Date: Tue, 22 Oct 2002 22:10:20 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Fred Shaffer Subject: Ross's Goose & Black Headed Gull (Hurlock) I took the afternoon off today and went to Hurlock WWTP with my brother and was fortunate enough to have about as perfect an afternoon and evening of birding as is possible. Hurlock was brimming with waterfowl, with hundreds of Ruddy Ducks, dozens of Shovelers, and well over a thousand each of Snow Geese and Canada Geese. We stationed ourselves at the center of the plant where we had views of all four ponds. First, in a large flock of Laughing Gulls on one dike, I found the adult, winter plumage Black Headed Gull, with the red bill and light, silver mantle standing out. Than, as I looked at the gulls, 2 American Golden Plovers wandered into view. They were later joined by a juvenile Black Bellied Plover. I then searched the Snow Geese for the next hour and a half, hoping to spot one which stood out. When I was about out of Snow Geese to search over (for a second time), I found one on top of one of the dikes with the small, grayish based bill of a Ross's Goose. We watched this bird for about twenty minutes before a large number of the Snow Geese (including the Ross's Goose) flew up and out of sight. We got good looks at the shape and coloring of the bill, including the lack of a "grin". Among the many waterfowl was one White Winged Scoter. Finally, when I had pulled into the parking lot for my Crofton townhouse, I had no sooner set foot in the parking lot then I was greeted by the whiny/call of an Eastern Screech Owl! Fred Shaffer Patuxent Bird Club fshaffer3@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 ======================================================================= =========================================================================