Hans,
   There is a prior February report of Spotted Sandpiper, on 2/28/98 at Little Seneca Lake by Norm Saunders. Concerning the possibility of Common Sandpiper, my only winter sighting of Spotted Sand in Maryland was on the Annapolis CBC of 1/5/86. We eliminated Common Sand that day because the bird had rather bright yellow legs.
   By the way, the previous reports of the Cackling Geese at Cumberland put them in West Virginia. Where did you see the birds?

--
Bob Ringler 
Eldersburg MD 


-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: Hans Holbrook <> 

> I met up with John Hubbell this morning, we birded mostly along the Potomac 
> River from Frederick County up through Allegany County. We had three(!) 
> species of shorebird in Washington County, now I know you thinking 'yeah... 
> Killdeer, Snipe, Woodcock.' No, no Woodcock. Try SPOTTED SANDPIPER! Yes it 
> is February and it was 10 degrees this morning. John kicked up a Spotted 
> Sandpiper at Weverton this morning along the Potomac. A quick glance at the 
> Yellowbook this evening and I noticed it may be the first February record 
> for Maryland. Most of the rest of the birding was waterfowl, Canada Geese, 
> Mallard, Black Duck, Common Merganser, Hooded Merganser, Bufflehead, 
> Ring-necked Duck(all three counties), and Coot were noted at most stops. 
> Raptors were dominated by Red-tailed Hawks, followed by Red-shouldered Hawks 
> and Kestrels. There was also an accipiter sp. hunting pigeons in Cumberland. 
> So highlights are as follows... 
> 
> Burkettsville Pond (FRCO) 
> Snow Goose 1 
> Richardson's Goose 2 
> Canvasback 1 
> Ruddy Duck 1 
> 
> Brunswick, C&O Canal (FRCO) 
> hybrid goose, possibly CanadaXWhite-fronted 
> Yellow-rumped Warbler 1 
> 
> Weverton, C&O Canal (mostly WACO) 
> Gadwall 3 
> Redhead 30 
> Canvasback 5 
> Greater Scaup 4 
> Lesser Scaup 10 
> Goldeneye 4 
> Herring Gull 3 
> Spotted Sandpiper 1 
> Wild Turkey 1 of about 10 on the Virginia side flew over MD waters 
> Phoebe 1-2 
> Pipit 3 
> Winter Wren 1 
> Mutant Geese 2 
> 
> 
> Williamsport (WACO) 
> White waterfowl of all sizes... no Snow Goose 
> 
> Dam #5 (WACO) 
> Red-breasted Merganser 1 
> 
> Cumberland, Terminus (ALCO) 
> Richardson's Goose 4