Matt Hafner alluded to Worcester highlights from last weekend and Mike
Burchett posted some nice pics the other day --  that one goodie of last
weekend in Worcester (with Jim Stasz and Dave Powell) was a flock of seven
American White Pelicans we observed on 10/23 near the head of Newport Bay in
Worcester County.  These birds were first reported (five) on 10/19 by a
local private landowner, to whom we are deeply indebted for access to his
property and watercraft.  Unfortunately these birds are not visible from any
public access point and it seems the birds stay far up the in the headwaters
of the Bay.   We looked for the birds on for several hours on the 22nd and
23rd, and final got them on the 23rd as they came up from the marsh at the
far northern end of the Bay.  They were reported to us in this same area on
the 22nd by friends of landowner hunting deer out in the marsh but we did
not see them.

 

Photos at: http://www.pbase.com/wcbirding/awpe_20051023

 

Prior Worcester records (about 5 occurrences):

 

American White Pelican

AWPE  07/01/1979  1  BIGBAY, AB "near Girdletree". (Evans, J., Phipps, G.,
Phipps, J., Weske, J. S.) AB cites JSW et al. (MB 35:98 AB 33:851) Observed
07/01-08/1979. AB "poss. same bird rept. in VA".

AWPE  07/08/1979  1  BIGBAY, AB "near Girdletree". (Buckalew, J. H.) (MB
35:98 AB 33:851) Observed 07/01-08/1979. AB "poss. same bird rept. in VA".

AWPE  09/12/1992  1  AI, imm. (Effinger, J., Olsen, B.) AB cites JE. (MB
49:17 AB 47:76 Hoffman and Davis 1998) MDDCRC accepted MD1996-002 (BO et
al.).

AWPE  11/15/2003  4  TAYLANDGRD, (Brighton, J., Holbrook, H.) (NAB 58:54)
"pending acceptance".

AWPE  11/16/2003  1  GILANDG, (Baer, Z.) (NAB 58:54) "pending acceptance".

AWPE  11/22/2003  19  JENKPOND, "Newport Farms pond near Hays Landing".
(Walsh, M.) (NAB 58:54) "pending acceptance".

AWPE  11/24/2003  13  JENKPOND, "Newport Farms pond near Hays Landing".
(Dyke, S. H.) (NAB 58:54) "pending acceptance".

AWPE  11/29/2003  9  SINEPUXBAY, (Hanfman, Jane, Hanfman, Joe) (NAB 58:54)
"pending acceptance".

AWPE  11/??/2003  24  NEWPORTBAY, "flock of". "present since late-Nov", no
date. (Unknown) (NAB 58:209)

AWPE  12/28/2003  12  NEWPORTBAY, "dwindled to". "28 and 30 Dec, apparently
gone by 31 Dec". (Mult. Obs.) NAB cites Mult. Obs., ph. MLH, for period.
(NAB 58:209)

AWPE  12/30/2003  12  WRIGHTSPND, NAB "28 and 30 Dec, apparently gone by 31
Dec". MLH "also seen on Jenkin's Pond". NAB "Newport B." (MLH) NAB cites
Mult. Obs., ph. MLH, for period. (NAB 58:209 Unpub. Obs.) 1130-1230 and
1330-1420. Photos.

(2003-2004 birds reported into mid-Jan)

 

 

Mark L Hoffman

Sykesville, MD