Hi Everyone,

Thanks very much for the helpful suggestions about favorite birding sites around the state--I'll be trying to put them to good use all week!  I will post a summary of these locations sometime in the near future, but for now I wanted to share a little news from the first day of the Home Again Tour.

WORCESTER COUNTY
A flock of about 1500 Snow Geese was present along US 50  (westbound side) near the Hwy 90 exit to Ocean Pines.  I tried several scans with the scope but did not see any Ross's.  At South Point, I saw two of the EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES near the red house at the end of the road.

From Hooper's Restaurant, I counted 192 Brant, 10 American Oystercatchers, and a single LAUGHING GULL (adult breeding).  At the Ocean City Inlet, 5 COMMON EIDERS (2 first winter males and 3 females) were keeping company with 3 Surf Scoters.  These birds were well hidden by the south jetty, and I didn't see them until I walked to the tip of the north jetty and scoped back toward the south jetty.  At the OC Inlet, I also enjoyed close views of Northern Gannets and was a little surprised to see a single American Robin flying in from the ocean at about 11:00 am.

SOMERSET COUNTY
In the town of Rumbley, I saw my only 2 Tree Swallows and only Forster's Tern of the day.  Deal Island WMA yielded a Tricolored Heron--perhaps the one that has been there all winter--and great views of 2 Short-eared Owls in full sun (ca. 4:30 pm).  I did not see the Little Blue Herons that were with the Tricolored Heron earlier this winter.

WICOMICO COUNTY
I snuck back into Wicomico County through the back door (Whitehaven Ferry) and encountered a flock of 22 Wild Turkeys on Clara Rd on my way to Nanticoke Rd.  Surf Scoters have been present in good numbers along the lower Nanticoke River this winter, but 57 was still a pretty impressive count at the Cedar Hill Marina.  Three LAUGHING GULLS were also present.  Later at the end of the "Campground Rd"--a gravel road right next to the road to Roaring Point County Park--I saw a RED-THROATED LOON fly by.  (Thank you, Carol Broderick, for educating me about this road!)

At the Wetipquin Boat Ramp, I was able to pish and whistle up a Gray Catbird just before dusk.  An attempt for American Woodcock on Cherry Walk Road from 7:30 to 7:50 pm was unsuccessful, but I was treated to a large chorus of spring peepers accompanied by chorus frogs, wood frogs, and a Killdeer.

What a day! 

With respect to the fun and games, here are the stats so far as Carol and I (sometimes just I, like today) attempt to bird in every MD county by next Sunday.  To make things interesting, we're trying for 1000 total ticks along the way, which requires an average of about 44 species per county.  Today:

Worcester County--76 species
Somerset County--52 species
Wicomico County--43 species

Total species for the day: 94
Total ticks for the day: 171

Number of species recorded in all 3 counties: 26, including Common Loon, Osprey, Greater Yellowlegs, and Pine Warbler

The full lists will be transcribed into eBird as soon as I get the chance.

I didn't allow for much time in Wicomico today, and plan to bird it a little more tomorrow or the next day.

Have fun,

Ron Gutberlet
Salisbury, MD