Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 08:12:49 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: "Lovelace, Glen" Subject: FW: [de-birds] Oak Grove Area update MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Hello All, I made my usual Sunday morning rounds at Oak Grove this morning. The winds kept the woodland birds hidden (struggled to find WT Sp and Junco and missed H Thrush), but still had the best numbers of the year so far (39 birds). Highlights: -I executed a 'gull watch' for about 40 minutes and tallied 16 GBBG, 21 Herring and more Ringers that I did not count. You may say 'big deal', but that is a high count for GBBG and following a grand total of 1 GBBG and 2 Herring for all of last year. -the first Fish Crow of the year (Kinder Rd - MD) -a Merlin chasing a female Kestrel (Wild Turkey Rd - DE) -the first Pipits though I imagine the have been here all along -a covey of Bobwhite flushed from soybean stubble back on the farm (MD) -almost getting the car stuck in the newly thawed ground, getting free and repeating the process as I tried to turn around and leave the back of the farm. Despite the cold weather, this year is starting off very well. the homelist is already at 54 species (compared to 42 in 2000, 49 in 2001 and 47 in 2002 after the first weekend of Feb.) I have a chance to reach 60 before the end of Feb. Some birds seen before the coldest of the cold have not stuck around (Phoebe, Pine Warb, Palm Warb) as well as Kinglets. On the other hand, I had a high of 10 Hermit Thrush 2 weeks ago when the snow was on the ground. I saw all of them as there were foraging in bare spots (no owl tape needed). Also had a Brown Thrasher the same week (2nd January record). Good Birding (and enough rambling), Glen Lovelace III Seaford, DE ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================