As I ponder in my Assateague Pointe "cottage" after a post-birding day nap - was that all the sleep I get? It's almost time to go out again.  I can reflect on the truly wonderful past 48 hours of intense birding, camaraderie and the sheer joy of birding in a wonderful place at a wonderful time.  The juxtaposition of yesterday - cold, brutally windy, a great flight day - with Saturday's, wet, foggy, summer-like warmth, couldn't be more stark.  At the same time, many of the birds spanned both days and the passion and effort of the birders didn't wavier for a minute.
I must admit I was a bit skeptical seven or so years ago when Marshall Iliff first proposed the Worcester "rarity roundup". Maybe he was a little Cape May jealous, or just trying to get others to beef-up his state list.  It wouldn't have been the first time.  We will never know for sure.  But regardless, it was an idea based on the perfect storm that has punctuated many East Coast hotspots over the past 20 years.  A funky "under birded" period, mid-November, that had a developed a track record of the down-right awesome in our adjacent states.  But it has not been without some growing pains.  The first year scored an Ash-throated Flycatcher, Worcester's first, well twitched on day two (http://www.pbase.com/wcbirding/atfl).  And other many great birds have been found since (don't ask me if the numbers are in my Worcester data base yet...), but still at times it seemed more effort than it was worth.  It takes some planning, dedication, resources and arm-twisting to make it happen ever
y year.
This was a year that made it all worthwhile.  Kudos to the planning team of Bill Hubick and from five states away Matt Hafner.  And the 24 or so observers who made it all happen.  From the initial intake of mexican food at Hafner's hangout, "the Plaza" (not to mention the 32 oz cold ones) the plans were laid, lies told, egos challenged.  In addition to finding good birds, we new we had one other objective, to carry George over the finish line in his quest to be the first person to photograph 300 species in Maryland in one year...  And unlike a Christmas count, the rules here are a little different.  We don't have any.  And we saw it all this year. Poaching, not doing your sector, birding in a different county (oh my!!), it got downright ugly.  But in the end it all worked our as planned.
Saturday's highlights.  After listening to a saw-whet owl call back to me on Assateague, in the predawn darkness I had a quick talk with a couple park rangers - the Snowy Owl (first found Friday a week ago) had been seen a couple days ago in the ORV zone, a good omen.  I alerted the ORV team of Arnold and Graff.  They had the bird in the bag by 9:30 am and it was well twitch by all who wanted it on both Saturday (when it was just south of the Fox Hill Levels) and Sunday (when it was just south of Hungerford).  Both times on top of dune 100-200 yards west of the edge of the drivable beach. Four pics at  http://www.pbase.com/wcbirding/snow_20081115.  New for my photographed in Wor cester list!!
The day was still young when my first of many text messages lit up "bggn at hooper's" from Bill Hubick. Sweet. Great November bird.  Maybe a sign that a bunch of lingering half-hardies were still around, though this really did not prove to be the case. Then this bizarre tm from Stasz "Sandwich at Vessey's".   I didn't know they had a deli there. Was verizon's network and all those freaking guys following me lost in the parallel universe of Somerset County? The back roads down there can get a bit confusing.  Jim and Ed can explain, but a truly remarkable record.
It wasn't too much later a call came in, "Cave Swallows at the Berlin Ponds".  One of the reasons de etra for the entire count, we've never actually had them before (last year multiple birds the day after, http://www.pbase.com/wcbirding/casw).  With something like 100+ at Cape May we have got to be able to find some here again.  It was our boy Hubick, who seemed to lay a trail of fire this weekend wherever he went.  The birds were seem by JB Churchill and Dave Yearny - oh, did I mention this was in their territory? It is at least nice when you poach a great bird, the people who's sector it is in get to see it!  And that was it for Saturday, as despite ho urs of effort the birds were not seen there again that day.  Visitors were reward however, as Bill found yet another goodie, a single Brewer's Blackbird, handing our with three Rusties. Five pics at http://www.pbase.com/wcbirding/image/106031208. New for Jett's photo list.  Closing in.
