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Coastal Delaware and the Western Shore of Maryland. Last updated: 3/2/2008.
Above: A Merlin surveys its winter hunting grounds near Prime Hook NWR, Delaware (3/2/2008).
Below: An immature Northern Harrier hunts over Bombay Hook NWR, Delaware (3/2/2008).
Below: A Ruby-crowned Kinglet at Prime Hook NWR, Delaware (3/2/2008).
Below: An adult Gambel's White-crowned Sparrow at Prime Hook NWR, Delaware (3/2/2008). It was accepted as the first record of the subspecies for Delaware (DBRC #08/08).
Below: Another shot to show its orange bill coloration a little better.
Below six: Some Eastern White-crowned Sparrows at Prime Hook NWR, Delaware (3/2/2008). I've been meaning to add more of our Eastern White-crowns for comparison to recent Gambel's.
Below: Turkey Vultures warm their wings on a cold morning at Bombay Hook NWR, Delaware (3/2/2008). Note that these birds are molting their primaries (and primary coverts), their outermost flight feathers. The ten primaries are numbered from the innermost to the outermost, from P1 on the inside to P10 on the outside. (I usually find it easier to count backward from the outside in.) This is also the order in which the feathers are replaced during molt. The fresh, darker feathers have just come in, while the worn lighter feathers are yet to be replaced. The center vulture has molted P1 to P3. Not only is molt an interesting part of birds' lives, but it can also be critical in identifying rarities.
Below: A Savannah Sparrow poses for his winter 2007-2008 class photo, Broadkill Beach, Delaware (3/2/2008).
Below: A pair of Northern Pintails at Bombay Hook NWR, Delaware (3/2/2008).
Below: A drake Bufflehead dives for lunch at Bombay Hook, using its legs for underwater propulsion (3/2/2008).
Below: An American Tree Sparrow at Prime Hook NWR, Delaware (3/2/2008).
Below: One of four Semipalmated Plovers found wintering along the coast at Prime Hook NWR, Delaware (3/2/2008).
Below: One of many Wilson's Snipe foraging along the roadside channels in coastal Delaware (3/2/2008).
Below: A Sanderling feeds along the beach at Prime Hook NWR, Delaware (3/2/2008).
Below five: Male and female Purple Finches in Calvert Co., Maryland (2/16/2008).
Below: One of two female Common Redpolls at Fort Smallwood Park, Maryland (2/22/2008). After working so hard to find them this winter, this was one of my most exciting moments in birding.
Below: A Song Sparrow feeding in our yard in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (3/1/2008).
A new high count of four was present in our yard today.
Below two: A White-throated Sparrow in our Anne Arundel Co., Maryland yard (3/1/2008).
Below two: Another feeding White-throat, this one in Calvert Co., Maryland (2/16/2008).
Below: A female Northern Cardinal feeding below our feeder in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (3/1/2008).
Below: A Mourning Dove at the Battle Creek feeders, Calvert Co., Maryland (2/16/2008).
Below: A European Starling at our feeders in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (3/1/2008).
Below: A Carolina Wren takes a peak at what's on the feeder menu for the day (Anne Arundel Co, Maryland, 3/1/2008).
Below: An American Robin arrives at the holly berry buffet at Fort Smallwood Park, Maryland (2/22/2008).
