This report is provided on behalf of Talbot Bird Club Member Maggie Briggs -
George Adams is a Dorchester County birder.

Maryland Birders -  Here is a very challenging sighting for you to identify
- see below.  Perhaps the best thing to do is to go on down to Blackwater
and find the bird and get a few photographs.
 
 
Les Roslund
Talbot County
Easton MD 21601

-----Original Message-----
From:  [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Friday, January 23, 2009 11:15 AM
To: 
Subject: Fw: Odd bird

Les,
Can anyone identify this bird in message below?

Maggie Briggs
Visitor Services Manager
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge
Cambridge, MD  21613
410-901-6124 ext. 21

From: "George W. Adams" <>
Date: 01/22/2009 05:38PM
Subject: Odd bird


Surely my brother and I were not the only persons to see this bird about
2:30 pm Monday 19 Jan, looking south from Key Wallace Drive about halfway
between admin buidling and visitor center.  Good, flat light. Neither of us
has a clue; can anyone suggest someone who can help?  Thanks, sorry to
bother, best to all.  George Adams 

------------------------------------------------------- 
Seen from about 100 feet with the unaided eye, in short grass.   
  
Generally it appeared brown and white like the camouflage of a ptarmigan,
except I would describe this as more blotchy white than mottled white
because brown was in large blotches and appearing to be irregularly located.
What looks like a valuable field mark is the red brown, almost male robin
breast color, covering the abdomen.   
  
In general it was killdeer sized, shaped (although, with the mottled
markings, shape was not clear), and habitat.   It seemed to prefer a small
area of wetter soil in the field. 
  
>From the back with wings and tail spread it had a black tail with thin 
>white
line down the side edges.   Less clearly seen were the markings on the
generally dark or black wings seen partly open on a bird that is more
hopping than flying.   There was a faint white line that appeared to be base
of primaries or edge of primary coverts.   There was a brighter white line
that appeared to be parallel to the body and maybe ¼ way out the
secondaries.   It might have been about the distal edge of the tertials, or
in the not fully extended wing it might have been about the base of the
secondaries or edge of the secondary greater coverts.