I swung by MNR after this Friday evening and was surprised to find good bird activity. Spring arrivals in the form of Swamp Sparrow (2) and one Pine Warbler were the highlights among 32 species that I tallied in just under an hour. At Lake Needwood, a high count of 17 Double-crested Cormorants was present, probably stopping over on their way to somewhere.
Sunday then I took a colleague out on his virgin birding trip to the C&O canal. Like many beginners Dan brought his 'opera' binoculars and quickly realized the importance of optics in the game. I was quick in flamboyantly showing off my Zeiss binoculars and scope but I know well enough that my birding optics are the reason I live on a diet of QuickNoodles now. The birding itself was kind of slow. Best birds were found on and over the river with a flock of 20 or so Tree Swallows, cormorants and rafts of Common Mergansers, Ring-necked Ducks and one Herring Gull. As far as I know this is the only reliable site for Common Mergansers in Montgomery County. Only other notable bird was a singing Savannah Sparrow that seemed to get noticed all over the state this weekend.
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