Hi Everyone,

Jeff Shenot and I had a full day (22 Sep 2011) beginning with a brief stop at Castaways, followed by a morning at sea on the Ocean Princess, and concluding with some nice birding on Assateague.

Highlights at Castaways included 3 MARBLED GODWITS and a flock of 49 RED KNOTS.

Our five-and-a-half hours on the Ocean Princess were not particularly birdy, but it was a nice morning after the fog cleared.  The fishermen had a blast, catching numerous sea bass and tiny bluefish.  The best bird was a very distant JAEGER (possibly Parasitic).  The single NORTHERN GANNET that came into the boat while we were about 14 miles offshore was a new September bird for me.  A PEREGRINE FALCON was perched high above the Ocean City Inlet during our departure and return.

In the afternoon, at Fox Hill Levels on the Assateague OSV Zone, highlights included a PEREGRINE FALCON, a MARBLED GODWIT, and a flock of 36 RED KNOTS.

Back on the beach of the OSV Zone, we drove to the Virginia line, counting a few RED KNOTS, large numbers of SANDERLINGS (1250), LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS (81), and other species; but our favorite sighting came as we were returning northward and came across a flock of 106 RED KNOTS!  A surprise AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER was also in that group.

If all the Red Knots we saw represented different birds, then we encountered at least 191 Red Knots in Worcester Co today!  Quite exciting in light of the information shared recently by Bill, Matt, and Bob.  Right place, right time--neat.

Have fun,

Ron Gutberlet
Salisbury, MD

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