Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2000 01:05:06 EST Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Marshall Iliff Subject: Ash-throated Flycatcher near Assateague, other Worcester birds Comments: cc: voice@capaccess.org, georgearmistead@hotmail.com, pgaede@ngs.org, Christopher Wood , obrienm@algorithms.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit MDOsprey, A highlight of some intensive briding on the Maryland coast this weekend was an Ash-throated Flycatcher seen 11 Nov by Norm and Fran Saunders and relocated, photogrpahed, and videotaped today by 27 other birders. This is a 6th for MD and 1st Worcester Co. record - see below for directions I will be checking up on this bird regularly and will post any updates. Feel free to call me at 410-289-2160 for more info. Other notable birds included: * two individual Le Conte's Sparrows in southern Worcester County, near Girdletree. Recent searches have shown this species to be a regular low-density winterer in this region of Maryland. * 22 Long-billed Dowitchers at E.A. Vaughn WMA, north section, on 11 Nov and 30 there 12 Nov. * 1 imm. White-crowned Sparrow showing characters of the "Gambel's" subspecies at E.A. Vaughn WMA, north section, in the hedgerow along the entrance road. * Late individuals of Prairie Warbler and Ovenbird at the coast this weekend, along with 2-3 Parasitic Jaegers, an Orange-crowned Warbler, 3 Vesper Sparrows, several Snow Buntings, a Short-eared Owl, and an extremely high number of N. Gannets (4000+) all along the beachfront. Three-four Harlequin Ducks (3 males and one female) arrived at Ocean City Inlet over the weekend and Great Cormorants are easily found here (2-3) and at Ocean Pines Pond (3 immatures). * 1 Marbled Godwit was found at Deal Island WMA by Bob Ringler on Friday, 10 Nov. It was still present this afternoon, 12 Nov. Look for this bird among Greater Yellowlegs along Riley Roberts Rd., especially in the last 0.2 mi on the left before the boat ramp. This is a first Somerset County record. Also six Long-billed Dowitchers and a Rough-legged Hawk at Deal Island today 12 Nov. To reach E.A. Vaughn, north section: Go south from Snow Hill on Rte. 12 to Girdletree. Go east on Taylor Landing Rd. past Bayview Rd.. The first road on your right after Taylor Landing Rd., dirt, will be well signed as E.A. Vaughn WMA. Drive 0.1 mi in the driveway here and park by the large trees. Ash-throated Flycatcher directions are as follows: Follow Rte. 611 south from Ocean City to the Assateague National Seashore Visitor's Center, the last building on your right before crossing the bridge over Sinepuxent Bay to Assateague Island. Park in the Visitor's Center parking lot and walk south from the parking lot across the large field to an isolated abandoned house at the back edge of the field right along the margin of Rum Pointe Golf Course. The flycatcher spent much of its time foraging secretively and low in the hedgerow below the three tallest trees here, but also may periodically feed on the woods edge or in the woods by the corner of the woodlot about 250 meters to the northwest. A small willow-lined pond here is especially favored by the bird. Listen for its sharp "pip" call which it gives intermittently. Best, Marshall Iliff miliff@aol.com Ocean City, MD ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================