Ocean CIty CBC Summary

Norm Saunders (osprey@ARI.Net)
Tue, 30 Dec 1997 14:44:45 -0500


Since Chan and Company are still counting today and tomorrow, allow 
me to post the highlights here of the OC Count.

The Ocean City 50th Anniversary Count took place on Monday, December 
29, this year.  The day began with calm air and calm water and 
temperatures hovering at the 30-degree mark.  The sun in the morning 
quickly disappeared, however, as a storm moved up from the south, 
raising strong northeasterly winds, heavy cloud cover, and, later in 
the afternoon, heavy blowing rain.

152 species were tallied, one fewer than last year and tied with the 
1994 list.  Two new species were added to the count history this 
year, both by expatriate Michael O'Brien--Lesser Black-backed Gull 
and Wild Turkey. 

Other write-ins include, in no particular order: Chipping Sparrow, 
Great Cormorant, Willet, Tree Swallow, Peregrine Falcon, Barn 
Swallow, Northern Gannet, American Oystercatcher, Red Knot, Purple 
Sandpiper, Clapper Rail, Seaside Sparrow, Evening Grosbeak, Merlin, 
Sedge Wren, Snow Bunting, American Bittern, Lesser Yellowlegs, Red 
Crossbill, Eurasian Wigeon, Great Egret, Tricolored Heron, and Common 
Merganser.  

Count-week birds included Little Gull and Brown Pelican.

Cheers!
Norm

===============
Norm Saunders
Colesville, MD
osprey@ari.net