Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 17:34:19 -0600 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: marty cribb Subject: sightings from Smith Island MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hello Everyone, 1st, Thank You all for your imput on the Black Swans, I = have made the FWS folks at Blackwater NWR aware of the 2 BLSW as they = are loafing and feeding on the Martin NWR land on the north end of the = Island. Both birds were seen this morning by waterman as they were = leaving the Island on the way to the bay. I also observed both birds = Saturday afternoon in the same area as originally reported. Other = species of note were 9 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS observed on 2/10/01 as = they were leaving their daytime roost. With the exception of the last = bird, all birds were flying and vocalizing in pairs. I have been told = by the locals that the 1st of the colonial waders to return in = significant #'s are the GLOSSY IBIS which should start arriving around = St Patrick's Day. I also have now moved to Rhodes Point which is the = smallest of the 3 villages on the Island with a population of about 60 = people. This area of the Island doesn't have as many trees as Ewell but = the mud flats at low tide are more extensive so should be a great place = for shorebirds in migration. I will still be visiting Ewell each day to = transport the school children on the boat so will still have the = opportunity to see the few passerines that are permanent residents as = well as the migrants. By the way the RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER is still = frequenting the area of Ewell known as Down the Field. Good Birding to = all, Marty Cribb, Smith Island, Md=20 ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================