Hi Folks,

This morning (Sat., 10/30), Bill Hubick and I set out in the dark gloom with
the intention of finding some of the fine birds that had been reported
recently in Kent Co.  After a few early morning stops in the county, we
arrived at Great Oak Pond to find John Hubbell already scoping the place,
and we were soon joined by Jim Stasz.  Among the hundreds of Canada Geese,
scores of Snow Geese, Mallards, Shovelers, Pintails, GW Teal, Ring-necked
and Ruddy Ducks were:

PEREGRINE FALCON -- 1 flyover, being followed by an imm. Bald Eagle
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER -- 17 or 18 in the field to the east of the pond (to
the left, viewed from the road), initially scarcely discernable in the
morning gloom
AM. GOLDEN PLOVER -- 2 with the BB Plovers
LESSER YELLOWLEGS -- 1
HUDSONIAN GODWIT -- 2, not seen until they flew from the near edge to the
far edge of pond, where they offered extended views
DUNLIN--about 15
WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH--calling across the road from the pond area

Great Oak Pond can be reached by taking Rt 20 west from Chestertown, and
shortly turning right (northwest)onto Hwy 514 (Flatland Rd.) to the
community of Melitota.  Here the road becomes Handy Point Rd., which goes
west 2-3 (?)  miles to a left turnoff with a sign reading "Great Oak Yacht
Club" or the like.  The pond is a short distance on the left.

Other birds of interest around the county:

AM. COOT -- 1 at sewerage lagoons, John Hanson Rd.
TREE SWALLOW -- 5, also at JH Rd. lagoons
AM. PIPIT -- 5 or 6 at JH Rd. lagoons
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW-- about a half dozen on Remington Rd., across from
pond
RUSTY BLACKBIRD -- 5 or 6 at Fairley Lake, along Fish Hatchery Rd., spotted
by John

In Queen Anne's Co., Bill and I drove along Rte 309, where the ponds held
the usual suspects.  One bird of interest, though, in one of the small ponds
was an almost white Canada Goose.  The bird had the size, jizz, and markings
of a Canada Goose, but sported a dirty white color overall.  It didn't
particularly look like a hybrid, but the color was strange.

Unfortunately, we could not find either the Cackling or Ross' Goose
anywhere.  However, the godwit was a county bird for all four of us, and a
state bird for John.  I finished the outing with 8 new Kent Co. birds, and
Bill finished with 34 (!) county birds in Kent, plus another 5 in Queen
Annes.  Those initial trips to a county can be remarkably productive.

Stan Arnold
Glen Burnie