Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2004 05:43:18 -0800 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Scott Baron Subject: Sandy Pt. SP, Blackwater, Elliot Isl. Rd.; Feb. 28 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Hello, birders. I thought I sent an email of sightings last night but apparently it didn't send. So let me try again. Sandy Pt. SP in Anne Arundel Co.: a smattering of waterfowl, mostly Scaup (and of these mostly Greater) and Can. Geese. I enjoyed watching Canvasback mixed with scaup and others near the marina. I was hoping for uncommon gulls but only saw the big 3. On to Blackwater's Wildlife Drive in Dorchester Co. Again, common waterfowl were there. I found 4 male REDHEADS just west of the first bend in the road. 3 species of shorebird: Killdeer, Lsr. Yellowlegs and Gr. Yellowlegs. Two other birders and I watched a RED BAT flying above the portion of the road that runs through the pine woods, it's orange body and gray wings distinctive in the early afternoon light. I didn't get to Elliot Island Road in Dorchester Co. until 4pm. I ran into Mark (last name?, sorry, I forget) and Hugh who were returning from birding the shore this day). We watched a Wild Turkey feed on the edge of a field. I saw another turkey while en route to Elliot Isl. Rd. in the same habitat. Waterfowl were present along EI Rd. but my I was pleased to find both of my target birds, SHORT-EARED OWL (5) and ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (1 ad. male light phase). They were mostly on the right (west) side of the road. I think it was about 6 mi. south of the last intersection, near some sort of wooden structure (birdhouse?) in the marsh. 3 Northern Harriers were here, too. 2 Gr. Horned Owls hooted while it was still light, in a grove of pines farther down the road. At sunset, Fishing Bay held mostly Ruddy Ducks. I returned to the owl/hawk/harrier spot after sunset. It was pretty dark but I could see a Short-eared Owl silhouetted on the orange and pink horizon, hovering and flying over the marsh. 7 Black-crowned Night-herons flew over, individually. The temperature was dropping and it was pretty dark. Time to leave. I wished it could last longer. Scott Baron Fairfax, Va. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Get better spam protection with Yahoo! Mail. http://antispam.yahoo.com/tools ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================