Catching up on recent birding, on the 2nd I saw the Cattle Egret at National Airport, on the 1st I was at the west shore of the Chesapeake Bay and counted 45 Royal Terns (a high number) and saw my first Least Terns in maybe a decade. On the 29th I saw the Roseate Spoonbill at Keniloworth Aquatic Gardens.
#MDBirds #DCBirds #Birds #Birding

The Northern Mockingbird on my block continues to sing loudly and persistently outside my house.
#MDBirds #Birds #Mockingbird

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

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

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

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

Afternoon birding, Pine Lake: two croaking ravens flew over c. 150 feet/50 meters high, with two Bald Eagles flying together, much higher still. Later, a bunch of birds were fussing at something (not me), including a Winter Wren and a Brown Creeper. A kingfisher was calling and flying around the lake. #birds #birding #MarylandBirding #MDBirds