Date: Sat, 21 Feb 2004 08:15:37 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Patty Craig Subject: Ocean City 2-19&20-2004 MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Hi All, Thursday Jean Artes and I drove to Ocean City in hopes of seeing an alcid or two. We arrived at a bout 4:30 PM and after some searching I caught a glimpse of a Razorbill just seeing the diagnostic bill before it dove. It was in the inlet, but search as we would we could not relocate it for Jean to see. About 5:30 PM I found another alcid out beyond the south jetty south of the rough area. It was a Thick-billed Murre. It was up for a little while and then began actively feeding and staying down for long periods. Eventually we realized that there were actually two. At one point one had a small fish it had caught and it was draped in the bill like the many photos I have seen of puffins carrying fish. The identification of Thick-billed Murre was made based on the clean white cheeks, very dark upper plumage and short bill (though it didn't look particularly thick). It appeared to have some white before the eye. I could not tell if this was the white mark of the gape. Other birds that evening were: 2 Red-necked Grebes, Red-throated Loon, Common Loon, 2 Great Cormorant, 1 young male Common Eider, 2 Horned Grebes. The next morning we were joined by Sue Hamilton who found a Razorbill that stayed up for several minutes for great looks. It soon started diving and was difficult to relocate. There were also at least 5 Common Eiders behind the south jetty. Other birds were about the same as the evening before, but we could see all three scoters. We never did see a Dovkie. We then went to Eagle's Nest Camp Ground seeing the Eurasian Wigeon on the way. I was disappointed to realize that it was high tide (duh), but soon recovered when Jean and I saw a Razorbill in calm waters! It was on the surface most of the time we were there with at least 3 sessions of flying inches off the water then sliding in for a landing. It reminded me of a slalom water skier and the others of a sea plane!! It was incredible! It could only have been better if it was closer. Good birding, Patty Craig Dameron, MD pattycraig@mail.ameritel.net ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================