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Subject:

Eastern Shore - Ross's Goose and Iceland Gull

From:

Fred Shaffer

Reply-To:

Fred Shaffer

Date:

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 20:38:12 -0500

I spent most of the day on the eastern shore, mainly in Blackwater NWR.  On my way, I stopped at the Cambridge waterfront, which had Bufflehead, both species of Scaup, Ring-billed, Herring, and Great Black-backed Gulls, but nothing out of the ordinary.  Once in Blackwater, I sorted through several huge groups of geese, both Canada and Snow Geese.  On Key Wallace Drive, I found a group of approximately 2,000 Snow Geese.  As I sorted through this group, I came across one adult (white phase) Ross's Goose.  The bird's small size and stubby bill were apparent as it fed.  The small bill also had a slight bluish-gray tinge at the base.  I stumbled across the Ross's when I was up to 1,600 on my Snow Goose count.  While I was looking at the Ross's Goose, another 400 or 500 Snow Geese flew in.  Later, the whole group got up and flew together, practically filling the sky.

Several smaller flocks of Canada Geese were also along the road.  The driving tour including many, many Bald Eagles, Tundra Swans, Snow Geese, Canada Geese, 1 Cackling Goose, Mallards, Black Ducks, Pintails, Common Mergansers, Ring-billed, Herring, and Great Black-backed Gulls and 1 Brown-headed Nuthatch.  Many of the smaller bodies of water were frozen, but there were still a lot of open areas of water along the driving tour.

Next, I drove part way down Shorter's Wharf Road, seeing still more Bald Eagles, a Red-tailed Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, and, in some pines, five more Brown-headed Nuthatches.  Other birds in the pines included a Downy Woodpecker, Carolina Chickadee, and 3 Titmice.  Black Ducks were in the marsh, as well as some Great Blue Herons and a few Northern Harriers.

Back up on MD 335 (just south of Key Wallace Drive), I stopped at the small parking area that overlooks the vast expanse of water.  Large numbers of Common Mergansers were here, as well as smaller numbers of Canada Geese and Tundra Swan.  But, perhaps most impressive of all was the Bald Eagles.  I decided to do a 360 degree scan and count from the parking lot and tallied no less than 78 Bald Eagles!  The birds were gathered in several clusters on the mudflats, flying overhead, and perched in the trees ringing the marsh and open water.  I don't believe I've ever seen this many at one location, at least when I've set out to count them.  I also saw one Kestrel perched on a roadside wire along MD 335.  

Lastly, I stopped at the eastern end of the Bay Bridge (Bay Bridge marina) and looked for the Queen Anne Iceland Gull.  I relocated the 1st winter gull right away, perched on a pier behind the vacant restaurant with approximately 65 Ring-billed Gulls.  Also present were Great Black-backed Gulls and Herring Gulls, scaup, 11 Common Goldeneye, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers, Bufflehead, and several small flocks of Canvasback.   It was an enjoyable, if chilly day on the eastern shore, with the highlights being the Ross's Goose, Iceland Gull, and the large number of Bald Eagles.  Good birding,

Fred Shaffer
Crofton, Anne Arundel