Has anyone seen the Dovkie and/or the Harlequin ducks today?  My wife and I
are going to Ocean City tomorrow (not specifically for birding, but....) and
we'd like to know if we need to make the inlet our very first stop when we
get there.

Thanks,

Monroe Harden
Havre de Grace, MD

PS We saw a golden eagle during the Rock Run (Harford/Cecil counties) this
afternoon.  My very first one!

-----Original Message-----
From: Maryland Birds & Birding [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Marcy Stutzman
Sent: Friday, December 28, 2007 8:35 PM
To: 
Subject: [MDOSPREY] Dovkie - Ocean City Inlet

As previously reported, a Dovkie was found today during the Ocean City 
Christmas Bird Count. It was very cooperative sitting on the rocks just
across 
from the old life saving station (just as you reach the parking lot).

I think the story behind the find is interesting, too. I was late arriving
this 
morning and went to the tip of the jetty to find Jay Sheppard. He wasn't 
there, but Doug Gill told me where I could find him. As I was left to go in 
search of him, I spoke to a local OC woman who had come to the inlet to 
watch the beautiful red sunrise. She had just finished talking to Doug and
Jim 
Jehl who were manning the jetty. She had read about the CBC in the paper 
and after talking to them, she went home to put on warmer clothes. She 
thought it sound like fun and planned to return - which she did. She is the
one 
who found the Dovkie! Two papers were there taking pictures so there should 
be news coverage from both. One of them comes out tomorrow, I think.

Phone calls went out to all the people who were helping with the CBC and 
many were able to see the Dovkie. I watched it for about 1/2 hour from only
a 
few feet away. The teams on Assateague even got the opportunity to see it 
from across the inlet!

In addition to the Dovkie being a life bird, the two Harlequin Ducks also
made 
my life list. They were easily seen from the balcony of the brick motel
(closed 
for the winter) on the inlet.

Marcy Stutzman
Russett, MD