Jane Kostenko and I were in transit to Ocean City when John Hubbell texted to say he was on the Western Grebe. We arrived shortly afterward, just before 8 am, and the WEGR was putting on a good show well to the south of Castaways. It was in the company of several Red-throated Loons. A hunter blasting away from just to the south spooked a raft of ducks but the grebe and loons were unperturbed. We left after attempting photographs but the distance will surely make our photo attempts look pretty sad.
We trolled back and forth along the various fences around the OC airport and did not see the Western Kingbird. We did relocate the Blue Grosbeak that Dan Haas found on Tuesday. We drove to the inlet but there were only a flock of Brant on the north side of the south jetty, 2 Purple Sandpipers, 2 Ruddy Turnstones and about 20 Sanderlings, all on the south jetty. Lots of fisherman on the rocks which explains why the shorebirds were on the far side of the inlet. We went back by the airport after the inlet but the WEKI was still AWOL.
Skimmer Island appears to have been decimated by Hurricane Sandy. What a shame after the dredging operation from this summer. Hopefully they'll be able to do it again as the island has been bisected and is a shadow of its former self.
A final stop on the way home at Pickering Creek Audubon Center yielded several Bald Eagles but no sign of the Golden Eagle. No waterfowl visible from the observation platform.
Thanks to everyone for the continued updates on the WEGR!
BTW, Mikey Lutmerding texted about 4 Red Crossbills at Pt. Lookout State Park as we were standing at the inlet. D'oh! We'll try for them Friday morning.
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Tyler Bell
<jtylerbell...>
California, Maryland
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