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Rarity Roundup Summary

From:

Bill Hubick

Reply-To:

Bill Hubick

Date:

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 03:46:05 -0800

Hi Everyone,

What a weekend. It's hard to believe that four days could pass that quickly. The 11th Rarity Roundup was another success, but it was not without challenges. Tides were again very high, limiting access to some key coastal sites (certainly more if it weren't for the perseverance of our participants). Several of the landings required serious work and getting wet. The OSV zone on Assateague was closed. Most importantly, most of us felt that sustained winds from the northeast severely impacted the arrival of new birds. Many of us arrived on Thursday and Friday, providing two days of serious coverage on Assateague and surrounding areas. Matt Tillett and I walked nearly every accessible area on the island on Thursday and Friday and were surprised by the lack of sparrow flocks, even American Robins and Myrtle Warblers. The numbers for the rest of the weekend made it clear that arriving migrants were nearly non-existent. What we would have done for some West in
 those winds! The Big One - the roundup that will be remembered in song and legend - will require a lot of variables coming together. I feel confident that Northeast winds will not be one of them.

That said, we found a lot of great birds. The list below should whet just about any appetite. We had what I expect was a new high count of 40 participants, providing excellent coverage of all of Worcester County. The weather was beautiful for the extended weekend. The camaraderie was, as always, impossible to beat. We stimulated the local economy with untold numbers of Wawa visits and nightly festivities at Plaza Tapatia Mexican restaurant. Thanks to Matt Hafner and Mark Hoffman for organizing the event with me. As with last year, special kudos to Matt for his involvement while living in Florida. What a testament to commitment to Maryland birding! He'll be back in Maryland (for good, or close enough) in early December. Woohoo! Thanks to all the participants for the great fun and great finds.

Here is a comprehensive list of interesting species noted during this year's roundup. All days are 11/13 except where noted.

Highlights

YELLOW RAIL - Flushed once and well described in flight, but not re-found despite extensive searching. Stasz's Vaugh North territory (Shenot, Dennehy)

NORTHERN SHRIKE - Bayside Assateague (Walsh, Gutberlet). Brief view in a large deciduous tree at Life of the Marsh Trail on Assateague. Flew to north and not re-found despite much searching.

AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN - Seen flying north past Route 50 on 11/12 (Gutberlet). Seen flying north past Castaways on 11/13 (Lutmerding et al.), but not spotted by teams to north despite scrambling to the bay. Will this bird hang around Sinepuxent Bay for a while? Keep an eye out.

BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE - Adult slightly injured (or perhaps just tired) roosting on the beach on the north end of Assateague (KM 2). (Feild/Moore; photos). Possibly chaseable, but it's a long hike.

Brown Pelican - Several flybys on the coast all weekend. High of three at one time.

Cattle Egret - 1 Ocean City Airport from 11/11 to at least 11/13.

Blue-winged Teal - Not found on count, but a high count on Messick Road, Somerset Co. on 11/12 (Ringler, Terry).

Redhead - 1 female in Berlin area (Hubick/Tillett on 11/12, Churchill/Yeany on 11/13)

Common Eider - High of 19 at the Ocean City Inlet (all days), including adult males.

Harlequin Duck - Adult male present from 11/11 on, female seen on 11/12.

White-winged Scoter - Better than recent average numbers on the coast. Easily found during sea watches and at Ocean City Inlet.

Osprey - Seemed like higher than average numbers.

Wild Turkey - Feathers found on North Assateague! (Feild, Moore). Pocomoke area (Hoffman).

Northern Bobwhite

Virginia Rail - Low counts but found on Assateague (where not often detected) by Walsh/Gutberlet. Life of the Forest Trail. 11/13 and 11/14.

American Oystercatcher

Black-bellied Plover - Many locations, but concentrated in field on Route 113 about 0.25 miles north of Ironshire Station Road. Historic wintering location, but not present for about five years. Counts exceeded 200 individuals at times. (Hubick/Tillett, all days). Attracted inland Ruddy Turnstones (20+ at times), 400+ Dunlin, and...

