Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 07:18:46 -0600 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: marty cribb Subject: Smith Island sightings MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hello everyone. If I had known there would be this much ice this winter = around the Chesapeake I certainly would have headed to Texas as I = normally do. Rather interesting winter so far out here on Smith Island = where I will be untill June, The rare species I have not seen but the = most striking and surprising thing is the unusual #'s of shorebird = species that are overwintering here. Most days at low tide upwards of 15 = Black-bellied Plover, a high of 41 Sanderlings, 3 Purple Sandpipers, 26 = Dunlin,still at least 10 Greater Yellowlegs and 6 Lesser Yellowlegs. I = have had days here since cold weather set in where I have observed at = least a dozen different Bald Eagles working the huge rafts of sea ducks, = puddle ducks and diving ducks. Also a high of 4,000 Canada Geese were = here every day untill the flats froze up and the #'s have decresed to = around 500. Hunting pressure is high but tolerable and more birds are = dumping in as the cold weather continues. These ducks are feeding on = the large areas of flats surrounding the Island that are just covered = with SAV . Also a flock of over 500 Tundra Swan have been here since = early November mostly feeding on the west side of the Island each day = and I believe roosting in the open water of the creek at night. I have = had great looks at resident Barn Owls and at least 15 N. Harrier but so = far have not seen a Snowy Owl however the locals advise me most winters = a Snowy is seen here so Im keeping my fingers crossed. Reading all the = posts on mdosprey has been great this winter and keeps me in touch with = the outside world I hope I have some rarities before to long. Good = Birding to you all. Marty Cribb, Smith Island, Maryland ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================