The report below is provided on behalf of Talbot Bird Club Member Steve Ford
of Easton.
 
Les Roslund
Talbot County
Easton MD 21601
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Ford (Choptank) [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 10:30 AM
To: Les Roslund
Subject: Dorchester County


Hello to All.
Headed down to Dorchester County Sunday morning to do a half days worth of
birding.   I was the only birder at the Cambridge  waterfront at 715am.  The
ducks were scattered and sitting outside a ways.  A few L. Scaup were diving
inside the marina but didnt see the Tufted Duck.  There were 2 drake Wood
Ducks mixed in with the flock of at Great Marsh Park.
After picking up most of the common species and missing the famous 3, i
heading down Egypt Road.  It was calm and good conditions and birds were
moving.  Found a nice flock of Rusty Blackbirds at the S turn low spot.
They were on the move and i estimated 30-40 there.  A couple of the weedy
areas further down yielded Field Sparrows and most of the other usually seen
species.  After arriving at the refuge, Chipping Sparrows and a huge flock
of Goldfinches were at the intersection of Egypt and Key Wallace Roads. 
I drove down Shorters Wharf Road to the last stand of pines.  Had 2 Fox
Sparrows there, had them singing in early December in same place, along with
the usual Brown Headed Nuthatches and a reliable Hairy Woodpecker.  Many
Bald Eagles.  For those of you that didnt know it, this is an excellent
place to stop and listen.  Heading back to the Wildlife Drive, had a nice
Red Shouldered Hawk along the way. 
Found 14 White Pelicans on the Wildlife Drive along with many Snow and
Canada Geese and a huge flock of Puddle Ducks mostly Mallards. I exited left
at the end of the drive and headed down to Hoopers island.  I use Hip Roof
Road to get there and found a good flock of Hooded Mergs on the little
bridge almost at the end of it.  Didnt find anything special at Hoopers but
did have 30 Brown Pelicans between the big bridge and Hoopersville.  A flock
of about 40 Tree Swallows floated along the marsh area almost to
Hoopersville.  There were many ducks scattered about and I saw a couple of
Red Breasted Mergs and Long Tailed Ducks right next to the road for close
viewing.  
On the way back I always stop at the Harriet Tubman Trail on Hip Roof Road.
This is the best place I know to hike in Dorchester County.  The species are
all indicative of the region and its very remote.  The trail is wet in the
woods sometimes.  I didnt spend long there but did add a few common species
to my mornings list.  Back on Hip Roof Road i had a Woodcock right on the
shoulder of the road next to the gate just up from the end of the road.  As
I turned back to the refuge and about half way between Hip Roof and the
little bridge just below the Wildlife Drive exit, there was an American
Bittern standing in the ditch on the southbound side of the road.  It was
inside the wooded portion of the road but near the end of the woods.  Same
place i saw a hen Ring Necked Pheasant 2 weeks ago.  I headed back to
Cambridge and found the Tufted Duck about 11:30am this time around but still
didnt see the other 2.  Missed Harry's Iceland Gull too.  Tallied 80 species
for the morning.
 
 
Steve Ford
 
 
Steve Ford
Choptank Transport Inc.
800-568-2240 ext 135
Fax 410-673-9877
steve. <blocked::mailto:[log in to unmask]>

www.choptanktransport.com <blocked::http://www.choptanktransport.com/>