Ocean City-Henlopen birds
Felton, Gary L. (glf1@cdc.gov)
Fri, 30 Jan 1998 08:18:51 -0500
Gail, thanks for the rpt. I had been wondering what was going on out
there.
Gary Felton
GLF1@CDC.GOV
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Gail Mackiernan [SMTP:GAIL@UMDD.UMD.EDU]
> Sent: Thursday, January 29, 1998 9:25 PM
> To: MDOSPREY@ARI.Net
> Subject: Ocean City-Henlopen birds, 1/29
>
> Barry and I drove over to OC this morning, hoping for -- well, who
> knows
> what? -- after the big coastal storm. Lots of water on the fields,
> went
> through 100's of blackbirds on the way but best find were some
> Rusties.
>
> At the West Ocean City Pond, a drake EURASIAN WIGEON was present with
> about
> five American Wigeon, at the back in the SW corner.
>
> High water, surf and lots of evidence of damage to the beach and to
> north
> end of Assateague. At the inlet, about eight HARLEQUIN DUCKS,
> including two
> nice drakes, four KING EIDERS, including two immature drakes, and
> estimated
> 20 (they were hard to count in the heavy surf) COMMON EIDERS,
> including two
> or three drakes. PURPLE SANDPIPERS and a couple RED KNOTS were there,
> but a
> remarkable absence of Cormorants, Bonepartes' Gulls, or other sea
> ducks.
> Needless to say, no alcids either. 55 Oystercatchers were sitting
> rather
> dejectedly on the breakwater, 4th Street Flats being mostly under
> water
> (as was half of 4th Street.)
>
> Indian River Inlet was pretty quiet, a GREAT CORMORANT on the jetty,
> but
> little else of note, save a few Purple Sands and a few flocks of
> Dunlin.
>
> Silver Lake is holding a lot of Canvasback and Lesser Scaup, with
> maybe
> four REDHEADs and a few GREATER SCAUP here and there.
>
> At Cape Henlopen State Park, there was a first-winter GLAUCOUS GULL on
> the
> breakwater, observable from the Fishing Pier, as well as a number of
> Great
> and D-C Cormorants. At the point, about a half-dozen IPSWICH SPARROWS
> and 40-50
> SNOW BUNTINGS. We run out of time to look for Crossbills.
>
> A beautiful, sunny day, completely windless -- and some nice birds to
> boot!
>
> Cheers, Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
> gail@umdd.umd.edu