Despite a bit of a late start, Jon Ranson and I decided to chase the Snow Bunting on Saturday.  Since it was warm and sunny, I anticipated a highly birdy day.  I guess the cold breezes kept the bird numbers down, however.  At times I felt I was in no-bird land; no raptors flying, few vultures up and whatever else was around seemed to  be in deep cover, for the most part.  Despite the low numbers, the highlights were the really, really excellent - three life birds.  

In AA County, we passed some odd geese and turned around.  Turned out they were a pair of fancy domestic geese that had decided to nap along the side of Rt. 2.  Further down the road there was a killdeer on the side of the road, a sight not seen all winter here.  

Once in Calvert County, we decided to try out Turner Road, a new site for us.  At the turnaround at about 11:30 AM, I scanned a flock of Canadas, looking for the Snow Goose that had been reported.  Seeing all brown-bodied birds, I was ready to move on and started the engine.  Jon, however, had a more open mind. He claimed there was a bird with an orange bill.  Sure, right.  But I waited for him to finish his scan.  Orange feet, small goose he said, excitedly.  What????  There was nothing but Canadas when I looked!  But he was absolutely right - he put me on a gorgeous GREATER WHITE FRONTED GOOSE.   Gotta keep an open mind and discerning eye when birding, or you'll over look the unusual - I know I sure did!!!!   Life bird #1.

At Point Lookout, we drove up and parked at the turnaround.  Three small birds were on the ground feeding.  Yes, within seconds of our arrival at the turnaround, we were on the SNOW BUNTING.   We watched it for awhile - feeding on the ground, flying over the fence, perching on a tower and disappearing and coming back several times.  It kept company with some nice SONG SPARROWS, a SAVANNAH SPARROW and a small flock of EASTERN BLUEBIRDS as well.  Life bird #2. 

The causeway gave us several good species - HORNED GREBES, COMMON LOONS, lots of BUFFLEHEAD to name a few.  There were SURF SCOTER and BLACK SCOTER in very close and, with the scope, got the very best look I've ever had at these amazing birds. 

On the northern end of the causeway, as we were first entering Point Lookout State Park, we took our first look at the  Bay.  It was there we got our best life bird - a BARROWS GOLDENEYE (female).   Jon saw it first - pointed out that yellow bill.  We shook our heads and said "no way".   When we were at Hooper's Island recently, we had each thought we'd seen a yellow-billed female goldeneye, lost it, then spent over an hour doing a serious study of the Goldeneye girls that had been about.  Despite all our study, we only could find Common Goldeneye, one of which had a slight yellow to the tip of the bill.  Knowing the chances of today's bird actually being what we thought it was, we went for the scope, figuring to be disappointed again.  

By the time we retrieved the scope, the bird had come in closer.  As Jon walked around the beach to get a different view, I put the scope on the bird and was blessed with an utterly fabulous view of what was absolutely and without a doubt the BARROWS female.  Beautiful big golden eye, rounded brown head, whitish circle around her neck, a bill that was distinctly smaller than the Common, which was distinctly yellow in it's entirety, except for a blackish wash only near the base on the sides of the bill.   This was a gorgeous bird in a great light, and there is just no doubt.  

She dove then flew off before Jon could get back to scope her, but he confirmed the bird as he also got a wonderful look through his bins.  The bird flew North.  Jon thought there might be a male in the area she flew, out of range of our scope, and we chased her on foot a bit, but never caught up with here or the suspected male.  We can only assume that she was solo, but neither of us have any doubt at all about the ID.   We'd love confirmation, regardless, although we suspect she's flown.  We could not find her on our way out of the park. 

Later, on the way home, we went down a private road with a Bay overlook just north of point lookout.  There were two male COMMON GOLDENEYES and their two females.  It was a wonderful confirmation that our bird was not the same species - the head shape, the bill size and the coloration was in no way the same as the Common.  

Joanne

Joanne Howl, DVM

West River, MD.