Hi Everyone,

The Montgomery Bird Club held an exceptional field trip to Assateague and points beyond yesterday (9/11). We began pre-dawn at Bayside and spent hours enjoying a steady stream of quality migrants. Standing out among these were at least 12 (!) WHITE IBIS, AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER, TENNESSEE WARBLER, WILSON'S WARBLER, WARBLING VIREOs, and PHILADELPHIA VIREOs. 

The coastal specialties were cooperative with three MARBLED GODWITs and 12 SANDWICH TERNs well-studied on Skimmer Island. Another welcome sight was 28 BLACK SKIMMERs, of which all but three were juveniles. 

We spent the afternoon working the sod farms between Worcester, Wicomico, and Dorchester Counties, landing BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERs, BAIRD'S SANDPIPER, and another AM. GOLDEN-PLOVER. Other stops brought us bonus birds such as RED-HEADED WOODPECKERs and COMMON NIGHTHAWK. I was pleasantly surprised to see we netted 120 species for the day.

Below are the full eBird lists for Bayside and the Campground, followed by abridged lists for elsewhere.

Thanks to everyone that came out for helping ensure we had another great outing. A special thanks to Mikey Lutmerding for co-leading the trip and spotting many great birds.

Assateague I. NS--Bayside

American Black Duck--1
Northern Pintail--2
Brown Pelican--21
Double-crested Cormorant--43
Great Blue Heron--9
Great Egret--5
Snowy Egret--8
Little Blue Heron--9
Tricolored Heron--16
white egret sp.--120. Most of the heron flight seemed to be heading toward South Point today.
Green Heron--1. Flew over, calling before sunrise
White Ibis--1. Adult spotted flying north by Jim Moore. Noted overall shape, white plumage, dark wing tips, and obvious long, decurved bill. Eleven more seen foraging on the marsh in the campground later.
Plegadis sp.--3
Osprey--1
American Golden-Plover--1. Flew over, calling. Many of us watched it flying away, but not great looks.
Least Sandpiper--1
peep sp.--1
Laughing Gull--115
Herring Gull (American)--12
Great Black-backed Gull--2
Caspian Tern--3
Forster's Tern--1
Royal Tern--14. Very active and vocal. Several groups flying very high. One pair did several rounds of coordinated flight - beautiful.
Mourning Dove--1
Eastern Kingbird--1
WARBLING VIREO--3. Good bird on the island; really good numbers today. Photos.
PHILADELPHIA VIREO--1. Another highlight. Three different birds seen by the field trip group on the island today, another by Mike Ostrowski.
Red-eyed Vireo--2
Fish Crow--75. Leaving roost
Carolina Wren--4
Gray Catbird--7
Northern Mockingbird--1
Brown Thrasher--3
European Starling--4
Cedar Waxwing--58. Several large flocks joined over the morning, gaining mass. This was the highest in-sight count. Probably many more passed through. 
TENNESSEE WARBLER--1. One of the highlights of the morning. County bird for many.
Magnolia Warbler--2
Black-throated Blue Warbler--8. Many adult males flying over.
Black-throated Green Warbler--5
Palm Warbler (Western)--4. First of season for many.
Blackpoll Warbler--2
American Redstart--7. Including at least two adult males.
Northern Waterthrush--1. Flyby that was debated. Mikey's photo confirmed NOWA.
Common Yellowthroat--1
Canada Warbler--1. One seen in the woods by the restroom by Mike Ostrowski; it or another seen well enough to comfortably ID in flight.
warbler sp.--15
Scarlet Tanager--1
Northern Cardinal--1
Blue Grosbeak--1. Flew over several times, calling.
Indigo Bunting--1
Bobolink--3. Flyovers seen and heard calling.
Red-winged Blackbird--11
Boat-tailed Grackle--3
Baltimore Oriole--2

Assateague I. NS--Life of the Marsh

Double-crested Cormorant--243
Great Egret--3
Snowy Egret--62
Little Blue Heron--1
Tricolored Heron--3
Osprey--1
Bald Eagle--1
Merlin--1
Laughing Gull--76
Royal Tern--13
American Redstart--1
Bobolink--3

