Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 17:21:29 -0500 Reply-To: wlsngang@intercom.net Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Kathleen Wilson Subject: Re: another escapee with potential for trouble MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit There was a story in the Star Democrat (the Easton paper) around the New Year about capturing a black swan (a positive ID) somewhere in Easton. Not knowing what to do with it, they turned it over to someone in Virginia. I know, my memory is not that great. I did a search on the Star Democrat web-site but it came back negative. However, everyone in my family remembers the story. Jim Wilson Centreville Middle School Birding Team marty cribb wrote: > > Hello everyone, I took a few minutes this afternoon to have a quick look at the waterfowl in and around the west jetty and the creek coming into the Island from the bayside. I had the usual large #'s of CANADA GOOSE, 1,000+, BLACK DUCK , 79, GADWAL , 9, SURF SCOTER, 26, MUTE SWAN, 6, TUNDRA SWAN, 175, BUFFLEHEAD, 200+ BOAT-TAILED GRACKLE, 300+, AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER, 2 (this is a first for the year here on Smith Island), no other shorebirds, NORTHERN HARRIER, 3. Now for the bad news, besides the 6 MUSW I also had 2 BLACK SWAN. This is a 1st time sighting for me and one that Im not really happy to see nor am I surprised to see here on Smith Island. This species I understand has the potential of becoming more of a problem then MUSW. It is a highly aggressive species (even more so then the MUSW) and has similar feeding habits. Both birds were feeding the entire time I observed and were by them selves with no other bird getting within 50 yards. The occasional gull that ventu! red near > was quickly chased away by both birds. Can anyone give me information that maybe helpful in learning more about this I believe an Australian or New Zealand native. Thank you and good birding, Marty Cribb, Smith Island, Md > > ===================================================================== > To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com > with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey > ===================================================================== ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================