Date: Sat, 4 Jan 2003 01:34:38 EST Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Mark Hoffman Subject: OC CBC Results MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable FYI, OC CBC summary from Jay Sheppard. MLH 2002 OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND, CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT Fifty-fifth consecutive Christmas Bird Count including Ocean City Inlet,= =20 the north end of Assateague Island, Berlin, Ocean Pines, and several miles o= f=20 the Pocomoke River and intervening lands and waters. Ocean City, MD. A 15-mile diameter circle centered 0.8 mi ESE center of=20 Berlin, 38=BA 19'N, 75=BA 13'W. Dec. 29, 2002; 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM; temp. =20 32-48EF. Wind W-NW 2-10 mph. Freshwater ponds, salt marshes and small cove= s=20 mostly without ice; large bays, ocean and running water open; no snow on=20 ground; low areas saturated and with much stranding water; cone, berry and=20 seed crop appeared average. AM mostly overcast, PM partly cloudy to mostly=20 clear; no precipitation. Observers: 37 in field in 26 parties. Total=20 party-hours (non-owling) 241.5; party-miles (non-owling) 666.5; 179.5 hours=20 and 94 miles on foot, 60 hours and 569.5 miles by car, and 2 hours and 3=20 miles by boat; 11.3 hours and 62 miles owling. Red-throated Loon (seen on 55 of 55 counts and seen on 25 of the last 25= =20 counts) 456 (New 2nd highest count, previous=3D292), Common Loon (54, 24) 15= 6,=20 Pied-billed Grebe (54, 25) 12, Horned Grebe (55, 25) 36, Northern Gannet (39= ,=20 20) 35, Brown Pelican (2, 2) 1 (O.C. Party), Double-cr. Cormorant (48, 23)=20 22, Great Cormorant (24, 20) 6 (New 2nd highest count, previous=3D5), Americ= an=20 Bittern (41, 19) 3, Great Blue Heron (55, 25) 122, Great Egret (21, 10) 11=20 (New highest count, previous=3D6), Snowy Egret (10, 6) 3, Little Blue Heron=20= (9,=20 4) 1 (O.C. Party), Tricolored Heron (21, 13) 9, Black-crowned Night-Heron=20 (46, 22) 13, Black Vulture (51, 25) 128, Turkey Vulture (55, 25) 524, Snow=20 Goose-white phase (51, 25) 8,965, Blue phase (37, 25) 19, Canada Goose (55,=20 25) 5,864, Brant (55, 25) 1,603, Mute Swan (7, 5) 2, Tundra Swan (40, 25)=20 314, Wood Duck (42, 19) 1, Gadwall (40, 22) 148 (New 2nd highest count,=20 previous=3D98), Eurasian Wigeon (8, 8) 1 (seen by Center Party on Assateague= =20 Island from Eagle's Nest), American Wigeon (54, 25) 122, Am. Black Duck (55,= =20 25) 1,353, Am. Black Duck X Mallard hybrid (2, 2) 2, Mallard (55, 25) 1,603,= =20 Blue-winged Teal (12, 6) 5 (North Party; new 2nd highest count, previous=3D3= ),=20 Northern Shoveler (45, 22) 60, Northern Pintail (50, 21) 37, Green-winged=20 Teal (55, 25) 39, Canvasback (55, 25) 923, Redhead (32, 14) 54, Ring-necked=20 Duck (50, 25) 56, Greater Scaup (38, 19) 3, Lesser Scaup (37, 25) 285 (New=20 2nd highest count, previous=3D274), scaup sp. (26, 6) 4, Harlequin Duck (21,= =20 15) 1, Surf Scoter (55, 25) 1,663, White-winged Scoter (55, 25) 24, Black=20 Scoter (54, 24) 715, dark scoter sp. (11, 10) 1,290, Long-tailed Duck (55,=20 25) 21, Bufflehead (55, 25) 3,684, Common Goldeneye (54, 24) 53, Hooded=20 Merganser (44, 22) 249 (New highest count, previous=3D198), Common Merganser= =20 (26, 11) 8, Red-breasted Merganser (55, 25) 465, Ruddy Duck (53, 24) 39,=20 Osprey (5, 3) CW (O.C. Party on 12/28), Bald Eagle (50, 24) 39, Northern=20 Harrier (55, 25) 28, Sharp-shinned Hawk (54, 25) 31, Cooper's Hawk (47, 23)=20 11 (Tied highest count), Red-shouldered Hawk (54, 24) 3, Red-tailed Hawk (55= ,=20 25) 34, American Kestrel (55, 25) 36, Merlin (32, 15) 3, Peregrine Falcon=20 (31, 19) 1, Wild Turkey (6, 6) 2, Northern Bobwhite (55, 25) 16, large rail=20 sp. (3, 3) 3, Virginia Rail (34, 20) 11, American Coot (53, 25) 4,=20 Black-bellied Plover (55, 25) 90, Killdeer (55, 25) 48, American=20 Oystercatcher (25, 24) 38, Greater Yellowlegs (44, 22) 13, Ruddy Turnstone=20 (45, 25) 51, Red Knot (22, 12) 5, Sanderling (55, 25) 537, Western Sandpiper= =20 (37, 21) 52, Purple