Coastal MD and DE
Philip E. Merritt (pemerritt@erols.com)
Mon, 18 Jan 1999 10:07:13 -0500
Hi all,
January 17 I went to coastal Maryland and Delaware to see the what was
around. Trip report w/ interesting birds follows (I'll forget some
stuff but nothing major).
Ocean City Inlet:
Harlequin Duck - 6 far out past the rocks on the other side of the inlet
scope essential
Common Eider - 4 easy to see when sitting on the beach and swimming out
of the Inlet
Purple Sandpiper - 75 sitting on the other side of the inlet on the
rocks
Also around were both loons, lots of Surf Scoters, Oldsquaw, and lots of
Red-breasted Mergansers.
Golf Course Rd. pond
Canvasbacks - conservatively several hundred
Canada Goose - ditto
Tundra Swan - 3
Northern Shoveler - 3
Mallard - 35
Gadwall - 10
Ocean Pines Pond
American Wigeon- 35
Mallard - 60
Gadwall - 4
Canada Goose - 50
Note: Despite much searching no Eurasian Wigeon was found.
Indian River Inlet
Oldsquaw - 24
Common Black-headed Gull- 1 flying around, very distinctive.
Purple Sandpiper - 25 on both sides of the Inlet
Sanderling - 4 on the beach and another 20 on the rocks
Ruddy Turnstone - 1 with the Purple Sandpipers
Cape Henlopen
Much the same as previous stops new things were:
Cormorants- 50 sitting way out between the heat shimmer and the bad
lighting I couldn't come up with and ID
Brant - 4 along the beach
Broadkill Marsh
Green-winged Teal - 1
Gadwall-20
Malard-40
Northern Shoveler - 4
Short-eared Owl - 1 flew up out of the marsh right next to the first
bridge. Excellent views.
All in all it was a great trip. I think we had about 75 species. Thanks
to everyone who posted a trip report, they are really helpful in
planning. Also on the way over I checked Sandy Point and found 8 Snow
Buntings
Later,
Alex
--------------------
Alex Merritt - 14
pemerritt@erols.com