Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2004 09:07:43 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: "Lovelace, Glen (DelDOT)" Subject: Dorchester Co 2/7 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Hello All, The Sussex Bird Club made a half day outing to Dorchester Co. on Saturday 2/7. We visited Hurlock WWTP where we found the gates locked (muddy roads?). We climbed the embankment nearest to the gate and found Tundra Swan, Ring-Necked Ducks, Ruddy Ducks and Shoveler. A puddle in the field nearby held dabblers including Gadwall, Black, Wigeon and Mallard. On Cabin Creek (not sure of the road name), there were 2 Mute Swan, 2 Hoodies, a Canvasback and more Gadwall. At Choptank, there were loads of gulls riding the ice floes, but nothing unusual, and no ducks at all. Another lone Canvasback at Suicide Bridge. In Cambridge, the river is still 95% frozen. Many spots of seemingly open water were actually rain puddles on top of the ice. One small open spot at the boat ramp held 3 Common Goldeneye, 4 Lesser Scaup and about 20 Canvasback. At Blackwater, we found Common Merganser, Pintail, GW Teal and Gadwall among thousands of Canada Geese on Key Wallace Rd east of the refuge entrance. Pool 1 held 13 Ring-Necks and 3 Redhead as well as geese and dabblers. At the end of the spur road, there was a flock on Common Merganser in the distance that I estimated at 300 birds. I have never seen so many together. The remainder of the wildlife drive was flocks of Canada Geese and dabblers with nothing unusual except for a group of 15 or so Dunlin standing on the ice near the end of the drive. Good Birding, Glen and Shelly Lovelace Seaford, DE ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================