Date: Sun, 29 Feb 2004 19:16:14 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Scott Organization: Crabtree Subject: Lower Eastern Shore Birds, 29 February 2004 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Louise and I headed off to the WMAs of the lower Eastern Shore this moning. We first stopped at Truitt's Landing in E. A. Vaughn. The impoundements about a quarter mile from the road's end yielded many Greater Yellowlegs and Green-winged Teal. While I was walking along the road, I started one Virginia Rail vocalizing, who was responded to by at least three others. In the WMA property on Taylor's Landing Road, I checked the Swamp and Savannah Sparrows for anything unusual, and found ... Swamps and Savannahs. We decided to have lunch in a section of the Pocomoke State Forest, SE of Pocomoke City. Great lunch - no birds. No, I mean it. No birds whatsoever. Good habitat - no birds. On to Deal Island. Out from Dame's Quarter, Riley Roberts Road is closed for repairs, cutting off access after one has passed through the Riley Roberts Residential area. Heading back east to the gravel Refuge road, we headed out into the WMA, and were rewarded with killer views of American Bittern. This is the first time I've ever seen an AMBI that wasn't flying away, and the cryptic markings of the upperparts are stunning. A Short-eared Owl seen while driving out was a fitting cap to the day. Scott Crabtree Chester, Kent Island, MD crabtree@myshorelink.com ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================