Hi Everyone,

This afternoon (18 April 2009) from about 5:30-7:00, a well marked WHITE-FACED IBIS (breeding adult) was in a flock of approximately 100 Glossy Ibis in Berlin.  The afternoon light was perfect for observing the red eyes and the red facial skin with a white border; the red legs were also evident.  I made a few calls to folks nearby and learned that Jim Stasz had found a White-faced Ibis earlier in the day near Snow Hill.  I got some digiscopes of the Berlin bird, and Mike Burchett and Betsy Bangert made it in time to see it before it flew off to the south.  Some of the Glossy Ibis began leaving around 6:00.  Fewer than 5 remained when Mike and Betsy arrived--fortunately one was the White-faced, which ultimately was the last one to leave!  Mike got photos too!

The bird flock, which also included many gulls and yellowlegs, was on the east side of Rt 113 just south of Rt 346 in a big grass field with standing water.  This location is only slightly south and east of the Berlin WWTP, which is just south of Rt 50.  I saw the ibis and gulls here when I drove by earlier in the day (about 10:00 am), but we were on the way to Assateague for a school trip, and I couldn't stop to look.  So... it's possible that the White-faced Ibis was there all day, but I can't confirm that.

Other birds here included:

Blue-Winged Teal--1 male
Snowy Egret--1
Cattle Egret--1 (we watched it eat 2 fairly large frogs)
Greater Yellowlegs--30+
Lesser Yellowlegs--2
Bonaparte's Gull--3

Have fun,

Ron Gutberlet
Salisbury, MD