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Subject:

Eared Grebe in Wicomico County--3/31/2011

From:

Ronald Gutberlet

Reply-To:

Ronald Gutberlet

Date:

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:34:22 -0400

Hi Everyone,

As Jim Green posted, I lucked into an EARED GREBE at the end of Cove Rd in Wicomico County this morning (31 March 2011).  Thanks for posting, Jim!  Cove Rd is accessed from Nanticoke Rd just a little north of the town of Nanticoke.

My plan was to make brief visits to a couple spots along the Nanticoke River before work, and I had actually hoped for a Horned Grebe at the end of Cove Rd where the large rafts of Ruddy Ducks assemble.  No Horned Grebe, but I'm not complaining.  As far as I know, this is the first record of Eared Grebe for Wicomico County, but I'll be curious to hear from others who know better than I.

Although I was able to get pretty nice (albeit distant and misty) scope views of the bird, its persistent diving left me without any digiscopes (I tried!).  I spread the word locally, and now Mike Walsh has seen the bird too.  I hope someone can get some photos.

The bird was obviously one of our 2 small Podiceps grebes with a thin bill and a peaked crown.  Its back, nape, and crown were dark gray; and its flanks and the sides of its neck and face were mainly pale gray.  I considered the head shape most distinctive, nothing like the flat-headed look of a Horned Grebe.  Also, the overall impression of this bird was slight and gracile (thin neck), as opposed to the more stocky appearance of a Horned Grebe (thicker neck).

When I first saw the grebe, it was in open water downriver from the parking area at the end of Cove Rd.  With its frequent dives, I sometimes lost it for minutes at a time.  Before I left, it had moved upriver and was diving along the edge of one of the Ruddy Duck rafts. 

Have fun,

Ron Gutberlet
Salisbury, MD

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