Hi Everyone,

Carol and I were wondering how many species a full day of birding Wicomico County might yield at this time of year, and we had time today to look into it.  We started with an Eastern Screech-Owl in our backyard at 5:30 am and concluded by giving up on Great Horned Owl at 7:45 pm.  We spent most of the day (until 5:00 pm) northwest of the Wicomico River, but did make it east to Bear Swamp Road and the Pocomoke River by dusk.

We encountered 72 species, including 16 species of waterfowl.  We missed at least 10 species (including Downy Woodpecker!) that we could have reasonably expected to find.  A fun and full day; highlights included:

American Woodcock--at least 3 displaying along Cherry Walk Rd between 5:50 and 6:00 am and another on Nutters Neck Rd shortly thereafter

Wild Turkey--25 in a field by Whitehaven Rd.

Ruddy Duck--an impressive raft of roughly 450 on the Nanticoke River at the end of Cove Rd

Green-winged Teal--96 in the marsh at the north end of the town of Nanticoke

Rusty Blackbird--a flock of 105 at Pemberton Park

River Otter--2 swimming and diving together in Manumsco Creek at 7:15 am (seen from Cherry Walk Rd); our first sighting of this species--a nice surprise!

If anyone would like more details about locations or other birds seen during the day, please let me know.

Have fun,

Ron Gutberlet
Salisbury, MD