Hi Everyone,

John Hubbell and I decided to brave the 300% percent humidity and do some birding on the Eastern Shore this afternoon. We headed straight for the Route 50 Borrow Pit to look for Mikey Lutmerding's WHITE IBIS, but alas we didn't locate it at either 11:00 a.m. or 2:00 p.m. Jim Stasz did spot the ibis at around 7:30 or 8:00 a.m. We spent the rest of the day checking fields and ponds in Wicomico, Dorchester, and Caroline Counties. 

John spotted our best bird of the day while I ran into a gas station in Federalsburg. A CLIFF SWALLOW zipped by, always a good bird on the Eastern Shore, and John was kind enough to come get me. As we watched, the bird returned 3 or 4 times and was gathering mud from a puddle in the dirt parking lot. The location is just west of Marshyhope Creek and just north of Rte 318 on Rte 308 (Main St). The address of the gas station is 523 S Main St, Federalsburg. I talked to Jim Stasz about the sighting and he said this is probably the first nesting record for Caroline County. It appears so. I checked all of the previous Atlas records, including the latest results, and found no previous records for Caroline. 

Good birding!

Bill

Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland

http://www.billhubick.com