Four out of Six...

In most years in Maryland, with some hard work, one can observe six species of owl within our state's borders: NORTHERN SAW WHET, EASTERN SCREECH, BARRED, SHORT-EARED, LONG-EARED and GREAT HORNED OWLS. Today, I missed out on Eastern Screech and Great Horned... and they can usually be heard near my home. Argh!!!But forget about all that... it was an AMAZING day of birding. And what's more, it didn't start until after 2pm! Nice.I found this Northern Saw-whet Owl while searching for the Long-eared Owl. Talk about a great consolation prize! On the way out (of this undisclosed location) a Barred Owl flushed from right in front of me. Three prizes in ONE stop!I closed out the evening at Blue Mash Nature Trail near Olney Maryland in Montgomery County, as two Short-eared Owls hunted on the horizon, soon after two Northern Harriers went off to sleep.But if you think I'm just lucky, please note: I missed the GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE that everyone has been seeing lately in Howard County. You win some (many) and you loose some (far too many to count), but being outdoors (in most cases, birding) is always an adventure. At least it gives me something to yell about...-Dan