American Golden-Plover - Up to 8 counted among the BBPL flock on 113 x Ironshire (Hubick/Tillett). 11/11 to 11/14.

Piping Plover - North Assateague (Feild/Moore).

Western Willet - North Assateague (Field/Moore).

Marbled Godwit - At least three on North Assateague (Feild/Moore). Probably the three that have been present on Skimmer Island until 11/10, but not seen afterward with exceptionally high tides.

Purple Sandpiper

Stilt Sandpiper - Rumbly Point, Somerset before Rarity Roundup (Stasz et al., photos).

Long-billed Dowitcher - Georges Island territory (Ostrowskis).

Pomarine Jaeger - Ocean City Inlet (Burchett/Stasz/Ringler)

Lesser Black-backed Gull 

Caspian Tern - Off Assateague (Feild/Moore/Walsh/Gutberlet)

Royal Tern

Black Skimmer - Better than average numbers, up to no fewer than 28 individuals (11/11 to at least 11/13).

Short-eared Owl - Scott's Landing (Green, 11/12)

Northern Saw-whet Owl - Assateague (Hubick/Tillett, 11/12)

Tree Swallow - Counts up to 1,800 on Assateague.

White-breasted Nuthatch - Rare Ocean City sighting (Ringlet et al.)

Brown-headed Nuthatch - Normal numbers and locations, but a few less common locations in West Ocean City.

Sedge Wren - Multiple locations and days. One re-found multiple times at Life of the Forest boardwalk on Assateague (Stasz). Isle of Wight (Haas, Hanfman).

Marsh Wren 

Orange-crowned Warbler - Off Route 50 (Lutmerding). Not re-found.

Magnolia Warbler - Not at all connected to Rarity Roundup, except found by participant en route. Choptank River bridge, Talbot Co. (Small, 11/12).

Pine Warbler - Just one for the count. Newark (Hubbell/Fisher).

Palm Warbler - Normal to low numbers.

Yellow-breasted Chat - Assateague Bayside Campground, C42 (Dan and Erin Lebbin)

Vesper Sparrow - 2 at Vaughn Central (11/13), 1 at private property near Route 12 and Route 113 on 11/14.

Nelson's Sparrow - Good counts at several coastal locations (Stasz, Burchett, Bangert, et al.)

Saltmarsh Sparrow - Expected numbers and sites.

Seaside Sparrow - Vaughn Central? (Stasz, Burchett, et al.)

Lincoln's Sparrow - Northwest territory (Elmer/Elmer)

Lapland Longspur - Assateague State Park on 11/11 (Hubick/Tillett), North End on 11/13 (Feild/Moore), Figtown Road on 11/13 (Arnold/Graff).

Snow Bunting - Cooperative bird at Assateague Causeway on 11/13 and 11/14 (Housten et al.), flock of at least 40 working state park dunes on 11/13 and 11/14 (Brighton/Small).

Indigo Bunting - Late individual in Newark (Hubbell, Pisano, Fisher).

Rusty Blackbird - Northwest territory (Elmer/Elmer).

Boat-tailed Grackle

Baltimore Oriole - Life of the Marsh on 11/12 (Burchett, Stasz et al.), Vaughn Central on 11/13 (Stasz, Burchett et al.)

Pine Siskin - Common throughout, all days.


SOME UNUSUAL MISSES (think high tides for many of these)
American Bittern
Great Cormorant
all herons except Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Black-crowned Night-heron
Peregrine Falcon
Clapper Rail
Western Sandpiper

SELECTED LOW COUNTS
Northern Gannet
Snow Goose
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
kinglets in general
sparrows in general
Purple Finches, at least compared to recent numbers

Favorite Non-Avian
River Otter (West O.C., Hubick/Tillett/Carlson)
American Toad (local on Eastern Shore, Elmer/Elmer)
Good butterfly diversity for mid-November. Most common were Common Buckeye, Red Admiral, Orange Sulfur.

Good birding!

b

Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland

http://www.billhubick.com