Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 22:49:08 +0000 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Hans Holbrook Subject: Somerset & Wicomico 2/14 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Saturday the 14th, Jim Brighton and myself birded Wicomico and Somerset in an attempt to get some needed waterfowl for our county lists... Leaving Oxford, Talbot County we had a White-fronted Goose fly over Oxford Road with seven Canada Geese. This road has had large flocks of Canada Geese all winter and had already produced Ross', Richardson's, Blue, and Brant Geese mixed in the flocks. Wicomico, at the first house you come to just after crossing the Nanticoke on Rt 50 there was a male Boat-tailed Grackle on the power line. Along Athol Road the were 4 Richardson's Geese in a Canada Goose flock. Tyaskin, Bivavle, and Nanticoke had good numbers of waterfowl, Goldeneye, Canvasback, and both Scaup were at most stops. Somerset, 17 species of waterfowl, Riley Roberts Road on Deal Island is close for repairs, so we missed wigeon and another dabbler or two. Highlights on Deal were all three Scotes, Oldsquaw, same ducks from Wicomico, 2 Red-throated Loons, Horned Grebe, and a man in a kilt playing bag pipes along the roadside in Wenona. A pond on 413 on the way to Crisfield had a few Ring-neck Ducks. In Crisfield we saw a couple Blk-cn Knight-Herons, Jim was reeeeally please to flush a Redhead, a county bird for us both. It was later dwarfed by the flock of about 7000 (give or take a thousand) Redhead at Rumbly Point. The surrounding Richardson Marsh hosted 2 Short-eared Owls, as well a a couple Virginia Rails. Woodcock were displaying at the southwest corner on Back Shelltown Road. Owls were very vocal and were heard a many stops, with about twenty birds total, Barred, Barn, Great Horned, and Screech were all represented. (If someone could let me know who to pass the atlas info to for southern Somerset, I would be greatful.) Hans Holbrook Burtonville, MD _________________________________________________________________ Stay informed on Election 2004 and the race to Super Tuesday. http://special.msn.com/msn/election2004.armx ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================