Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 23:04:59 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Charles Vaughn Subject: O.C. Inlet; March 5 In-Reply-To: <11c.1f9f5ef7.2b96cc6b@aol.com> MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT SImone Jenion and I arrived at O.C. inlet today at about 9:45. The tide was almost high with the current into the inlet VERY strong. Behind the motel at the west end of the jetty there were 30+ Common Loons 1 Red-necked Grebe 5+ Red-throated Loons 50+ Purple Sandpipers 10+ Ruddy Turnstones 1 Double-crested Cormorant 10 + Bonaparte's Gulls The outer part of the inlet was fogged in but slightly visible were more Bonaparte's Gulls and Red-throated Loons. Within an hour the inlet cleared and more began to happen. We then has 8 Red-necked Grebe in a tight group 20+ Bonaparte's Gulls 15 + Red-throated Loons 4 Forster's Terns a few more Common Loons and Purple Sandpipers on Gannet made a brief appearance relatively close. Of course there were gulls, but we DIDN'T see any Lesser Black-backed Gulls We had to leave by noon so we made a quick swing by the 4th street flats. We got out of the car and RIGHT IN FRONT OF US WAS THE Razorbill. The tide has started to go out and it was drifting toward the inlet with the tide. It never dove. At one point I was within 20 feet of the bird. I took several photos, only one of which came out somewhat acceptable. Look at the photo at http://mywebpages.comcast.net/essc/Birds/OCMarch5/ Charles Vaughn 1306 Frederick Avenue Salisbury, MD 21801 410-742-7221 essc@comcast.net [NOW PREFERRED] ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================