[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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