Date: Tue, 15 Oct 2002 13:32:42 EDT Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Mark Hoffman Subject: Worcester County Rarity Roundup III-11/09/2002 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit An Invitation For the past two years, we have held "Worcester County Rarity Roundups" in early/mid November. The counts are timed to coincide with the underbirded, yet productive period, which has proven excellent for finding the usual at Cape May and other coastal locals. The counts are structured as a one-day county-level bird count, with about 10-12 parties scouring Worcester County. Target species include Ash-throated Flycatcher (which was found in 2000) and Cave Swallow, with others on want list like Bell's Vireo, MacGillivary's Warbler, Western Tanager, or a western empid. I think I speak for all the participants that this event has been a great success. A great excuse for getting out in the field in a great area at an interesting time of the year. Good birding was combined with the camaraderie of a pre-count planning gathering and a tally/dinner after the count. Good birds over the two years include: Ash-throated Flycatcher, Snowy Owl, Am. Golden Plover, Long-billed Dowitcher, Blue-headed Vireo, Black-and-white Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Ovenbird, Le Conte's Sparrows and Gambel's White-crowned Sparrow. I have had numerous inquiries as to whether or not we would attempt to repeat the event this year. The answer is yes!! The count is set for November 9, the Saturday of the Veteran's Day Holiday weekend, for those of you who get Monday the 12th off. Please mark your calendars. All MDOsprey subscribers are cordially invited. You would need to be in the Worcester area preferably Friday night, but at the latest by dawn on Saturday, and probably want to stay through Sunday or Monday. We will have a communication network in place in case some mega-rarity shows up the day of the count to facilitate a group-tick. Territories will be assigned based on the local knowledge and experience of the observer. The format is similar to a spring/fall county bird count or a Christmas Bird Count. Everyone is assigned a territory and birds that area all day. Maps, directions, info on the particulars of birding locations will be provided for the uninitiated. Mark you calendar now!! Please email me privately if you are interested in participating. I will be developing a distribution list for email updates as the logistical arrangements come into place. Regards, Mark Hoffman Sykesville, MD Mhoff36100@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 ======================================================================= =========================================================================