Date: Sun, 18 Jan 2004 12:03:14 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: sean mccandless Subject: SOUTHERN EASTERN SHORE and O.C. MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable The Cecil Bird Club trip yesterday was a great success. 88 species = including 2- King Eiders,2- Great Cormorants, 1-Blue-Winged = Teal,5-Purple Sandpipers, 50-Oystercatchers,1-Dark Phase Rough-Legged = Hawk, 1-Short-Eared Owl ,4- Brown-Headed Nuthatches,and 2-Red-breasted = Nuthatches. The Ocean City inlet was active yesterday. The Eiders were on the other = side of the jetty. We waited for awhile and they did pop out at the end = for about 5 minutes. The purples were on the jetty on the other side of = the inlet also.We did have both Loons, Horned Grebes, all three Scoters. = Lower numbers than in past weeks. 2 Great Cormorants did fly over when = we first arrived.Other birds include. Turnstones, Sanderlings, = Oystercatchers, and Dunlin. Ocean Pines Pond was GREAT! Highlights include, Pied-billed = Grebe,Canvasback,Redhead,Gadwall,American Widgeon, Black Duck, = Mallards, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Ring-necked Ducks,Hooded = Mergs., and Ruddy Ducks. West Ocean City Pond was mostly frozen, but did have Black-crowned = Nightheron, American Coots, Green-winged Teal, Shovelers, Gadwall, = American Widgeon, and much more. The Restaurant right before the route 50 bridge,I forget the name, had = lots of flats exposed. Great numbers of Oystercatchers,Black-bellied = Plovers,and Dunlin. Manys ducks included, Common = Goldeneye,Bufflehead,and Red-breasted Mergansers. Eagles Nest Campground also was very active. The mud flats were really = exposed. Many Black-bellied Plovers, Greater Yellowlegs,Dunlin, = Sanderling, Oystercatcher. There were many species of duck here despite = the duck hunters. Lots of Brant. We also picked up a few Brown-headed = Nuthatches.=20 Assateague Island Welcome Center had a good number of Sparrows, and = Meadow Larks , On the Island we had Myrtle Warblers, Red-breasted = nuthatch, Brant, Great-horned Owl and more. Off to Elliott's Island Road, The first bird we saw was a Dark phase = Rough-legged Hawk, other birds there include both Yellow Legs, Bald = Eagle, Northern Harrier. Down the road a bit I saw what I first passed = off as a Northern Shoveler. Big blue patches in the wing. But I didn't = get a good look at it. About 10 minutes later Parke John said what was = that smaller bird with those Black Ducks flying around, I turned my = scope on it and it was a Blue-winged Teal. I don't remember seeing one = in the winter before, I would think that this is a good bird for this = time of year. Then about 4 o clock, the Short-Eared Owl came out and started hunting = the road side right where we were. What a show. He did find a nice post = to roost on, about 10 feet from the road. Great Trip, Thanks to Parke John and Richard Dunham.=20 Sean McCandless =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =========================================================================