Hi Everyone,

Matt Hafner and I decided to meet for an impromptu bay watch at Fort Smallwood this afternoon, and were joined for much of our visit by Smallwood's finest, Ranger Matt Grey. Soon after rounding the southeast corner of the pond, Matt H. scoped a very distant white object that might be a large bird. We observed the possible bird intently, going so far as saying that if it WAS a bird, it was an adult gannet. Fortunately, the haze conditions quickly improved and we had good looks at the black wingtips, head color, and bill shape. Over the next hour, we would have much better views of the bird, both floating and in flight. It was right before our eyes, and yet the question was WHERE was it. For a county lister, this question is of the utmost importance. For anyone who hasn't been keeping score, gannets are easily found in Anne Arundel and Queen Anne's Counties, at least south of the Bay Bridge, in late March and early April. They're very rare north of the Bay
 Bridge and there are few records from Kent and Baltimore Counties. And so we began noting distant landmarks--the water tower in Rock Hall, a large brick building--on the far side of the Bay in Kent County. We dialed our county listing Zen master Jim Stasz for guidance. Jim pointed out that the bird might already be in Baltimore County.

As we watched (~5:45 to 7:00), it took off and flew several times, usually flying north a bit and landing. At one point THREE Northern Gannets were visible, the other two a bit further south and a little closer to our shore. This might be a new high count north of the Bay Bridge (?).

After spending considerable time viewing Google Maps, Mapquest, and other resources, Matt H. and I are now confident that the original gannet was in Baltimore Co. Read on only if prepared for county listing minutiae. 

At its northernmost point, we scanned the landmarks across the Bay and found the bird a number of scope views north (left) of the Rock Hall water tower. The bird was left of a red channel marker, then a red house with a significant white feature on it, and slightly left of a large brick building. It was some distance to the right of the Craighill Channel (Front) lighthouse. If you draw a line from the south jetty at Fort Smallwood to Rock Hall, you pass just south of the the tri-county line. The bird was well north of this point. We also noted that the bird was to the left of an imaginary line drawn straight out from the south jetty at Fort Smallwood. This line is well north of the tri-county line. From our viewing point, the bird appeared to be the same distance or a bit further away than the Craighill Channel (Front) lighthouse. This draws a crude crosshairs squarely in Baltimore County. We think this is a solid Baltimore gannet record, but invite any
 comments from those better versed in the geography. It was a pretty exciting bay watch!

Also present were Gadwall (2), Bufflehead (95), Red-breasted Merganser (1 hen), Ruddy Duck (18), Red-throated Loon (20; many quite distant), Osprey (4), Spotted Sandpiper (first of the season at the park), Bonaparte's Gulls (~35), and Barn Swallow (my first of the year at the park). 

Good birding!

Bill

Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland

http://www.billhubick.com