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Subject:

Eastern Shore Highlights, 1/9/10

From:

Bill Hubick

Reply-To:

Bill Hubick

Date:

Sat, 9 Jan 2010 20:48:32 -0800

Hi Everyone,

I joined Mikey Lutmerding, John Hubbell, Jim Green, and Dan Small for a memorable day of winter birding in Wicomico and Worcester Counties. Our day started and ended with failed attempts for tough-in-county owls, but between these misses was non-stop quality birding and several exciting finds. Our highlights were two ROSS'S GEESE along Route 50 in Wicomico Co., a GLAUCOUS GULL and two ICELAND GULLs at the Salisbury Landfill, a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE in Worcester Co., a RED KNOT and 57(!) COMMON EIDERS at the Inlet, and a NELSON'S and a SALTMARSH SPARROW in southernmost Worcester Co.

Here are the abridged eBird reports with some of my in-line comments. I'd clean this up a bit, but I'd risk not getting this out until later tomorrow. 

Western Wicomico - Had Great Horned Owl and Eastern Screech-Owl while making about five stops to try for saw-whets

Route 50 Quarry (Wicomico Co.)

Stopped at the quarry east of Barren Creek Road after seeing a massive Snow Goose flock assembled here. Spent 40 minutes scanning with four scopes and ultimately picked out a couple Ross's, one of which was cooperative in the front of the flock

Snow Goose--6000. Impressive, very densely concentrated flock that could have easily been closer to 10,000 birds. We agreed based on various methods of estimation that 6,000 was a close but conservative estimate. 

ROSS'S GOOSE--2. One tiny adult in the front row studied well via scope, spotted by Mikey (digiscoped by Mikey). Another individual picked out in the back by John only.
Tundra Swan--15
American Black Duck--2
Mallard--11
Ring-necked Duck--35
American Pipit--1
Field Sparrow--1

Brick Kiln Road (Wicomico Co.)

Stopped to bird a hedgerow when we flushed a group of sparrows from the roadside.

Hermit Thrush--3
Brown Thrasher--1
Chipping Sparrow--12
Field Sparrow--7

Salisbury landfill

Snow Goose--105. Flyover flock
Canada Goose--720
Ring-billed Gull--380
Herring Gull (American)--2400
Herring x Glaucous Gull (hybrid)--2. One classic first-cycle and one third-cycle studied well via scope, but too distant for useful photos.
Iceland Gull (Kumlien's)--2. Two first-cycle birds seen at the same time, one spotted by Mikey, the other by John. One repeatedly relocated and photographed at close range. 
Lesser Black-backed Gull--8. Two first-cycle, three third-cycle, and three adults.
Glaucous Gull--1. Beautiful first-cycle spotted by Mikey.
Great Black-backed Gull--500
Savannah Sparrow (Eastern)--1

Worcester Central Landfill
* Spent an hour surveying the gulls and roosting waterfowl. 

Greater White-fronted Goose--1. * Rare in the county and a county bird for all of us. Roosting on the ice of the large pond in the back amidst the flocks of geese. Tough to judge bill color as it spent most of its time with its head tucked.
Snow Goose--70
Cackling Goose (Richardson's)--1
Canada Goose--900
Tundra Swan--370. Two neck-tagged birds: TJ2 (appeared black with white letters) and T234 (appeared blue with white letters)
Mallard--15
Ring-necked Duck--22
Ruddy Duck--7
Double-crested Cormorant--2
American Coot--1
Ring-billed Gull--15
Herring Gull (American)--1400
Lesser Black-backed Gull--1 adult
Great Black-backed Gull--60
American Pipit--5

Bayside Development Pond

Brant (Atlantic)--270
Gadwall--9
American Black Duck--2
Bufflehead--50
Common Goldeneye--1 drake
Red-breasted Merganser--7
Common Loon--2
Black-bellied Plover--7
Dunlin--170

Eagles Landing Golf Course

American Wigeon--89

Castaways Campground

Brant (Atlantic)--260
American Wigeon--23
American Black Duck--7
Bufflehead--19
Common Loon--1
Black-bellied Plover--76
Willet (Western)--2
Sanderling--1
Dunlin--90
Chipping Sparrow--1

Ocean  City Inlet
* First sighting was Sean McCandless feeding the gulls in the parking lot. We texted him "SBGU at OC Inlet" and then watched him via bins with silly grins until we realized he didn't hear it ring... Too bad...

Brant (Atlantic)--9
American Black Duck--17. Feeding along south jetty
Common Eider--57. Exceptional count! Large raft on the south side of south jetty. Steadily building as we'd hoped with the record-breaking numbers along the East Coast this year. One candidate for King Eider unconfirmed.
Surf Scoter--55
White-winged Scoter--3. Including a beautiful adult male feeding close to the north jetty, which was enjoyed at length.
Black Scoter--3
dark-winged scoter sp.--32
Long-tailed Duck--11
Bufflehead--44
Red-breasted Merganser--13
Red-throated Loon--4
Common Loon--5
Double-crested Cormorant--1
Turkey Vulture--1 (novel Inlet bird)
Ruddy Turnstone--22
Red Knot--1. * Great spot by Jim Green. Studied at point blank range and nicely photographed by Mikey. I got greedy and ran to the car for Big Lens, but it had flown to the south jetty when I returned.
Sanderling--18
Purple Sandpiper--5
Forster's Tern--2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--1

West Ocean City Pond - Mostly frozen

Tundra Swan--8
Northern Shoveler--8
Northern Pintail--1
Canvasback--6
Cedar Waxwing--3

George Island Landing - an excellent dusk watch. The end of the day was so enjoyable that even John didn't complain about Short-eared Owls not existing in Worcester Co. 

Snow Goose--50. Flyby flock at dusk
Canada Goose--500. Several very large flyby flocks in the distance at dusk
Tundra Swan--5. Small flock heard in the late afternoon
American Black Duck--13
Bufflehead--15
Common Goldeneye--2 flyby females
Hooded Merganser--1 adult male floating out on the open water
American Bittern--1. Spotted flying out of the marsh in the late afternoon. Always a favorite.
Black-crowned Night-Heron--1. Dusk commute
Bald Eagle--1
Northern Harrier--3
Clapper Rail--1. I watched Mikey flush this bird from at his feet and then clutch his chest in terror.
Greater Yellowlegs--1. Flyby, calling
Dunlin--4. Flying about in the late afternoon, calling. Mikey saw one going to roost right at dusk.
Great Horned Owl--1. Spotted by Dan in the distance perched on the marsh. Flew a great distance across the open water, just a foot or so over the surface, three or four heavy flaps and then long glides. Perched on a low post and surveyed surroundings before flying back to treeline.
Belted Kingfisher--1 active male
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--1
Nelson's Sparrow (Interior)--1. Interior bird most consistent with more expected alterus. Especially cooperative in a water bush and permitting memorably good views, the kind where you put down your bins and marvel how small the bird is up close. Light gray, fairly clear braces on back, fairly distinct flank streaking, gray nape, short dainty bill, molting/missing feathers at front of crown, consistent orange wash through throat and breast, medium breast streaking, much more diffuse than Saltmarsh but more distinct than a subvirgatus. Great bird to top off a memorable January day.
Saltmarsh Sparrow--1. Flushed from the open marsh to water bush patch and quickly noted it was missing all tail feathers. Good looks confirmed Saltmarsh Sparrow with large Seaside Sparrow-like bill and dark, distinct breast streaking.
Song Sparrow--2
White-throated Sparrow--2
Red-winged Blackbird--42

Good birding!

Bill

Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland

http://www.billhubick.com