I was birding this past w/e on the Eastern shore. I arrived on Friday (3/20)  about 6 PM and immediately visited a few places in Talbot County near where I was staying. One  of my goals for the weekend was to hit various locations looking for lingering waterfowl. I printed out a copy of Bill Hubick's and John Hubbell's adventures from the previous weekend and decided to hit some of these locations. I knew I would not go to all of the places they did but at the same time was interested in comparing what I saw at these stops a week later with what they had reported.

My first stop was viewing a private property pond on Rt. 33 south of Easton just before the intersection of Spring Road.  I parked on the shoulder of the road and viewed the pond on the outside of the extended rope across the private pathway. (PLEASE obey the sign and keep outside the rope if you visit) I was amazed by the number of N. Shovelers present. I counted the following: 

13 Mallards
9 Gadwall
105 N. Shovelers.

Spring Road Impoundments:

24 Mallards
7 Green-winged Teal
3 N. Shovelers


I then headed for Pickering Creek.  My secondary objective here was to hopefully hear A. Woodcock display. Waterfowl here included:

4 Mallards
11 Black Ducks
7 N. Pintail
20 green-winged Teal
4 Wood Duck
13 Tundra Swans-first heard and then seen flying over just before dusk.
I also saw 3 Bald Eagles; unfortunately I was shutout on the Woodcocks (too cold?).


Saturday, March 21
KENT COUNTY
 Blue-winged Teal was on my wish list for Kent County, the only dabbler that I still needed but I did not find any.

I started in Millington WMA with a short walk through the woods to a pond off of Black Bottom Road:

2 Mallards
4 Wood Duck
4 Ring-necked Ducks
12 Green-winged Teal
3 Hooded Mergansers

A pond NE of Galena off of Rt. 290: 

3 Mallards
5 Wood Duck
11 Gadwall
27 American Wigeon


CECIL COUNTY
Since I was very close to the Sassafras River I thought I would detour into Cecil County because I still need 4 dabblers for my county list. I decided to visit a place that I had driven by before but had not taken the time to walk into (no vehicles allowed). It is off of Grove Neck Road and is appropriately called Grove Neck Wildlife Sanctuary. On the Cecil County ADC Map it is located at Map 23 C-9. 

It looked inviting for waterfowl on the map, showing a good sized body of fresh water.  After a short 5 minute walk I was standing on a small bluff overlooking a small lake. I saw lots of ducks with my naked eye. A quick scan with the binoculars revealed lots of Ring-necked Ducks (a new county bird). I spent the next 20 minutes diligently scoping the lake. Too my surprise there was not one dabbler present, not even a mallard. 

Half way through my scoping I looked below me and saw a Turkey Vulture make a very low swoop over the  the reeds at the edge of the lake. Then I heard a "barking"-like sound and all of a sudden a good sized bird flew from left to right below me. I immediately followed it with my binoculars and was extremely surprised to be looking at a SHORT-EARED OWL! It caught me totally by surprise and was the first time I had ever been able to study this owl from above. Every other time I had seen them in the past they were mostly seen at eye level with quickly changing views from above and below. . It was nice to see the contrasting dark and light pattern of the wings from above. I watched the owl for approximately 10 seconds before it disappeared into the edge of a wooded area. A new county bird for me and I already knew that at 10:15 AM it would be my best bird of the day!

There were a few edges and corners I could not see completely to the left through the trees but still could not see any dabblers. I counted the following:

325-350 Ring-necked Ducks
7 Bufflehead
3 Greater Scaup. 
1 Short-eared Owl 

I look forward to returning here possibly later in the spring and trying to walk around the circumference of the lake.

BACK IN KENT COUNTY
A pond on Rt. 213:

3 Mallards
23 American Wigeon
3 Ring-necked Ducks

Waste Water Treatment Plant on John Hanson Road outside of Chestertown:

3 Mallards
23 A. Wigeon
170 N. Shovelers
3 Ring-necked Ducks13 Ruddy Ducks
4 Lesser Scaup
I also saw the single Bonaparte's Gull reported from the previous w/e


QUEEN ANNES COUNTY

There were 2 Tundra Swans on the pond off of Rt. 213 north of Rt. 309.

Rt. 309 Ponds: The first one on the left after turning off of Rt. 213: 

1300 - 1400 Snow Geese (not all were visible);closely picking through them was not possible due to the heat shimmer, but there were a number of blue phase among them.
21 Ring-necked Ducks
3 Green-winged Teal

The 2nd pond I came to on the right side of the road (this one has marshy edges):

5 Mallards
7 Green-winged Teal
3 N. Shovelers
1 Wilson's Snipe

The third pond also on the left side of the road:

1500 (approx.) Snow Geese
8 Green-winged Teal
11 Ring-necked Ducks

My last stop of the day (somewhat shortened in order to meet my wife and friends for dinner) was along the Tuckahoe Creek, Covey's Landing, Caroline County side but viewed from the Talbot County side (thanks Bill H.) for the tip about viewing the marshy area from a higher elevation back up Covey's Landing Road. Bill Harris drove in shortly after I arrived and we shared the following:

30 Mallard
4 Wood Ducks
4 Black Ducks
4 A. Wigeon (a county bird!)
18 Green-winged Teal
6 N. Pintail
4 Common Mergansers ( also seen on the Talbot County side). 

It was a great day of exploring and my unexpected encounter with the Short-eared Owl will surely last a long time.


On Sunday I joined the Talbot County Bird Club at Ferry Neck for a great morning of birding but I will  leave those results to their posting.

Jim Green
Gaithersburg, MD

WORK IN MODERATION, BIRD IN EXCESS!!!