Eastern Shore birds (none hurricane related)

Miliff@aol.com
Thu, 27 Aug 1998 15:50:25 EDT 

Hello all,

Thought I'd drop a quick note (before bolting for the Wood Stork) on birds
seen today between Ocean City and Annapolis.  I met jim Stasz and Ryan Lesh
last night and we stayed in Salisbury for the night.  He and Ryan had seen
nothing too unusual on the way over yesterday (26th), just 14 Black Terns at
Hurlock Sewage Plant and 1 Sandwich Tern on the 4th St. Flats.  
       Today we first tried Assateague, but found the road in closed for some
reason.  The flats behind Eagle's Nest campground had many birds, but the only
notables were a single Dunlin and 2 Piping Plovers.  4th St. Flats had very
few birds.  West Ocean City Pond had lots of Little Blue Herons, 2 Pectoral
Sandpipers, 2 Black Terns (juveniles), 7 Stilt Sandpipers, and a small
collection of other herons, shorebirds, and ducks.  We then tried the
Salisbury Turf Farm but had only a tantalizing glimpse at a Pluvialis plover
before it vanished into thin air.  From there it was on to Hurlock Sewage
Plant, where there were still 4 juv. Black Terns, plus 2 ad. and 1 juv. Least
Terns (my first sighting there), many Forster's Terns, and...3 Gull-billed
Terns (2 ad., 1 juv.).   Amazingly, I missed these Gull-billeds (the best
birds of the day!!) as we were in two cars and had split up.  D'Oh!!!  A
smattering of shorebirds as well, but nothing strange.  Choptank, Tanyard, and
Easton had nothing, but Rifgley Sewage Plant was excellent.  The north cell
has been drawn down and has a lot of exposed, cracked sludge.  As soon as I
saw it I knew we'd get Baird's Sandpiper finally, and not 1 minute later Jim
picked one out.  That juvenile was in the southest corner of the north cell,
and was a first county record - one we have looked for at this location for 3
years running.  We had another adult in the north cell.  Not too many other
shorebirds there - Pectoral, Least, Semi Sand, Semi Plover, 1 juv. Western
Sand, Lesser Yellowlegs, Killdeer...  On my way home I drove out past John
Brown Rd. Turf Farm and had 4 Golden-Plovers (as seen by Barry Cooper
independantly earlier in the day).  Jim and ryan were still birding when I
left them, and should find more Golden-Plovers by the end of the day.
Hopefully they'll find a Buff-breast (or better) as well.
       We decided not to look for hurricane birds given that the storm has
stalled and we are feeling few effects as yet.  I plan to go to OC again
tomorrow and make aneffort for Sooty Tern or better.  The Gull-billeds could
conceivably be storm related, but it is unlikely.  There is one previous
Hurlock record...3 birds in August by Michael O'Brien years ago.

Best,

Marshall Iliff
miliff@aol.com