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Subject:

28 shorebird species weekend!

From:

Matt Hafner

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Maryland Birds & Birding

Date:

Mon, 23 Aug 2004 09:49:49 -0400

Zach Baer and birded the Eastern Shore Sunday after birding Hart-Miller on Saturday.  We saw 22 shorebird species on Hart-Miller on Saturday and thought we had a chance to see 30 for the weekend.  Unfortunately, the grasspipers were not cooperative.  On the coast we were able to add Woodcock, Oystercatcher, Whimbrel, Piping Plover, Curlew Sandpiper, and Red-necked Phalarope.

The Curlew Sandpiper was present at high tide between 8.0 and 7.5.  Zach and I had walked up at low tide and the bird was not there, but at high tide we came back in Zach's Uncle's boat.  There we met JB Churchill who told us that he had seen a second Curlew in basic plumage.  At first glance, it appeared to be the same size and shape as the red Curlew not too far away.  I creeped up on the bird with my camera getting photos (not studying the bird - mistake).  The bird even flushed and I got a picture of the rump pattern.  At this point I realized that I got a picture of the rump, but I didn't see the rump.  So we stayed with it and a I got excellent up close views of the dark rump of this basic plumaged Dunlin.  Upon closer expection, the bird was rather brown with an indistinct eyeline, did not stand very tall, all characteristics pointing to Dunlin.

JB hopped in the boat with us and we cruised up Assateague looking for more flats and shorebirds.  Unfortunately the high tide and swamped most of the flats and the birds were scarce.  I have been really surprised this summer by the lack of Sandwich Terns, I would have thought that we would have seen several on our boat trip and walking along the beach on Assateague.  We saw only one roosting at the Curlew spot.  Last summer I considered this bird a gimme anytime I got near the ocean or Sinepuxent Bay.

Other Assateague highlights:
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron - imm flyover at Bayside
American Woodcock - 4 along the road at first light
Migrants in decreasing order of abundance:
Cedar Waxwing, Redstart, Baltimore Oriole, Bobolink, Eastern Kingbird, Yellow Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Black-and-White Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, Orchard Oriole, Magnolia Warbler, Hooded Warbler

After the boat trip we received word that Jim Brighton had found a Red-necked Phalarope at Hurlock.  So we headed home via Hurlock and any plowed field we could find.  The phalarope was in the center of the NE cell near a Ruddy Duck.  Looked to me to be a molting adult almost in winter plumage.  While at Hurlock, we got another call that Jim Brighton and Hans Holbrook had found a Black-necked Stilt at the Easton Landfill.  So off we went stopping at more fields without success.  Hans and Jim were still there when we arrived, but the bird was out of sight.  It took quite a while and we almost gave up, but the bird finally flew out of the pond we couldn't see to give everyone a great look.  These ponds are reached off N. Dover Rd when it opens up after the woods.  Park along the road and walk through the pines on the right.  This is the back side of the landfill.

Matt Hafner
Bel Air, MD