Assateague Island NS--Bayside Campground

Northern Pintail--1
Green-winged Teal (American)--7
Double-crested Cormorant--290. Large Vs passing over.
Great Blue Heron--1
Great Egret--162. Densely packed feeding flock that attracted at least 11 White Ibis.
Snowy Egret--65. Interspersed with the large egret feeding flock.
Little Blue Heron--5
Tricolored Heron--6
WHITE IBIS--11--** Rare. A high count. At least nine juveniles and two adults feeding with impressive gathering of egrets off site B32. Photos of many in flight.
Merlin--2
Black-bellied Plover--3
American Oystercatcher--3
Whimbrel (American)--1. Heard calling its series of whistles, then seen flying by. Same location as the egrets and ibis.
Least Sandpiper--2
Laughing Gull--230
Herring Gull (American)--20
Caspian Tern--4 
Forster's Tern--3
Royal Tern--18--Very active and vocal, again many high-flying birds.
Mourning Dove--1
wood-pewee sp.--1. Heard calling pee-didip type call.
Eastern Kingbird--1
WARBLING VIREO--1. Nice count today
PHILADELPHIA VIREO--1. Another bonus bird while viewing the ibis. Appeared right next to us in the scrub.
Red-eyed Vireo--4
Fish Crow--4
Red-breasted Nuthatch--2
Carolina Wren--4
Swainson's Thrush--1. Small grove of trees in the campground. There were robins and thrashers working in the shade as well.
American Robin--2
Gray Catbird--12
Brown Thrasher--7
Cedar Waxwing--16
Palm Warbler (Western)--1
WILSON'S WARBLER--1. Lovely adult male foraging in the corner area near Bayside.
Northern Cardinal--7
Red-winged Blackbird--2
Boat-tailed Grackle--1
Baltimore Oriole--5
American Goldfinch--1. Male on thistle
Non-avian: Red-banded Hairstreak (2), Gray Hairstreak (3), Cloudless Sulfur (1), Common Wood-Nymph (2), Monarchs, Common Buckeyes, Seaside Dragonlets, Carolina Saddlebags.

Assateague I. NS--Life of the Forest

Great Crested Flycatcher--1
PHILADELPHIA VIREO--1. Great looks by all as it foraged over the small pond, dropping very low to the water.
Red-breasted Nuthatch--7
Carolina Wren--3
Veery--1
Catharus sp.--1
Pine Warbler--4
American Redstart--4
Common Yellowthroat--1

Assateague I. NS--Life of the Dunes

Northern Gannet--1. Adult spotted in the distance. My month closeout.
Brown Pelican--5
Osprey--1
Northern Harrier--1. Spotted by Mikey as it captured a bird while flying high in the air. Impressive, unusual sight.
Sanderling--20
Laughing Gull--18
Herring Gull (American)--4
Great Black-backed Gull--1
Common Tern--2
Forster's Tern--4
Royal Tern--15
Sandwich Tern--3
Non-avian: Fiery Skipper. Many Monarchs and Cloudless Sulfurs southbound over the ocean.

Ocean City--Skimmer Island

*** Checked in at the front and the owner seemed very pleased that we were doing so. Received permission to park in overflow. ***

Brown Pelican--6
Double-crested Cormorant--5
Great Blue Heron--1
Snowy Egret--1
Tricolored Heron--1
Semipalmated Plover--1
MARBLED GODWIT--3. Carefully studied as they foraged together near the south end of the island. Noted overall cinnamon plumage, long bicolored upturned bill, etc. Continuing.
Ruddy Turnstone--6. Including several juveniles.
Sanderling--135
Semipalmated Sandpiper--1
Western Sandpiper--1. Good spot by Mikey
Laughing Gull--15
Herring Gull (American)--25
Great Black-backed Gull--3
Caspian Tern--1
Common Tern--15
Royal Tern--18
Sandwich Tern--12. Nice counts continue, including several juveniles.
Black Skimmer--28. Good count. All but three of them were juveniles.
Boat-tailed Grackle--2

West Ocean City Pond

Wood Duck--9
Blue-winged Teal--1
Green-winged Teal (American)--6
Black-crowned Night-Heron--9

Murray Sod Farm

Semipalmated Plover--4
Killdeer--27
Pectoral Sandpiper--2
BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER--3. Juveniles allowed exceptional scope studies and photos. Two flew several laps with the pair of Pectoral Sandpipers.
Brown-headed Cowbird--45

Log Cabin Road

Semipalmated Plover--1
Killdeer--93
Least Sandpiper--2
BAIRD'S SANDPIPER--1. Juvenile. Found by Jim Stasz.
Horned Lark--6

Old Bradley Road

COMMON NIGHTHAWK--1
Red-headed Woodpecker--2 juveniles.
Hairy Woodpecker--1
White-eyed Vireo--1
Red-eyed Vireo--1
Tree Swallow--10
Northern Parula--1
Pine Warbler--3

Shiloh Church Turf Farm

Killdeer--16
Horned Lark--2
Blue Grosbeak--2
Bobolink--16

Hurlock WWTP

Canada Goose--143
Northern Shoveler--9
Ruddy Duck--1
Bald Eagle--1
AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER--1. Flew off, calling. Seen in the distance for a long while, showing light underwings with no black "armpits". Landed again on the edge and photographed by one observer.
Semipalmated Plover--12
Killdeer--27
Spotted Sandpiper--1
Lesser Yellowlegs--2
Semipalmated Sandpiper--75
Least Sandpiper--260. The vast majority were juveniles, but at least one adult noted by Mikey.
White-rumped Sandpiper--2. One heard calling as it flew by, tracked down, and photographed at close range. 
Pectoral Sandpiper--16. All appeared to be juveniles. 
Laughing Gull--2
Chimney Swift--5
Blue Jay--1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow--1
Tree Swallow--60
Bank Swallow--2
Barn Swallow--10
CLIFF SWALLOW--1
Bobolink--5

Black Dog Alley--just north of Rte 328

COMMON NIGHTHAWK--1--Unexpected bonus while driving home.

Quite a day! I hope everyone had as much fun as I did. 

Good birding,

Bill

Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland

http://www.billhubick.com