Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2001 14:15:34 EDT Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Marshall Iliff Subject: Jug Bay big sit 16 Aug - no BBWD MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit MDOsprey, Hoping for a Black-bellied Whislting-Duck, I visited Jug Bay Wetlands Sactuary, Anne Arundel Co., yesterday (16 Aug) and sat for 3.75 hours at the observation blind on the south side of the railroad bed. To stay entertained I attempted a Big Sit and kept a species list for everything I could identify from that spot. With pewees singing from the woods, marsh and water birds in the Bay in front, and numerous stuff lfying around I was fairly pleased with the results. Among 56 species from 6:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m., the following were highlights: DICKCISSEL - 1 calling flyover at 7:07 a.m., flew in from downriver and headed upriver into Prince George's County (I followed it till it was a speck!). UPLAND SANDPIPER - 1 calling flyover in fog at 8:03 a.m., came from south (Prince George's county) and was last heard in vicinity of Visitor's Center to north LEAST BITTERN - Finally got one at 9:53 a.m. which flushed and gave a "kwow" call. This is a traditional spot for them BALD EAGLE - Not surprising, but was noteworthy as species #56 at 9:57 a.m. I wonder if the Dickcissel and Upland Sandpiper are first records for the sanctuary. The habitat is not very good for either so getting an Aug or Sep flyover would be the best way to add either to the list. No Black Terns were present but plenty of Forster's and Caspians. I may do some Whistling-Duck searching this evening. Give a call on my cell phone (410-212-3558) if anyone else is considering the same. Best, Marshall Iliff miliff@aol.com ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================