Grebe was not in evidence at Black Hill, but a singing Fox Sparrow made up for that.

#MDBirding #MD #Birding

Pine Lake at Wheaton Regional Park has mostly liquified. Hooded Mergansers and Mallards were there this morning. #MoCo #MDBirding #HoodedMerganser #WheatonMD

Yesterday morning/afternoon I saw the previously reported Red-necked Grebe at Black Hill Regional Park, Boyds, Maryland. My first in 7 years, it was far out in the lake, bathing. The weather was sunny and warm, hitting 64F/18C. So much nicer weather than a week ago, when the deep freeze was sinking in. #Birding #MDBirding #Birds

What will be my first yard bird of 2023? #WheatonMD #MDBirding #MoCo

@birdemergency This is a juvenile Northern Mockingbird waiting for a parent to return with food. My backyard seems to be a great place for fledglings and this was one of many fledglings we have had frequent our yard over the past 5 years. #MoCo #WheatonMD #MDbirding

Afternoon #birding with @petnoodle at #Wheaton Regional Park #PineLake. Cold (around freezing), cloudy, calm. Best bird was the Fox Sparrow foraging fairly close. Four Pileated Woodpeckers was a close second. Also, male towhee(s), Carolina Wren very close, and Brown Creeper. #MDBirding #MDBirds

On the way back from Christmas family festivities, we spied single perched adult Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks, and a Cooper's flock which flew across the beltway. #MDBirds #MDBirding #Birds #MerryChristmas

On the way back from Christmas family festivities, we spied single perched adult Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks, and a Cooper's flock which flew across the beltway. #MDBirds #MDBirding #Birds

This morning I saw an adult Bald Eagle fly over the supermarket parking lot just as I was getting in my car to drive home! The high point of my day for sure.
#MDBirding #MarylandBirding #Birding #Maryland #Birds

Afternoon birding: several species of ducks, cormorants on a platform in a small lake, resting Great Blue Heron, a Fox Sparrow sang a few beautiful songs. Also a Field Sparrow and an adult Bald Eagle #Birding #MarylandBirding #MDBirding #DCBirding

Afternoon walk: 2 Black Vultures were circling over the neighborhood, a bunch of juncos were among the pine trees, a nuthatch was calling nearby #MDBirding #Birds #Birding