FYI,
Interestingly, around the same date as the eared grebes reported from Jug
Bay, newly arrived eared grebes were reported from both Southern Ontario
and Southern Norway. Obviously, this is within their expected spring
migration and also an appropriate time to expect them to turn up in spring
for Maryland as well. Keep your eyes open!

Cheers,

Frode Jacobsen
Baltimore, MD

> I want to make a correction about the post I made regarding eared grebes.
> On March 30 I posted:
> "...On Tuesday (3/27) afternoon I saw a mixed flock of 12 grebes that were
> on the main part of Jug Bay, ...  The group had 1 pied-billed, 1 horned,
> and 10
> eared grebes..."
>
> I have since been informed the record in the state is only 3, and it would
> be
> extremely unusual to see this many together.
>
> Thank you to the folks who responded to me, I appreciate their info on
> field
> marks and records, because I learned a lot.  That info, coupled with a
> review
> of my notes on field marks made it likely that the group was mostly (if
> not all)
> horned grebes.  There may have been 1 or 2 eareds, but I have learned I
> should not ID eareds based only on partial (plumage) characteristics.  It
> is
> very tricky at this tiem of year.  I thought I saw eareds since I saw an
> orange
> triangular ear patch that extended well below the eye/ear line on two
> grebes
> that were nearly full breeding plumage; however I did not see their neck
> color
> or other features.  Since all the birds were bobbing a lot on the waves,
> often
> with their heads tucked in, it was difficult to see the diagnostic
> structural
> features that I should have used to confirm the species.
>
> Oh well, chalk it up to a good lesson!
>
> By the way, today I (finally!) saw my first warbler of the season here - a
> yellow-rumped.  All our juncos have left - After seeing them daily for the
> year,
> I have not seen one since March 30.  I'll miss them, but I look forward to
> seeing some neotropic birds soon-
>
> Cheers!
> Jeff Shenot
> Croom MD
>
>