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3 Jul Fw: [MDOSPREY] Roseate Spoonbill-Correction [Winger and June West ] 3 Jul Re: Roseate Spoonbill [Kevin Graff ] 3 Jul Charles and PG Counties, 07/02-07/03 [Robert Ostrowski ] 3 Jul Riley's & Violette's Locks, 7/3/09 [Daniel Jason Lebbin ] 3 Jul Roseate Spoonbill [Dave Brenneman ] 3 Jul Washington County - Wed., July 1st [Jim Green ] 2 Jul Somerset & Caroline Counties - Tues., June 30th [Jim Green ] 2 Jul Re: Worm-Eating Warbler - Violette's Lock, [Mary Ann Todd ] 2 Jul Worm-Eating Warbler - Violette's Lock, C&O Canal, Montgomery County [Rob Hilton ] 2 Jul Black-billed Cuckoo's - St. Mary's County [Joe Hanfman ] 2 Jul Northeast Frederick County today [Gail Mackiernan ] 2 Jul Roseate Spoonbill seen (in Delaware) [Rob Hilton ] 2 Jul Wicomico, Somerset and Worcester Counties - June 29th [Jim Green ] 1 Jul Rock Creek Park, Bethesda [diane Ford ] 1 Jul Spoonbill update [Dan Haas ] 1 Jul St. Mary's County and the Eastern Shore - Sun., June 28 [Jim Green ] 1 Jul Re: Prettyboy Oriole [Rick Sussman ] 1 Jul Re: Prettyboy Oriole [Jeff Shenot ] 1 Jul BCNH at Sewells Orchard Ponds [Jenny McClintock ] 1 Jul Tanyard wetlands IBA-late post [Karen Harris ] 1 Jul Re: Swan Creek Wetland [Mike O'Brien ] 1 Jul Re: Swan Creek Wetland [Stanley Arnold ] 1 Jul Swan Creek Wetland [Stanley Arnold ] 1 Jul Re: Prettyboy Oriole [Gail Mackiernan ] 1 Jul FW: Birding Community E-bulletin - July 2009 [Norm Saunders ] 1 Jul NE Frederick County Dickcissels [Anna Urciolo ] 1 Jul Re: NE Frederick County Dickcissels [Gerald & Laura Tarbell ] 1 Jul Charles Co. IBA blitzes - late [Leslie Starr ] 1 Jul Re: Prettyboy Oriole [Eileen Wise ] 1 Jul Re: Prettyboy Oriole [Rick Sussman ] 1 Jul Prettyboy Oriole [Eileen Wise ] 30 Jun Lesser Black-backed Gull Betterton, Kent Co. 30 June '09 [Nancy Martin ] 30 Jun The 15th Annual Purple Martin Field Day proclaimed a success [kingston ] 30 Jun King Rail [Larry Hitchens ] 30 Jun Re: Coopers Hawk & Starling [Rick Sussman ] 30 Jun Re: Neotropic Cormorant and Bufflehead [Rick Sussman ] 30 Jun Patuxent Park Jug Bay today [Ole Buck ] 30 Jun Neotropic Cormorant and Bufflehead [Mary Ann Todd ] 30 Jun FW: DC Area, 6/30/09 [Norm Saunders ] 30 Jun Roseate Spoonbill [Dan Haas ] 30 Jun Coopers Hawk & Starling [Cliff Comeau ] 30 Jun OT- Highlights from recent trip to Idaho [Frode Jacobsen ] 30 Jun Violet-crowned Hummingbird status in Virginia: gone? [Rob Hilton ] 30 Jun VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMER in VA [MICHAEL SPEICHER ] 29 Jun Southern Maryland IBA Bird Blitzes--Corrections, Photos [Bill Hubick ] 29 Jun Roseate Spoonbill MD location (26 Jun) image and map posted [Phil Davis ] 29 Jun Fwd: Roseate Spoonbill in MD [26 Jun] [Phil Davis ] 29 Jun Black-billed Cuckoo -- Jug Bay [danny bystrak ] 29 Jun Jug Bay tomorrow [Ole Buck ] 29 Jun Re: MD/DC Records Committee - new web updates [Edward Boyd ] 29 Jun Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center/ Kent Narrows Queen Anne County 6 - 28 - 09 [danny poet ] 29 Jun Re: MD/DC Records Committee - new web updates [Phil Davis ] 29 Jun Southern Maryland IBA Bird Blitzes [Bill Hubick ] 29 Jun Fw: Bobcat at SERC [James Tyler Bell ] 29 Jun NE Frederick County Dickcissels [Max Wilson ] 29 Jun Re: MD/DC Records Committee - new web updates [Bob Hartman ] 29 Jun OT- VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD-VA, Roseate Spoonbill- DE (Photos) [Jeffery Davis ] 28 Jun OT- VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMER in VA [Nico Sarbanes ] 28 Jun OT- photos from ABA Young Birders Conference in San Diego [Nico Sarbanes ] 28 Jun MD/DC Records Committee - new web updates [Phil Davis ] 28 Jun Rt 54 & Dickcissel, 06/27/09 [Kevin Graff ] 28 Jun Roseate Spoonbill - 6PM -Catch 54 [Marcy Stutzman ] 28 Jun Roseate Spoonbill - seen 6-28 [K Lambert ] 28 Jun Dickcissels, Vesper Sparrows -- Dorchester/Caroline, 6/28 [John Hubbell ] 28 Jun Re: Ho Co (Pine Siskin) [Rick Sussman ] 28 Jun Ho Co (Pine Siskin) [Bonnie and John Ott ] 28 Jun Re: Black Rails [JAMES WILSON ] 28 Jun Black Rails, Short-eared Owls and American Bitterns [dan small ] 27 Jun Poplar Island Sightings for23 June 2009 [Les Roslund ] 27 Jun Frederick & Carroll Counties: Dickcissels, Red-headed Woodpecker, Hooded Mergansers [danny bystrak ] 27 Jun NE Frederick County: Dickcissels, Red-headed Woodpecker, Hooded Mergansers, Bobolinks [Jim Wilkinson ] 27 Jun Re: Gunpowder Falls/ Lost Pond Trail + Off-topic research participation opportunity [Georgia McDonald ] 27 Jun Bird skins for Bridging the Americas - Slightly off topic [Tim Boucher ] 27 Jun I H8 Kiki Kerr [James Tyler Bell ] 27 Jun IBA Bird Blitz, St Mary's County, 6/27 [John Hubbell ] 27 Jun Gunpowder Falls/ Lost Pond Trail + Off-topic research participation opportunity [Georgia McDonald ] Subject: Fw: [MDOSPREY] Roseate Spoonbill-Correction From: Winger and June West <westw AT EROLS.COM> Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2009 22:57:08 -0400 Correction: The Roseate Spoonbill was seen in Delaware near the north end of Madison Avenue in Fenwick Island from 0830 to 0900. It was fairly far out in the marsh north of the Catch 54 Restaurant, but then obligingly flew over to within about 100 feet of us out in the cut grass behind the chain link fence. Winger West Millersville, MD westw AT erols.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Brenneman"Subject: Re: Roseate Spoonbill From: Kevin Graff <whitemarlin2001 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2009 19:44:04 -0700 Hi all,
Again no one had post my sightings from text from earlier am as this morning
by 630am, the spoonbill was seen flying from MD side to the pond on DE side.
Kevin Graff
West Ocean City, MD (in J-ville till tomorrow am)
WhiteMarlin2001 AT yahoo.com
Subject: Charles and PG Counties, 07/02-07/03From: Robert Ostrowski <rjostrowski AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2009 22:25:07 -0400 Hello everyone, I got out of work early on Thursday, so I did a little birding in Charles County, mainly at Myrtle Grove WMA. Best birds at Myrtle Grove were Hooded Warblers, a Great Egret, Blue Grosbeak, and Yellow-breasted Chat. Maybe my best birds in the county were three ROCK PIDGEONS, which flew across Hawthorne Road as I was driving. I understand that this can be a tricky bird in Charles. The kayak that I ordered finally arrived earlier this week, so since I had the day off because of the holiday, I decided to take it out on the Patuxent. I was slow getting out of the house this morning, so I didn't launch from Selby's Landing until around 8am. Primarily staying on the PG side of the river, I paddled a little ways south, checking out various nameless streams and then turned around and paddled north until I just about arrived at Jug Bay before turning back and slowly drifting to Selby's Landing. I was hoping for Least Bittern, which are almost common this time of the year on the river, but I didn't have any luck. Best birds while kayaking were: a SPOTTED SANDPIPER making its way along the PG shore just north of Selby's, at least five MARSH WRENS, two AMERICAN REDSTARTS, one PROTHONOTARY WARBLER, one BANK SWALLOW, and five Wood Ducks. I birded along Croom Airport Road on my way out of Selby's, and picked up two PINE WARBLERS in the pines (where they've been without fail since early Spring), a male SUMMER TANAGER, a male Baltimore Oriole, and a singing HOODED WARBLER. This afternoon before dinner I met up with my brother Mike and we birded the Bowie Town Center Pond for 45 minutes, passing time until it was time to eat. It was my first visit since late Winter. Nothing unusual, but we were happy to see a nice-sized Purple Martin colony. After dinner, we birded Fran Uhler, where the highlights were a Yellow-throated Vireo, Prairie Warbler, Orchard Orioles, Scarlet Tanager, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and three Eastern Phoebes. All-in-all, I had a 10 warbler day in the county. Not bad for early July. Full lists: Location: Marshall Hall Observation date: 7/2/09 Number of species: 8 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee 1 Blue Jay 1 Eastern Bluebird 2 European Starling 10 Chipping Sparrow 3 Orchard Oriole 1 American Goldfinch 4 Location: Barrys Hill Road Observation date: 7/2/09 Number of species: 7 Great Blue Heron 1 Acadian Flycatcher 1 Carolina Chickadee 2 Eastern Bluebird 2 Northern Parula 1 Scarlet Tanager 1 Northern Cardinal 1 Location: Myrtle Grove WMA Observation date: 7/2/09 Number of species: 34 Canada Goose 9 Great Blue Heron 1 Great Egret 1 Green Heron 1 Osprey 2 Mourning Dove 8 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2 Downy Woodpecker 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee 1 Acadian Flycatcher 1 White-eyed Vireo 2 Red-eyed Vireo 6 Blue Jay 1 American Crow 1 Barn Swallow 1 Carolina Chickadee 4 Tufted Titmouse 1 White-breasted Nuthatch 3 Carolina Wren 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3 Wood Thrush 1 Northern Mockingbird 2 Brown Thrasher 1 Northern Parula 2 Ovenbird 2 Common Yellowthroat 4 Hooded Warbler 2 Yellow-breasted Chat 1 Northern Cardinal 5 Blue Grosbeak 1 Indigo Bunting 2 Red-winged Blackbird 1 Common Grackle 1 American Goldfinch 1 Location: Hawthorne Road, Charles Co. Observation date: 7/2/09 Number of species: 1 Rock Pigeon 3 Location: Kayaking Patuxent in PG Observation date: 7/3/09 Number of species: 38 Wood Duck 5 Great Blue Heron 7 Turkey Vulture 2 Osprey 5 Spotted Sandpiper 1 Mourning Dove 1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1 Chimney Swift 1 Belted Kingfisher 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 2 Northern Flicker 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee 1 Eastern Kingbird 2 White-eyed Vireo 3 Red-eyed Vireo 2 Blue Jay 1 American Crow 1 Tree Swallow 2 Bank Swallow 1 Barn Swallow 5 Carolina Chickadee 2 Carolina Wren 1 Marsh Wren 5 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2 Gray Catbird 1 Brown Thrasher 1 Northern Parula 3 Yellow Warbler 1 American Redstart 2 Prothonotary Warbler 1 Common Yellowthroat 6 Yellow-breasted Chat 1 Scarlet Tanager 1 Eastern Towhee 3 Northern Cardinal 6 Indigo Bunting 2 Red-winged Blackbird 40 Common Grackle 4 Location: Bowie Town Center Pond Observation date: 7/3/09 Number of species: 16 Canada Goose 45 Mallard 1 Turkey Vulture 1 Osprey 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 1 Eastern Kingbird 1 Purple Martin 6 Barn Swallow 2 Tufted Titmouse 1 Carolina Wren 1 Wood Thrush 1 Gray Catbird 1 European Starling 1 Song Sparrow 1 House Sparrow 4 Location: Fran Uhler Natural Area Observation date: 7/3/09 Number of species: 28 Great Blue Heron 2 Mourning Dove 1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 3 Chimney Swift 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee 1 Eastern Phoebe 3 Eastern Kingbird 1 Yellow-throated Vireo 1 Red-eyed Vireo 1 Blue Jay 1 Tufted Titmouse 1 Carolina Wren 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 5 Eastern Bluebird 3 Wood Thrush 1 American Robin 17 Gray Catbird 1 Brown Thrasher 1 Northern Parula 1 Prairie Warbler 1 Scarlet Tanager 1 Northern Cardinal 4 Indigo Bunting 2 Red-winged Blackbird 1 Common Grackle (Purple) 2 Orchard Oriole 2 American Goldfinch 3 Robert Ostrowski Bowie rjostrowski AT gmail.comSubject: Riley's & Violette's