I spent about an hour surveying the marshes around Messick Point as part of
the Western Shore Marshes IBA. It was nice to see a Northern Harrier
floating across the marsh this morning and drawing lots of attention from
Red-winged Blackbirds. Two juvenile Laughing Gulls were following a Clapper
Rail around the mudflat in hopes of stealing anything it found. The rail
eventually ducked into the reeds to avoid being continually harassed.
Dave Youker
Yorktown, VA
