Can't believe I forgot to mention stopping at the Choptank Bridge where I FINALLY got an up close and personal view of the lovely hen Barrow's. This was my third time - the first resulted in a very distant, blurry view; the second had me spotting the bird in close just as it decided to fly away. This time it flushed with a group of Buffleheads but only about 20 feet out, just to the left of the bridge. Great way to end a great day.
On Tuesday, January 15, 2013 1:15:06 PM UTC-5, Suzanne Wagner wrote:
> Coolest sighting on this rainy day: 2 snow white Turkeys feeding with normally-plumaged Turkeys, just before Lowe's Wharf Rd. on Tilghman Island Rd. I was also surprised to see a male Red-breasted Merganser floating around behind Knapps Narrows marina.
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> Coolest sightings yesterday: In first place, Marcia Balestri!! I was poking around Assateague when I saw an Actual Birder with scope and bins coming through some pines. I rolled down the window and asked if she'd had anything on that section of the beach and she said, "Well, we're looking at a bird called a Red Crossbill just now." My car parked itself as I leapt out and enjoyed the small flock of male and female RECRs, more than all the ones I've ever seen put together! Moving on to Ocean City, I hoped to find a Purple Sandpiper as I walked along a narrow wall above the rocks, searching every crevice. Some shorebirds came in and I did my imitation of a cartoon character (knees turned to jelly, causing me to wobble on the wall and nearly fall onto the birds) as I realized that I was staring at 35 PUSAs at my feet. I guess this is not unusual, and maybe some day I will be enough of a Marylander to be nonplussed by such a sight, but for me at this moment -- Wow!!
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> So the Red Crossbills and the Purple Sandpipers are tied for second place behind the lovely and gracious Marcia (and Gentleman Bob too!).
>
> Suzanne Wagner
> Wittman
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