[MDOsprey] greater white-fronted goose at Conowingo

Don Burggraf (dburggraf@hotmail.com)
Fri, 12 Nov 1999 13:31:38 PST


There was only a moderate amount of gulls at Conowingo Friday, November 12.  
The common species were present, including at least 15 Bonapartes (with at 
least 80 more above the dam, with two Forster�s terns).   Bald Eagle 
watching was spectacular.  I counted 30 for the day, although I almost 
surely saw more.  (It eventually got hard to tell whether I saw each 
individual before or not).  The big surprise for me was a greater 
white-fronted goose, which flew in with a Canada.  It appeared to be a 
first-winter bird, just beginning to get the white line behind the beak.  
The beak was bright orange, suggesting the Greenland race.  Other treats at 
Conowingo included a merlin (which I was able to admire through my scope as 
it filled the field of view), an osprey (the yellow book suggests that this 
is getting a little late for ospreys to remain), and *singing* winter wrens. 
  I stopped at Sesquehanna State Park on the way back and picked up a few 
more species including creeper, both kinglets, and, as I tried in vain 
examining pine thickets for a saw-whet owl, I discovered four hermit 
thrushes hiding quietly.  Speaking of saw-whet owls, I did find a dead one 
along the road above Conowingo dam.  (A dead raccoon lay beside it.)

While above the dam, I also saw an interesting loon.  It was probably a 
red-throated, since it was abviously smaller than the two common loons with 
which it was traveling, its bill was slender and dark, and not as long as 
the common loons� bills. However, the plumage had a surprise.  Overall, the 
bird appeared to be in basic plumage.  But, beginning on the cheek, a dark 
line about one inch wide proceeded down the neck and to the shoulder.  It 
made quite a contrast to the white throat and lighter crown and nape.  The 
stripe confused me when I first saw the bird.  For curiosity�s sake, I would 
be interested to know whether anyone else ever spotted a loon with such a 
transitional plumage.

Don Burggraf
Baltimore

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