Greetings,

We birded locally this morning, mostly at Chesapeake Farms. The water 
level in the main viewing pond near headquarters, off Ricaud's Branch 
Road is ideal for shorebirds. Highlight, as Stan Arnold recently posted, 
is a  female RUFF (REEVE) in alternate plumage. He first had the bird 
about eight this morning; we independently arrived about nine and spent 
some time taking notes and counting the rest of the horde of 10 other 
shorebird species. The Reeve gave the initial impression of being one of 
the Short-billed Dowitchers present because of its size (slightly larger 
than the dowitchers), the warm rusty brown coloration about its face and 
upper breast, and dark bars on its upper flanks. However the bird's 
rather small head, slender neck, and medium-length slightly decurved 
bill immediately showed it was not a dowitcher. Other field characters 
that we noted were orange-yellow legs, some pale coloration on the bill 
(toward the base), tertials prominently barred with black and buff, the 
scaly mantle with big black centers and buff fringes, and the narrow 
white rump patch. The other shorebirds included an impressive count of 
*1200* Semipalmated Sandpipers; 10 Least Sandpipers; a single 
WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER; 2 Black-bellied Plovers; 27 Semipalmated 
Plovers; 3 Killdeer; 130 Dunlin; 7 Short-billed Dowitchers; 8 Lesser 
Yellowlegs; and 2 Greater Yellowlegs. Stan (who had already departed for 
E. Neck I., returning after we left to re-find the Reeve at noon) had a 
single STILT SANDPIPER at the pond that was not present when we there. 
Also present were a late drake and hen GREEN-WINGED TEAL; a singing 
Yellow-breasted Chat; several thrashers; 3-4 Blue Grosbeaks; a 
Grasshopper Sparrow; and 2-3 Eastern Meadowlarks (great looks). Good 
luck to anyone who tires for the bird and remember to have your spotting 
scope (and camera) up front because observers are restricted to their 
cars on the Chesapeake Farms auto tour (including at the main pond).

Good birding,

Walter Ellison & Nancy Martin

23460 Clarissa Rd
Chestertown, MD 21620

phone: 410-778-9568

e-mail: rossgull(AT)baybroadband.net

Observing Nature is like unwrapping a big pile of presents every time 
you take a walk.