Helen Patton, Joy Bowen and I tried for the Northern Wheatear today
(12/29) for about an hour between 12:20 p.m. and 1:20 p.m. We walked
most of Fox Point State Park very carefully and saw nothing beyond 8
Rock Pigeons, 6 Song Sparrows and about 150 Canada Geese. And a nice
perched male American Kestrel on the way in.
The snow storm at Fox Point Park was not heavy, it seems, but it
drifted a lot in the high winds of the last few days. I agree with
Gail that she is probably gone from this location. I also agree with
Dan Haas that it makes sense to check other short-grass locations
around Delaware and Chesapeake Bays.
On the positive (list ticking) side, we did, earlier in the day, see
the state-record Golden-crowned Sparrow in Chesapeake Farms, Kent
County, Maryland (separate post to MDOsprey).
Mike Bowen
Montgomery Bird Club, MOS
Bethesda, MD
At 10:05 AM 12/29/2010, Gail Mackiernan wrote:
>Hi all --
>
>The Northern Wheatear near Wilmington Delware has not been seen since
>Sunday's storm. It may have perished but apparently the area where it was
>found (Fox Point Park) did not get much snow. It could have simply moved to
>a more sheltered area nearby or it may have drifted south in front of the
>punishing north winds.
>
>The park was not that far from Maryland so if the bird did move south, it
>could be somewhere in the state. Most vagrant Wheatears seem to be found
>near ocean- or waterfront, where there is open ground and food. Maybe Sandy
>Point?
>
>I am sure our little visitor would have preferred being in the Mediterranean
>or Africa with the rest of the wintering Wheatears, but she took a wrong
>turn somewhere and ended up in a most unlikely spot.
>
>Gail Mackiernan
>Colesville, MD
D.H. Michael Bowen
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda, MD 20817
Telephone: (301) 530-5764
e-mail: dhmbowenATyahooDOTcom
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