Greetings,

I spent the New Year's weekend in Ocean City and took a few hours each morning to do some very casual birding around the area. 

Biggest surprise bird was a Great Egret no near the 60th street bridge to Ocean Pine. The bird was foraging in the gutted tidal area to the north of the bridge right at the 60th street intersection. There were also Red-breasted Mergs, Black Ducks, and 5 Great Blue Heron there.

Another out-of-season bird was a mewing Catbird at Assateague Island on the 31st. I found the bird in the Holly along Bayberry Drive near "Pump house 2" in the State Park. I was looking for the Lark Sparrow (a no-show). Here, there was also a few Song Sparrows, Field Sparrows, and of course 100's of Myrtle Warblers. 

The same day, at the end of the Life of the Woods Trail (at the overlook), there were at least 500 Myrtle Warblers. Among this foraging flock, I found three Brown-headed Nuthatches. On my way out of A.I., I found three Pintail near the eastern side of the V. Bridge. 

Later on, along the road to South Point, I came across a large (75-100) size group of Chipping Sparrows. There was also a Pileated Woodpecker and a Hairy Woodpecker here. a little further down the line, I found 10 Eastern Meadowlarks in a large backyard/field.  At South Point, there were only Red-breasted Mergs, Buffleheads, Horned Grebes, and about 500 Canada Geese. 

The best thing I found at the inlet all weekend included a flock of Bonnies, Forster's Tern, Ruddy Turnstone, Oystercatchers, and Purple Sandpipers. -There was also a raft of dark ducks on the south side of the jetty, but without a scope (I left the tripod mounting at home) I didn’t spend much time trying to figure out what they were. Incidentally, the Peregrin was seen only on January 1.

Lastly, there was a Cooper's Hawk hunting the neighborhoods near 132nd street on January 1.

Have a Great New Year birding!
-cstarling
North East, MD

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