Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2003 09:33:24 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: "George M. Jett" Subject: Birding Cobb Neck, Charles Co. 1-16-03 Comments: To: SMAS MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Folks I got out of the cage today and decided to go down to Cobb Neck, Charles Co. to see what was around. This is my first trip to southern Charles County this year. A bit cold and nothing unusual, but a nice outing. The list follows: Double-crested Cormorant - 150 along different parts of the Potomac River from Pope's Creek to Cobb Island Great Blue Heron 1 at Cobb Island Black Vultures 2 over Rt. 257 near Newburg Turkey Vultures 6 along Rt. 257 Canada Goose 300 at several locations on Cobb Neck Tundra Swan 40 Cobb Island, N. of Neal Sound Gadwall - 8 at Morgantown Mallards - 40 several locations along the river, some performing courtship display Greater Scaup 45 mostly near Cobb Island pumping station Lesser Scaup 400+ all along the river Oldsquaw 40 real nice basic plumage (winter). Most near the rock jetty at the north end of Neal Sound, but a few up at Morgantown Bufflehead 300+ along the river Common Goldeneye 30; 10 near the Harry Nice Bridge, 20 Cobb Island Red-breasted Merganser - a single male north of Pope's Creek Northern Harrier - Allen's Fresh Marsh Red-shouldered Hawk 3 along the way American Coot - 30 in Neal Sound Ring-billed Gull - 350 at Allen's Fresh but a few along the way Herring Gull - 100 at Morgantown, 60 at Allen's Fresh Great Black-backed Gull - 60 at Morgantown Mourning Dove 1 along the way Red-bellied Woodpecker 3 along the way Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 5 - Cobb Island, Morgantown Rd (lovely male), yard. Seems to me that this species is more common than ususal this year. Downy Woodpecker 4 along the way, 6 at the house Hairy Woodpecker 1 Morgantown Rd., two in the yard Northern Flicker - Morgantown Rd. Pileated Woodpecker - yard bird Blue Jay - along the way American Crow - ditto Fish Crow - Morgantown calling Carolina Chickadee - a few along the way Tufted Titmouse - ditto White-breasted Nuthatch - Morgantown Rd. and house (4) Carolina Wren - along the way Winter Wren - 2 Morgantown Rd. Eastern Bluebird - 4 on the wire north of Cobb Island on Rt. 257 Hermit Thrush - fly across Rt. 257 Robins - large flocks near house in Waldorf, maybe as many as 1000 birds in waves. No Western Tanager yet seen. Northern Mockingbird 3 along the way Brown Thrasher - 1 calling on Morgantown Rd. European Starling ?? along the way Yellow-rumped Warbler 2 at Morgantown Eastern Towhee 2 in large feeding flock of White-throated Sparrow 1/2 mile down Morgantown Rd. Fox Sparrow 1 in flock above Song Sparrow - several locations and on Morgantown Rd. in the flock Swamp Sparrow 4 at Pope's Creek White-throated Sparrow 200+ feeding flock on Morgantown Rd. Really cool to watch these bird scratching, flipping, turning, jumping for over an hour on the curve. The wave would move away from the road side as a car would pass but always retuned. Must have been something nice to eat there. Dark-eyed Junco 60 + Morgantown Rd. feeding flock Brown-headed Cowbird 6 Cobb Island House Finch Cobb Island American Goldfinch Cobb Island and 25 at house House Sparrow 4 Cobb Island Good Winter Birding George ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================