Locks, 7/3/09 From: Daniel Jason Lebbin <djl42 AT CORNELL.EDU> Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2009 22:10:34 -0400 Erin and I spent a wodnerful evening along the C&O canal walking between Riley's Lock and mile marker 21 south of Violette's Lock, spending quite a bit of time scanning the cormorant roost with no luck on the Neotropical Cormorant reported last week. Weather was great and it was nice to be out. Several water snakes, and both orioles in the same sycamore were nice. eBird list below. Good birding, Dan Lebbin Location: C&O Canal--Violette's Lock Observation date: 7/3/09 Notes: Riley's Lock to Violettes Lock downstream to mile marker 21 (Cormorant Roost). Number of species: 34 Canada Goose 12 Wood Duck 2 Mallard 20 Double-crested Cormorant 69 Did not find a Neotropical among them at the roost site. Also, 1 dead cormorant hanging from a tree tangled in fishing line. Great Blue Heron 4 Great Egret 2 Green Heron 2 Black Vulture X Turkey Vulture X Osprey 1 Chimney Swift X Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee 2 Acadian Flycatcher 2 Eastern Phoebe 3 Red-eyed Vireo 1 Blue Jay 1 Fish Crow X Purple Martin 1 Tree Swallow 2 Carolina Chickadee X Tufted Titmouse X Carolina Wren 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 European Starling 5 Prothonotary Warbler 1 Louisiana Waterthrush 3 Chipping Sparrow 1 Indigo Bunting 2 Red-winged Blackbird 1 Common Grackle X Orchard Oriole 1 Baltimore Oriole 1 American Goldfinch 3Subject: Roseate Spoonbill From: Dave Brenneman <dwbren AT VERIZON.NET> Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2009 09:02:51 -0400 The Spoonbill was seen in Maryland near the DE end of Madison Avenue in Ocean City this morning by several birders between 0830 and 0900. This report is posted from Marcy and Winger. Dave Brenneman Fort Washington, MD 20744 www.woodduck.smugmug.comSubject: Washington County - Wed., July 1st From: Jim Green <jkgbirdman AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2009 00:51:29 -0400 Hi Everybody:
I was grateful for the rain after I returned home on Tuesday night. I used it
as an excuse to catch up on my sleep and not get up at 2 or 3 in the morning
and try for some night birding. I did get up and leave the house shortly after
5 AM and headed for Washington County. My main target bird for today was Hooded
Warbler. Last year John Hubbell had posted that he had a singing Hooded Warbler
and A Kentucky Warbler on Warner Hollow Road in the NEern part of the county.
Dave Powell and I visited this road last summer and had the Kentucky Warbler
but missed on the Hooded W. I accessed the road from the southern end and about
3/4 of the way up the road I heard the Kentucky Warbler and the Hooded Warbler
singing simultaneously. This is a very interesting road which starts by passing
a reservoir and then is heavily wooded with some steep ravines and as you drive
north on the road you are gaining elevation the entire time. When you reach the
end of the road you are in Frederick County. Listed below is my Washington
County birds for Warner Hollow Road:
Downy Woodpecker 3
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Carolina Chickadee 2
Cedar Waxwing 1
Acadian Flycatcher 7
Wood Thrush 6
Red-eyed Vireo 3
Ovenbird 2
N. Parula Warbler 1
Louisiana Waterthrush 1
Hooded Warbler 1
Kentucky Warbler 1
Worm-eating Warbler 1
Scarlet Tanager 1
E. Towhee 1
Chipping Sparrow 2
I decide that the rest of the day I would check the Hagerstown Airport, drive
Broadfording Road from one end to the other and finish up at Antietam National
Battlefield. I decide to stay on rural two-lane roads as much as possible.
Abridged highlights of my various birding locations follow, all of which were
in Washington County. In the back of my mind I was looking for Red-headed
Woodpecker, Blue Grosbeak and Dickcissel; all of which would be county birds. I
figured that Dickcissels are being found in many counties this summer so why
not in Washington County. I would not find any of these hopefuls but I did have
a very enjoyable day.
OLD FORGE ROAD
E. Bluebird 1
E. Kingbird 1
Phoebe 1
Brown Thrasher 1
Grasshopper Sparrow 1
Vesper Sparrow 1
CLOPPER ROAD
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Gray Catbird 16
Wood Thrush 1
House Wren 10
Great-crested Flycatcher 2
Horned lark 2
Baltimore Oriole 2 (pair)
Field Sparrow 1
AIRPARK ROAD (at the Hagerstown airport)
Killdeer 2
Barn Swallow 8
House Wren 1
Grasshopper sparrow 1
Eastern Meadowlark 1
BROADFORDING ROAD - Inspired by helping Mikey Lutmerding with the Somerset
County Breeding Bird Survey the day before, I decided to do my own informal
survey of Broadfording Road I began at the eastern end of the road just outside
of Hagerstown and stopped opposite the school in Clear Valley (if my memory
serves me correctly). I recorded all birds seen each mile of the road. The road
is over 11 miles in length and goes through alot of farm country. There are not
alot of places to pull over but it is easy to get 2 wheels off of the road and
on a weekday at midday it was not a heavily travelled road. I will list a
synopsis of highlights so as not to bore you with a mile by mile report. If
anybody is interested in any specific locations email me off line (I will not
be home until Sunday, my wife and I are visiting friend in Talbot County and
this is where I am reporting this from).
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
E. Kingbird 6 (including 2 pair)
Great-crested Flycatcher 1
Wood Thrush 1
Field Sparrow 2
Grasshopper Sparrow 4
Savannah Sparrow 2
Indigo Bunting 6
Eastern Meadowlark 3
Red-winged Blackbird 3
BREATHEDSVILLE ROAD
Eastern Wood Pewee 1
Prairie Warbler 1
TAYLOR'S LANDING along the C & O Canal at the Potomac River
Rough-winged swallow 5
MONDELL ROAD
Wild turkey 1
Eastern Kingbird 1
Tree Swallow 2
Horned Lark 2
Grasshoppersparrow 2
Eastern Meadowlark 1
ANTIETAM NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD
DUNKER CHURCH ROAD (was not able to relocate the Dickcissel that I saw hear
back in May)
Field Sparrow 1
Grasshopper Sparrow 1
Vesper sparrow 1
MANSFIELD ROAD
Field Sparrow 1
Vesper Sparrow 1
Orchard oriole 2
BURNSIDE BRIDGE OVERLOOK (from the parking lot)
Barn Swallow 1
Cliff Swallow 4
Yellow- throated Vireo 1
Field Sparrow 1
Yellow-breasted Chat 1
Baltimore Oriole 1
Jim Green
Gaithersburg, MD
WORK IN MODERATION, BIRD IN EXCESS!!!
Subject: Somerset & Caroline Counties - Tues., June 30thFrom: Jim Green <jkgbirdman AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 23:33:33 -0400 Hi Everybody: I spent the night, albeit a very short night at Irish Grove Monday night. After a few hours of sleep I drove 30 minutes and met Ron Gutberlet and Mikey Lutmerding in Somerset County at 4:45 AM on Tuesday. Ron & I were helping Mikey do a designated Breeding Bird Survey route which started just after 5 AM and consisted of 50 different checkpoints at which you recorded ALL species heard and seen as well as numbers of each. Each one of us kept our own tallies. I do not have specific roads for our stops; I have them written down as Stop # 1, Stop # 2, etc. I arrived at about 4:30, not sure how long it would take me, and when I arrived at our meeting point (a 3-way intersection of Perryman, Perryman Church and Dublin Roads) I could hear several Chuck-Will-Widows calling. Some of the highlights of our survey in no particular order included: Great Horned Owls calling, Blue Grosbeaks (seemed to be everywhere), Cattle Egrets, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Pine, Prairie, Prothonotary & Worm-eating Warblers, Yellow-breasted Chat, Grasshopper Sparrow, Wild Turkey, N. Bobwhite, Marsh Wren and Orchard Oriole. The Hummngbird was my only County bird of the survey. Since we ended with Stop # 50 near Rumbley Point we drove out through the marsh to the end of the road. Species seen were very similar to my previous report with two welcome additions: several Willets (our only shorebird) and a Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow which was very cooperative in sitting up on several perches. Mikey should have gotten some nice pictures. After they dropped me off at my car I headed over to Flemming Mill Pond Road in the hopes of trying one more time for my Somerset Yellow-throated Vireo. After 20 futile minutes I left with the intention of heading for Caroline County. Not too long after I turned onto Pete's Hill Road I pulled over for a short lunch break and a cold drink from the cooler. About 5 minutes into my lunchbreak a Yellow-throated Vireo began to sing off and on for the next ten minutes. The Vireo was my tenth new Somerset County bird for this trip. After several hours of slowly driving back roads I ended up on Bradley Road in Carroll County to look for the Dickcissel previously reported by John Hubbell. It was very windy and on my first time up and down the road I was not able to locate the bird. Dan Haas showed up and the wind seemed to subside. After about 5 minutes the Dickcissel began to sing and 10 minutes or so later it had moved fairly close to us. While we enjoyed the Dickcissel we had a nice assortment of other field and grassland birds that included Horned Larks, Grasshopper Sparrow, E. Meadowlark, Blue Grosbeak and a very close to the road (but not seen) calling Northern Bobwhite. Instead of staying one more night on the Eastern Shore I decided to head home and then spend most of the next day in Washington County. I had a delightful three days of birding on the Western & Eastern shores of Maryland. Jim Green Gaithersburg, MD WORK IN MODERATION, BIRD IN EXCESS!!!Subject: Re: Worm-Eating Warbler - Violette's Lock, From: Mary Ann Todd <Dma3 AT AOL.COM> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 19:00:40 EDT Several pairs of Worm-eaters breed in the hilly areas just south of Violettes and just across the towpath (the Blockhouse Point area) especially along the gas pipeline cut. They like the little ravines with tiny streams and Mountain Laurel. Late in the summer you see family groups along the towpath Dave Czaplak **************Dell Summer Savings: Cool Deals on Popular Laptops – Shop Now! