Date: Sun, 9 Feb 2003 11:14:58 EST Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Marian Dodson Subject: Re: Lapland Longspurs in Caroline County MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 02/08/2003 1:37:44 PM Eastern Standard Time, lroslund@BLUECRAB.ORG writes: > A visit to the Sparks Road area in Caroline County was well worth it this > morning (between 11:00 and 12:00). Lots of Horned Larks and Savannah > Sparrows, and amongst them were quite a few Lapland Longspurs The group from Chesapeake Audubon arrived shortly after Les Roslund left the area and indeed found the Longspurs among the Horned Larks. However, we returned back up Sparks Road working our way over to Crouse Mill Road via Peaviner Road. Just outside of Ridgely, we found a marshy area in the fields with a running stream bordered on one side by some shrubbery in the midst of snow covered fields, There was more uncovered ground visible and it was much easier to pick up the Longspurs among the many Larks. But in the middle of the group was a beautiful SNOW BUNTING! There was a small group of pipits working the stream along with a Killdeer and about a dozen Bluebirds. When we first arrived the area was being hunted by a Bald Eagle and before we left a male Kestrel streaked in. Needless to say, we stayed in the area for awhile. Other highlights during the trip: Queen Anne's County at the end of Piney Creek Road produced a small group of Fox Sparrows along with Song, White Throat and Swamps. We saw a small group of Savannahs along the road on the way to this area. Kent Narrows provided a Common Goldeneye pair among the Ruddies, Buffleheads, Lesser Scaup, Coots, Hooded Mergansers, Mallards and Black Ducks. Tuckahoe added both Kinglets and the Yellow-Rumped Warblers were gathered in large concentration at Horsehead where we also found Brown Thrasher, Eastern Towhee, Oldsquaw, Wood and Ring Neck Ducks and a Marsh Wren. It was certainly a great day to be birding on the Eastern Shore. Thanks to the earlier posters who lead us to the Longspurs. Marian Dodson Field Trip Chair, Chesapeake Audubon Society MJD405@aol.com ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================