Date: Tue, 2 Dec 2003 15:57:44 EST Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Mark Hoffman Subject: Worcester Rarity Round-Up Results MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit 2003 WORCESTER COUNTY "RARITY ROUND-UP" November 8, 2003. Times: 0100-1700. Observers: 20 in 11-12 parties. All areas in Worcester County, Maryland (see observer list for areas covered). All comments refer to the 4 years (2000-2003) for which this count has been conducted. Species in CAPS are new to the cumulative list or significant rarities seen during the count period. New highs are indicated. (X/4) means the species has been recorded on X of the 4 counts. Location and observers are given for each species recorded by a single party. Species names in brackets"[ ]" = count period (seen day before or after count). Red-throated Loon 30; Common Loon 149; loon (sp.) 10; Pied-billed Grebe 7; Horned Grebe 4 (new low, Assateague Island/Bayside/Point, MLH, MH, KG); Northern Gannet 292; Brown Pelican 128 (new high, prev. 12); Double-crested Cormorant 2802 (new high, prev. 917); Great Cormorant 4 (may include some duplication); Great Blue Heron 67; Great Egret 38 (new high, prev. 20); [Cattle Egret 1, Berlin Sewage Ponds, 11/07, MH]; Snowy Egret 0 (3/4); Little Blue Heron 0 (1/4); Tricolored Heron 1 (new low, RFR, Skimmer Island); Black-crowned Night-Heron 1 (new low, EB, MB, JLS, Truitt's Landing - poached!); Black Vulture 24; Turkey Vulture 378; Snow Goose 864 (new low); Ross' Goose 1 (2/4, Truitt's Landing fly-over, JB, HH); Canada Goose 2520 (new low); Brant 449 (new high, prev. 412); Tundra Swan (Whistling form) 134 (new high, prev. 111); Wood Duck 111 (new high, prev. 46; 70+ flybys on Assateague); Gadwall 16 (new low); American Wigeon 21 (new low); American Black Duck 359; Mallard 204 (new low); Mallard x Am. Black Duck (hybrid) 1; Blue-winged Teal 4 (2/4, Vaughn/North, JB, HH); Northern Shoveler 32; Northern Pintail 50 (new high, prev. 27); Green-winged Teal (American form) 174; Canvasback 1 (3/4, West OC Pond, RFR); Ring-necked Duck 35; Lesser Scaup 20 (AI/Bayside, MLH, MH, KG); scaup (sp.) 40; Common Eider 2 (2/4, OC/Inlet, RFR); Surf Scoter 126; White-winged Scoter 6; Black Scoter 170; scoter (sp.) 3370; Long-tailed Duck 2 (3/4, Public Landing, JB, HH); Bufflehead 463; Hooded Merganser 24; Red-breasted Merganser 54; Ruddy Duck 20 (new low); Osprey 18; Bald Eagle 25 (new low); Northern Harrier 29; Sharp-shinned Hawk 23; Cooper's Hawk 6; Red-shouldered Hawk 5 (new high, prev. 3, SA had 3 in Pocomoke SF/North); Red-tailed Hawk 23; American Kestrel 15 (new low); Merlin 4; Peregrine Falcon 2; Wild Turkey 0 (1/4); Northern Bobwhite 13; Clapper Rail 10 (2/4, new high, prev. 1); King Rail 6 (2/4, new high, prev. 2; [Virginia Rail, 10, 2/4, Truitt's Landing, 11/07, MLH]; American Coot 0 (3/4); Black-bellied Plover 77; [Piping Plover, 1, 0/4, off Eagles' Nest, 11/07, MH]; Killdeer 126; American Oystercatcher 74; Greater Yellowlegs 39; WILLET 1 (Georges Island Landing, ZB, DP, fifth Nov record for Worcester, many Dec+ records); SPOTTED SANDPIPER 1 (Assateague Island/Bayside/Point, MH, MLH, KG, photographed at same location on 11/09 by MLH, second Nov record for Worcester, prior 11/11/1961, OC, one Dec record); Ruddy Turnstone 36; RED KNOT 1 (Assateague Island/North End, PP, CT, only sixth