Date:         Sun, 20 Apr 2003 13:05:00 -0400
Reply-To:     Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
Sender:       Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
From:         Walter Ellison <rossgull@CROSSLINK.NET>
Subject:      Eastern Neck Beginner's Trip
Comments: To: Stan Arnold <dy.dx@verizon.net>, Ann Hoon <awhoon@dmv.com>,
          Barry Kinch <kinch@ntl.sympatico.ca>,
          Bill Mechling <mechling@towson.edu>,
          Candi / Rick Lee <cleerlee@crosslink.net>,
          Carlyn Nelson <carlynnelson@hotmail.com>,
          Catherine Carroll <clcarroll@voyager.net>,
          Cheryl Wolfson <cwolfson2@washcoll.edu>,
          Clara Ann Simmons <dodda@friend.ly.net>,
          Danny Poet <dannypoet@hotmail.com>,
          Darryl Calloway <callowad@qacps.k12.md.us>,
          Dave Sorflaten <dsor@dmv.com>, David Smith <poubelle@friend.ly.net>,
          Eileen McLellan <riverkeeper@chesterriverassociation.org>,
          Elise Kreiss <kreisse@dctod.nci.nih.gov>,
          Floyd Parks <Floyd.Parks@courts.state.md.us>,
          Gail Regester <reggie@dmv.com>, Glenn Dulmage <gdulmage@hpiug.org>,
          Helga Orrick <helgaorr@friend.ly.net>,
          Howard McIntyre <howardm@crosslink.net>,
          John Lorenz <jclormmd@dmv.com>,
          Juli Dulmage <jdulmage@nmhschool.org>, Ken Sol <kenpsold@aol.com>,
          Kristin Brugger <kristin.e.brugger@usa.dupont.com>,
          Les Roslund <lroslund@BLUECRAB.ORG>, Leslie Fisher <gonbrdn@DOL.NET>,
          Lex Fry <alf@bluecrab.org>, Lois Ward <cws55@mac.com>,
          Louise Smith <twinkie@hpiug.org>,
          Martha Webster <marthaweb@hpiug.org>,
          Meg Parry <mparry2000@toad.net>, Meg Walkup <Meg_Walkup@fws.gov>,
          Nancy Everds <neverds@crosslink.net>, Olga Owens <oowens@hpiug.org>,
          Parke John <pjohn@wlgore.com>, Pat Wilson <patwil@friend.ly.net>,
          Paul Tolson <petey@dmv.com>, Peter Mann <pmann@epl-inc.com>,
          Reece Corey <rrcorey@bluecrab.org>,
          Richard Vine <richardvine@hpiug.org>, Terry Willis <twillis@dmv.com>,
          Van Vogel <vogels86@yahoo.com>, Vern Stotts <shiver@friend.ly.net>,
          Walter Ellison <wgellison@earthlink.net>,
          Wayne Bell <wayne.bell@washcoll.edu>,
          Will & Kim Gale <kgale@dmv.com>,
          Yasuo Takahashi <ytakahashi@hpiug.org>
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Hi All,

At dawn yesterday (19 April) things still looked a bit chill and gray, =
but as the day went on the sun started to assert itself and by late =
morning the day was a classic mid-spring partly cloudy day. The trip was =
well-attended and we had a great time showing  folks a wonderful =
selection of birds. Our crew started off at the main office/book store =
at Eastern Neck Refuge taking in the graceful Ospreys, and majestic Bald =
Eagles in the area. Barn and Tree swallows dashed around, and Forster's =
Terns were fishing along the Bay shore. We set off to look at a Great =
Horned Owl nest commandeered from a pair of Bald Eagles (who used it =
last year), but mom wasn't home and the chicks are still too small to =
see in the nest from below. We were recompensed with a great look at a =
Brown Thrasher singing atop a roadside red cedar - through a telescope =
no less. We finished up with a pleasant walk on the Duck Inn Trail where =
we were able to find gnatcatcher, Pine Warblers, singing Common =
Yellowthroats, a House Wren, a scope view of a singing towhee, good =
looks a Downy Woodpeckers (good enough to see the barred outer tail), =
and several more graceful silvery Forster's Terns. On the Chester River =
we were able to pick out some distant Bufflehead, and breeding plumaged =
Horned Grebes.

After the trip a short side jaunt to Bogle's Wharf produced 120 Ruddy =
Ducks, 20+ Lesser Scaup, a single hen Greater Scaup, and a lone =
lingering drake Canvasback, plus the first Least Terns of the season for =
us. Overall we tallied 48 species during the trip itself.

Trip List:
Common Loon; Horned Grebe; Double-crested Cormorant; Great Blue Heron; =
Black Vulture; Turkey Vulture; Mute Swan; Bufflehead; Osprey; Bald =
Eagle; Northern Harrier; Sharp-shinned Hawk; Cooper's Hawk; Red-tailed =
Hawk; Great Black-backed Gull; Forster's Tern; Rock Dove; Mourning Dove; =
Red-bellied Woodpecker; Downy Woodpecker; Hairy Woodpecker; Northern =
Flicker; Tree Swallow; Barn Swallow; Blue Jay; American Crow; Fish Crow; =
Carolina Chickadee; Carolina Wren; House Wren; Blue-gray Gnatcatcher; =
American Robin; Northern Mockingbird; Brown Thrasher; European Starling; =
Yellow-rumped Warbler; Pine Warbler; Common Yellowthroat; Eastern =
Towhee; Chipping Sparrow; Field Sparrow; Red-winged Blackbird; Common =
Grackle; Brown-headed Cowbird; Northern Cardinal; House Finch; American =
Goldfinch; House Sparrow.

Good Birding;

Walter Ellison

23460 Clarissa Road
Chestertown, MD 21620
phone: 410-778-9568
e-mail: rossgull@crosslink.net

"A person who is looking for something doesn't travel very fast" - E. B. =
White (in "Stuart Little")

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