Then the real shocker. "Ash-throated Flycatcher at 120th St in Ocean City". And with that what little order existed for the day seemed to quick collapse. Found by Tom Fields and crew, unfortunately the bird was seen briefly (and good photos were take), but it seemed to be on the move and was not relocated despite considerable effort.  It was in an unremarkable housing area and not sitting still and feeding like they usually are.  Wow!   A lot of time was spent trying to relocate this bird, but to no avail.  Teams then traded between chasing these goodies and working their own sectors.  It continued to rain off-and-on for much of the morning, and stayed very warm, in the mid-60s all day.
The last bird of the day (do I need to say Hubick again?), was an Audubon's Warbler he found at Riddle Farm just as the day was ending.  A great end to a great day.
The tally at my place was great, with good food, and a little more beer. Our species total was not great, about 151 by my current count, but quality always trumps quantity.  Other highlights include:  Common Eider (1) OC Inlet (the OC and Assateague teams are still fighting over who gets credit for this one), Ross' Goose (2, George Island Landing and Ironshire Station Road), Osprey (2, South Point, 1 Bayside Ponds), Willet (5, Eagle's Nest), Long-billed Dowitcher (1, Eagle's Nest). Piping Plover (1) (North Assateague), Red Knot (1) (North Assateague), Sedge Wren (2, Assateague ORV zone and State Park), Blue-headed Vireo (1, Pocomoke State Forest),  Ipswich Sparrow (11, North Assateague), Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow (1, Assateague State Park), Snow Bunting (5, North Assateague).
During the day and into the evening another big event happen.  A very strong weather system moved through, taking all the rain and warm air with it.  Dawn at bayside was extremely windy, blowing 20+ steady from the west.  The flight was great, as the dozen or so observers left over from Saturday gathering to count the hundreds and hundreds of migrating robins that kept trying to work there way over to the mainland.  Mixed in were many goldfinches, a few siskins, bluebirds, waxwings and blackbirds.  Just an amazing show.  Jim Stasz kept the official numbers (for ebird of course!), and I know he called one Red Crossbill which we all didn't hear.  He also had a very late wood-pewee (sp.), but unfortunately it chose to quickly join the dawn fight.  The most bizarre moment of the am was when it was down to me and Jim, and I was taking pictures of a Song Sparrow in the big clump of vegetation right at the point.  He says "there's a Grasshopper Sparrow!" in the clump next to the Song. It 
didn't see it, after looking for 45 minutes. Even later it was not unfound despite having Mikey Lutmerding do his best Assateague Pony imitation (rumors to the contrary, he really does love them) by crashing through the thicket the bird, until a little later when it was spotted just sitting on the edge of the parking lot! It flew to the edge of the thicket and the big lense boys among us were able to have quite a time with it.  Three pics at  http://www.pbase.com/wcbirding/image/106031731.  Also 2 latest Caspian Terns here.
We then split up. I worked the loops at Bayside where a roadsides were covered with sparrow flock, eventually finding a Clay-colored Sparrow in with a group of White-throats and chippies in the C-loop.  Not long after, the phone rang again, Jim Brighton and Mikey had Cave Swallow back at Berlin.  Another group chase ensued, but the birds proved as elusive as yesterday to the assembled masses.  
Jim and Mikey scored again, finding a nice drake Eurasian Wigeon at the Bayside development ponds (this is just north of Snug Harbor off 611). Three pics at http://www.pbase.com/wcbirding/image/106031769.  George where are you?  I think we all have his needs-list memorized by now.  Oh well, he was back to Vessey's looking for Jim's Lark Sparrow from last weekend, so it was an add for my George-Not big year.  And by the way, he did finally get the Lark Sparrow and #300!! So congrats for that, it was an incredible amount of effort and persistence.
I decided to try one more time for the swallows, and on walking along the dike a bright yellow bird flew up and back down into the thick growth. Yellow Warbler?!? I couldn't believe it, but it at least posed briefly for the camera.  A great month bird (MD has several records in December/early Jan).   Three pics at http://www.pbase.com/wcbirding/image/106031019. My best find of the weekend (thought I will be out today as well..).
And to top things off for me, I did spot a Cave Swallow over the ponds, it stayed very high the entire time, but I was able to watch it for 15 minutes or so, but it was too distant for photos.
Again, thanks to everybody for helping out, and if you missed the fun, there is always next year!!  Also I few of the observers still owe me there completed data - please mail or email them to me.  Thanks.
Good birding,
Mark L. Hoffman