Date: Sun, 26 Nov 2000 19:59:39 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Stan Arnold Subject: Five Short-eared Owls at Elliot's; GB Mango in NC MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Folks, Returning from my unexpected Thanksgiving outing, I stopped along Elliot's Island Rd. (Dorchester Co.) late this afternoon to try for a Rough-leg that Levin Willey had seen a week earlier. No luck on the hawk, but I did see five Short-eared Owls. All five were viewed from the stretch of road between the two abandoned houses along the road. One owl was perched on a post, and within about 15 feet of the car as I drove by, screeching to a halt. It flew before I could get a photo. I had planned a three-day retreat at Chincoteague for the holiday, but those plans were scrapped by the hummingbird excitement in North Carolina. I drove down from Glen Burnie early Friday a.m.; it took seven hours, driving at or slightly above posted speeds, and three quick pit stops. This Green-breasted Mango is an immature, fairly closely resembling the picture in the NGS 3rd ed. There was a yard full of birders when I arrived. The bird favored a Sweet Gum tree in the yard of Lori Turner, where we stood with our scopes, and a Crepe Myrtle in the next-door neighbor's yard. Incredible looks. Glad to see Bob Mumford made it down and that he mentioned in his post the exceptional hospitality that we were all given. From Concord, NC, I drove to Goldsboro for the night, and was out early Sat. a.m. to get good looks at the Vermilion Flycatcher near Cherry Hospital. From there it was to the outer banks, and up the eastern shore to Chinc. I dipped on Fulvous Whistling Ducks at Pea Island (NC) and on the Gray Kingbird near Kiptopeke, which I attempted this morning. Stan Arnold Anne Arundel Co. blackrail@earthlink.net ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================