Follow the link below to see the photos taken earlier today of the Martin.
The first five photos are mine and the last is Matt Hafner's.


http://www.pbase.com/mbird023/martin


Enjoy,

Mike Burchett
Morgantown, WV
Churchville, MD

-----Original Message-----
From: Maryland Birds & Birding [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Matt Hafner
Sent: Monday, October 30, 2006 10:23 PM
To: 
Subject: [MDOSPREY] Martin sp. update

Sorry this is so late, but it's been a long day in the field.  Thanks to Bob
and Paul for posting info throughout the day.  
 
First, after I sent out my description last night, Marshall Iliff sent me a
list of things that were wrong for Brown-chested Martin.  The one mark that
was good for Brown-chested was the brown upperparts.  Well, that mark was
obviously incorrect as the bird was very dark gray/black.  I have no
interest in concocting a two-bird theory ;)
 
Second, we obtained a few poor photos from a long distance.  I *believe*
that they will conclusively eliminate Purple Martin from the discussion.
The observed lack of pale collar and forehead should be enough, but I'd like
the photographic evidence.  I am not prepared at this time to go any farther
than eliminating Brown-chested.  
 
Today the bird was solely seen in the area around the Rum Pointe Golf Course
Club House on South Point.  This is the golf course that is visible south of
the Assateague Visitor Center.  There is a large field that separates the
two.  Yesterday, there were 2000+ swallows swirling over that field and
making trips to and from Assateague Island.  Today there may have been 200
swallows total all day.  There were some trickling south past the visitor
center between 7:30 and 9am.  More seemed to be hanging out down by the golf
course so we headed down there.  Within about 20 minutes we found the bird
perched on the GPS antenna of the club house.  Since photographs were top
priority I did not spend as much time observing the bird as I would have
liked today.  Once the bird left the antenna (which it did before we were
anywhere close) it was only observed very high in the air.  It would mill
around with the Tree Swallows then drift behind the trees to the south.  It
twice returned, but when it left the third time, we never saw it (or many
swallows) again.  
 
I would recommend that martin searchers watch the field from either club
house or the area behind the visitor center and see where the most swallows
are congregated.  Both days the bird was seen between 9:30 and 10:30.
 
Good luck and get photos!!!
 
Matt Hafner
Bel Air, MD 
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