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222696924x1201468348/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Faltfarm.mediaplex.com%2Fad%2Fck%2F12309%2D81939%2D1629%2D1)Subject: Worm-Eating Warbler - Violette's Lock, C&O Canal, Montgomery County From: Rob Hilton <aimophila10 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 15:42:16 -0700 Hi, I'm posting this for Steve Hersey, who is not on MDOsprey. Cheers, Rob HiltonSilver Spring++++++++Worm-Eating Warbler - Violette's Lock, C&O Canal, Montgomery County At 1:30 today I was strolling the Canal around Violette's lock looking for the Neotropic Cormorant (with no luck) and was surprised to find a worm-eating warbler bopping around in the tangles of branches about 6 feet above the canal (across the canal from the towpath). It gave me a great look, then continued on it's way. I stayed around for almost an hour but it never reappeared and never made a sound. I don't recall seeing any mention of WEWAs in that area outside of migration - has anyone else had any? For location, it was exactly 0.66 miles downriver of the wooden bridge at Violette's Lock. GPS 39.063076N 77.318718W. Appropriately enough it is right where there is a huge, very steep slope going up across the canal (perfect Wormy territory). About 15 feet to the right of where I saw it there is a small fenced-in area with some equipment and a sign that looks like it belongs to WSSC - this is nearly completely hidden by the trees but thought this landmark might be useful. The Violette's Lock area also produced at least 8 Great-crested Flycatchers, one very rambunctious Yellow-billed Cuckoo making a racket while carrying around an enormous bug, two Parulas singing up a storm way up high, an insistent Pewee in the parking lot, a Baltimore Oriole couple, a beautiful Red-tailed Hawk that buzzed down the canal right after a Great Blue Heronflew by, and a whole bunch of the usual suspects. Cheers, Steve Hersey Washington, DCSubject: Black-billed Cuckoo's - St. Mary's County From: Joe Hanfman <auk1844 AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 22:24:13 +0000 Jeff Culler and I saw 2 Black-billed Cuckoos on McIntosh Rd in St. Mary's County. They were 1/10th mile from Rt. 5. We also saw the previously reported Dickcissel at Beauvue Ponds on Abells Wharf Rd. A Northern Bobwhite was calling in the area. Grasshopper Sparrows and Eastern Meadowlarks were nearby. Highlights of St. Mary's R iver State Park were: Worm-eating Warbler Kentucky Warbler Hooded Warbler Summer Tanager Joe Hanfman Columbia, MDSubject: Northeast Frederick County today From: Gail Mackiernan <katahdinss AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 13:11:01 -0400 Hi all -- Enticed by the many reports of good field birds in the Emmitsburg area, Barry and I drove up there this morning. We also had a great time with mind-blowing looks at multiple Dickcissels, Grasshopper Sparrows and other goodies. We went to three sites, Sixes Road east of Grimes Rd., Bollinger Road south of Sixes Rd. and Creamery Rd. near its intersection with Keysville Rd. Sixes Road: The birds were in the earlier-reported grassy field on the south side about 1/3 mile beyond Grimes Rd., the male Dickcissels singing from the row of small oaks and also, telephone wires. Dickcissel (4 male, 2 female) Eastern Meadowlark (~10) Grasshopper Sparrow (2) Indigo Bunting (1) Orchard Oriole (1) Also, heard a Pheasant crow all the way across the field towards the farm buildings. Wild bird? Cage bird? Lots of these farms seem to have an assortment of exotic critters such as Guineafowl so who knows? But it has been so many years since I have heard a pheasant in MD that I find it hard to believe it was a wild one. Bollinger Road: Red-headed Woodpecker (1 adult) at crossing of Stony Branch as per earlier report, it was on telephone pole, on ground at road edge (!) and then flew to a dead tree across the field on the west side of the road. Grasshopper Sparrow (2, on fence posts along the fields beyond the farm with all the guineafowl, south of the woodpecker spot) Creamery Road: Dickcissel (4 singing males) Bobolink (1 singing male) Meadowlark (1-2) Grasshopper Sparrow (3) Indigo Bunting (2) Field Sparrow (only 1!) Brown Thrasher (1) Also, along Harney Road, 2 Blue Grosbeaks and 1 Kestrel, and a *possible* Vesper Sparrow on telephone wires about 1/2 mile east of Harney Rd. Pond; it was flushed by a large vehicle before we got a good look but when it flew down into the crop field we thought we saw the white outer tail feathers. Waited a while but it never reappeared. Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper Colesville, MDSubject: Roseate Spoonbill seen (in Delaware) From: Rob Hilton <aimophila10 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 09:29:29 -0700 Hi, Paul Pisano saw the Roseate Spoonbill in Sussex County, Delaware, an hour or two ago. It is in the general area where it has been reported. Good birding, Rob Hilton Silver Spring, MarylandSubject: Wicomico, Somerset and Worcester Counties - June 29th From: Jim Green <jkgbirdman AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 00:05:19 -0400 Hi Everybody:
After spending the previous night in Salisbury I was out the door before 5 AM
and heading south on Nanticoke Road. I made a quick stop on Brott-Matt Road and
heard 2 Chuck-will-widows calling. I realized that I forgot to get gas the
evening before so I headed back to Salisbury to refuel. I then decide to head
for Somerset County (the only county that I had not birded in so far this
year). I decided to take back roads to get there and selected some roads that I
had never been on before. The abridged list of species below are in SOMERSET
COUNTY unless otherwise noted:
EDEN ALLEN ROAD (everything seen or heard was in an overgrown field where huge
power lines had been erected)
Common Yellowthroat 3
N. Bobwhite 1 (calling)
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
Yellow-breasted Chat 1 ( A County Bird & Closeout # 81)
Blue Grosbeak 2
SEA TICK ROAD (accessed off of Meadow Bridge Road)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Downy woodpecker 1
Pileated woodpecker 1
Ovenbird 1
Black & white Warbler 2
Common Yellowthroat 2
Worm-eating Warbler 1 heard first and spished in within 5 feet from me (a
County Bird)
Yellow-breasted Chat 2 (once a species is closed out you find them everywhere)
Summer Tanager 1
blue Grosbeak 1
FLEMMING MILL POND ROAD BRIDGE CROSSING (the bridge separates Somerset &
Worcester Counties) all listed were in Somerset County unless otherwise noted
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3 (both)
White-eyed Vireo 1
E. Wood Pewee 2 (Wor. only)
Prothonotary Warbler 2 (both)
Kentucky Warbler 1 (singing, chipping and briefly seen as it flew across the
road) (a County Bird)
Louisiana Waterthrush 1 (both ) (a County bird in Somerset)
Scarlet Tanager 2 (both)
FIVE BRIDGES ROAD CROSSING (this bridge also separates Somerset & Worcester
Counties)
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 (both)
Pileated woodpecker 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Yellow-throated Vireo 1 (Wor. only - a County Bird)
Prothonotary Warbler 2 (both)
PERRYMAN CHURCH ROAD
N. Bobwhite 1
Ovenbird 1
Prothonotary Warbler 1
DUBLIN ROAD
Cattle Egret 3 (a County Bird)
2 Eurasian Collared Doves were seen in their usual location off of Dividing
Creek road at the intersection of Pocomoke river and Somerset roads ( a County
Bird)
RUMBLY POINT ROAD (from the beginning of the road to the end at midday)
Bald Eagle 1
Brown-headed Nuthatch 1
Pine Warbler 2
Prairie Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 3
Yellow-breastewd Chat 1
Great Egret 12
Snowy Egret 8
Tri-colored Heron 1
Glossy Ibis 1
Forster's Tern 2
Marsh Wren 3
Seaside Sparrow 4
Boat-tailed Grackle 3
MARUMSCO ROAD
E. Kingbird 1
Yellow-breasted Chat 1
COVENTRY PARISH ROAD
Barn Swallow 4
Purple Martin 5
Common Yellowthroat
WHITEHAVEN ROAD (waiting for Ferry into Wicomico County)
Osprey 1
Laughing Gull 4
Clapper Rail (calling from marsh)
Indigo Bunting 1
Blue Grosbeak 1 (it was such a treat to see & hear these birds seemingly
everywhere)
WICOMICO COUNTY (unless otherwise noted):
MEZICK ROAD
Wild Turkey 1
E. Kingbird 1
MUDDY HOLE ROAD
Brown-headed Nuthatch 4
Pine Warbler 1
HICKMAN ROAD
Cattle Egret 1 (barely seen amidst some cattle) (a County Bird)
WORCESTER COUNTY
BERLIN SEWAGE PONDS\
Killdeer 1 near a nest with 4 eggs in it)
Brown Thrasher 1
Green Heron 6
Least Terns 7
ASSATEAGUE (I arrived here about 1 hour before dusk - I drove the main road in,
parked near the pay booth, scanned the beach and then hung near my car until
just after dusk)
Brown Pelican 4
Great Egret 2
Willet 5 all those seen were on the beach. Many heard calling from Bayside as
I drove south on the entrance road).
Brown Thrasher 3
Common Nighthawk 1 (a County Bird)
Chuck-wills-widow - first heard calling on Bayside in daylight and heard
another 6 -8 on the drive out of the park.
On the way back to Rumbly Point where I was staying overnight I drove south on
Meadow Bridges Road; parts of this road is a boundary line with Worcester Co.
on my left and Somerset Co. on my right. I heard numerous Chucks in Worcester
County (12-14). I finally heard two Chucks calling from Somerset County(Which
was a Somerset County bird for me). 20 minutes later a Barred Owl gave its
single note call. ( needed this for a County Bird).
Jim Green
Gaithersburg, MD
WORK IN MODERATION, BIRD IN EXCESS!!!
Acadian Flycatcher 5 (both counties)
Subject: Rock Creek Park, BethesdaFrom: diane Ford <dmford455 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 19:45:55 -0700 July 1,2009 Rock Creek Park, Bethesda (near Grovesnor Metro) 9am- 11am 34 species Gray Catbird 4 Acadian Flycatcher 2 Great Crested Flycatcher 2 (parent feeding young) Eastern Phoebe 1 Eastern Kingbird 1 Yellow billed Cuckoo 1 (heard) American Robin (many) Brown headed Cowbird 4 Blue gray Gnatcatcher 2 American Goldfinch 3 Chimney Swift 1 Purple Grackle 4 Warbling Vireo 1 Red eyed Vireo 2 Yellow throated Vireo 2 Red shouldered Hawk 1 Turkey Vulture 1 Yellow crowned Night Heron 1 ad (young about to fledge) Wood Thrush 3 Veery 1 Red bellied Woodpecker 2 Downy Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 1 Pileated Woodpecker 1 Parula Warbler 1 Cedar Waxwings 2 Song Sparrow House Wren House Finch Carolina Wren Mourning Dove Common Crow White Breasted Nuthatch D.FordSubject: Spoonbill update From: Dan Haas <nervousbirds AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 22:01:39 -0400 I received word that around 1 pm today, the Roseate Spoonbill took a brief flight into MD. Not sure how long it stayed before returning to it's regular spot, but I just thought I'd let everyone know the news. Keeping the hope alive... Dan Haas West Annapolis, MD nervousbirds AT gmail.comSubject: St. Mary's County and the Eastern Shore - Sun., June 28 From: Jim Green <jkgbirdman AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 21:38:08 -0400 Hi Everybody:
I have been on vacation since this past Saturday; with my wife having to work
I took full advantage of my days of and decided to work on my County Lists. I
met Bill Hubick & Ron Gutberlet before 5 AM in St. Mary's County to participate
in the statewide IBA Bird Blitzes. I will not comment on the Blitzes we did and
the ensuing birding in Calvert County since Bill H. has already reported very
nicely about our results. I have been birding non-stop since Sunday (6/28) and
this is the first chance I have had to set down my binoculars and post my
results. So I do apologize for the late postings but birding in the field
definitely has its priority over posting about birding in the field. I am
giving a report separate report for each day.
Before I met Bill & Ron on Sunday morning (I think I left Gaithersburg about
2:15 AM) I stopped at Smokey Road in Calvert County hoping for Whips. I took a
half hour walk into the woods and struck out on the Whips but I did hear a
Yellow-billed Cuckoo calling and inadvertently walked very close to some
begging Barred Owls making their "Whooshing" sound. I am guessing there were 2
of them. My next stop was behind the St. Mary's County Airport where I also had
no luck with nightjars. I stood on Lawrence Hayden Road and heard the following
species (listed in the order in which I heard the first species of each
calling) from 5 Am to 5:30 AM. I thought it was interestinG to hear which birds
started earliest and for that reason I wish I could have been there even
earlier.
