Message:

[

Previous   Next

]

By Topic:

[

Previous   Next

]

Subject:

Assateague--9/4/2009--White Ibis flock

From:

Ronald Gutberlet

Reply-To:

Ronald Gutberlet

Date:

Fri, 4 Sep 2009 16:06:45 -0400

Hi Everyone,

Today (4 Sept 2009, 7:15-10:50 am), John Bax, Carol Broderick, Scott Housten, and I began our weekly observation of fall migration through Assateague.  A surprise flock of at least 30 immature WHITE IBIS was our undisputed highlight.  TREE SWALLOWS were moving through steadily, but in general the passerine flight was modest.  Other highlights included fly-by MARBLED GODWIT (2 together) and WHIMBREL (flock of 7).

We first saw the White Ibis when they flew low over the main road to Bayside near the east end of Bayside Campground.  We later refound them with a very large group of egrets and herons in the marsh near campsite A14.

Our full lists from Bayside and Bayside Campground are below.

Have fun,

Ron Gutberlet
Salisbury, MD
 


Location:     Assateague I. NS--Bayside, 7:15-8:15 am
Observation date:     9/4/09
Observers: Ron Gutberlet, John Bax, Carol Broderick, and Scott Housten.
Weather (from accuweather.com for Ocean City, MD): overcast, 73-71 F, wind N at 9-11 mph, relative humidity 78%, barometric pressure 29.96-29.97 in, visibility 5-10 miles.
Note: One flock of 30 passerines passed high but went unidentified (size and shape may have been right for Baltimore Oriole).
Number of species:     27

Brown Pelican     14
Double-crested Cormorant     17
Great Blue Heron     2
Great Egret     3
Snowy Egret     7
Little Blue Heron     4
Osprey     1
Cooper's Hawk     1     appeared to be hunting around the parking area
Willet     1     fly-over, presumably a western
Laughing Gull     49
Ring-billed Gull     1
Herring Gull     5
Caspian Tern     4
Royal Tern     14
Mourning Dove     7     flying from Assateague to the mainland
Eastern Kingbird     4
Barn Swallow     1
Carolina Chickadee     1
Carolina Wren     2
Gray Catbird     6
European Starling     1
Cedar Waxwing     3
Yellow Warbler     1
American Redstart     11
warbler sp.     21
Red-winged Blackbird     9
Baltimore Oriole     7


Location:     Assateague I. NS--Bayside Campground, 8:20-10:50 am
Observation date:     9/4/09
Observers: Ron Gutberlet, John Bax, Carol Broderick, Scott Housten.
Weather (from accuweather.com for Ocean City, MD): overcast, 71-77 F, wind N 11-10 mph, relative humidity 78 to 63 to 66%, barometric pressure 29.97-30.00 in, visibility 9-10 miles.
Number of species:     46

American Black Duck     4     at marsh by campsite A14
Double-crested Cormorant     8
Great Egret     67     (64 were at marsh by campsite A14)
Snowy Egret     159     (155 were at marsh by campsite A14)
Little Blue Heron     54     (50 were at marsh by campsite A14)
Tricolored Heron     10     (8 were at marsh by campsite A14)
Cattle Egret     4     at marsh by campsite A14
Green Heron     1
White Ibis     32     at marsh by campsite A14
Glossy Ibis     19     at marsh by campsite A14
Osprey     1
Northern Harrier     1     at marsh by campsite A14
Black-bellied Plover     2
Greater Yellowlegs     4     at marsh by campsite A14
Lesser Yellowlegs     1     at marsh by campsite A14
Whimbrel (American)     7     fly-by in a single flock
Marbled Godwit     2     both flew by together
Sanderling     8     at marsh by campsite A14
Least Sandpiper     21     at marsh by campsite A14
Laughing Gull     28
Ring-billed Gull     2
Herring Gull     2
Caspian Tern     6
Forster's Tern     2
Royal Tern     14
Mourning Dove     1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo     1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird     3
Eastern Kingbird     1
Fish Crow     3
crow sp.     4
Tree Swallow     145
Barn Swallow     3
swallow sp.     2
Carolina Wren     5
Gray Catbird     11
Brown Thrasher     3
European Starling     1
Yellow Warbler     4
Black-and-white Warbler     2
American Redstart     4
Eastern Towhee     1
Northern Cardinal     4
Red-winged Blackbird     3
Boat-tailed Grackle     4
Baltimore Oriole     11

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)