Hey Everyone,
I decided to spend all Sunday (4/10) wandering around the Eastern Shore. It was a very pleasant day to be outdoors, and the 60 degree weather really brought things to life in some areas. I started the day at Choptank marina in Caroline Co., where I committed to waiting all morning if need be to finally see my county closeout COMMON LOON. The timing and conditions were just perfect. I had to wait about three hours from the start of my watch, which I started just after 6:30 a.m. I was so happy when I spotted it that I exclaimed aloud "That's it!". It passed by moderately high, but thoughtfully, it was cleanly in Caroline air space. There is some serious satisfaction in finally tracking down a long-term nemesis species!
Also of note at Choptank were LEAST TERNs (2; Maryland's first of the year? CN/DO counties), CASPIAN TERN (3), FORSTER'S TERN (4), LESSER SCAUP (3), BUFFLEHEAD (2), DC CORMORANT (120+), BONAPARTE'S GULL (46), Purple Martin (2), and Tree (18) and Barn Swallows (3). I thoroughly enjoyed doing an extended watch here, and I can't help but wonder if longer watches at this site might sometimes be more productive than short checks of all the water spots on rainy Caroline days. There was a steady flow of interesting birds (e.g., the Bufflehead and Lesser Scaup) that I probably would not have seen during a 10-minute check.
Salisbury Landfill held Laughing Gulls (620), Herring Gulls (190), Great Black-backed Gulls (11), Lesser Black-backed Gulls (2 first-cycle), Greater Yellowlegs (1), and NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWs (2).
Checks of the Wicomico River in Somerset/Wicomico were highlighted by high counts of ROYAL TERNs - about 28 just at Whitehaven. At Reading Ferry, a river watch was rewarded by my county closeout NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW (closeout #131) and two singing SAVANNAH SPARROWs, which was novel here. The woods near Whitehaven held Falcate Orangetips. Clouded Sulfurs were everywhere on the lower Eastern Shore.
I took my time and enjoyed Muddy Hole Road, noting Gray Catbird (1), Common Yellowthroat (2), Pine Warbler (16), Myrtle Warbler (2), Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (6), and Brown-headed Nuthatch (4). Fifteen Green-winged Teal flushed from near the boat launch. Butterfly highlights were Henry's Elfins (10) and Mourning Cloak (2; interestingly, looks like a first county record).
Best bird on the full Nanticoke tour was a male BOAT-TAILED GRACKLE at Waterview. I was able to photograph him reasonably well as he foraged on a muddy area and then vocalized at length from a loblolly pine. Definitely a bird I'd always hoped to find here--very cool. The Nanticoke had good counts of Surf Scoter, Ruddy Duck (700+), Brown Pelican (highest count was 24 in one view on the Dorchester side), and Royal Tern, as well as small numbers of Forster's Tern, Bonaparte's Gull, Common Loon, Bufflehead, and distant scaup.
My last stop was Tanyard Marsh, where six PECTORAL SANDPIPERs were easily spotted among Laughing Gulls (312), RING-BILLED GULLs (102), BONAPARTE'S GULLs (11), FORSTER'S TERNs (16), GREATER YELLOWLEGS (4), LESSER YELLOWLEGS (6), WILSON'S SNIPE (10), GREEN-WINGED TEAL (12), and WOOD DUCK (1). A novelty sighting for Tanyard were three BUFFLEHEAD tucked in on the west side of the marsh (2 drakes, 1 hen; photo).
I spent some time on photography throughout the day and hope to post some updates this evening.
Good birding!
Bill
Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland
http://www.billhubick.com
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