Date: Sun, 11 Nov 2001 12:32:55 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: "Kurt R. Schwarz" Subject: Kelp Gull Delivers Something obviously went wrong with my attempted post yesterday, as today there's NO record, e-mail, in the archive, etc. The Kelp Gull was present on the pier behind the Sea Breeze Restaurant in Sandgates, St. Mary's County, MD, yesterday, 10 November, from 0845-0915, and again at 1315. It remained as we departed for Pt. Lookout at 0915. Also present during 0845-0915 were 65+ Common Loons, 2 Ruddy Ducks, 2 Bufflehead, several Ring-billed, Herring, Greater Black-backed, and Laughing Gulls, and several Forster's Terns. The Kelp was on a piling with Herrings and Greater Black-backs on neighboring pilings allowing easy comparison. When we returned for lunch (the crab soup IS excellent!)it was sitting on the pier deck, concealing legs. It wandered off while we were at lunch. We also journeyed down to Point Lookout State Park, in hopes of finding the Brown-headed Nuthatches. We were successful, and also saw one Yellow- rumped Warbler. But the real interest was the ducks and other seabirds. From the fishing pier we saw several Common Loons, 3 Horned Grebes, several Double-crested Cormorants, abundant Bufflehead, 3 Greater Scaup, and the highlight, a single male White-winged Scoter. White-winged Scoter is not listed for autumn on the official Point Lookout checklist. But there was no doubt about it, a single black duck, with prominent secondaries, skimming low on the water flying north to south. Thanks to all who have found and tracked the Kelp gull these past 3 years. Special thanks to Jane Kostenko who's keeping track of all this and all those who responded to my request for info, both on and off-list, and John for braving the driving of the Beltway and PG County! 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 ======================================================================= =========================================================================