I arrived at the pool of water east of Bestpitch at 2:30 and stayed for
about an hour. The only shore birds present were five Killdeer. I was not as
lucky as Arlene.
While there the farmer who lives in the newish grey house just to the west
drove up in his pickup truck to see what we were looking at (two Columbia
birders, Dave and Marcus had arrived). Howard Wagner looked perhaps like a
typical Blackwater area curmudgeon, but was a nice, pleasant man, interested in
the bird. I told him about the Ruff, how rare it is in the Middle Atlantic in
the winter, that it is a Eurasion bird, etc. He and his neighbor, also in
the pickup, both took careful looks at the National Geo pictures.
Howard has about fifteen Martin houses in his backyard and told us that they
are filled each year starting in Mid-March. He is obviously aware of, and
cares about, birds! What a pleasant surprise from some of the other recent
rare bird location neighbors. I certainly hope the Ruff appears again. If
anyone finds it, you might knock on Howard's door and see if he would like to
take a look.
BTW, the Eurasian Wigeon was not a Horsehead; the Harlequin was not at
Cambridge and I missed the pelicans at Blackwater. The planets must not be
alligned!
I did see and photograph two unusual looking Canada type geese at
Blackwater. They were perhaps four inches shorter than the nearby regular Canadas,
their chests appeared browner rather than pale grey, the bills were shorter and
the bottom of the black hood appeared straight, rather than angled down to
the rear. Some of these characteristics could, of course, be lighting, angle
and their posture. They appeared too large for Cackling. Anyone want to take
a look, I will forward digitals. My film, with one right in front of a
regular Canada will be back in a week.
Bob Mumford
Darnestown |