Forwarded from Jay Sheppard:

 

From:  [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Tuesday, December 29, 2009 8:44 PM
Subject: OC count results

 

Ocean City Christmas Bird Count preliminary results

 

Monday Dec. 28

 

149 species recorded (ave. for past 30 yr= 146, range for past 12 years
147-163)

 

New all-time high count for Common Eider: 57 (prev. high 21), with majority
found around the south jetty at the Inlet, but others seen in smaller
numbers in surf from OC down along Assateague Island.  2 King Eiders and 3
Harlequin ducks were seen on Sunday (12/27) at the south Jetty, too, but
only one King could be identified among the 44 eiders there on Monday; the
harlequins were there on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

 

Two significant misses for this 62nd count in OC:  White-winged Scoter and
Common Yellowthroat.  The scoter had been recorded on all previous 61 counts
and the yellowthroat on 48 of the 61 counts.

 

Highlights: Red-necked Grebe, Eared Grebe and Dovekie were all seen in the
Inlet on Count morning, but not seen again that day or Tuesday morning, to
my knowledge.  Two Blue-winged Teal were present on the West Ocean City Pond
on Golf Course Rd. on the count day.  Three separate Cackling Geese were
spotted among the many thousands of larger Canada Geese.  Two Ross' Geese
flew over West Ocean City on Monday morning.  A Baltimore Oriole was found
in a tall pine grove on the west side of the Assateague State Park
campground.  Nearby in the campground were two small flocks of Snow
Buntings.  72 Northern Gannets and one Brown Pelican were also counted
Monday.  A Common Moorhen was found on the count Monday at some place I have
no clue were....other than it was somewhere south of Berlin 3-7 miles.

 

One Tuesday (today), 3 Great Cormorants were in the Inlet but they had not
been present on either Sunday or Monday for the actual count!