Yellow-breasted Chat 4
Grasshopper Sparrow 2
Eastern Bluebird 1
Indigo Bunting 1
Catbird 1
Great- horned Owl 2 calling off and on for about 15 minutes (a County Bird)
N. Cardinal 1
E. Towhee 2
Common yellowthroat 2
Mourning Dove 1
Wild Turkey 1 Calling periodically for about 20 minutes ( a County Bird)
Field Sparrow 1
Wood Thrush 1
After meeting Bill & Ron, each of us doing our separate IBA Bird Blitz, and
then birding together in St. Mary's and Calvert Counties I left the two of them
and headed for the Eastern Shore. I was planning to be home no later than
Wednesday evening. After crossing the Bay Bridge I pulled into a parking lot
and took an hour "power nap" in the car. Feeling revived I headed east on Rt.
50 and made the following stops before dusk, all in Dorcester County:
Dorcester County - Linkwood Road at Higgins Mill Pond (south of Rt. 50):
Wood Duck 1 (female)
Carolina Wren 1
Prothonotary Warbler !
Ennalls Road - Dorcester Sewage Treatment Ponds (most swallows WERE on
telephone wires)
Wood Ducks 2
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Tree Swallows easily 500 with lots of immatures
Barn Swallow 22
Purple Martin 3 ( all juvenals)
Horned Lark 3
Rt. 14 Bridge Crossing over Marshyhope Creek near Eldorado
Fish Crow 2
Barn Swallow 4
Cliff Swallow 5 (a County Bird)
Prothonotary Warbler 1
Jim Green
Gaithersburg, MD
WORK IN MODERATION, BIRD IN EXCESS!!!
Subject: Re: Prettyboy OrioleFrom: Rick Sussman <Warblerick AT AOL.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 18:57:59 EDT And a very tough wood, even rather thin pieces of it. Old-timers used to make fence posts from it, as it lasts practically forever. I have a very thin old hiking stick of it that is very strong, even though it is not thick at all. It bends without breaking. Another odd thing about it is that it turns yellow and loses its leaves very early in the season, probably one of the earliest trees to turn. Even now, one along our entrance road is beginning to yellow. Rick Sussman Woodbine,MD In a message dated 7/1/2009 6:24:55 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, jugbay AT MSN.COM writes: A very valuable tree from a utilitarian perspective, as its wildlife habitat value is very high both alive and dead (as a snag). They are short lived, only ~ 100 years, but last as a snag for a very long time. **************Make your summer sizzle with fast and easy recipes for the grill. (http://food.aol.com/grilling?ncid=emlcntusfood00000005)Subject: Re: Prettyboy Oriole From: Jeff Shenot <jugbay AT MSN.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 18:23:45 -0400 And tops out as one of my favorite fragrances in late spring. It is a Black Locust. A very valuable tree from a utilitarian perspective, as its wildlife habitat value is very high both alive and dead (as a snag). They are short lived, only ~ 100 years, but last as a snag for a very long time. Regards- JeffSubject: BCNH at Sewells Orchard Ponds From: Jenny McClintock <jennymcclintock AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 18:13:33 -0400 Tonight on my evening walk, I spotted a BLACK CROWNED NIGHT HERON at the far eastern end of Sewells Orchard Ponds in Columbia. He was sitting on the dock near the dam. Jenny McClintock Columbia, MDSubject: Tanyard wetlands IBA-late post From: Karen Harris <wkh1981 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 13:07:39 -0700 Last week Amanda Spears, Bill and I worked on the Tanyard wetlands IBA. This covers the marshes along the Choptank River (both sides) roughly from just below the Dover Road bridge up river to just below where the Tuckahoe comes in. We put the boat in at Kings Creek boat ramp (Talbot Co). We were out before sunrise and after sunset for a couple days. Our targets were least bitterns, king rails, moorhens and prothonotary warblers. Also added were marsh wrens and least terns. Results are: least bittern 4 singing needed 5 king rail 0 needed 5 (had 1 in Atlas count in this area) moorhen 0 needed 5 prothonotary warbler 5 needed 30 marsh wrens 69 which I think is a low count, too many singing at once Other birds found, primary target: black duck 2 bald eagle 1 bobwhite 2 wood thrush 5 secondary target: summer tanager 2 white-eyed vireo 5 Something that interested me was that all the marsh wrens except 2 were in one marsh on the Choptank River, the Nature Conservancy property (which is now closed off). The other 2 were in Tanyard marsh. The marshes along the river all had areas of cattails, phragmites, broadleaf plants and other grasses. All the least bitterns were in the Conservancy property also. During the Atlas count I did have a least bittern farther up river twice, probably the same one. The king rail was in this area up the river also. Sorry for the late post. Karen Harris Karen Harris Easton, MD wkh1981 AT yahoo.comSubject: Re: Swan Creek Wetland From: Mike O'Brien <maddogobrien AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 14:54:21 -0400 As Sent from a mobile device. On Jul 1, 2009, at 2:35 PM, Stanley ArnoldSubject: Re: Swan Creek Wetland From: Stanley Arnold <dy.dx AT EARTHLINK.NET> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 14:35:17 -0400 I just realized that Swan Creek is ON the Patapsco River, so my statement about finding Warbling Vireos there didn't make much sense. What I meant is that these birds are pretty much restricted to the stretch of the Patapsco River from pond #3 to pond #10, from I-195 to the BW Parkway. By the way, the birds continue westward of I-195 into Howard Co., and can usually be found at the Avalon area of Patapsco Valley State Park. Stan Arnold dy.dx AT earthlink.net ----- Original Message ----- From: "Stanley Arnold"Subject: Swan Creek Wetland From: Stanley Arnold <dy.dx AT EARTHLINK.NET> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 14:25:07 -0400 Hi Folks, I visited the Swan Creek Wetland and Cox Creek Dredge Facility in northern Anne Arundel Co. this morning (7/1), and it was as good as I've seen it in the past dozen visits. The highlight was a robustly singing WARBLING VIREO, my first for this venue. To my knowledge, this species is pretty much restricted to the Patapsco River area in AA Co., and can be found throughout the summer at Patapsco Pond #10; sightings elsewhere in the county are uncommon. Other notables were an adult BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON at the wetland and a CATTLE EGRET that flew into the southern dredge pond as I was leaving; both of these birds are irregular here. Five LITTLE BLUE HERONs (four calico imms and one adult), three GLOSSY IBIS, five LEAST TERNs, and four MARSH WRENs were nice resident birds, seen during most visits in the summer. A YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO and a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT were my first here this year. Also of interest was a strapping young Red-bellied Woodpecker seen inside a nest cavity, certainly ready to emerge at any moment; the mother was making continuous sorties to keep the younster fed. For anyone contemplating a visit to this place, please see the excellent writeups posted by Bill Hubick and Matt Grey a few weeks ago. You could look in the MDOsprey archives, or I could forward the posts to you. The complete ebird report appears below. Stan Arnold Ferndale (AA Co.) dy.dx AT earthlink.net > Location: Swan Creek Dredged Material Facility > Observation date: 7/1/09 > Number of species: 44 > > Canada Goose 2 > Mute Swan 2 > Wood Duck 1 > Mallard 4 > Double-crested Cormorant 2 > Great Blue Heron 6 > Great Egret 2 > Snowy Egret 1 > Little Blue Heron 5 > Cattle Egret 1 > Black-crowned Night-Heron 1 > Glossy Ibis 3 > Osprey 3 > Killdeer 2 > Spotted Sandpiper 1 > Herring Gull (American) 4 > Great Black-backed Gull 13 > Least Tern 5 > Mourning Dove 2 > Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1 > Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 adult female and 1 ready to fledge > Downy Woodpecker 1 > Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1 > Eastern Kingbird 1 > Warbling Vireo 1 > Red-eyed Vireo 2 > American Crow 1 > Fish Crow 1 > Purple Martin 1 > Tree Swallow 4 > Barn Swallow 5 > Carolina Chickadee 3 > Carolina Wren 2 > Marsh Wren 4 > Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 > American Robin 1 > Gray Catbird 1 > Common Yellowthroat 8 > Yellow-breasted Chat 1 > Northern Cardinal 7 > Blue Grosbeak 2 > Red-winged Blackbird 15 > Orchard Oriole 1 > American Goldfinch 1 > > This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) >Subject: Re: Prettyboy Oriole From: Gail Mackiernan <katahdinss AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 13:14:11 -0400 It appears to be a Black Locust -- there are a couple of other locust species in the area but Black is the most common. It attracts Waxwings like crazy and also, often infested with insects which draws other species. Gail Mackiernan Silver Spring MD on 07/01/2009 9:11 AM, Eileen Wise at eileen.inmd AT GMAIL.COM wrote: > I am adding a link to (not so good) pictures I took of the Oriole in the tree. > Maybe it will help in id-ing the tree? > > http://eileeninmd.smugmug.com/gallery/5957950_EAYMz/1/576191195_SkZqt#57914597 > 9_Mxosu-A-LB > > Thanks > Eileen > PretyboySubject: FW: Birding Community E-bulletin - July 2009 From: Norm Saunders <marshhawk AT VERIZON.NET> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 13:11:48 -0400
From: Paul J. Baicich [mailto:paul.baicich AT verizon.net]
Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 2009 10:19 AM
To: Paul J. Baicich
Cc: Wayne R. Petersen
Subject: Birding Community E-bulletin - July 2009
THE BIRDING COMMUNITY E-BULLETIN
July 2009
This Birding Community E-bulletin is being distributed to active and
concerned birders, those dedicated to the joys of birding and the protection
of birds and their habitats. You can access an archive of past E-bulletins
on the website of the National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA):
www.refugenet.org/birding/birding5.html
RARITY FOCUS
The monthly rarity was difficult to pick this month. We generally like to
select a bird that is a species rare across North America and one that is
seen by multiple observers over at least a several day period.
Some rarities on the fringes of Alaska (e.g. Eye-browed Thrush, Hawfinch,
and Rustic Bunting) or in Florida (Zenaida Dove on Key Largo) were either
present for too short a duration, or else were not immediately accessible
for other birders to enjoy.
The only bird - a great find - that came close to our preferred standards
was a Gray-collared Becard (Pachyramphus major) found on 5 June by Jillian
Johnston, Anne Pellegrini, and Ryan Davis at the South Fork Zoological and
Botanical Area, near the Southwestern Research Station (Portal area in the
Chiricahua Mountains) in Arizona.
Although P.D. Hulce, Bob Weaver, and Chris West relocated the bird later the
same day and took numerous photographs, other observers had difficulty
relocating the bird. Here are Chris West's photos:
http://community.webshots.com/album/572865969AtXaSw
Gray-collared Becard is a widespread, but uncommon, species in Mexico that
ranges south to El Salvador and Nicaragua. It mainly occurs in lowland and
foothill woodlands. The species is reported to be apparently expanding its
range northward.
Interestingly, a little over a decade ago the Gray-collared Becard appeared
in a mini-series article in BIRDING (Dec '98) titled, "Next New Birds for
the ABA Area." The species was picked as the first runner-up - after a core
half-dozen species - chosen by an expert panel to someday be discovered
someplace in the Arizona/New-Mexico region.
The becard was originally found along the first two miles of gravel road
leading into South Fork. Later, it, or possibly even a second individual,
was found at the Sunny Flat Campground.
Despite continual searches, the Gray-collared Becard(s?) was seen by only
about a dozen observers through 19 June. Regardless of whether one or two
birds were involved, this event constitutes the first occurrence of the
species north of Mexico.
TERN/PLOVER QUANDRY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Gull-billed Tern (subspecies: Gelochelidon nilotica vanrossemi) has only two
breeding sites in the western United States: in southern California at San
Diego Bay and the Salton Sea. Both sites are on National Wildlife Refuges
(San Diego Bay NWR and Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR). At San Diego Bay NWR,
Gull-billed Terns face a Fish and Wildlife Service proposal to control their
population by destroying their eggs. Why?
