I apologize if this is not a Maryland Bird sighting, but I tried to post onto the 
Va website but couldn't.  I just thought it warranted a mention that 
Chincoteague had 64 SANDWICH TERNS!!!  I couldn't believe my eyes but I 
counted each and every one of them!  They were in Swan Cove Pool, which is 
across from the Tom's Cove Visitor's Center.  Swan Cove was crawling with 
birds-we had   FORSTER'S TERNS,COMMONTERNSand  LEAST TERNS, not 
nearly as abundant.  The other highlights were an adult non-breeding 
WILSON'S PHALAROPE, and an adult non-breeding RED-NECKED PHALAROPE.  
The RED-NECKED was spinning as usual in deeper water, but the WILSON'S 
was actually on mud flats, not in the deep water, but running around like a 
madman! (or madwoman).  Other birds were a PECTORAL SANDPIPER (that I 
tried to turn into a RUFF), WESTERN SANDPIPERS, WILLETS, 4 MARBLED 
GODWITS, LITTLE BLUE HERON, TRI-COLORED HERON,  BLACK-BELLIED 
PLOVERS, PIPING PLOVERS,  LEAST SANDPIPERS, GREATER and LESSER 
YELLOWLEGS, SHORT and LONG BILLED DOWITCHERS,  and the more common 
peeps.  Except for a flyby BROWN PELICAN and the LEAST and COMMON 
TERNS, an ocean watch did not yield any seabirds.  Except for 3 GREEN 
HERONS along the banks, the wildlife drive itself was just as devoid of birds.  
Afterwards, my husband and I drove to Saxis Marsh, where we were 
successful in finding at least 4 SALT-MARSH SHARP TAILED SPARROWS.  It 
was a superb ending to a very eventful day of birding.  It's not every day that 
you can say you've seen 64 SANDWICH TERNS!!!!!


Lin Just

Colora, Md