Sandpiper (54, 25) 50, Dunlin (55, 25) 2,256, Long-bille= d=20 Dowitcher (5, 5) 2, dowitcher sp. (8, 6) 37, Wilson's Snipe (52, 25) 8,=20 American Woodcock (52, 25) 9, Bonaparte's Gull (55, 25) 423, Ring-billed Gul= l=20 (55, 25) 13,661, Herring Gull (55, 25) 4,645, Iceland Gull (9, 7) 1=20 (Assateague Party), Lesser Black-backed Gull (15, 14) 5 (New highest count,=20 previous=3D4), Great Black-backed Gull (55, 25) 587, Forster's Tern (45, 24)= =20 91, Rock Dove (29 [not counted on first 26 counts], 25) 331, Mourning Dove=20 (55, 25) 1021, Eastern Screech-Owl (53, 25) 32, Great Horned Owl (55, 25) 58= =20 (New highest count, previous=3D56), Barred Owl (36, 11) 3, Short-eared Owl (= 31,=20 16) 2, Northern Saw-whet Owl (18, 16) 2, Belted Kingfisher (55, 25) 29,=20 Red-bellied Woodpecker (55, 25) 93, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (54, 25) 7,=20 Downy Woodpecker (55, 25) 78, Hairy Woodpecker (55, 25) 21, Northern Flicker= =20 (55, 25) 180, Pileated Woodpecker (55, 25) 19, Eastern Phoebe (48, 24) 17,=20 Blue Jay (54, 25) 227, American Crow (55, 25) 334, Fish Crow (37, 19) 849,=20 crow sp. (5, 5) 60, Horned Lark (55, 25) 47, Tree Swallow (23, 8) 134,=20 Carolina Chickadee (55, 25) 251, Tufted Titmouse (55, 25) 107, White-breaste= d=20 Nuthatch (54, 24) 4, Brown-headed Nuthatch (51, 24) 53, Brown Creeper (55,=20 25) 12, Carolina Wren (55, 25) 331, House Wren (50, 24) 4, Winter Wren (55,=20 25) 39, Sedge Wren (41, 17) 1, Marsh Wren (46, 23) 5, Golden-crown Kinglet=20 (55, 25) 40, Ruby-crowned Kinglet (54, 24) 9, Eastern Bluebird (55, 25) 245,= =20 Hermit Thrush (55, 25) 52, American Robin (55, 25) 2,977, Gray Catbird (55,=20 25) 46, Northern Mockingbird (55, 25) 183, Brown Thrasher (54, 25) 17,=20 European Starling (55, 25) 15,328, American Pipit (48, 22) 244, Cedar Waxwin= g=20 (53, 25) 196, Orange-crowned Warbler (27, 14) 3, Yel-rump (Myrtle) Warbler=20 (55, 25) 4,718, Pine Warbler (47, 25) 7, Western Palm Warbler (42, 24) 10,=20 Yellow Palm race (27, 13) 9, Undet. Palm Warbler (9, 3) 2, Com. Yellowthroat= =20 (45, 24) 5, Eastern Towhee (55, 25) 57, American Tree Sparrow (42, 12) 1,=20 Chipping Sparrow (47, 21) 117, Clay-colored Sparrow (3, 2) CW (Berlin Party)= ,=20 Field Sparrow (55, 25) 118, Savannah Sparrow (55, 25) 312, Ipswich race (50,= =20 24) 34, sharp-tail sparrow sp. (51, 22) 2, Saltmarsh Sharp-tail Sparrow (6,=20 6) 1, Fox Sparrow (54, 24) 31, Song Sparrow (55, 25) 842, Swamp Sparrow (55,= =20 25) 414, White-throated Spar (55, 25) 1,698, White-crowned Spar (39, 21) 18,= =20 Dark-eyed Junco (55, 25) 1,092, Northern Cardinal (55, 25) 365, Red-winged=20 Blackbird (55, 25) 16,124, Eastern Meadowlark (55, 25) 203, Rusty Blackbird=20 (50, 21) 35, Common Grackle (55, 25) 84,623, Boat-tail Grackle (50, 25) 318,= =20 Brown-headed Cowbird (55, 25) 226, blackbird sp. (3, 3) 37, Baltimore Oriole= =20 (4, 2) 2 (North & S. Point parties separately; new highest count,=20 previous=3D1), House Finch (38, 25) 347, American Goldfinch (55, 25) 365, an= d=20 House Sparrow (55, 25) 296. TOTALS: 150 species (15 of 55 counts [=3D27.3%] have had 150 or more specie= s;=20 8 of last 10 have had 150 or more; average for past 30 counts is 146=20 species), 3 forms; 1 hybrid; 2 additional species seen during count week;=20 190,164 individuals. PARTICIPANTS: Compiler-Jay Sheppard, 3359 Cranberry South, Laurel, MD=20 20724-2419; EM: jmsheppar@aol.com; Karen Anderson, Brad Andres, Stan Arnold= ,=20 Tom Bancroft, Marty Barron, Paul Bystrak, Mike Carpenter, John Churchill,=20 David Czaplak, Lynn Davidson*, Fred & Jane Fallon, Kay Gibbons, Mark Hoffman= ,=20 Ed Horner, Joe Jehl, Simone Jenion, Heather Johnson, Marge King, Susan=20 Lawrence, Woody Martin*, Taylor & Paula McLean, David Mozurkewich*, Dotty=20 Mumford*, Michael O'Brien*, Paul O'Brien, Ron & Susan Polniaszek, Sue=20 Ricciardi, Chandler Robbins*, Jack Saba, Jay Sheppard*, Jim Stasz, Mary Anne= =20 Todd, Charles Vaughn*, and Hal Wierenga* (*area leaders). Commentary: Not one song bird (other than the very rare oriole) equaled or=20 exceeded previous counts' highest or even second highest total individuals.