Egg destruction is intended to hopefully protect two Endangered birds in the
area, the western Snowy Plover and the California Least Tern. Unfortunately
Gull-billed Terns are known to prey on the young and possibly the eggs of
the two Endangered species. While addling of 43 percent of the Gull-billed
Tern eggs at San Diego Bay NWR may do the trick for the Snowy Plovers and/or
Least Terns, it may also jeopardize the Gull-billed Tern. The 43 percent
figure was chosen, however, to stabilize, not decrease, the Gull-billed Tern
population. The issue is complicated by the fact that the western population
of Gull-billed Tern is considered a Fish and Wildlife Service Bird of
Conservation Concern, and a California Bird Species of Special Concern. The
challenge is to manage Least Terns, Snowy Plovers, and Gull-billed Terns in
such a way that will reverse the current downward trend in the fledgling
success of the Least Terns and Snowy Plovers, while at the same time
avoiding significant adverse effects on the Gull-billed Tern population.
Other strategies such as hazing, trans-locating adult Gull-billed Terns, or
cross-fostering eggs into the Salton Sea population are not favored by the
Service. Broader management issues for all three species include habitat
loss (e.g., housing and commercial development), human recreational
disturbance, and wildlife predation from feral cats and wild predators.
Addressing these issues, some critics claim, is more important to consider
than Gull-billed Tern predation on the terns and plovers.
Some critics even wish to include the western Gull-billed Tern as Endangered
under the Endangered Species Act, without having much insight into how such
a move might actually resolve the dilemma.
Although the numbers involved are not that large (e.g., the immediate San
Diego Bay populations are about 50 pairs of Gull-billed Terns, 80 pairs of
Least Terns, and 2 pairs of Snowy Plovers), the implications are much
larger. The foraging range of the Gull-billed Terns is wide and includes
other more distant colonies of Least Terns and nesting areas of Snowy
Plovers. This issue clearly illustrates some of the very difficult choices
facing bird conservationists and land managers today.
While the project was ultimately suspended for the 2009 nesting season,
additional information is being sought in expectation of some action in
2010.
For the draft Environmental Assessment on managing the Gull-billed Terns at
San Diego Bay, see:
http://www.fws.gov/sandiegorefuges/new/FinaldraftEA4_21_09.pdf
RECORDING RECOGNTION
Every year the Librarian of Congress selects a number of "culturally,
historically, or aesthetically significant," sound recordings each at least
a decade old - to be included in the National Recording Registry. These
selections are made under the terms of the National Recording Preservation
Act of 2000. For example, this year's selected 25 recordings, announced in
early June, include Etta James' "At Last!," The Who's "My Generation," the
original cast recording of "West Side Story", the "Gang Busters" radio
program, and Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner in their 2000-year-old man routine.
The latest selection, announced in June, includes a 1935 recording of a pair
of Ivory-billed Woodpeckers, made by Arthur Allen and Peter Paul Kellogg of
Cornell University at the old-growth Louisiana bottomland forest known as
the Singer Tract.
With the latest additions , the archives will total a collection of 275
contributions. A summary of the latest 25 recordings is found here:
http://www.loc.gov/rr/record/nrpb/nrpb-2008reg.html
MARBLED MURRELET ASSESSMENT RELEASED
We have previously discussed the ongoing controversy over the Endangered
Species Act listing of Marbled Murrelet, most recently in November 2008:
http://www.refugenet.org/birding/novSBC08.html#TOC05
In mid-June, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a report concluding
that continued protection of Marbled Murrelets in Washington, Oregon, and
California (listed as Threatened under the ESA since 1992) should be
maintained. This five-year review replaces a flawed 2004 report in which
political influence trumped scientific and legal conclusions to try to
eliminate protections for the species.
The new report finds that the tri-state murrelet population is distinct and
separate from other populations in Canada and Alaska and that the species'
decline has been largely caused by extensive removal of late-successional
and old-growth coastal forest which serve as nesting habitat for the
murrelet. This announcement comes as current administration officials
reconsider logging standards in old-growth forests in the region. Protection
for the Marbled Murrelet, as well as for salmon and Northern Spotted Owl are
involved. Changes in food sources and dangers from fishing gear are other
threats to the murrelet cited in the report.
This most recent report documents a serious 34 percent decline in the
Washington, Oregon, and California Marbled Murrelet population between 2001
and 2008. It also indicates that the central California population has
declined by 75 percent since 2003.
The timber industry has filed multiple lawsuits in an attempt to remove
protection for the Marbled Murrelet. To date, however, those lawsuits have
been unsuccessful. With the recent report confirming the disturbing status
of murrelets, the Fish and Wildlife Service has at last moved to dismiss the
last of these pending cases.
You can find a copy of the review at:
http://www.fws.gov/westwafwo/pdf/Mamu2009_5yr_review%20FINAL%2061209.pdf
BARBADOS SWAMP SHOOTING RANGE BECOMES SANCTUARY
"Swamp shooting" has been taking place on Barbados for generations. It is
nothing like waterfowling in the U.S. or Canada today; it's more like a
throwback to the mass bird-shootings and market gunning that was so
prevalent in the latter part of the 19th century in the United States.
Because of their social and racial status - most are well-to-do Caucasians -
the shooters on Barbados have significant economic and political influence
on the island.
On Barbados, tens of thousands of southbound migrating shorebirds are
annually shot on artificial lakes and salt lagoons using lures, caged birds,
and amplified birdcalls to attract the migrants. As many as 30,000 to 45,000
Lesser Yellowlegs, Greater Yellowlegs, Whimbrels, Stilt Sandpipers, Pectoral
Sandpipers, American Golden-Plovers, and lesser numbers of other shorebirds
are shot annually. (In particular, observers have charged that remarkably
high numbers of American Golden-Plovers are being shot in Barbados every
year.)
We wrote about this situation in September 2007:
http://www.refugenet.org/birding/sepSBC07.html#TOC08
Fortunately, there has recently been some hopeful news from the island.
Packers Conservation Wetland, a 10-acre swamp with six ponds and four acres
of mixed swamp-forest, was operated as a shooting swamp from 1982-2004. Two
former shooters have now leased the land and are financing restoration of
the area.
Bird Studies Canada and BirdLife Caribbean have contributed additional funds
to support the future management of this sanctuary. Assuming there is enough
rainfall and runoff, the wetland should be poised for use as a shorebird
sanctuary in time for the regular 15 July beginning of the shooting season.
See news from Bird Studies Canada here:
http://www.bsc-eoc.org/organization/newsarchive/6-05-09.html
TIP OF THE MONTH AND BOOK NOTE: TIME TO STUDY YOUR SHOREBIRDS
On a similar shorebird theme, we have combined our usual tip of the month
and our book note for this month. It's time to bone up on your shorebirds.
Many shorebirds are already starting to leave their Arctic nesting areas and
are beginning to migrate southward.
Both of your two editors have a special affinity for shorebirds, and we
strongly endorse both their appreciation and their conservation. We
encourage you to look at your field guide ; study the videos; review those
fascinating shorebird vocalizations; and share the experience with a new
birder.
There are some great shorebird books out there, a few which we have
previously mentioned in the E-bulletin. Some of our favorites (in
chronological order) include:
SHOREBIRDS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, Dennis Paulson (Univ. of
Washington, 1998)
SHOREBIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA, Dennis Paulson (Princeton
University Press, 2005)
SHOREBIRDS OF NOTH AMERICA, EUROPE, AND ASIA, Stephen Message
and Don Taylor (Princeton University Press, 2005)
THE SHOREBIRD GUIDE, Michael O'Brien, Richard Crossley, and
Kevin Karlson (Houghton Mifflin, 2006)
SHOREBIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE, AND ASIA: A Photographic
Guide, Richard Chandler (Princeton University Press, 2009)
TIME TO BUY YOUR MIGRATORY BIRD STAMP
July is the month to buy your new Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation
[Duck] Stamp at your local Post Office, National Wildlife Refuge, or various
sporting outlets. Some 98 percent of the proceeds go to secure National
Refuge System wetland and grassland habitat, and the Stamp also serves as a
pass for refuges that charge for entry.
To highlight this fact, we draw your attention to a new, revised listing of
Migratory Bird Conservation Fund amounts (MBCF is sustained by Stamp dollars
plus other funding - some import duties, permits, fines, etc.) as
percentages of the funding used to acquire individual refuges in the past:
http://www.fws.gov/realty/pdf_files/MBCF_acres_per_Refuge.pdf
The list is very revealing. For example, here are some of those percentages
for a small selection of popular and much-birded refuges:
Parker River in Massachusetts 99.3%
Bosque del Apache in New Mexico 99.2%
Pea Island in North Carolina 99.2%
Quivira in Kansas 99.1%
Horicon in Wisconsin 98.7%
Bombay Hook in Delaware 95.1%
Santa Ana in Texas 94.9%
Okefenokee in Georgia 88.2%
Laguna Atascosa in Texas 86.0%
Edwin B. Forsythe in New Jersey 84.3%
Blackwater in Maryland 77.6%
These past investments and the continual use of Stamp funds for refuge
habitat are outstanding examples of reasons to buy a Stamp.
STAMP COST INCREASE ON THE BACK-BURNER?
In the meantime, the old argument that "there is already too much land in
federal ownership" has impacted recent efforts to update the Migratory Bird
Hunting and Conservation [Duck] Stamp. In early June, the proposed
legislation (H.R. 1916) to increase the price of the Stamp from $15 to $25
in 2010 was pulled back by committee supporters at the last minute due to a
number of amendments filed by Republicans.
At least seven amendments were submitted, amendments mainly aimed at
limiting the amount of land acquisition authorized under the program. GOP
members are apparently concerned that the funds can only be spent on land
acquisition and not for other beneficial expenditures or purposes.
This may sound reasonable, but the issue of other purposes was what drove
the original 1958 revisions to the Stamp Act in the first place - to protect
and direct the Stamp dollars into the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund for
habitat acquisition. President Eisenhower's Secretary of the Interior -
"Generous Doug" McKay had actually been blatantly using the Stamp funds for
other purposes, and in some years 80-90 percent of the Stamp proceeds were
shunted to other activities. At that time the conservation community
insisted on seeing the funds go to habitat acquisition, and that's where we
have been ever since, with 98 percent going to secure wetlands and
grasslands for the Refuge System.
For now, the fate of H.R. 1916 remains unclear, but the effort may reappear
when clear passage looks more certain.
IBA NEWS: GREAT SALT LAKE, SELENIUM, AND BIRDS
Great Salt Lake in Utah is sufficiently significant as a focus for Important
Bird Area status that no less than five major bays on the lake (i.e.,
Farmington, Ogden, Bear River, Gilbert [or South Arm] and Gunnison [or North
Arm]) are considered IBAs unto themselves.
Consequently, ongoing developments pertaining to selenium limits at the lake
deserve notice.
Selenium is a naturally occurring mineral which also turns up in sewage
discharge and industrial operations; at high enough levels it can cause
deformities among birds. When the State of Utah formed an advisory panel to
develop a limit to the amount of selenium in Great Salt Lake, they settled
on a regulation for a selenium level that kills about 10 percent of Mallard
embryos.
This position was not acceptable to some members of the advisory panel, but
the waste water dischargers and Kennecott Copper pushed for higher discharge
levels, and they persuaded others on the panel to accept a tolerably toxic
solution.
The Fish and Wildlife Service has now sent a letter to the Environmental
Protection Agency asking that EPA reject the new selenium regulatory level,
because the destruction of these Mallard eggs is in violation of the
Migratory Bird Treaty Act - a taking or killing prohibited by the MBTA. This
unusual situation may actually represent the first time that the Fish and
Wildlife Service has invoked the MBTA to fight water discharge regulations.
Moreover, there is little data to indicate whether the new standard might
jeopardize other migratory species that depend on the vast lake, species
even more sensitive to selenium than Mallards.
It is now up to the EPA whether or not to deny the Utah selenium standard
and force the state to adopt a stricter standard to protect all birds.
