Hi Everybody,

Although the weather was beautiful, if a little breezy, a profound lack 
of songbirds or a serious hawk flight consigned this year's Big Sit at 
Eastern Neck NWR to mediocrity as we tallied 56 species (the average 
tally is now 57.5 for six years). It was a pleasant mediocrity 
nonetheless. Our best bird was a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE that spent 
the early morning with Canada Geese in Calfpasture Cove to our south. It 
left for the fields at Ingleside at 8:05 AM and was not seen again, 
although it could have hidden amongst the returning Canadas as the light 
went against us. We also had two CACKLING GEESE in the flock, a gander 
and a goose. Other good birds were Wilson's Snipe (a quick flyby), 5 
Northern Rough-winged Swallows, 2 Gadwall, 2 American Wigeon,  and a 
very confiding Red-breasted Nuthatch (reflecting the big flight here on 
the Eastern Shore this fall). Although they are "routine" on our Big 
Sits it was also a pleasure to have the regular presence through the day 
of at least 16 Bald Eagles, 4 Northern Harriers (hunting close to the 
platform), 8 Royal Terns, and 16 Caspian Terns. Thanks to everyone who 
came by to help count, to Cindy Heffley from the Refuge who helped 
publicize the event, and to all of the visitors who dropped by to ask 
what the heck we were up to. We have appended our complete list below 
(including species seen away from the circle in brackets).

Good birding,

Walter Ellison & Nancy Martin

3460 Clarissa Rd
Chestertown, MD 21620
410-778-9568

rossgull (at) baybroadband.net

Observing Nature is like unwrapping a big pile of presents every time 
you take a walk.

Greater White-fronted Goose 1 (Greenland race); Canada Goose 1700; 
Cackling Goose 2 (Richardson's); Mute Swan 10; Wood Duck 6; Gadwall 2; 
American Wigeon 2; American Black Duck 30; Mallard 17; Green-winged Teal 
6; Greater Scaup 2; Lesser Scaup 29; Ruddy Duck 5; Common Loon 1; 
Double-crested Cormorant 30; Great Blue Heron 11; Black Vulture 10; 
Turkey Vulture 21; Osprey 1; Bad Eagle 16; Northern Harrier 4; 
Sharp-shinned Hawk 3; Red-tailed Hawk 2; Wilson's Snipe 1; Laughing Gull 
70; Ring-billed Gull 50; Herring Gull 12; Great Black-backed Gull 5; 
Caspian Tern 16; Royal Tern 8 (several juveniles chasing adults with 
pitiful calls); Forster's Tern 60; Red-bellied Woodpecker 2; Downy 
Woodpecker 1; Northern Flicker 6; Blue Jay 16; American Crow 6; Fish 
Crow 8; Horned Lark 9; Tree Swallow 136; Northern Rough-winged Swallow 
5; Carolina Chickadee 2; Tufted Titmouse 1; Red-breasted Nuthatch 1; 
Carolina Wren 5; Northern Mockingbird 2; [Gray Catbird 1 across the road 
from the parking lot]; European Starling 50; Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) 
Warbler 8; [Palm Warbler 1 at east end of boardwalk]; Common 
Yellowthroat 2; Eastern Towhee 3; Savannah Sparrow 1; Song Sparrow 6; 
Swamp Sparrow 4; White-throated Sparrow 1; [White-crowned Sparrow 2 im. 
behind rest rooms at parking lot]; [Northern Cardinal 6 at parking lot]; 
Red-winged Blackbird 150; Eastern Meadowlark 3; American Goldfinch 2.