Message:

[

Previous   Next

]

By Topic:

[

Previous   Next

]

Subject:

Talbot Eird Club Eagle Search of Jan 24

From:

les

Reply-To:

les

Date:

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 21:23:41 -0500

          Eight members of the Talbot Bird Club visited various sites in
Dorchester County on Jan 24 to take advantage of the report that lots of
Eagles could be seen in that region right now.  We were not disappointed.
The leader of Blackwater's recent Eagle counts, Zeeger de Wilde led us to
several of the places where the eagles seem to be congregating, and we ended
up with an approximate (and conservative) count of 55 Bald Eagles and a
specific count of one Golden Eagle.  The Balds carried every imaginable
stage of plumage since many of them were immatures.  Lots were third year
birds with head markings of patchy white.  For the morning the total species
count was 53.  Following the eagles, highlights included finding many of the
duck species of the region.  Most of these were located along the Cambridge
waterfront near Oakley Street.

 

Ducks, geese and Swans:

          Tundra Swan, Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Black Duck, Mallard,
Pintail, American Wigeon, Shoveler, Canvasback, Redhead, Lesser Scaup, Surf
Scoter, Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead and Common Merganser.

 

Others:  Double Crested Cormorant, Northern Harrier, Cooper's Hawk,
Red-tailed Hawk, Kestrel, Merlin, Greater Yellowlegs, Dunlin, Belted
Kingfisher, Great Horned Owl, American Crow, Fish Crow, Carolina Wren and
Common Grackle.

 

          At the Cambridge waterfront near the Yacht Club parking lot there
was one very strangely marked goose that was loosely associated with several
Canada Geese.  The head of this bird looked like it might be a variety of
Swan Goose.  It was the head that caught our attention as we were driving
past.  It was mostly white, but bore a long black line that started at the
base of the dark bill and extended to well back of the eye. The rest of the
body was marked and shaped in a way that suggested some form of Greylag or
possibly large White-fronted Goose.  The bird was significantly larger than
the nearby Canada Geese.  Legs and feet were dark reddish in color.  The
bill, with its Swan-like shape was mostly dark black.  If someone recognizes
this bird or has suggestions as to what it might be, I would appreciate
hearing about it.  Of course it fits the description of escaped bird - but
it would still be nice to know what it is.

 

This was the first of our "ad hoc" trips this season wherein we will be
trying to find some of the particularly attractive birds that have been
mentioned in recent reports for our region.

 

Leader for the trip was Les Roslund, with a strong assist by Zeeger de
Wilde.



 

LES ROSLUND

TALBOT COUNTY

EASTON, MD