Hi Everyone,

Today was our coldest morning so far this fall, but at least the NW winds were light.  Doug Ruby, a herpetologist and birder from UMES, joined us today.  It was also good to run into Mikey and Jo Anna at Bayside, and we got to bird with them for part of the morning.  Two SU students are hanging tough: Dana Bronecke, who hasn't missed a week since she started and who has just registered for an eBird account, and Patrick Masterson, who comes out now and then.

Nothing extraordinary to report, but we're still enjoying those large concentrations of Surf Scoters.  Mikey spotted a Merlin that spooked up some robins as it shot through.  A Fox Sparrow continues at the far western end of Bayside.  American Goldfinches were moving through in small numbers, and we heard a single Pine Siskin.  Who knows what other finches might be passing by there today...

Have fun,

Ron Gutberlet
Salisbury, MD
 


Location:     Assateague I. NS--Bayside
Traveling Count:  7:25-9:00 am, 0.25 mi
Observers: Ron Gutberlet, Dana Bronecke, Jo Anna Leachman, Mikey Lutmerding, Patrick Masterson, Doug Ruby

Weather: 39-41 F, mostly cloudy, wind NW 5-6 mph, barometric pressure 30.02-30.05 in, relative humidity 50-61%, no precipitation (weather data from www.accuweather.com for Ocean City, MD)

Double-crested Cormorants: flying south in 2 small flocks of 5 and 8.

Number of species:     32

Brant     8
Canada Goose     6
American Black Duck     7
Mallard     1
Surf Scoter     578
Bufflehead     165
Hooded Merganser     2
Red-breasted Merganser     18
Common Loon     5
Double-crested Cormorant     13
Great Blue Heron     6
Merlin     1
Sanderling     7
Ring-billed Gull     11
Herring Gull     45
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)     4
swallow sp.     3
Carolina Wren     2
American Robin     22
Northern Mockingbird     2
Brown Thrasher     1
European Starling     28
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)     27
Chipping Sparrow     1
Fox Sparrow     1
Song Sparrow     2
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)     12
Red-winged Blackbird     12
Eastern Meadowlark     1
Common Grackle     3
Pine Siskin     1
American Goldfinch     27


Location:     Assateague I. NS--Bayside Campground
Traveling Count:  9:00-9:40 am, 0.75 mi
Observers: Ron Gutberlet, Dana Bronecke, Patrick Masterson, Doug Ruby

Weather: 41 F, mostly cloudy, wind NW 6 mph, barometric pressure 30.05 in, relative humidity 50%, no precipitation (weather data from www.accuweather.com for Ocean City, MD)

Number of species:     23

American Black Duck     17
Surf Scoter     200
Bufflehead     49
Black-bellied Plover     1
Ruddy Turnstone     1
Sanderling     1
Dunlin     4
Ring-billed Gull     1
Herring Gull     32
Tree Swallow     20
Carolina Wren     3
Hermit Thrush     1
American Robin     109
Gray Catbird     4
Northern Mockingbird     1
Brown Thrasher     1
European Starling     1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)     21
White-throated Sparrow     4
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)     36
Northern Cardinal     6
Red-winged Blackbird     1
American Goldfinch     12

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)