Folks
The better direction to my website is www.georgejett.net.  It sound catchy 
and is easier to remember.
Thanks Dan for the plug.
George

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dan haas" <>
To: <>
Sent: Monday, November 10, 2008 6:00 PM
Subject: [MDOSPREY] Assateague Island Weekend


> Folks,
>
> I spent two days on the shore this past weekend.  Saturday, I noticed
> this silver Subaru wagon with a "Save the Mattawoman" bumper sticker
> pulling out in front of me onto Route 50 East near the Queenstown
> Outlets.  It was none other than George & Gwen Jett.  I called him at
> a stop light to learn that we were both headed to the same location.
> George was on his way to photograph the Clay-Colored Sparrow for his
> ABC fund-raising big photo year (more info here:
> http://www.georgejett.com). And me? Well, I just wanted to add one
> more to the life list.  I'm attempting, in a much easier way, to reach
> the $1,000 donation mark for ABC in 2008... with my music sales (from
> http://cdbaby.com/cd/danhaasbensbones).  I've earned over $700 thus
> far.  I would like to publicly thank George for his effort, and
> hopefully I might be able help him find at least one more bird for his
> project before the year's end.
>
> Moving on... this email was posted on Delaware's list serv, but it
> applies here in MD too.
>
> ---------------------
>
> Hello all,
>
> Forrest Rowland speaking. Due to some speculation as of late regarding
> what I'd rather see more in Delaware (White-winged Crossbill or Snowy
> Owl) I decided to check some other listservs North of us. As many of
> you may have already noticed, both are appearing in large numbers, but
> Snowy Owl is leading the race to Delaware.
>
> There are reports of Snowy Owl from Every Coastal State North of New
> Jersey already. In Connecticut this species is being seen at 3
> separate locations. Snowies turned up weeks ago in Massachusetts. Most
> enticing is the report with accompanying photo of a Snowy Owl seen
> last week South of us, at Chincoteague. So far, it looks like this
> could be a Winter for Snowy Owl.
>
> Other birds to look for in the coming weeks include Western Kingbird
> (3 seen over the past week at various places in NJ) and Townsend's
> Solitaire, which are nearly annual in New Jersey, but very rare here.
> Both perch conspicuously atop trees and Western Kingbirds frequently
> use telephone lines and roadsigns as perches to hawk insects from.
>
> Good luck to everyone.
>
> ---------------------
>
> Now, back to the Worcester County weekend...
>
> I had no luck finding the Clay-Colored Sparrow on Saturday in between
> the downpours of rain.  But, in the afternoon I managed to run into
> Gwen and George (yet again, this time not in a moving vehicle) at the
> Bayside campground loop B &C.  Gwen spotted a very nice DICKCISSEL
> feasting in the grass with the zillions (technical term for lots and
> lots) of sparrows. Great spot. Thank you Gwen!
>
> I drove home in the dark happy, despite missing that elusive
> Clay-Colored Sparrow.
>
> So very early on Sunday (the wife and son are in FLA for the weekend),
> I decided to go birding again.  Decisions, Decisions... Drive to
> Western, MD and meet up with J.B. Churchill
> (http://www.westernmdbirding.com/) in the forecasted snow and rain, or
> head back to Worcester County's forecasted sun and yes, hopefully...
> finally... see that sparrow?
>
> Coin flip.... drumroll... tails wins.
>
> Welcome to Assateague Island.
>
> At 4AM, I picked up Chris Murray, fresh off of his night-shift working
> at the cafe in Annapolis (he enjoys birding on no sleep whatsoever)
> and we headed East.  Immediately after arriving on the island, we
> scanned the campground loop, famous recent home of this
> much-sought-after Clay-Colored Sparrow. In the distance, we both hear
> a Screech Owl calling.  I mean, this owl sounded exactly like the
> Stokes CD owl.  It was as if that very bird was giving a performance
> just for us, as it had for the Stokes.  'What a nice welcome', we
> think.
>
> Then, we hear a distant scream emanating from the direction of the bay
> "AUDUBON'S!!!!"
>
> Quickly we discover that we are not alone on the island.  The tribe
> had spoken.  Ok, well... Bill Hubick had spoken.  He had located an
> Audubon's Yellow-Rumped Warbler feeding on the beach area near the
> canoe building.  I'll let him tell you the rest of that story.
>
> Lucky for Chris and I, the island was littered with the Hall of Fame
> of Maryland's Birding Community... except you of course... the person
> reading this email who didn't make the trip to the island this
> weekend.  You were missed.
>
> I digress.
>
> After a fine morning of birding the canoe launch and parking area, a
> group of us venture off to check the campground loop to search for
> rarities.  Again, no Clay-Colored Sparrows were seen.  While we slowly
> walked the loop, Mikey Lutmerding gets a phone call from Jim Stasz
> back at the parking lot.  The Clay-colored Sparrow was hanging out
> with two Savannah Sparrows.  You know what happens next...  we walk
> back to zero sign of the bird.
>
> Chris and I returned one last time yesterday to look one more time
> before the sun set.  Again, the bird remained hidden.
>
> Upset? Not a chance.  I'm happy to report that I located ONE of the
> famous resident EURASIAN COLLARED DOVES at South Point, thanks to J.B.
> Churchill's little word of advice he gave over the phone to me
> yesterday afternoon. "I sometimes like to look in those pine trees by
> the red house," he told me.  At  that point, I look up and see the
> large, pale dove.  Thanks J.B. A photo of this lovely dove is now on
> my blog.
>
> Other interesting birds this weekend: a WHITE-WINGED SCOTER from South
> Point on Saturday, an OSPREY headed up and North from Eagle's Nest
> Campground, a male PRAIRIE WARBLER that I saw last week and again on
> Saturday on the Western shore of the bridge onto Assateague Island.
> Oh, and there were those few SWALLOWS that stayed just far enough away
> to confirm any identification.
>
> As far as the Snowy Owl irruption mentioned by Mr. Rowland above, in
> the past I recall hearing stories of Snowy Owls in Hillsmere section
> of Annapolis, on some telephone polls on Elliott Island Road (I
> believe it was that road)... but maybe some of you who've been doing
> this for some time might lend your expertise to areas most likely to
> have a visiting Snowy?
>
> Finally, as for any detailed report from yesterday... information
> about that muddy field on Rt 50 that Mikey found laden with waders, or
> the tallies from a quick trip around the Rum Pointe Golf Course, or
> even the full report from our morning on the island... well, I'll
> leave that to any of the other fine birders that were present.
>
> Good Birding All,
>
> Dan Haas
> West Annapolis, MD
> 
> http://wahzoh.blogspot.com/