Hi MD,

I tried this evening for the Black-crowned Night-Heron seen two days ago by Mikey Lutmerding at the "Moose Curve" on the Potomac in Allegany County.  The Moose Curve is just upstream from the terminus in Cumberland.  While scanning the trees and shoreline for the heron, I spotted a Cattle Egret sitting in a low bushy tree just over the water on the WV side.  While I believe there is a previous record (and the Yellowbook says there is at least one), this is a county bird for me.  I called JB Churchill and discovered, as I already knew but had forgotten, that he was in Texas and was going to have a hard time getting there quickly enough to see it.  I eventually reached Mikey and he arrived from Finzel just in time to see the bird before it flew off upstream.  It conveniently circled out over the river (i.e. clearly in MD) before heading off.  I digiscoped several pictures which appear to be clear enough to support the ID.  I'll try to get one posted.  Observation time was approx. 7:40 p.m. - 8:40 p.m.

Ray Kiddy
Cumberland, Allegany County, MD