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Subject:

new yard bird

From:

Rick Sussman

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Wed, 17 Aug 2005 07:41:19 EDT

Hi all, 
Nancy and I just returned from our first ever trip to (coastal) Maine,  where 
we relaxed, ate lobster and fried clams, and took in lots of very  beautiful 
scenery. Didn't do much birding, but managed to squeeze in a trip to  E. Egg 
Rock where I got 3 lifers; A. Puffin (hooray for puffins!), Black  Guillemot 
(actually saw one off the coast the day before near Pemaquid  Lighthouse) and 
Parasitic Jaeger (harassing a flock of Common Terns). 4-5 foot  seas made this 
as close to a pelagic as I like!
 
This morning it was back to the grind and daily routine, and as I went out  
with the dog to the pond, I saw a juvie mallard on the water. Another look  and 
I spied something smaller in close proximity to the mallard. Looking through  
binoculars turned it into #169 for my yard list, a young PIED-BILLED GREBE! 
When  your yard list approaches its higher end, the really odd birds begin to 
make it  onto the list. This is a tiny storm-water management pond and nothing 
like a  PBGR habitat. This bird was hanging close to the mallard, as much for  
strength-in-numbers protection as for company I suppose. A rather odd couple, 
 but migration makes for strange pond fellows. Last year I remember the 
juvenile  White Ibis hanging out with a Great Egret at Blue Mash at summers end.
 
Glad the heat has broken,
 
Rick Sussman
Ashton, MD
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