Date:         Mon, 18 Dec 2000 14:28:09 -0500
Reply-To:     Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
Sender:       Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
From:         Fran Saunders <fcsaunders@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>
Subject:      Fw: American Avocet
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The following is from George Jett:


| Folks
|
| Yesterday, while Gwen Brewer and I were doing the Port Tobacco
Christmas
| count, I observed an American Avocet in Charles County, MD.
We were at
| the Nanjemoy Environmental Research area, off of Tayloes Neck
Road, and
| down the end of Turkey Tyack Road in lower western Charles
County.  We were
| viewing the Nanjemoy Creek and marsh from the boat launch.
The time was
| about  10 AM.,  the weather was clear, with no obstructed view.
I was
| scanning the marsh with my Leica scope and notice a Bald Eagle
was soaring
| over the marsh.   (This is not an uncommon event at this
location with 14
| Bald Eagles there yesterday.)
|
| The Eagle flushed a mixed flock of 600 Mallards and Black Duck
from the
| marsh about 1/4 miles straight out from the boat launch.  I
notice a gull
| like bird (about the size of a Ring-billed) was also in the
air.  The
| flight pattern was not gull like and took my attention from the
ducks.  The
| wing beat pattern was rapid and constant as the bird flew on a
straight
| line.  Next, I notice the overall shape of the bird was lighter
than
| expected and  not gull like.  On closer observation, I observed
that the
| bird had a long neck and long legs trailing much further behind
than any
| gull I am familiar with.   In flight, it was easy to see the
wings were
| very dark in the outer half and white in the inner half.  The
Avocet flew
| briefly and landed in the marsh out of view.   I watched for a
half hour in
| hopes of showing the bird to Gwen, but the bird never took
flight again
| while we were there.
|
| I was surprised by this species observation in our region on a
Christmas
| count  and checked the Field List of the Birds of Maryland
(Yellow Book -
| Iliff, Ringler, & Stasz).   The Yellow Book list American
Avocet with a
| late date of December 11.  At our tally rally, Bob Ringler
informed me that
| Avocet have shown up in the Bombay Hook, DE counts in the past.
Good luck
| to Bob in relocation the bird today.  This sighting also
represents the
| first reported record of American Avocet in Charles County.
New data guys.
|
| I will be out of town over the Christmas holidays and will not
have a
| chance to look for this bird until Dec. 29.   If anyone is
interested in
| looking for this bird, I will be glad to provide detailed
directions.
|
| Good birding.
| George
|
|

Posted by Fran Saunders by request
Silver Spring, MD
|

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