Date: Sun, 9 Feb 2003 09:56:48 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Stan Arnold Subject: :Eastern Shore, etc. MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Folks, With Friday's good snow providing roadside birding opportunities, and closed schools providing the time, my one-day excursion to the Eastern Shore stretched into a day and a half, and I got to see some of the birds not found in the back yard. Highlights for the outing include PIPITS, HARLEQUIN DUCK, TRICOLORED HERON, BROWN THRASHER, PEREGRINE FALCON, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, AND SHORT-EARED OWL. Once the snow stopped on Friday, and I was sufficiently dug out, I headed across the bridge to Queen Anne's Co. where I slowly drove Rte 309 (reported by others), Cordova Rd., and a few of the more rural roads to the west. I certainly saw more than a thousand Horned Larks along these roads, in flocks of anywhere from 5 to 150, hoping for the chance longspur or bunting, neither of which materialized. Along Cordova Rd., a small flock of nine Am. Pipits, accompanied by numerous Savannah Sparrows was all I found among the larks. As I drove across sections of Talbot, Caroline, and Dorchester Counties, it was larks and larks, with a few more pipits along Hwy 331, south of Hurlock in Dorchester Co. I arrived at the OC inlet as it was getting dark, and a quick check behind the Oceanic Motel produced a male HARLEQUIN DUCK sitting on the rocks. Everything else at the inlet and Skimmer Island was expected, but the following morning revealed a TRICOLORED HERON hunkered down with several Great Blues along the eastern edge of the island, as viewed from 3rd St. in Ocean City. I did not find the eider previously reported. From OC I visited Eagle's Nest Campground to look for the Eurasian Wigeon, but there was no wigeon flock visible. About 30-40 Am. Wigeons were around the golf course pond as you drive to the campground. Next I drove a big loop south of Berlin, which produced many many Horned Larks, and one small flock of pipits along Buckinham Rd., but again, none of the hoped for longspurs or buntings. A 30 minute stop at Evans Rd. did not net the Clay-colored Sparrow, either, but I later learned that it was seen shortly after I searched for it. Bad timing. I ran into Mike Walsh and co. along Ironshire Stn. Rd., and they apparently saw the bird later. Further south, as I was driving towards Vaughan WMA (North Tract) on Bay View Rd., a pair of BROWN THRASHERs was visible in the roadside thickets, near "Purgatory Farm." I only got out of the car to stretch at Vaughan North, but when I did, a good-sized bird seemed to fly up from nowhere, and the pointed wings and large size told me it was a PEREGRINE FALCON. The bird stayed in the area for many minutes, circling overhead for some excellent views. The last (productive) area to be visited was Deale WMA in Somerset Co. Once entering the open marshy area along Hwy 363, about 1/4 mile east of the gravel entry road to the refuge, I pulled off the side of the highway to examine a distant hawk to the south. It was flying, and then hovered for short spurts, revealing itself to be a N. ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK. Across the highway, to the south, a buffy brown bird descended into the marsh, and in a minute or two flew up--a SHORT-EARED OWL, which approached for some excellent looks. Better yet, though, when I entered the refuge, perched in a snag not more than 30 feet from the road was another Short-eared Owl, and it sat there for three to four minutes while I gawked. What a terrible time to not have a camera. Yet a thirs Short-ear was seen deeper into the refuge, and then while exiting, there were two Rough-legged Hawks flying directly overhead. These were the two birds I had come to see. On Riley Roberts Rd. I had run into Hans Holbrook and co., and he told me about missing the Clay-colored Sparrow at Evans Rd, where he had apparently run into Mike Walsh. In the woodsy section of the road I found BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH, and three FOX SPARROWs together along the edge of the road. A fun day and a half of birding. Stan Arnold Glen Burnie dy.dx@verizon.net ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================