Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2003 01:38:07 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Rich Dolesh Subject: Fw: White Pelican on the Patuxent MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rich Dolesh" To: "Mike Callahan" Sent: Monday, June 16, 2003 1:34 AM Subject: Re: White Pelican on the Patuxent > Good news from Mike and Greg Kearns about the white pelican. River Airport > Road does not easily lead to the river, and although some of the land at the > end of the road is parkland, it is leased, and it is not publicly > accessible. Nor is there an easy way to the river. However, the MNCPPC staff > is resourceful and energetic, and I am sure that they would do their best to > enable birders to see this rarity on the Patuxent. Here are some options: > 1) Call the MNCPPC Patuxent River Park (Prince George's side of the river) > and ask if they would set up some guided, impromptu tours for small groups > of birders. 301-627-6074 -- Greg Lewis is the Director; Greg Kearns the ace > naturalist. They are very accommodating to birders, and perhaps would try > to arrange to have some qualified volunteers lead group tours if no staff is > available. > 2) Try the observation tower at the Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary. This high > tower perched at the edge of the marsh gives a panoramic view of the > Patuxent, and is well worth the trek to get to it. Bring a scope. However, > it is only open on a limited schedule (weekends), or for groups by > reservation. Once again, call ahead. > 3) From the Calvert County side, you would not be too far down from the > mouth of Hall Creek if you tried the old steamboat landing/tobacco wharf at > Lower Marlboro. Parking is sticky by the wharf, but perhaps some jump out > birding is possible. There is also a county public road that dips down to > the river for just a brief stretch just to the north of Lower Marlboro. > 4) If you have the better part of a day, rent a canoe, available from the > Patuxent River Park at Jug Bay. Time your trip with the tides, however, > since it is several miles downriver, and several back up. I assure you > paddling against the tide and a northerly breeze to get back to the dock at > Jackson's Landing is a hump. > Good luck and good birding. A white pelican on the marshes of the > Patuxent.... now that's exotic. > Rich Dolesh > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Mike Callahan" > To: > Cc: > Sent: Sunday, June 15, 2003 12:33 PM > Subject: White Pelican on the Patuxent > > > > Hi Everyone, > > > > I treated to a life bird yesterday by Greg Kearns who took a took the ANS > > trip lead by Paul DuMont to see a White Pelican on the Patuxent River. > > It was just below Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary and Greg says it had been > > there for a few days prior. This bird seems to spend most of it's time > > in Prince George's County along the marsh not far from where Hall Creek > > (in Calvert County)enters the Patuxent. > > > > It appears to be too hard to catch a glimpse of the pelican from land, > > but the closest road to it in Prince George's County is River Airport > > Road. It hangs out just down river from this road. Perhaps Rich Dolesh > > can tell us if the water is public accessible from this spot. > > > > The bird is huge! I didn't realize how big it would be. A great bird > > even if it hadn't been a life bird. > > > > Naturally, > > Mike Callahan > > Laurel, Howard County , MD > > > > > ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================