Nov record despite being regular in winter in small numbers); Sanderling 297 (new high, prev. 245); Purple Sandpiper 2 (OC/Inlet, RFR); Dunlin 1805 (new high, prev. 573); dowitcher (sp.) 1 (Assateague Island/Bayside/Point, MH, MLH, KG); Common Snipe 5; American Woodcock 1 (Assateague Island/Bayside/Point, MLH); Laughing Gull 151; Bonaparte's Gull 119; Ring-billed Gull 410; Herring Gull 2107; Lesser Black-backed Gull 3; Great Black-backed Gull 254; [Black-legged Kittiwake, 1, 0/4, OC/Inlet, 11/09, MH et al.]; Royal Tern 16 (new low); Forster's Tern 375; [Black Skimmer, 1, 0/4, off Eagles' Nest, 11/07, MH]; Rock Dove 194; Mourning Dove 168; Eastern Screech-Owl 5; Great Horned Owl 4 (scattered locations, JB, HH); Barred Owl 4 (2/4, new high, prev. 1, two parties); Long-eared Owl 2 (2/4, new high, prev. 1, Patty Woods Road calling at night, JB, HH); [Northern Saw-whet Owl, 1, banding on Assateague, 11/07, Brinker]; Belted Kingfisher 13; Red-bellied Woodpecker 33 (new high, prev. 28); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 9 (new high, prev. 5); Downy Woodpecker 26; Hairy Woodpecker 7 (new high, prev. 5); Northern Flicker (yellow-shafted form) 137; Pileated Woodpecker 14 (new high, prev. 7); Eastern Phoebe 11 (new high, prev. 7); [NORTHERN SHRIKE 1 imm., 11/09, 0/4, Ocean City/94th St. woods, north end, north of church activity center parking lot, MLH, seen later by JB and HH, photos, see earlier MDOsprey post, fifth Worcester County record, earliest fall arrival, prev. 11/25/1991, Assateague Island/Hungerford, MLH]; Blue Jay 15; American Crow 261; Fish Crow 354; crow (sp.) 112; Horned Lark 61; Tree Swallow 0 (3/4, 2767 in '02); Carolina Chickadee 56; Tufted Titmouse 51; Red-breasted Nuthatch 4 (3/4, 22 in '01); White-breasted Nuthatch 2 (3/4, Pocomoke State Forest/North, SA); Brown-headed Nuthatch 14; Brown Creeper 12 (new high, prev. 9); Carolina Wren 95; House Wren 11 (new high, prev. 4); Winter Wren 12; Sedge Wren 3; Marsh Wren 21 (new high, prev. 7, 18 at Truitt's); Golden-crowned Kinglet 136; Ruby-crowned Kinglet 57 (new high, prev. 35); Eastern Bluebird 68 (new low); MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD 1 (Assateague Island/Bayside/Inland, MH, KG, second MD record, first for Worcester, pending acceptance MDDCRC, see earlier MDOsprey post); Hermit Thrush 27; American Robin 1475; Gray Catbird 17 (new high, prev. 15); Northern Mockingbird 33; Brown Thrasher 10; European Starling 2014; American Pipit 11; Cedar Waxwing 126; Orange-crowned Warbler 0 (2/4); Yellow-rumped Warbler (myrtle form) 4371 (new high, prev. 1857); Prairie Warbler 1 (2/4, Assateague Island/North End, PP, CT); Palm Warbler (unknown) 2; Palm Warbler (yellow form) 7; Palm Warbler (western form) 37; AMERICAN REDSTART 1 (OC/94th St. Woods, RFR, record fall departure date for Worcester County, prior 11/01/1966, Ocean City/Banding Staion, looked for on 11/09 without success); Common Yellowthroat 4 (new high, prev. 2); Eastern Towhee 37 (new high, prev. 33); [AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, 2, 0/4, Assateague Island/State Park, POB, 11/09, 1 photographed later in day here by MLH, only four earlier fall records for Worcester, earliest 10/29/1965, OC/Banding Station, other records also at banding station in 1965 or 1966, only other Nov record 11/27/1898 (!), West