Yesterday my girlfriend Colleen and myself spent the day birding along the Nanticoke waterfront of Wicomico County and bayside Somerset County.  Highlights include:

Barren Creek Road Pond -- Wicomico County
Pied-billed Grebe -- 5
Common Goldeneye female -- 1
Ring-necked Ducks --6

Nanticoke River Stops -- Wicomico County
Red-throated Loon -- Four birds flying down the river viewed from Roaring Point heading south.
Common Loon -- One bird off of Nanticoke Inlet.
Great Cormorant -- one imm. bird sitting on the fish net poles off of Cedar Hill Inlet
Canvasback -- a large flock of around 1000 birds.  Other than this flock, Cans were seen in small numbers along the river from Tyaskin to the mouth of the Wicomico.
Redhead -- A large flock of 500 (est. probably low) seen from the end of Clara Road.  The flock was sitting in the mouth of the Wicomico and was spooked by a Tug w/ Barge and flew close enough upriver for identification.  Scope is necessary.
Greater Scaup -- One flock of about 50 birds off Cedar Hill Inlet.  The flock was packed tight but close enough to get great scope views.  Other Gr. Scaups were seen in singles and twos on most stops along the river.
Lesser Scaup -- Only one bird identified.  A female swimming in Nanticoke Inlet.
Surf Scoters -- Six birds seen from Nanticoke Inlet.
Red-breasted Merganser -- Four birds seen off Roaring Point.
Brown-headed Nuthatch -- 12 birds heard on Muddy Hole Road.

Messick Road -- Somerset County
Peregrine Falcon -- sitting on Hack Tower
Tree Swallow -- 5

Riley Roberts Road -- Somerset County
The marshes around Green Dumpster Road and the marshes/impoundments between Green Dumpster Road and Riley Roberts road were largely devoid of bird like save for a flock (18) of Tundra Swan off the first large impondment on Riley Roberts Road and a few Harriers.  But the marshes on the west side of Riley Roberts Road viewed from the small parking area on the right hand side of the road had one of the largest flocks of dabblers I have ever experienced.  Rough estimates follows

American Wigeon -- 1500 
Northern Pintail -- 500
Northern Shoeler -- 50
Gadwall -- 250
American Black Duck -- 15
Mallard -- 5
Greater Yellowlegs -- 1

Because the flock was working through the small grass islands it was difficult to view everything.  Plus I eventuall spooked the flock trying to get a better view, but I expect that diligent scoping would produce a Eurasian Wigeon.

Brown-headed Nuthatch -- 1 bird called in the pines that begin where Riley Roberts Road turns to dirt.

Fairmont -- Somerset County
Horned Grebe -- 1 

Frenchtown -- Somerset County
Northern Gannet -- 1 

Crisfield waterfont -- Somerset County
Red-throated Loon -- 1
Common Loon -- 1
Horned Grebe -- 2
Surf Scoter -- 1
Tree Swallows -- 47 flying in off the bay

Rumbley Point Road -- Somerset County
I screwed up on time and got to the marshes too early for Short-eared Owls
Northern Harriers -- 4
Bald Eagle -- 1
Dunlin -- flock of 35
Greater Yellowlegs -- 1

Back Shelltown Road -- Somerset County
American Woodcock -- 1 bird calling
Hermit Thrush -- 1 bird.  A seemingly difficult bird for me to find in Somerset County.  
Chorus Frogs calling

Rehobeth -- Somerset County
Great Horned Owl -- 1 bird dropped down in front of the car and flew down the road in our headlights.

Jim Brighton
Easton, MD





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