Talbot county Golden Plovers and Buffies
S. Harvey Mudd, MD (shm@codon.nih.gov)
Thu, 17 Sep 1998 17:35:13 -0400
Yesterday, Marion Mudd and I relocated the American Golden Plovers and
Buff-breasted Sandpipers first reported by Marshall Iliff from Lewiston
Road, Talbot County. They were in a large field a few hundred yards north
of the field described by Marshall, and on the west side of the road rather
than the east. Again, the field was currently being plowed and a large
flock of Laughing Gulls was present, sometimes loafing, sometimes following
the plow as it progressed. There were also numerous Killdeer. The Golden
Plovers (2 noted) were seen among the flock of gulls as they loafed some
distance from the active plowing. The Buff-breasted were first spotted
several hundred yards away as they flew from an unknown origin to the far
side of the field. At that time all we saw were 5 flying birds of the
correct shape whose white underwings made us suspect what they were
(especially since Marshall had also mentioned 5 being present). With the
permission of the farmer we walked about 200 yards down the adjoining
driveway to the north of the field and finally relocated the birds. They
were extremely inconspicuous among the bare, brown furrows and clods. The
closest gulls were some distance away. During sustained observation we
noted that they liked to climb on small clods to elevate themselves a few
inches above the surroundings. At other times they stalked along, with an
occasional stop to pick or probe at the earth. If they caught any prey, it
was too small for us to see in the telescope (distance perhaps 30-40 yards),
and too small to cause discernable swallowing, chewing, etc. The are in
which they were located was not that most recently plowed.
I describe these details to reinforce Marshall's suggestion that it may be
useful to search for Buff-breasted in or near flocks of gulls following
plows, but also to emphasize that these birds may not be in immediate
proximity to the more active plow chasers, and could be very hard to spot if
one did not have prior knowledge of their presence or the good luck to see
them in flight.
Makes one wonder how many Buffies are passing through unnoticed.
Harvey Mudd
____________________________________
S. Harvey Mudd
NIMH/DIRP/LMB
Building 36, Room 1B-08
36 CONVENT DR MSC 4034
BETHESDA MD 20892-4034
tel: 301-496-0681; fax 301-402-0245
email: shm@codon.nih.gov