For more on Utah IBAs, see:
http://www.audubon.org/bird/iba/utah/
For additional information about worldwide IBA programs, and those across
the U.S., check the National Audubon Society's Important Bird Area program
web site at:
http://www.audubon.org/bird/iba/
FIELD GUIDE TO THE FARM BILL
Do you find the Farm Bill confusing, especially when it comes to the varied
conservation-and-bird elements? Does the alphabet-soup of CRP, WRP, GRP,
EQIP, FRPP, and CSP have your head spinning?
This publication - prepared by the U.S. NABCI Committee and the
Intermountain West Joint Venture - should help clarify the situation for
you. It is a 42-page downloadable booklet written by Randy Gray, an expert
with over three decades of farm-conservation experience.
The guide covers historic Farm Bill evolution, administration, maximizing
benefits, performance measures, and much more. An emphasis on bird
conservation is particularly appreciated. You can download your own copy
here:
http://www.fishwildlife.org/pdfs/FarmBillGuide.pdf
CAP-AND-TRADE: BIRDS-AND-WILDLIFE
As June was coming to an end, the U.S. House of Representatives in a close
vote (219-212) passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act. This
cap-and-trade system is intended to limit the effects of climate change by
putting a cap on greenhouse gas emissions while investing in significant
energy efficiencies and technologies. The bill also establishes a Natural
Resources Climate Change Adaptation Fund, to assist federal and state
agencies in protecting wildlife. (The fund, starting with a market set-aside
of 1% could increase to 4% or 5% by 2040.) The bill also charges the U.S.
Department of Agriculture with implementing agriculture and forestry carbon
offset projects, including conservation programs.
The Senate has yet to act on this, but it did reject a similar piece of
legislation last June. See our coverage here:
http://www.refugenet.org/birding/julSBC08.html#TOC03
We will surely revisit this issue in future issues of the E-bulletin.
SHAMELESS VANITY
As the Birding Community E-bulletin enters its sixth year of publication and
distribution, we are continuing to share some remarks from some of our
readers. As previously noted, we will include one or two comments each month
this year. These will be placed at the very end of each E-bulletin so you
can simply stop reading right now if you'd like!
"These days it's challenging to keep up with all the information that comes
at us. When I see the Birding Community E-bulletin in my inbox, I open it
eagerly, knowing that the information it contains has been sifted down, by
two knowledgeable and skillful birders, to what's most important, useful,
and interesting."
-Lisa White, Director of Guidebooks, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publishing Company
"I always enjoy the E-bulletin. It is one of the very few electronic
newsletters that I read end to end!"
- Alan Wentz, Senior Group Manager of Conservation, Ducks Unlimited
- - - - - - - - -
You can access past E-bulletins on the National Wildlife Refuge Association
(NWRA) website:
www.refugenet.org/birding/birding5.html
If you wish to distribute all or parts of any of the monthly Birding
Community E-bulletins, we simply request that you mention the source of any
material used. (Include a URL for the E-bulletin archives, if possible.)
If you have any friends or co-workers who want to get onto the monthly
E-bulletin mailing list, have them contact either:
Wayne R. Petersen, Director
Massachusetts Important Bird Areas (IBA) Program
Mass Audubon
718/259-2178
wpetersen AT massaudubon.org
or
Paul J. Baicich
410/992-9736
paul.baicich AT verizon.net
We never lend or sell our E-bulletin recipient list.
Subject: NE Frederick County DickcisselsFrom: Anna Urciolo <urcioloa AT SIDWELL.EDU> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 12:43:44 -0400 I also made my way out to NE Frederick county yesterday morning but I, unlike Jerry, was able to locate Keysville and Creamery Roads. I parked on Creamery Rd (great name!) and didn't think I would really find anything but the scenery was certainly beautiful. A bird appeared on the telephone line, back to me, but yes, it was a Dickcissel and yes, it was singing. I inched my way up and he really didn't pay any attention to me. Eventually he flew away but another one landed on another wire farther away but at least was facing me. Then he flew towards me and landed on the wire right over my head, singing away. What a great view. I had a Grasshopper Sparrow in the scope and Indigo buntings. I followed Creamery road out to Rte 15. It winds around and narrows and dips. Suddenly a large bird flew in front of the car but as I was on top of the hill, it appeared below me, just 4 feet over the road. A blast of white! A Gorgeous Red-headed woodpecker. I've never seen one from that perspective before. Then the storms hit and I left. Sorry I didn't make it to Sixes Road and meet up with Jerry. Anna Urciolo urcioloa AT sidwell.edu Rockville, MDSubject: Re: NE Frederick County Dickcissels From: Gerald & Laura Tarbell <birdersforever AT EROLS.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 11:39:31 -0400 I was also enticed by the reports of grassland sp. in N. Frederick and
Carroll Counties. Somehow I missed the Keysville/Creamery Rd location, but I
did very well along Sixes Bridge Road - there are at least a half dozen
DICKCISSELS in the area and many GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS. I found a pair of
BOBOLINKS and possibly a different male (hard to tell - they fly around a
lot). MEADOWLARKS are there. Saw a KESTREL up the road.
Along the Harney/Bull Frog Roads I did not find any Dickcissels but did
locate a singing SAVANNAH SPARROW and another MEADOWLARK. However a lot of
the hay has been recently mowed in this are and it may have claimed the
habitat for the Dickcissels. On the contrary, the hay where I found them on
Sixes Bridge is 3-4' high and looking great for them. There is one field
across the road that has 4 lots carved up for sale. On the side where I
found the bulk of the grassland birds, they have mowed a strip back there at
the end closest to Sixes Road and they have planted a long row of small oaks
along the road. Right now the Dicksissels are using them as singing perches.
Needless to say that's where I got some great looks.
A few years ago we had Doug Gill as a speaker at the convention. I can still
hear him saying, "Build it and they will come." For the moment anyway, the
grasslands are built.
Jerry Tarbell
Grasslanded in Carroll County
Subject: Charles Co. IBA blitzes - lateFrom: Leslie Starr <turnstar AT AOL.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 11:05:02 -0400 I wasn't sure if my Bird Blitz reports would be of general interest so I did not post them at the time, but here is a summary of my findings. Nanjemoy Creek, route 107, kayak trip June 13, 6:00am - 12:30pm, 5.7mi. each way first 4.86mi. open marsh with meandering wide stream, then smaller stream in woods (high water allowed us to go just past the route 6 bridge) primary target species: Bald Eagle 8 Wood Thrush 5 Prothonotary Warbler 5 Louisiana Waterthrush 3 secondary target species: Red-shouldered Hawk 3 White-eyed Vireo 5 Yellow-throated Vireo 5 Marsh Wren 2 Brown Thrasher 1 Northern Parula 2 Hooded Warbler 1 Nanjemoy area, Liverpool Point Road and Jacksontown Road, routes 203 & 207 June 22, 6:00am - 9:00am drive along roads, frequent stops, approx. 4 miles total mostly wooded, a few clearings, Jacksontown Rd. more pines and scrub (these two routes combined here) primary target species: Wood Thrush 9 Prairie Warbler 2 Kentucky Warbler 2 secondary target species: Red-shouldered Hawk 1 Hairy Woodpecker 3 White-eyed Vireo 6 Yellow-throated Vireo 2 Brown Thrasher 2 Northern Parula 11 Hooded Warbler 5 Yellow-breasted Chat 2 Eastern Towhee 7 Field Sparrow 1 Leslie Starr turnstar AT aol.com Port RepublicSubject: Re: Prettyboy Oriole From: Eileen Wise <eileen.inmd AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 09:11:47 -0400 I am adding a link to (not so good) pictures I took of the Oriole in the tree. Maybe it will help in id-ing the tree? http://eileeninmd.smugmug.com/gallery/5957950_EAYMz/1/576191195_SkZqt#579145979_Mxosu-A-LB Thanks Eileen PretyboySubject: Re: Prettyboy Oriole From: Rick Sussman <Warblerick AT AOL.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 08:37:54 EDT Can you provide more information about them? Type of leaf, size (tall and thick, short and shrubby?), flower color? Any other info might help. Rick Sussman Woodbine,MD In a message dated 7/1/2009 6:32:24 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, eileen.inmd AT GMAIL.COM writes: Can anyone tell me what kind of trees they are that would attract all these birds? **************Make your summer sizzle with fast and easy recipes for the grill. (http://food.aol.com/grilling?ncid=emlcntusfood00000005)Subject: Prettyboy Oriole From: Eileen Wise <eileen.inmd AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 06:31:43 -0400 In the evening yesterday I was hearing a lot of different birds in the watershed trees across the street from my mailbox. They all seemed to be eating something on the trees tops. I am not sure what kind of trees they are but during the spring they put out a lovely sweet smell. Last weekend I saw Cedar Waxwings on these same trees and last night I saw a Baltimore Oriole along with a lot of other birds. Can anyone tell me what kind of trees they are that would attract all these birds? Eileen PrettyboySubject: Lesser Black-backed Gull Betterton, Kent Co. 30 June '09 From: Nancy Martin <borealdee AT BAYBROADBAND.NET> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:51:38 -0400 Hi All, Nancy and I went to Betterton Beach this evening for Ian's tae-kwon-do graduation picnic at about 6:00. There were over 115 Ring-billed Gulls on the beach, mostly youngsters but there was at least one adult. When the gulls flushed we noticed a dark-backed bird in the flock with a black tail-band. This proved to be a one-year-old LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL just starting to develop a dark gray saddle. My first one in Kent County in something like two years and a June bird to boot. Also present were pairs of Cedar Waxwing and Blue Grosbeak, and four swallow species featuring rough-winged and Bank. Good birding, Walter Ellison 23460 Clarissa Rd Chestertown, MD 21620 phone: 410-778-9568 e-mail: rossgull(AT)baybroadband.net Observing Nature is like unwrapping a big pile of presents every time you take a walk.Subject: The 15th Annual Purple Martin Field Day proclaimed a success From: kingston <kingston AT CSTONE.NET> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:49:31 -0400 One-hundred and twelve (112) interested and excited birders from Germantown,
MD to Scottsburg, VA and from Colonel Beach, VA to Rocky Mount, VA attended
the Fifteenth Annual Purple Martin Field Day at the Woods' farm in Louisa
county last Saturday. Other guests at the Field Day came from as far away as
Georgia and Tennessee, where they hope to found new martin colonies using the
knowledge gained at the Field Day in Central Virginia.
In his talk Lance Wood covered:
* how to establish and increase a colony of Purple Martins;
* advantages and disadvantages of different types of martin housing;
* how to protect Martins from starlings, House Sparrows, owls, climbing
snakes, raccoons, etc.;
* adding the recently-developed starling-resistant entrance holes to
martin gourds and houses;
* how to protect martin housing from windstorms and other hazards;
* how to grow and process purple martin nesting gourds;
* life history of Purple Martins; etc.
Sue Ridd invited all to the "Gone to the Birds" festival (Purple Martin
roost), at 17th Street Farmers' Market in Richmond on July 25th
http://www.gonetothebirds.org/ .
Ron Kingston took questions on bluebirds and Tree Swallows and led a short
nestbox trail tour, including occupied nestboxes of bluebirds, Tree Swallows,
Wood Ducks, kestrels, Barn Owls, etc.
Kathy Laine explained to the crowd the great danger presented by snakes,
raccoons, and other climbing predators, and demonstrated an excellent
"removable" climbing animal barrier that can be quickly and easily added to,
removed from, and adjusted on the pipes that support martin structures. She
also explained how that barrier can be purchased from a number of commercial
sources.
Nanette and Glenn Mickle banded many young Purple Martins, then returned them
unharmed to their nesting gourds, and she demonstrated how natural gourds can
be developed into excellent martin nesting gourds.
All those involved agreed that it was beautiful day and a very successful
Purple Martin Field Day. We look forward to seeing each other at next year's
Sixteenth Annual Purple Martin Field Day, expected to be held on June 26, 2010.
