Date:         Tue, 20 Feb 2001 20:22:32 -0500
Reply-To:     Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
Sender:       Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
From:         Henry Armistead <74077.3176@COMPUSERVE.COM>
Subject:      Mergs, phrags & seals
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Common Mergansers.  Back on Feb. 8 I reported here 415+ at Blackwater.
Looking at the CBC's for S. Dorchester County over the years the highs have
been 166 in 1959, 155 in 1995, 98 in 1997, and 88 in 1960 with but 12 this
past December.  Perhaps these mergs were leftovers from those frozen out
from the Great Lakes or other areas farther north from here during the big
Dec.-Jan. freeze.  415 would be no great shakes on the Susquehanna but on
the lower Shore that's a lotta goosanders.

www.birdsource.org.  Apologies to those who use it already but this site
provides access to the massive Christmas count database (and much more).  A
great resource.  Over 1,500 CBC's from this past season are already on it.
It provides 15-year spreadsheets (you determine which years you want) for
the counts starting at year one.  In this way I was able to quickly
determine the Common Merg. counts cited above.

Phragmites.  With reference to my previous post ... a few more thoughts.
Back in the late 1960's the passerine banders north of Ocean City used to
occasionally go the phrag beds in West O.C. to net Bobolinks, which roosted
there in these reeds.  Several times they netted some Dickcissels that were
in there with them.  Bobolinks also roost by the 1,000's (sometimes tens of
1,000's) in the phrag reed beds at Oyster, Virginia, in late summer along
with starlings, red-wings, and grackles (and we all know how much THEY need
a break) plus some kingbirds.  Later in late Sept., Oct., and early Nov.
Tree Swallows roost here.  Often one sees Barn Swallows clustered in the
phrags at various places.  So ... they're good for all this, too.

Harbor Seals.  Nice to hear about the Ocean City one.  This has been a good
winter for seal sightings.  I saw one at Eastern Shore of VA N.W.R. on Dec.
30.  Others had them on C.B.B.T.  Unfortunately there have been quite a few
strandings of sick animals also.

Best to all.-Harry Armistead, 523 E. Durham St., Philadelphia, PA 19119.
215-248-4120.

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