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Subject:

OC Inlet King Eider continues + hovering eagle

From:

Dave Kidwell

Reply-To:

Maryland Birds & Birding

Date:

Wed, 26 Jan 2005 17:01:16 -0800

Adam Smith and I birded the inlet yesterday (Tuesday) as well as Assateague NSS.  The inlet continued to have several thousand SCOTERS, with about a 2:1 ratio of black to surf.  We could hear what seemed to be alot of BLACK SCOTERS on the south side of the far jetti.  Two first year male KING EIDERS were present at the OC jetti (off the parking lot) in the morning.  A return trip in the afternoon yielded only one at that location.  No harlaquin or common eiders were seen, nor any alcids.  Our afternoon at the inlet did yield great looks at a HARBOR SEAL.
 
Nothing extraordinary at Assateague.  Highlights were a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH a GRAY CATBIRD and several FOX SPARROWS.  
 
Perhaps the best sighting of the day was on the frozen Choptank River.  Near the marina at the Rt.50 bridge several bald eagles were present, with two feeding on a carcass.  In a small opening of water approx. 200 yards away was a lone canvasback.  One of the two feeding eagles flew over to the canvasback, which immediately dove.  The eagle hovered over the opening with the canvasback surfacing VERY briefly and diving again.  This repeated several times, and the patient eagle continued to hover for well over a minute before finally grabbing the canvasback.  Unfortunately, for all his/her hard work, another adult approached and stole the catch.  Quite remarkable to watch.   
 
Dave Kidwell
Lothian, MD




		
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