Subject: King RailFrom: Larry Hitchens <hitch AT GOEASTON.NET> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:57:55 -0400 Catch of the day a nice King Rail At Blackwater NWR Cambridge
See photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/larry_hitchens/
Larry Hitchens
Subject: Re: Coopers Hawk & StarlingFrom: Rick Sussman <Warblerick AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:57:27 EDT I too had a Cooper's Hawk, an adult male looking long and lean, fly through the yard this morning, landing in 3 different trees trying to scare up breakfast. No luck, at least while I watched it. Then off it went into the neighbors farm, and into the pine trees. Rick Sussman Woodbine,MD In a message dated 6/30/2009 12:13:32 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, cliff.comeau AT VERIZON.NET writes: This morning about 10:30am I looked up from mowing the lawn to see a Coopers Hawk flying overhead with what appeared to be a Starling in its talons. Another Starling was harassing the hawk. Cliff Comeau Beltsville/Calverton **************Make your summer sizzle with fast and easy recipes for the grill. (http://food.aol.com/grilling?ncid=emlcntusfood00000005)Subject: Re: Neotropic Cormorant and Bufflehead From: Rick Sussman <Warblerick AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:54:54 EDT Yes, an excellent photo Dave! Rick In a message dated 6/30/2009 4:26:57 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, Dma3 AT AOL.COM writes: My best photo so far: **************Make your summer sizzle with fast and easy recipes for the grill. (http://food.aol.com/grilling?ncid=emlcntusfood00000005)Subject: Patuxent Park Jug Bay today From: Ole Buck <olebuck AT STRIXVARIA.ORG> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:58:06 -0400 Afternoon all, I spent the day at Patuxent Park Jug Bay (PG county) for work and had a few nice birds of note. There was a very vocal Hooded Warbler up near the visitor's center building (down slope of the extra parking lot); a Black-Billed Cuckoo (heard from the fishing pier) and two Least Bitterns; one near the fishing pier and the other wayyyyy upstream like you were headed for the Billingsley (?) house.We also saw a female Bufflehead one bend deeper in from the second Least Bittern. Greg Kearns took our staff and the teachers we are training for a great boat ride and put on a program about a little of everything. If you've never been there take the time to go, you won't regret the visit. Good birding, Chris Ordiway Accokeek, MDSubject: Neotropic Cormorant and Bufflehead From: Mary Ann Todd <Dma3 AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:26:29 EDT The cormorant flew past Violettes about 2:30, headed downstream. My best photo so far: _http://www.flickr.com/photos/39566052 AT N06/3665963114/in/set-721576198858159 16/_ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/39566052 AT N06/3665963114/in/set-72157619885815916/) A male Bufflehead was in the river off Violettes. My closest dates for the DC area are May 6 at Seneca, and June 1 at Clopper Lake. Dave Czaplak **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222377075x1201454393/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=62&bcd= JunestepsfooterNO62)Subject: FW: DC Area, 6/30/09 From: Norm Saunders <marshhawk AT VERIZON.NET> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:03:28 -0400 -----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:scordle AT capaccess.org]
Sent: Tuesday, June 30, 2009 12:15 PM
To: birdeast AT listserv.arizona.edu
Subject: DC Area, 6/30/09
Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 6/30/09
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE
Telephone: 301-652-1088 option 1
Reports (voice): 301-652-1088 option 2
(email): voice AT AudubonNaturalist.org
(deadline): midnight Mondays
Compiler: John Bjerke
Sponsor: Audubon Naturalist Society of the
Central Atlantic States (independent of NAS!)
Transcriber: Steve Cordle (scordle AT capaccess.org)
Please consider joining ANS, especially if you are a regular user of the
Voice (Individual $40; Family $50; Nature Steward $75; Audubon Advocate
$150). The membership number is 301-652-9188, option 12; the address is 8940
Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, MD 20815; and the web site is
http://www.AudubonNaturalist.org.
This is the Voice of the Naturalist, a service of the Audubon Naturalist
Society. This report was completed Tuesday, June 30, at 8 a.m.
Top birds this week are NEOTROPIC CORMORANT* in MD, ROSEATE
SPOONBILL* in DE and MD, and VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD* in VA..
Other birds of interest include BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK*, NORTHERN
BOBWHITE, COMMON LOON, WILSON'S STORM-PETREL, herons, WHITE IBIS,
MISSISSIPPI KITE, rails, PIPING PLOVER, BONAPARTE'S GULL, GLAUCOUS GULL,
BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, CERULEAN WARBLER, SUMMER TANAGER, DICKCISSEL, and PINE
SISKIN.
A NEOTROPIC CORMORANT* continues on the Potomac River in the vicinity of
Violette's Lock, Montgomery Co, MD; it has also been seen at Riley's Lock.
The most recent report is for June 27.
A ROSEATE SPOONBILL* was discovered near the Catch 54 Restaurant off Rt 54
on Fenwick Island, Sussex Co, DE on June 24. The bird was seen throughout
the past week. It is often seen in a private yard on Madison Av or in the
wetlands behind the Happy Harry's Pharmacy. The bird has been seen twice
in MD; once as a flyover and a second time on June 26 in a small bay
approximately a half mile south of Rt 54 near the southeast cul de sac of
Madison Av.
A VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD, perhaps the first east of Texas, has been at
feeders at the Huffman House Bed and Breakfast, Craig Co, VA since June 25.
The latest report is for June 28; monitors on June 29 did not see the bird.
To get to the B&B follow Rt. 460 West from Blacksburg, Virginia towards
Pearisburg. Stay on it for approximately
18 miles until you reach Newport. Turn right onto Rt. 42 and follow for 7.1
miles.
The BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK continues at Silver Lake in Rehoboth Beach,
Sussex Co, DE.
A NORTHERN BOBWHITE, scarce west of the Bay, was found at Milltown Landing,
Prince Georges Co, MD on June 27.
A COMMON LOON was spotted offshore at South Bethany, Sussex Co, DE.
A flock of 23 WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS was seen from north Assateague Island,
Worcester Co, MD on June 24.
During the weekly walk at Dyke Marsh, Fairfax Co, VA on June 28,
participants had great views of an adult and a juvenile LEAST BITTERN in
flight at the boardwalk overlook. Five TRICOLORED HERONS, a LEAST BITTERN,
an AMERICAN BITTERN, and two BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS were seen along
Elliott Island Rd, Dorchester Co, MD on June 27.
An immature WHITE IBIS was found at Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA on
June 26.
On June 25 three MISSISSIPPI KITES flew over the Kings Park subdivision in
Springfield, Fairfax Co. Also in Fairfax Co, single MISSISSIPPI KITES were
seen over the intersection of Burke Lake Rd and Rolling Rd on June 23 and
over Waynewood on June 25.
BLACK RAILS were heard at two stops along Elliott Island Rd on June 23.
National Park Service census takers report 43 active PIPING PLOVER nests on
Assateague Island.
A BONAPARTE's GULL in full breeding plumage was found at Fowler's Beach,
Sussex Co, DE. A GLAUCOUS GULL was seen in Oyster, Northampton Co, VA on
June 26.
A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO sang near Jug Bay, Prince Georges Co, MD on June 29.
Two singing CERULEAN WARBLERS were seen at the Blue Ridge Center for
Environmental Stewardship , Loudoun Co, VA on June 27. Birders found eight
SUMMER TANAGERS on the North Tract of Patuxent Research Refuge, Anne Arundel
Co, MD on June 27.
There were a heartening number of DICKCISSEL reports this week.
Sightings include: one on Abell's Wharf Rd, St Marys Co, MD on June 24; two
across from Beauvue Ponds, St Marys Co, MD on June 28; two on Sixes Bridge
Rd between Sixes and Grimes Rd, Frederick Co, MD on June 27; up to 6 singing
birds at Keyesville and Creamery Rds, Frederick Co, MD on June 27 and 28;
one on Harney RD just west of Bullfrog Rd, and two west of Bollinger School
Rd, Frederick Co, MD on June 27; two in Old White Marsh Cemetery, Trappe,
Talbot Co, MD on June 27; two on Bradley Rd, Caroline Co, MD on June 28; and
two at the intersection of Lovers Rd and Rt 318 in Dorchester Co, MD on June
28.
A PINE SISKIN ignored the summer and visited a feeder in Howard Co, MD on
June 28.
Some of this week's reports have been gleaned from the MDOsprey, VA-Bird,
and DE-Birds list servers.
The Audubon Sanctuary Shop (301-652-3606,
http://www.audubonnaturalist.org/default.asp?page=511) is an excellent
source for guidebooks and many other nature-related titles.
To report bird sightings, e-mail your report to voice AT AudubonNaturalist.org
or call 301-652-1088 and select menu option 2. Please post reports before
midnight Monday, identify the county as well as state, and include your name
and a Tuesday morning contact, either e-mail or phone.
Thank you for calling, and GOOD BIRDING.
*Of interest to the records committee
Subject: Roseate SpoonbillFrom: Dan Haas <nervousbirds AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:14:51 -0400 After missing this bird 5 times last week in various NC locations, it is with much delight that I report that the Roseate Spoonbill just flew from behind the restaurant. 1pm. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm about to enjoy my chicken sandwich. Best, Dan Haas West Annap, MD Nervousbirds AT gmail.com On Tuesday, June 30, 2009, Bert FilemyrSubject: Coopers Hawk & Starling From: Cliff Comeau <cliff.comeau AT VERIZON.NET> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:13:10 -0400 This morning about 10:30am I looked up from mowing the lawn to see a Coopers Hawk flying overhead with what appeared to be a Starling in its talons. Another Starling was harassing the hawk. Cliff Comeau Beltsville/Calverton cliff.comeau AT verizon.netSubject: OT- Highlights from recent trip to Idaho From: Frode Jacobsen <frode1 AT UMBC.EDU> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:49:12 -0400 Hi All, I recently spent a week in the Idaho panhandle region while attending the 2009 Evolution conference in Moscow, Idaho. I spent most time in the Palouse Range around Moscow and the St. Joe and Coeur D'Alene National Forests and wetlands surrounding Coeur D' Alene. I recorded 128 bird species, including 14 life birds: Cinnemon Teal, Blue Grouse, Western Grebe, Black-backed Woodpecker, Red-naped Sapsucker, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Varied Thrush, Cordilleran and Dusky Flycatcher, American Dipper, Cassin's Vireo, Western Bluebird, Pygmy Nuthatch, and Townsend's Warbler. I also had extended and close-up views of a BLACK BEAR with two cubs, MOOSE, ELK, SPOTTED SKUNK, and many other mammals, butterflies, and odes. The sheer extent of the landscapes out there was quite overwhelming and begging for a re-visit! I am still busy processing the many photos I took during the trip, but a number of pictures have been posted on my flickr site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/frodejacobsen/. Enjoy! Good birding! Frode Jacobsen Windsor Mill, Md 21244Subject: Violet-crowned Hummingbird status in Virginia: gone? From: Rob Hilton <aimophila10 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:15:29 -0700 Hi, The hummer was not reported at all yesterday and someone just posted that she didn't see it this morning. By the way, its location is roughly 4.75 hours drive from Silver Spring according to Google Maps. Rob Hilton Silver SpringSubject: VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMER in VA From: MICHAEL SPEICHER <jugornought AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 05:22:05 -0700 In case anyone wants to follow the discussion on this hummer, you can access the Virginia Birding listserve at http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/VABD.html Incidentally, i long ago set my MDOsprey subscription to NOMAIL and follow the postings at http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/MDOS.html#1132583725 this keeps my inbox a little less full and also makes it less likely that i will pop off a quick response that i might later regret... Jim (Michael) Speicher jugornought—at—yahoo-dot-com Bethesda AT work :( Broad Run_S. FRED Co AT home :)Subject: Southern Maryland IBA Bird Blitzes--Corrections, Photos From: Bill Hubick <bill_hubick AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:16:31 -0700 Hi Everyone, Sorry for the second post, but I have two quick corrections to my post from earlier today. 1) I listed two Prothonotary Warblers for the St. Mary's River SP bird blitzes, but that was a typo. The only one was the singing bird near the east end of Indian Bridge Road. 2) The tiny toads at Milltown Landing were not actually ID'd to species, so they should be considered toad sp. Here's a fun batch of photos from the last week or so, including shots of the Roseate Spoonbill on the wrong side of the imaginary line. http://www.billhubick.com/new_set.html Good birding, Bill Bill Hubick Pasadena, Maryland bill_hubick AT yahoo.com http://www.billhubick.comSubject: Roseate Spoonbill MD location (26 Jun) image and map posted From: Phil Davis <pdavis AT IX.NETCOM.COM> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:47:09 -0400 MD Osprey
In the interest of getting the word out, ASAP, I've taken the liberty
of posting Kevin's directions, his image, and an image of his Google
map placemark to my blog, here ...
http://pdavis.posterous.com/roseate-spoonbill-in-md-26-jun-2009
Good luck!
