Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2003 18:47:23 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Chris Starling Subject: Perry Point 1/17/03 Brrrrrrrr.......... Greetings, Man its cold out there!!! Today I took an hour (too cold to stay out any longer) to bird the Perry Point VA Grounds. Even though I only stayed out for an hour I managed to find 46 species! I think the snow helped bring out some unexpected birds like B.-h. Cowbird, C. Grackle, R.-w. Blackbird, etc. Still other usualls were missed like R-h Woodpecker! and House Sparrow. highlights were definatly the 20 minute long look I had at the Merlin that seems to have been around since before Chirstmas. It perched on a very viewable tree top in a field near the old golf course. I was able to put my scope on it and watch it for a long time. Every field mark was prominatly visable. Also similar views of Sharp-shinned Hawk were available right behind the fire house at eye level. A pair of Bald Eagles (one mat. and one imm.) were seen at the rivers edge. E. Towhee made a semi-rare appearence as did Field Sparrow. Other sparrows included, Song, Savannah, White-throated, and Junco. Other song birds of note were Golden- crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, Eastern Bluebird, and Carolina Wren. 16 species of water fowl were also identified. Most of the dablers were far away as most of the water in Mill Creek is very frozen. All of the waterfowl was in very good numbers especially Common Mergs, American Widgeon, Gadwall, Canvasback, Canada Goose, and Tundra Swan. Below you will find a list of the waterfowl. NOTE: the Common Loon that was seen on Sunday by Kevin Graff and on Monday by me could not be relocated today. Tundra Swan Canada Goose Mallard American Black Duck American Widgeon Gadwall Canvasback Redhead Ring-necked Duck Lesser Scaup (*Very few this year at Perry Point except for today-many) Ruddy Duck Bufflehead Common Merganser Hooded Merganser Pied-billed Grebe American Coot Good Birding, Chris Starling North East, MD ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================