An excellent 2/3 Big Day on the eastern shore yesterday.  Cambridge water st. provided a single REDHEAD among Canvasback, Black Duck, Mallards, and American Wigeon in the usual location where the barrier is.  No Eurasian Wigeon or Scaup species of any kind, as the ice is still clearing out.  I can see this location only improving over the next few days as the mean temp stays above freezing.
Ocean City Inlet was awesome and unpredictable as always.  Nice Gannett show, one Bonaparte's Gull, 3 Oystercatchers, White-winged Scoter, and a single Boat-tailed Grackle behind the Oceanic where the Harbor Seals are hauling out.  Most of the usual suspects were present, except the Common Eiders and Harlequins did not cooperate and pop out from behind the South jetty.  The large sandpile is also gone, which provided an excellent elevated viewing platform where you could peer over the S jetty more easily.
Left OC/Assateague at 3PM to head over to Deal Island WMA for late evening.  The wind died down, and the marsh grew very still.  I had excellent views of a SHORT-EARED OWL, my first in the state, and a highly coveted state bird for me.  Two TREE SWALLOWS swirled around the open pools, and at least one Greater Yellowlegs called from overhead. Finally, after sunset, the Virginia Rails became quite vocal at the hunting area.  It was an extremely gorgeous evening to be out on the marsh and I found myself longing for the stillness of Elliott Island.  
Other highlights included a PHEASANT (also a state bird) along Sparks Rd in Caroline County.  Missed both Northern Shrikes, but did get my FOY Great-horned Owl (a frequent nemesis species on counts and big days) at Tuckahoe State Park.  All in all, 21 FOY species and 2 MD firsts.
Hope to post shots of the Short-eared on my blog site, http://goodmigrationsphoto.blogspot.com soon.
Ross GeredienAnnapolis/Edgewater