[MDOsprey] White-faced Ibis - Not
PObrien776@aol.com
Sun, 23 May 1999 11:07:31 EDT
Osproids,
Well, I whiffed on the Ibis twice this week. I spent all day Monday (from
7:45AM to 6:25PM) and all day Saturday (from 7:50AM to 7:50PM) at Truitt's
Landing with no sign of a White-faced Ibis. I should warn you that there are
several Glossy Ibis that have bright white feathering around the facial skin,
but on none of them did the white feathering encircle the eye, nor did they
have red facial skin and eye or reddish bill and legs. But they do get the
juices flowing.
My perception is that the movement of Ibis is southbound in the morning, with
other random movements in all directions, but clearly northbound in the mid-
to late afternoon, which leads me to suspect that there is a roost to the
north. They certainly clear out of Truitt's Landing in the evening, a fact
supported by a local birder who has checked several times near dusk. The
roost could be anywhere, but there is a little island behind 23rt St. in
Ocean City that has lots of herons and Ibis coming in to it at dusk. It may
be woth some surveillance.
As Marshall pointed out, at Truitt's Landing there are at least two King
Rails and a Least Bittern. I also had a singing Sedge Wren at the end of the
road last evening, and a Wings tour (coincidentally led by Michael O'B. and
Stu Tingley) heard a Black rail vocalize from the south side near the end of
the road where there has been one for several years. George Jett also heard
it. On Monday a Lesser Golden Plover flew over in a flock of about a dozen
Black-bellied Plovers. Since the latter are still in the area, the former
could be also. Check the nearby fields where the Black-bellies were seen
yesterday.
I'm not sure what to think about the Ibis. If it's still in the area, and
hasn't gone on to Bombay Hook, Truitt's Landing is not one of its current
hang-outs. We need search parties.
Paul O'Brien
Rockville, MD
pobrien776@aol.com