Hi All,

Here's the complete rundown on the Howard County Bird Club trip to Blackwater NWR, enjoyed by 19 birders.  In addition to the key birds mentioned by Kurt, other highlights were a large group of Am. Pipits along Maple Dam Rd., along with several others bathing in the impoundments at the refuge, and about two dozen E. Meadowlarks mostly along Key Wallace Dr., just east of the refuge.  We tallied 82 species for the day, quite exceptional considering the strong wind.  The list:

    Queen Annes Co.:
Red-throated Loon--1 flyover, Kent Island
Mute Swan--3 flybys

    Talbot Co., near Choptank River:
Red-shouldered Hawk--1
Cedar Waxwing
N. Cardinal

    Dorchester Co., mostly Blackwater Refuge

Snow Goose--100+ flyovers, Cedar Crk. Rd.
Canada Goose--1000s
Tundra Swan--100s
Wood Duck--1 (Maple Dam Rd.)
Am. Wigeon--6, Oakley St., Cambridge
Am. Black Duck--25
Mallard--100+
N. Pintail--20, refuge
Surf Scoter--25, Choptank River
Long-tailed Duck--15, Choptank R.
Bufflehead--35, Choptank R.
Co. Goldeneye--12, Choptank R.
Hooded Merganser--6, Shorter's Wharf Rd.
Ruddy Duck--1, Marsh Edge Trail
PB Grebe--2
AM. WHITE PELICAN--2 sightings, possibly same bird
DC Cormorant--8, mostly Choptank R.
GB Heron--6
Black Vulture--2
Turkey Vulture--20
Bald Eagle--40+
N. Harrier--12
Sharp-shinned Hawk--1
Red-tailed Hawk--5
N. ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK--2--one provided a great show while hunting along the wildlife loop at the refuge (photographed by Tom Miller); a 2nd seen distantly along Cedar Creek Rd.
Am. Kestrel--2
Am. Coot--2
Killdeer--90, mostly along Maple Dam Rd.
Greater Yellowlegs--12, Shorter's Wharf Rd.
Dunlin--8
Wilson's Snipe--2
Am. Woodcock--6 to 8 flyovers along Shorter's Wharf Rd. at dusk
Ring-billed Gull--50+
Herring Gull--25+, Choptank R.
Great Black-backed Gull--12, Choptank R.
Forster's Tern--20
Rock Pigeon--75+
Mourning Dove--25
SHORT-EARED OWL--4, Cedar Creek Rd.--a great show
Belted Kingfisher--2
Red-bellied Woodpecker--1
Downy Woodpecker--1
Hairy Woodpecker--2
N. Flicker--1
Blue Jay--6
Am. Crow--1 mobbing the Rough-leg at refuge
Fish Crow--1 heard
  crow, sp--dozens
Tree Swallow--20
Carolina Chickadee--4
Tufted Titmouse--2
Red-breasted Nuthatch--1, Marsh Edge Trail
Brown-headed Nuthatch--3, Marsh Edge Trail
Brown Creeper--2
Carolina Wren--3
Winter Wren--1
Golden-crowned Kinglet--6
Ruby-crowned Kinglet--12
E. Bluebird--20
Hermit Thrush--4
Am. Robin--12
N. Mockingbird--1
Starling--100s
AM. PIPIT--35 (Maple Dam Rd. and refuge)
Yellow-rumped Warbler--8
Pine Warbler--1, Marsh Edge Trail
Savannah Sparrow--12
Song Sparrow--12
Swamp Sparrow--2
White-throated Sparrow--6 
Dark-eyed Junco--10
SNOW BUNTING--1 seen flying by, Wildlife Loop
Red-winged Blackbird--100s
E. Meadowlark--25
Co. Grackle--12
Brown-headed Cowbird--12
Am. Goldfinch--3
House Sparrow--1

Always a great place to go birding.

Stan Arnold
Glen Burnie





-----Original Message-----
>From: "Kurt R. Schwarz" <>
>Sent: Dec 1, 2007 8:51 PM
>To: 
>Subject: [MDOSPREY] Rough-legged, Short-eared, White Pelican, Snow BuntingDorchester County
>
>I don't want to steal Stan Arnold's thunder, but wanted to get word out on 
>above.
>
>Stan Arnold led a very successful trip to Blackwater NWR today.  The 
>highlights were:
>
>Rough-legged Hawk, one spotted on soaring by the Wildlife Loop by Wes, which 
>gave magnificent looks.  Another was on the snag at Cedar Creek Rd.
>
>Short-eared Owls:  Four flying in broad daylight on Cedar Creek Road, about 
>3:00 p.m.
>
>White Pelican - 1 or 2 visible from Wildlife Loop.
>
>Snow Bunting:  1 seen on Wildlife Loop by Stan and Elaine only.
>
>Lots of other good birds were present, but not so highly sought after. 
>Hopefully Stan will give a more complete posting later.  But those hoping 
>for the Pelicans, they remain.
>
>Kurt Schwarz
>HowCo
>goawaybird at comcast dot net 
>