Date:         Thu, 19 Feb 2004 17:23:01 -0500
Reply-To:     Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
Sender:       Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
From:         John McKitterick <jbmck@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: Trip Report, Eastern Shore, 2/14/04
In-Reply-To:  <DAEMKMELEHOAFFHPJAOFCEOHDPAA.wstrobel@krwashington.com>
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Warren:

My wife and I were also at Blackwater on Valentine's Day, and from your description, almost certainly at your side while scoping the two immature eagles and then at the red-headed woodpecker hole. Although I had not seen a red-headed woodpecker in 25 years, although Bald Eagles are always special, by far the highlight of the day for me was watching Lisa's dance of delight as she floated back to your Mustang after spotting the woodpecker. Her unbridled joy and enthusiasm made my day. Best of wishes to you both.

John McKitterick
Columbia, MD

Warren Strobel wrote:

>        My fiancee Lisa and I spent a lovely Valentine's Day 
>hopscotching down the Eastern Shore in search of birds, birds and more 
>birds. Highlights were SURF SCOTER and PURPLE SANDPIPER in O.C. and a 
>RED-HEADED WOODPECKER along the Blackwater NWR drive.
>
>        Those first two put me across the 200 mark in my U.S. Life 
>List. It was a great moment - I've been interested in birds since 
>childhood and have birded, with increasing seriousness, for the last 15 
>years, mostly self-taught. I'm also EXTREMELY conservative (ask Lisa) 
>in adding birds to my lists.
>
>        Anyway, here goes:
>
>        Cape St. Claire yard (doing the GBBC):
>
>        1. Cardinal
>        2. Dark-eyed junco (2)
>        3. Robin (3)
>        4. Brown Creeper (this fellow has been frequenting a tree with 
>a suet feeder on it, although not at the suet)
>        5. Carolina Chickadee (2)
>        6. Blue Jay
>        7. House finch (pair)
>        8. Starling
>        9. Mourning Dove
>
>        The Bay Bridge/Kent Narrows area had:
>
>        10. Mallard
>        11. Bufflehead
>        12. Great Black-Backed Gull
>        13. Ring-Billed Gull
>        14. Canada Goose (like everyone else, we saw thousands total, 
>on the ground and on the fly)
>        15. Mute Swan
>        16. Red-Winged Blackbird (2)
>        17. American Coot (these last two in the restaurant area off 
>Kent Narrows, south of 50)
>        18. Black Vulture
>        19. Rock Dove
>
>        By about 10:55 am., we were at the Wye Island bridge area.... 
>We saw several hundred, if not more, waterfowl in the distance, too far 
>away to I.D. (Reminder: Must buy scope). They were probably the 
>Canvasback others have noted.
>        Other species in and around Wye Island were:
>
>        20. Turkey Vulture
>        21. Tundra Swan (dozens, if not 100, in sight of the Wye Island bridge)
>        22. Lesser Scaup
>        23. Mockingbird
>        24. White-Throated Sparrow
>        25. Goldfinch
>        26. Hairy Woodpecker
>        27. Northern Harrier, scouring a grassy field
>
>        A quick stop and walk at the Cambridge Fishing Pier brought 
>more Bufflehead, plus
>
>        28. Common Goldeneye (1-2)
>
>        Then we were off to Blackwater NWR...
>
>        29. Bald Eagle (6-8 sightings, including two immature feeding 
>on a small grassy island and a beautiful adult in a tree, eyeing the 
>water below, not 35 feet away.)
>        30. Great Blue Heron (6-8)
>        31. American Crow (about time...)
>        32. Red-Headed Woodpecker (a gorgeous adult, sighted with help 
>from more experienced birders along the drive. There may have been 2, or more, about.)
>        33. Northern Shoveler (5-6)
>        34. Northern Pintail (12-15, more than I've seen in one spot before)
>        35. Downy Woodpecker
>
>        The fast drive to O.C. netted:
>
>        36. Snow Goose (roughly 100 around Berlin, Maryland), which 
>flew by and then helpfully turned and wheeled right over our heads to 
>give us a better view.
>        Also more Tundra Swan in what looked like a huge pond caused by 
>construction, to the left of US 50 as you head south.
>        A likely Kestrel....
>
>        We arrived at the Ocean City inlet around 5:15 pm as the light 
>was beginning to fade. Other birders had seen the Razorbill, but we 
>were a tad late. Still we had:
>
>        37. Surf Scoter (1)
>        38. Purple Sandpiper (10-15)
>        39. Ruddy Turnstone (maybe 20, still in winter plumage)
>        40. Common Loon (1)
>        41. Red-Throated Loon (1)
>
>        All in all a great day, with 2 new Lifebirds for me and 5 for 
> my partner.
>
>        Good birding!
>
>
>Warren P. Strobel
>wstrobel@krwashington.com
>Cape St. Claire, MD
>
>2004 Year List - 59
>U.S. Life List - 201
>World Life List - 293
>
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