I was at the Northern Lapwing site in Creagerstown, near Thurmont, MD, this
morning until having to leave at 10:45 due to other obligations. While I was
there the bird failed to make an appearance. I just got a call from someone
that I had exchanged cell numbers with that said that the Lapwing has
returned to the Graceham Rd. location just before 11:50 am. Hopefully I can
make the trip out later today.
The feeling is that the snow cover has forced the bird out of its favored
location, wherever that is - it is yet to be discovered, and into these
fields where it can be observed. When the bird was first located, and in the
following few days, most of the fields in the area were similarly snow
covered and the bird was observed in puddles of melted snow on Graceham and
Blacks Mill Rds. When the area fields were nearly clear of snow the bird
disappeared, only to be refound after this week's snowstorm.
This message is forewarded to BIRDCHAT to help get the word passed to
birders in nearby states that might want to make another attempt at this
bird. Since there is still a great deal of snow cover on the area fields,
this weekend possibly holds a better chance of the bird remaining in the
fields where it has been found that two weeks ago.
Ed Boyd
Westminster, MD |