I spend a fantastic day with my good friend Andy Sprenger (master
roaster at Caffe Pronto in Annapolis and one fine, upstanding birder)
on the Eastern Shore. The highlights are as follows:
Location: Elliott Island Road
American Wigeon
American Black Duck
Green-winged Teal
Ruddy Duck (Thousands upon Thousands of them, rafting away the morning.)
PIED-BILLED GREBE (A life bird for me. Hey I'm new at this)
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Virginia Rail (Tons calling all around us in the marsh. They were
taunting us... laughing at us because we just couldn't see them.)
Lesser Yellowlegs
Dunlin
Wilson's Snipe
Short-eared Owl (Flushed up into the skies in broad daylight by a
NOHA. And yes, it was nice weather down there for the most of the
morning until...)
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Tree Swallow
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Marsh Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Yellow-rumped Warbler
PINE WARBLER (Singing and looking all spruced up for the breeding
season. Perhaps I should've said these warblers were 'pining away'
for spring?)
Eastern Meadowlark
Boat-tailed Grackle (At the tip of the island)
---------------------------------------------
Location: Elliott Island Road x Kraft Neck Road
Red-shouldered Hawk
American Kestrel
Killdeer
Lesser Yellowlegs
Dunlin
---------------------------------------------
Location: Griffith Neck Rd X Henry's Cross Rd
Green-winged Teal
Red-tailed Hawk
Lesser Yellowlegs
Wilson's Snipe
---------------------------------------------
Location: Blackwater Refuge Loop (WHERE THE RAINS BEGAN TO FALL AND
THE SKY OPENED UP!)
Snow Goose
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN (State Bird for me.)
Osprey (So great to see them back... and to hear them as well.)
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Killdeer
Dunlin
Tree Swallow (Lots and lots of them... drinking and diving and
flitting about after soaking up the 40 minute downpour.)
---------------------------------------------
I made a wrong turn towards the Slaughter Creek Bridge. The rain
subsided, the skies got clear and it was a GOOD thing I made the wrong
turn. Flying up from a field on the left was a GOLDEN EAGLE. A Life
Bird for me. I celebrated. High 5's all around.
Soon after, I dropped Andy off at the outlets. I should tell you, Andy
and I are BOTH proud parents of 3 month old infants. Unfortunately,
Andy had to assemble some furniture (hope that it all went together
okay Andy!). Me? Household chores are my TO DO list for tomorrow.
But this afternoon, my wife was happily occupied and my son was busy
being oogled and coddled by my parents. So I headed back South for a
quick visit with Les Roslund! Les and I had a wonderful conversation
and he introduced me to all of the birds in the Tunis Mills area.
Thank you Les for introducing me to the local PINE SISKINS!
Finally, I wanted to mention that Bill Hubick and I observed a raft of
2,800 CANVASBACKS last night (Friday) from the side street near the
toll booth at the Bay Bridge. (The MD Transportation Police thought
we were nuts out in the pouring rain. I admit, they might be
correct.) The Canvasbacks were rafting on the South side of the bridge
in the Westinghouse Pond. While Bill was examining every last
Canvasback for a REDHEAD (there were none to be found), I saw this
long black fox/cat/ferret looking thing cross the street and dive into
the water. Soon Bill and I were treated to some great views of a
RIVER OTTER! State Mammal for Bill, a lifer for me! We finished the
night off with one AMERICAN WOODCOCK peeeeenting away off of Whitehall
Road.
Lesson learned... Bad Weather = Great Birding.
Have a nice Sunday,
Dan Haas
West Annapolis, MD
http://wahzoh.blogspot.com/ |