Date: Sat, 7 Apr 2001 13:59:52 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: "Kurt R. Schwarz" Subject: Little Gulls Continue at Back River This morning, found my way to Back River in search of the Little Gulls, and was ultimately successful. I arrived at 7 a.m. and searched for the alleged restaurant behind the Royal Farm gas station. I sure didn't see one, not one with any kind of sign, at least. Just an apparently empty building and some kind of auto repair place. In any case, this spot is not a public place and I didn't linger. But there's a large Park and Ride across the bridge in Essex, where one can park without fear of annoying the locals. Ventured out on the bridge and saw lots of Double-crested Cormorants and some distant Bonapartes. After half an hour, decided to try my luck elsewhere and gave Diamond Point, described in BalCo MOS' BIRDER'S GUIDE TO BALTIMORE AND BALTO COUNTY. Bingo! At least two were bouncing up and down among the Bonaparte's. The look was distant, but observed dark wing linings with white trailing edge, no black at wing tips, short stubby tail, and smaller than Bonaparte's. Different flight style, too, much more up and down. Also seen there a male Northern Shoveler, my first Brown Thrasher for the year, and quite a few Great Blue Herons. I-95 or I-695 to Eastern Avenue east. At the Back River Water Treatment Plant, turn left onto Diamond Point Rd. You will go around behind a Sam's Club. Turn left into the second entrance to a parking area, park. Cross road, small, wet field, into a thin band of trees. I suggest one go accompanied. Thanks to BalCo MOS for publishing this! I then backtracked to North Point Blvd, and headed south toward North Point State Park. Turned left onto Miller's Island Rd. Just after 12th St, there's a small park on the right. Park there, and then walk down 12th St. toward the bay. There are THOUSANDS of Ruddy Ducks out there. It's one of the most awesome waterfowl sights I've ever seen. A few scaup among them. If you then walk back Miller's Island Rd, at about .6 miles, there's a gated road. Walk down that for Towhees, White-throats, Fields, etc. When you hit the bay, more hordes of Ruddies. Also picked up first Catbird for the year. And a Merlin fly-over. Once again, the Balto Birder's Guide was invaluable. Continuing south on North Point, pulled into North Point State Park, lots of Savannahs jumping around the first parking area. Nothing on the bay aside from a pair of scaup. I think they were Greaters. Very friendly staff there. Ft Howard County Park at the end of the peninsula was uniteresting, except for a lone female Bluebird, and hordes of Robins. But you can study your coastal fortifications there! Kurt Schwarz Howard County white-crown@home.com ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================