OC]; Chipping Sparrow 49; [Clay-colored Sparrow, 1, 0/4, Evans Rd, JB, HH, first Nov record for Worcester, despite many winter records]; Field Sparrow 134; Vesper Sparrow 1 (3/4, Stockton, ZB, DP); Savannah Sparrow 205; Savannah Sparrow (Ipswich form) 0 (2/4); Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow 4 (new high, prev. 2, 2/4, Vaughn/Central, EB, MB, JLS); Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow 2 (3/4, Vaughn/Central, EB, MB, JLS); Song Sparrow 380; Lincoln's Sparrow 1 (2/4, Assateague Island/State Park North, CC, POB, only third Worcester Nov record, all on "rarity roundups", despite many Dec and later records); Swamp Sparrow 461 (new high, prev. 222); White-throated Sparrow 506; White-crowned Sparrow 34 (new high, prev. 25); Dark-eyed Junco (slate-colored form) 274 (new high, prev. 190); Snow Bunting 1 (2/4, Assateague Island/Enterance Station, MLH); Northern Cardinal 121 (new high, prev. 106); INDIGO BUNTING 1 (Assateague Island/Bayside/Inland, MLH, photos, seen 11/09 by MH, ZB, fourth Nov record for Worcester); [Dickcissel, 1, 0/4, 11/09, Assateague Island/Bayside/Inland, CC, record fall depature date, prev. 11/01/1967, OC/Banding Station]; Red-winged Blackbird 3353; Eastern Meadowlark 123; YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD 1 (Figg's Landing Road, found by JB and HH, chased by many but only seen by JLS, about eleventh Worcester record); Euphagus (sp.) 1 (Assateague Island/North End, PP, CT); Common Grackle 368; Boat-tailed Grackle 2 (new low); Brown-headed Cowbird 835; BALTIMORE ORIOLE 1 (Assateague Island/State Park, CC, POB, third Nov record for Worcester); Purple Finch 10 (new high, prev. 5); House Finch 24 (new low); Pine Siskin 1 (2/4, Public Landing, JB, HH); American Goldfinch 105; EVENING GROSBEAK 1 (Assateague Island/Ferry Landing Road, ZB, DP); House Sparrow 17 (new low). TOTAL SPECIES 151 (high 155 in 2000). 9 additional count period species (e.g., 160 is possible..). 36,450 individuals. Cumulative species total (for 4 count days) 182, 9 species added to cumulative list. Compiler: Mark L. Hoffman (MLH, compiler-7263 Norris Ave., Sykesville, MD, 21784, Mhoff36120@aol.com). PARTICIPANTS/LOCATION: S. Arnold (Pocomoke State Forest/North); Z. Baer, D. Powell (AI/Ferry Landing Road, Vaughn/South); Hans Holbrook, Jim Brighton (Vaughn/North, Truitt's, Public Landing), Jim Stasz, Mike Burchett, Ed Boyd (AI/Oceanside Campground, Vaughn/Central); B. Ellis (Worcester/North); M. Hafner (MH), K. Graff (AI/Bayside, Berlin area); M. L. Hoffman (MLH) (AI/Bayside/Point, Entrance Station); P. O'Brien, C. Carroll (AI/State Park, West OC); P. Pisano, C. Turner (AI/North End); R. Ringler (Ocean City); N. and F. Saunders, J. Hubbell (South Point, AI/ORV Zone). Commentary: Good weather and participation made for an excellent count. The number of rarities was excellent, especially when the day before and after the count are considered. Small numbers of lingering egrets, but reasonable waterfowl numbers. Good counts on many landbirds. Unfortunately, the best birds did not choose to linger ... Mark L. Hoffman, Sykesville MD, Mhoff36100@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 ======================================================================= =========================================================================