Hi All,

Sorry for the belated report, just our two cents on a day when many 
other birders were out enjoying the sea air on the Maryland Atlantic 
Shore. It was a cloudier day than forecast, but it also featured fairly 
mild temperatures. The ocean was one of the stars of the day as it 
presented a wild topography of wave, foam, and gray-green water. Waves 
broke impressively on the inlet breakwaters and we could even see spume 
from large waves breaking beyond Assateague's sun-splashed dunes from 
the distant vantage of Castaways Campground on Sinepuxent Bay.

The sea duck show at the inlet was the best feature of the day as we 
were treated to 75 COMMON EIDER in a variety of plumages (including 
adult drakes) spending much of their time in the inlet or at its mouth. 
We also had all three scoters, 15 Long-tailed Ducks, and we managed to 
see the pair of HARLEQUIN DUCKS near the tip of the south jetty for 
about 15 minutes (when they were not under water in the turbulence of 
breaking waves). We also had both regular loons, a flying Horned Grebe, 
and good numbers of turnstones, Sanderling, and Purple Sandpipers. We 
also birded Skimmer Island which featured an adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED 
GULL among the usual suspects on the island and an impressive 400 Brant 
flying by gargling hoarsely. The pond at Eagles Nest Golf Course was 
well-stocked with 66 American Wigeon, 15 Gadwall, 2 GREEN-WINGED TEAL, 9 
shovelers, a BELTED KINGFISHER, an immature Bald Eagle soaring overhead, 
90 Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warblers, and a male Sharp-shinned Hawk 
hunting the myrtles. Castaways was quiet but at least presented us with 
more waterfowl including 40 Bufflehead, Red-breasted Mergansers, and 
black ducks, plus the view of the surf on Assateague. We wrapped up the 
day in Delaware at Indian River inlet where there were 5 more eider, and 
2 GREAT CORMORANTS. A selection of e-bird lists are appended below.

Good Birding,

Walter Ellison & Nancy Martin

23460 Clarissa Rd
Chestertown, MD 21620

phone: 410-778-9568

e-mail: rossgull(AT)baybroadband.net

Observing Nature is like unwrapping a big pile of presents every time 
you take a walk.

Lists follow:

Location:     Ocean  City Inlet 
Observation date:     1/23/10
Number of species:     25

Brant (Atlantic)     80
Greater Scaup     1
Common Eider     75
Harlequin Duck     2
Surf Scoter     40
White-winged Scoter     2
Black Scoter     4
Long-tailed Duck     15
Bufflehead     30
Red-breasted Merganser     3
Red-throated Loon     5
Common Loon     17
Horned Grebe     1
Double-crested Cormorant     1
Turkey Vulture     1
Accipiter sp.     1
Ruddy Turnstone     50
Sanderling     18
Purple Sandpiper     45
Ring-billed Gull     50
Herring Gull (American)     40
Great Black-backed Gull     5
Rock Pigeon     50
European Starling     40
Boat-tailed Grackle     1
House Sparrow     20


Location:     Ocean City--Skimmer Island
Observation date:     1/23/10
Number of species:     20

Brant (Atlantic)     400
Canada Goose     210
Gadwall     2
Mallard     20
Bufflehead     17
Red-breasted Merganser     9
Common Loon     3
Double-crested Cormorant     2
Great Blue Heron     1
Ring-billed Gull     20
Herring Gull (American)     120
Lesser Black-backed Gull     1
Great Black-backed Gull     25
Rock Pigeon     10
Mourning Dove     3
European Starling     20
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)     3
Savannah Sparrow (Eastern)     2
Song Sparrow     2
Swamp Sparrow     2


Location:     Eagles Landing Golf Course
Observation date:     1/23/10
Number of species:     15

Gadwall     15
American Wigeon     66
Mallard     12
Northern Shoveler     9
Green-winged Teal (American)     2
Turkey Vulture     1
Bald Eagle     1
Sharp-shinned Hawk     1
Belted Kingfisher     1
Red-bellied Woodpecker     1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)     1
Carolina Wren     1
American Robin     4
Northern Mockingbird     2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)     90