Paul Pisano accurately captured the lovely morning at Skimmer Island (thanks for my state Black Tern, Paul!) ... After parting ways, I headed to the OC Inlet, where the bird i hoped to find, Wilson's Storm Petrel, was present in good numbers (6), at the mouth of the inlet.

Birding slowed a bit toward mid-day, as it has a habit of doing, although I did find 17 Glossy Ibis at Bayside development. Both Castaways Campground and Assateague Island had far too many people, and too few  birds (a singing Orchard Oriole and its mate were a nice find on the Life of the Marsh Trail), and then the entire peninsula was smacked with an hour-long torrential downpour and lightening storm.

Post-storm, I ventured with trepidation onto the dirt road leading out to Truitt's Landing, where 25 Least Sandpipers were present on the beach. I could not relocate Mikey Lutmerding's White-faced Ibis, despite 20 minutes of battling heat haze, marsh and bobbing Ibis heads. Thought I heard a Black Rail call once, but it did not repeat.

A stop en route home at Hurlock WWTP produced 15 FoY Bank Swallows, as well as Tree and Barn swallows, a Chimney Swift and a mother Wood Duck and 7 chicks alarmed at my presence. An adult Bald Eagle and a pair of Least Terns flew over Tanyard Marsh.

Good Birding!
Warren and Lisa Strobel
Annapolis, MD
www.birdcouple.com

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