Hello all. I spent a nice relaxing day with my family on the beach at Ocean City. After a hour of riding waves on the boggy board with my son, I nestled into my chair with my camera, binoculars and Leica scope by my side hoping for a good time of sea watching. I was pretty happy with my results.
Almost at any time during the day, especially in the morning and afternoon I could scan the horizon east to South East and have almost no problem picking up Wilson's Storm Petrels. At one point I counted 10 in one passing. I was on 14th Street, and South East of me was a big red buoy with a number 2 on it. I guess that it would be a 2 mile marker? Anyway that seemed to be where allot of the birds were.
Also Gannets were in big numbers today. There wasn't a time when there wasn't a Gannet in sight. They came in so close that I could see them with my naked eye. One sat down on the water no more than about 150 yards off the beach from us. I could see the pupil in his eye thru my scope.
Brown Pelicans were plentiful. I counted 17 at one time. Most were imm. birds but there were many adults as well. 
There was plenty of Least, Foresters, Common, and Royal Terns. I didn't get Caspian until I went over to scan skimmer Island on the way home.
Skimmer Island highlights, from Hoopers Restaurant.
Oystercatchers, 20
Willets 12
Double Crested Corm. 100+
Brown Pelican 6
Tri-colored Heron 2
Snowy Egret 15
Many Terns but I didn't count.
My only note of concern today is, Where are the skimmers. Twice in one week there with no Black Skimmers.
Sean McCandless
Elkton, MD