At Blackwater NWR on July 24th the wildlife drive provided lots of Great
Blue Herons, several Great Egrets and several Snowy Egrets.  Some of the
most interesting birds were to be found on a spit of land in the Little
Blackwater River to the east of the Visitor Welcome Center.  Parking at the
bend in the road near the boat shop provides good viewing.  On that site
there was a single American Avocet resting in the company of over a dozen
Caspian Terns.  Levin Willey, who had called our attention to these birds,
noted that three of the Caspians were clearly very young.  Before we joined
him, Levin had seen one of the adults give a fish to one of the youngsters.
One Least Sandpiper and one Lesser Yellowlegs were sharing the mud mound
with the terns.  A couple of Forster's Terns were also present.  
    On a nearby mound a single Dowitcher was probing the mud.  The bird
showed a lot of rusty coloring, but was so far away that distinctive
markings could not be resolved - and the bird was silent.  Just 'dowitcher'
- but it is quite tempting to think that it may have been a Long-billed
version.  
 
Les Roslund

Talbot County
Easton MD 21601