Brant, Short-eared Owl - Cecil County
Marcia Watson-Whitmyre (mww@UDel.Edu)
Sun, 21 Feb 1999 22:27:32 -0500
Today (Sunday 2/21/99) I made a late afternoon trip to Bethel WMA in
Cecil County. I was surprised to see a single Brant in a flock of about
500 Canada Geese on the water in the impoundment. I knew this was the
first time I had seen a Brant in the county; I found out when I got
home and checked the Yellowbook that it is a first record for Cecil
(unless someone has a Brant record and is holding out on us).
Coincidentally, on the same date in 1997, I had a Barnacle Goose at
Bethel; of course the origin of that one was uncertain.
Also present were one adult and one immature Snow Goose (unusual bird
for Bethel); 2 Mute Swans (they look like they are settled in - have
been around all winter), at least 20 Ring-necked Ducks, a few Mallards,
6 Green-winged Teal, 2 or 3 Pie-billed Grebes, 1 Ruddy Duck, and 100 or
so American Coots; also one adult Bald Eagle, one Red-tailed Hawk, and
the usual Turkey and Black Vultures. I heard a Barred Owl calling from
the woods north of the impoundment.
I drove along the levees of the C&D Canal at Bethel and found a
Short-eared Owl roosting in grass along the edge of the dirt road. This
was a lucky find - the road looked rough ahead, so I looked through my
binos to see if my little Neon would be able to make it through. That's
when I saw the owl. I was able to quietly get out of the car & get my
scope on the owl. I watched it for about 15 minutes at a distance of
about 100 feet. It appeared unconcerned. I finally turned my car and
went back the way I came so that I wouldn't flush it. (The Neon
wouldn't have made it through, anyway!)
At Courthouse Point, there is now water in the small pond, with large
numbers (several hundred) Northern Pintail, a few Mallards and a few
Black Ducks. There were no American Wigeon, numerous there a couple of
weeks ago. The large impoundment continues to be bone dry and if it
doesn't get some water in it soon, we will be out of luck for shorebirds
this spring.
Marcia Watson-Whitmyre
Cecil County