Hi all
With a meeting in Ocean City, I got a little time to explore nearby bird sites
Highlights:
Skimmer Island - Monday afternoon - a flock of basic-plumage black skimmers. I've not often seen them in basic plumage and I was surprised how motley they looked.
- Tuesday noon - three Marbled Godwits were flying back and forth between the island and the flats on the west side of the bay.
All further notes are from Monday afternoon -
Assateague - I was happy to spot at least ten Northern Gannets feeding off the coast (way off - almost to the limits of my scope to see clearly). Also I saw two Brown Pelicans (again a good distance off shore). Scoters were flying. Most were too far out to identify. Once, though I saw a large flock of Black Scoters flying in formation - all males, it seemed! - each with the bright yellow-orange knob gleaming. (Later I saw a flock of what appeared to be female Scoters. Do they often separate for migration?)
Eagles' Nest Camping Grounds (Or whatever it's called these days...) I saw a (late?) Osprey flying and then a Northern Harrier.
West Ocean City Pond - among the regulars I spotted a Wood Duck skulking in the grasses, and wondered whether it was a bit late to be seeing him.
O C Inlet - over thirty Sanderlings and (only) two Dunlin on the rocks across the water.
Don Burggraf
Baltimore
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