Hi Everybody,

Sorry for the second posting, but I neglected to cite the date of the Blackwater trip on which I reported - It was yesterday, 5 March.

I also forgot to mention that Nancy, Ian and I had 7 Greater Yellowlegs on Elliott I. on our trip north off the Island. We also had an interesting unidentified shorebird at the "moorhen panne" just beyond Savanna L. on our trip south with Bob Ampula. The bird was with some Ring-billed Gulls and geese. The bird appeared unstreaked grayish and fairly long-legged and long-billed through the binoculars. As I was setting up the telescope it spooked and flew off. As it flew away I was able to watch it for some time receding to the north. The bird had a very long bill, and I'd say its legs did not project beyond its tail. Oddly enough, it did not exactly look like a dowitcher in flight; its wing beats seemed too deep and deliberate, and it looked too long-winged. In fact the bird reminded me a bit of a godwit - I think many of you know where that could lead (check your field guides), but I'll go no farther than to say it's officially a "long-billed shorebird (sp)" in my notebook. Anybody who might go to Elliott Island or the Blackwater area should be on the lookout for this bird. Oh well just another one the got away...grrrrr!

Good Birding,

Walter Ellison

23460 Clarissa Road
Chestertown, MD 21620
phone: 410-778-9568
e-mail: 

"A person who is looking for something doesn't travel very fast" - E. B. White (in "Stuart Little")

"Are there *ever* enough birds?" - Connie Hagar as quoted by Edwin Way Teale in "Wandering through Winter"