Rick, Elliot, Gene and Jim, Thanks mucho for the tips! I will be keeping an eye out, but will especially watch the Hart-Miller reports. Doubly appreciate the tip about dirt ground, Jim, since I have been looking primarily at short grass. I keep forgetting to look in my Balto book...but did find the Hart-Miller entry and its emphasis on buffies after my post (thank you Eliot). What a goldmine this volume is! Gene, can you give us an idea of what conditions are on the island at this point, and where the birds might be located in reference to the landing dock? I have been told to be ready for roughing it. Fran -------------------------------- Fran Saunders Maryland Ornithological Society Baltimore, Maryland State Web Site Director saunderf@ari.net http://www2.ari.net/saunderf/mos/mos.html