First of all.....Thanks a bunch to everyone who gave me directions to the Ocean City hot spots! (Gee, a few years back that would've meant bars.) We're sure lucky to have a terrific resource like MDOsprey! I had a great day and saw five lifers. It was awfully windy, and unfortunately neither the Peregrine nor the Harlequins made appearances at the jetty while I was there from 9 to11 and again at 4. Norm was sure right about needing a scope! Most of the birds were on the other jetty, and since my life-list is still a Piper/Plover-free zone, I'll bet it would have benefitted quite a bit with a scope (and an expert to interpret what we were seeing.) So Norm, next time can I borrow you and/or your Hubble? <grin> The highlights of the jetty and inlet were Common and Red-necked Loons, Am. Oystercatchers, DC Cormorants, RB Mergansers, the common gulls and about a gazillion Brants. There were birds out in the ocean but I couldn't make them out. Also, a Coast Guard helicopter hovered for a long time out there trying to help a boat in distress. (Didn't see how it worked out, since time was tight and Copters are already on my life-list.) Lots of birds on the 4th Street Flats -- couldn't see 'em with only binocs. West OC Pond yielded (now I really sound like a "regular") Canvasbacks, both Scaups, Mallards, Black Ducks, Gadwalls, Shovelers, Canadas, Black-crowned Night-Herons, and a shirtless guy with a dog who chased me off his property. (Oops, in my enthusiasm I missed the sign!) The Indian River Great Cormorant was absent, but in his place were a large number of Oldsquaw(s?). They were in mid-plumage and I tried valiantly to talk some of the funkier-lookin' ones into being Eiders or Scoters, but they were having none of it. There was also a nice couple collecting conch shells. As they were leaving, they came up and gave me one - wasn't that neighborly! (Confession time - I passed it on to a woman who asked me where I found it.) The path through the marsh behind the North marina was sparse, but there were a number of Scaups, Buffleheads, Canvasbacks, RB Mergansers, a Flicker, a weird Grebey-lookin' thing and a Great Blue Heron who did a "kiting" maneuver, then opened the bomb-bay doors (if you get my drift). This path looks like it might be better on a less windy day. After that I raced back to OC for a quick look (I really wanted to see that Peregrine and the Harlequins - oh well,) then a mad dash back for a 7:00 commitment in Olney. Whew! Thanks again for the advice - and good birding y'all! Roger Stone rogs@erols.com