[MDOsprey] Eastern Shore and a little cheating

Don Burggraf (dburggraf@hotmail.com)
Fri, 03 Dec 1999 17:10:40 PST 

Dear Friends,

	Recently, Jim Stasz posted a report on MDOsprey, including two Ross’s Geese 
near Snow Hill.  Although such chases are often a long-shot, I thought I’d 
give it a try.  After all, it would be a life-bird for me.  He even said 
that the birds were in the “traditional location!”  On Friday (12/03)I found 
the intersection Jim mentioned, but there were no geese at all.  The field 
there was littered with white feathers.  Four BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS flew in 
just so I could say that *some* birds were in the field, but no life-bird.  
(“Fooey,” I said.)  I went on to the public landing East of Snow Hill, 
finding many BUFFLEHEADS, HORNED GREBES, SURF AND BLACK SCOTERS.
	A trip to Pocomoke State Park yielded a flock of a dozen FOX SPARROWS, two 
BALD EAGLES, and a brave, even friendly BROWN THRASHER, who followed me 
closely for a little while.
	I went to Deal Island WMA.  Although I had never birded in any of these 
locations before, I was especially impressed with Deal Island.  I had killer 
looks at (at least) six hunting SHORT-EARED OWLS, several NORTHERN HARRIERS, 
three COMMON SNIPES, two TRICOLORED HERONS, an AMERICAN BITTERN, and four 
AMERICAN EGRETS. (With so many herons/egrets, it felt like Spring!)  
SPARROWS included SONG, SWAMP and SAVANNAH.  Just as I was leaving the 
wildlife management area, a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK flew over, alternating between 
gliding and hovering.
	I mentioned in the title of my posting that there was a little bit of 
cheating.  Why?  When I was still driving around Snow Hill, looking for my 
life-bird, I began to realize that I was literally on a wild-goose-chase.  I 
figured that I needed to use any resource I could.  It occured to me that I 
rarely got this close to Chincoteague.  I thought, “Maybe I could just steal 
South of the Border.  No one from MDOsprey will see me.”  So I went.  Now, I 
guess, I’m not supposed to tell you what I saw.  I’m not supposed to tell 
you of the OYSTERCATCHER, or the flocks of BOAT-TAILED GRACKLES.  I’m not 
even supposed to tell you whether I found my first-ever ROSS’S GOOSE in 
amongst tens of thousands of look-alike snow geese.  Ah, well.  At least I 
*can* say that, as I write this note, I am wearing a big smile.

Don Burggraf
Baltimore
dburggraf@hotmail.com

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