What a season! From hot, humid days with swallows and flycatchers to cold, rainy days with ducks and siskins, a lot changed over the course of the season at Turkey Point.

New for Turkey Point this period was this beautiful Glaucous Gull, which was riding the wind down the Bay on the 21st. Glaucous Gulls are the second largest gull in the world. It was flying with a Great Black-backed Gull which is the only species of gull that surpasses it in size. While Great Black-backed Gulls are common residents down the Atlantic coast, Glaucous Gulls summer primarily in the Arctic and most winter in Canada and the northern U.S. states, with few making it this far south.

While not new for the count, Orange-crowned Warblers were up this year with a season total of five, and two of them were seen on the same morning. Only a single Orange-crowned was recorded for the count in 2022, and none were counted in 2021. They are one of a small number of warbler species that regularly overwinter in Maryland.

On Thanksgiving morning, a very late Indigo Bunting appeared after giving some distinctive calls from deep in the shrubs. This is the latest record of this species in northeastern Maryland. Generally, Indigo Buntings have moved on by mid-October and do not return to the region until April.

Another late bird lingering around the Point was a Baltimore Oriole. It was still around on the last day of the count and could very well still be there now. While generally thought of as a summer species here in Maryland, some try to avoid the extra stress of migration by staying put and pushing through the cold. Oftentimes these birds find a feeder they can use as a reliable food source, but with no feeders at Turkey Point, this bird must be relying on natural resources.

Grackles were a prominent migrant in November with thousands flying around the Point many mornings. These murmuring flocks were at times so dense they appeared as though they were a solid black wall. Their ability to fly so close together making sharp turns in perfect synchrony is nothing short of amazing!

A notable bird in late November was a Red-tailed Hawk of the abieticola or “Northern” subspecies. Abieticola means “dweller of the fir” which relates to this population’s association with the boreal forest of the north. Small numbers of these northern Red-tails reach the Mid-Atlantic region in late fall and winter, but they are always a special sight to see.

Thanks to those who stopped by Turkey Point this season, to those who have read these posts, and especially to all those who support MBP and help make this count possible!

Until next time – Happy Holidays, Happy New Year and Happy birding!

Aaron