=20= =20 Overall, it appeared that we had an "average" or "ho-hum" count for the most= =20 part. We did end up with the total of 150 species and 190,000 individuals=20 with almost the same number of party hours and miles that we had last year,=20 although we had 7 fewer people than last year. The South Pocomoke area was=20 not covered this year by a dedicated party. No species was added to the=20 cumulative list of species (which stands at 241). Species not seen on this year's count or during the count week this year= =20 but which have been seen on 10 or more of the previous 25 counts include=20 Red-necked Grebe, King Eider, Common Eider, Clapper Rail (3 unidentified=20 large rails were seen on Assateague), Least Sandpiper, Barn Owl, Long-eared=20 Owl, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow (2 unidentified=20 sharp-tails were seen), Seaside Sparrow, Lapland Longspur, Snow Bunting,=20 Purple Finch, and Evening Grosbeak. Five species set new all-time high=20 counts for individuals, one tied for all-time high, and five species set new= =20 second-highest totals; no species seen on all 55 counts set a new all-time=20 low count. During a cursory check of totals for each species, I saw no othe= r=20 exceptionally high or low numbers; most totals appeared close to the average= =20 for that species over the past 15-20 years. Last year we had problems with a lot of fishermen in boats running up an= d=20 down the inlet, which seemed to reduce the numbers of birds we expected=20 there. This year, the Corps of Engineers is in the process of revamping the= =20 south (Assateague) jetty, including working on the day of the count. This=20 construction project has already made the outer end of the jetty too high to= =20 look over as in past years. Further, the new rocks will take a few years to= =20 acquire the various forms of sea life that attract birds to them. We did=20 benefit from the beach replenishment operation on Assateague that is ongoing= :=20 a large numbers of gulls were attracted to this discharge area, incl. the=20 Iceland and three of the five Lesser Black-backed gulls. This year, several parties used their cell phones to coordinate=20 observations of birds that might be double counted or missed entirely. This= =20 worked quite well in the several cases in which I was involved. =20 Communication between the O.C., Center, and Assateague parties, in=20 particular, has always been a small problem in the general area of the Inlet= =20 where so many eyes are focused during the course of the day. =20 I would like to acknowledge the greatest unintentional and personal=20 sacrifice for this count that I can remember during the 32 years that I have= =20 been doing this count. Joe Jehl, while working the north jetty at the Inlet= ,=20 had the eyepiece of his telescope fall out at some point while walking acros= s=20 the rocks in the middle of the day . The eyepiece was never seen again. =20 What a loss. Sorry, Joe! (Guess we all need to check the tightness of the=20 eyepieces on our own scopes?) Fortunately, Stan Arnold was able to=20 immediately loan Joe a scope for the rest of the day. Finally, I would like to thank all of the many landowners and managers=20 who allowed us access to their lands and waters during the course of the day= .=20 Since there are few public park lands within the circle away from Assateagu= e=20 Island, we are at the mercy of landowners for access to count the birds in=20 the wide variety of habitats found within the circle. We would also like to= =20 thank Ed Horner for taking some of our observers out in his boat to locate=20 several species that we would not have otherwise seen.-J.M.S.=20 [Anyone who would like to examine the 55 years of data for this count may=20 request the spreadsheet file from me.] =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =========================================================================