Phil
===================================================
Phil Davis, Secretary
MD/DC Records Committee
2549 Vale Court
Davidsonville, Maryland 21035 USA
301-261-0184
mailto:PDavis AT ix.netcom.com
MD/DCRC Web site: http://www.MDBirds.org/mddcrc/rcindex.html
===================================================
Subject: Fwd: Roseate Spoonbill in MD [26 Jun]From: Phil Davis <pdavis AT IX.NETCOM.COM> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:01:27 -0400 MD Osprey: I am taking the liberty of posting this message which includes the exactly location of the second Maryland sighting of the Roseate Spoonbill, as relayed by Jennifer Elmer several days ago. Kevin included a killer image. The date of his sighting was 26 Jun. Hope this helps ... Phil >Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:07:52 +0000 (UTC) >From: Kalasz AT comcast.net >To: Phil DavisSubject: Black-billed Cuckoo -- Jug Bay From: danny bystrak <dbystrak AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:42:51 -0700 While relaxing with a glass of wine on the back porch, about 6:55 pm today (29
June, 2009), Barbara and I heard a Black-billed Cuckoo sing just once. It
seems like every 10 years or so there is an odd incursion of them on the
Western Shore in late June. Never quite got if they are late Spring migrants
or early Fall.
Danny Bystrak
Bristol, AA Co.
Subject: Jug Bay tomorrowFrom: Ole Buck <olebuck AT STRIXVARIA.ORG> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:54:02 -0400 Howdy all, I'll be at Patuxent River Park Jug Bay Natural Area tomorrow for a work activity and was wondering if anyone has seen anything good that I might want to keep an eye out for. We'll be out on the boat in the morning and then just around for activities for most of the afternoon. I won't be able to "go birding" but as always I'll have my binocs on. Replies can be sent offline to olebuck AT strixvaria.org Thanks and good birding, Chris Ordiway Accokeek, MDSubject: Re: MD/DC Records Committee - new web updates From: Edward Boyd <edboyd1959 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:35:48 -0400 There was a Yellow-billed Loon in Pennsylvania not far above the Maryland/Pennsylvania State Line. The bird was never reported in Maryland Waters although it was close.. Ed Boyd ----- Original Message ----- From: "Phil Davis"Subject: Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center/ Kent Narrows Queen Anne County 6 - 28 - 09 From: danny poet <birder231 AT HOTMAIL.COM> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:23:28 -0400 On Sunday morning June 28, 2009 I did some Birding at Kent Narrows and The
Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center nothing unexpected but some nice sightings
none the less highlights below
Great Egret 10 CBEC
Snowy Egret 3 CBEC
Great Blue Heron 2 Kent Narrows
Black Crowned Night Heron 3 Kent Narrows I like to do a full count of them as
they fly out at dusk to feed . Most
likely that will be one eveing next week
If anyone wants to come out let me
know .
Foresters Tern 2 Kent Narrows
Canada Geese 12 CBEC
Mallards 15 Kent Narrows 8 CBEC
Wood Duck 1 female 3 Young CBEC
Osprey 2 Kent Narrows 5 CBEC
Tree Swallow 12 CBEC
Purple Martin 25 or better Kent Narrows Nest boxes next to Fishermen's inn
Great Crested Flycatcher 2 CBEC
Eastern Bluebirds 2 CBEC
Cardinal 2 CBEC
SEASIDE SPARROW 2 CBEC section of the marsh closer to the parking lot
right hand side of the road on the drive out left
on the way in
Happy Birding
Danny Poet
Queenstown, Maryland
birder231 AT hotmail.com
_________________________________________________________________
Insert movie times and more without leaving Hotmail®.
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Subject: Re: MD/DC Records Committee - new web updatesFrom: Phil Davis <pdavis AT IX.NETCOM.COM> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:08:29 -0400 Hi Bob: I have no information on such a report. The only ones in the database, as you probably saw, are the not accepted reports ... two from St. Mary's County from the late 1990s and the recent report from Worcester County. Phil At 08:13 06/29/2009, Bob Hartman wrote: >Phil, I thought I remembered that a Yellow-billed Loon was seen >somewhere along the Susquehanna River near Conowingo Dam about 8 >years ago, but I can't find any reference to it in the documents you >mentioned. Maybe I'm just mis-recalling the Pacific Loon accepted from 1999. =================================================== Phil Davis, Secretary MD/DC Records Committee 2549 Vale Court Davidsonville, Maryland 21035 USA 301-261-0184 mailto:PDavis AT ix.netcom.com MD/DCRC Web site: http://www.MDBirds.org/mddcrc/rcindex.html ===================================================Subject: Southern Maryland IBA Bird Blitzes From: Bill Hubick <bill_hubick AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:33:04 -0700 Hi Everyone, A group of six of us tackled a set of eight IBA Bird Blitzes in southern Maryland this weekend. Ron Gutberlet, Hans Holbrook, Mikey Lutmerding, and I covered four surveys in the Nanjemoy area of Charles Co. on Saturday, while John Hubbell got a head start on St. Mary's River (see post from 6/28). On Sunday, Ron and I were joined by Jim Green to run three more surveys around St. Mary's River State Park. Here are some highlights from the weekend. NANJEMOY AREA TOTALS (4 surveys; my quick tally from data sheets) Gutberlet, Holbrook, Hubick, Lutmerding (~22 km, including Adam Willet Road, Tayloes neck Road, Buff Point Road, Smith Point Road, and Maryland Point Road) Primary Target Species Bald Eagle--1 Kentucky Warbler--2 Louisiana Waterthrush--2 Prairie Warbler--8 Wood Thrush--18 Worm-eating Warbler--4 Secondary Target Species Black-and-white Warbler--19 Brown Thrasher--3 Eastern Towhee--29 Field Sparrow--4 Hairy Woodpecker--3 Hooded Warbler--24 Northern Parula--43 Pileated Woodpecker--1 Red-shouldered Hawk--4 Summer Tanager--2 White-eyed Vireo--10 Yellow-breasted Chat--1 Yellow-throated Vireo--5 ST. MARY'S RIVER STATE PARK TOTALS (4 surveys) Green, Gutberlet, Hubbell, Hubick (~27 km, including St. Andrews Church Road, Indian Bridge Road, McIntosh Road, and Laurel Grove Road) Primary Target Species Kentucky Warbler--1 Prairie Warbler--5 Prothonotary Warbler--2 Wood Thrush--43 Worm-eating Warbler--5 Secondary Target Species American Redstart--1 Black-and-white Warbler--1 Brown Thrasher--10 Eastern Towhee--18 Field Sparrow--5 Hairy Woodpecker--3 Hooded Warbler--9 Northern Parula--18 Pileated Woodpecker--2 Red-shouldered Hawk--7 Summer Tanager--6 White-eyed Vireo--6 Yellow-breasted Chat--2 Yellow-throated Vireo--3 Although we were successful in locating numbers of most expected target species, it seemed clear that bird song is already significantly reduced. This past weekend was almost certainly the end of prime forest interior survey work for the season. It is hoped that grassland surveys will be the emphasis of volunteer surveys for the remainder of the season. The Nanjemoy group noted good numbers of Yellow-billed Cuckoos in the area, which have seemed sparse to many of us throughout the state this year--each of us had 6-10 for the morning. The most interesting non-avian sightings in our survey area were road-killed reptiles found by Mikey, a large Eastern Kingsnake and a beautiful Copperhead (rare and local on the coastal plain). We would have much rather photographed either of these alive. Nanjemoy--Smith Point Road Walked the full length of Smith Point Road from Maryland Point Road to Riverside Road. Effort was made to record exact counts of each species. Non-avian: Eastern Box Turtle (2). Full list included for this count. Mourning Dove--16 Yellow-billed Cuckoo--6 Ruby-throated Hummingbird--3 Red-bellied Woodpecker--4 Eastern Wood-Pewee--15 Acadian Flycatcher--23 Eastern Phoebe--4 Yellow-throated Vireo--3 Red-eyed Vireo--22 American Crow--21 Barn Swallow--1 Carolina Chickadee--6 Tufted Titmouse--24 Carolina Wren--8 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--17 Eastern Bluebird--9 American Robin--3 Gray Catbird--2 Northern Mockingbird--2 Brown Thrasher--1 Northern Parula--18 Yellow-throated Warbler--1 Pine Warbler--3 Prairie Warbler--5; present in all appropriate habitat Black-and-white Warbler--6 Worm-eating Warbler--1; seem unusually thin in Nanjemoy this season Ovenbird--7 Common Yellowthroat--2 Hooded Warbler--11 Summer Tanager--1 Scarlet Tanager--2 Eastern Towhee--12 Chipping Sparrow--6 Field Sparrow--1 Northern Cardinal--6 Blue Grosbeak--6 Indigo Bunting--9 Common Grackle (Purple)--5 Brown-headed Cowbird--19; including a flock of 10 adult males American Goldfinch--3 House Sparrow--1 Before leaving Nanjemoy, Hans, Ron, and I made a few roadside stops for insects, the highlight being Bar-winged Skimmers where I first encountered them with Hans and Jim Stasz two years ago. We also had good numbers of Painted Skimmers and a Slender Spreadwing. Marshall Hall Road, P.G. Co. KENTUCKY WARBLER--1; singing on south side of road near county line Acadian Flycatcher--2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--2 Northern Parula--2 Ovenbird--1 Piscataway Park, P.G. Co. Ron, Hans, and I spent some time looking at insects on the abundant milkweed in front field, then checking the boardwalk and back field. Yellow-billed Cuckoo--1 Chimney Swift--1 Pileated Woodpecker--1 Eastern Wood-Pewee--1 Eastern Kingbird--1 White-eyed Vireo--1 Red-eyed Vireo--1 Purple Martin--2 Barn Swallow--25; including a large, loose high-flying flock Prairie Warbler--2; front field Prothonotary Warbler--1 Common Yellowthroat--2 Yellow-breasted Chat--2; two in front field; one mimicking the introductory note of Northern Bobwhite (as were many this weekend) Grasshopper Sparrow--2; singing in back field Blue Grosbeak--1 Indigo Bunting--4 Non-avian: Zebra Swallowtails were particularly numerous in the front field, while Unicorn Clubtails were present in impressive numbers in the back field. Two highlights were a STINKPOT (MUSK TURTLE) sunning on a nearby log on the Potomac (only my second in Maryland) and a beautiful ROUGH GREEN SNAKE found by Hans. The following are estimates for most insects. Butterflies: Little Glassywing (2), Silver-spotted Skipper (2), Orange Sulfurs (10), Zebra Swallowtails (30, many mating), Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (6), Spicebush Swallowtail (1; worn), black-morph Tiger Swallowtail (1), Monarch (1 very worn adult; one slightly more fresh adult, one caterpillar noted), Red Admiral (1), Great Spangled Fritillary (3), Variegated Fritillary (2, very worn). Odes: Common Green Darner (5), Prince Baskettail (1; great close-up studies as it hunted right around us), Unicorn Clubtail (25), Halloween Pennant (FOY), Widow Skimmer (2), Twelve-spotted Skimmer (1), Carolina Saddlebags (1), Black Saddlebags (1), Orange Bluet (2), Big Bluet (10), Fragile Forktail (2). Milltown Landing, P.G. Co. NORTHERN BOBWHITE--1; calling in the late afternoon; my first in P.G. (beware the many mimicking, introductory notes of Yellow-breasted Chats here!) Bald Eagle--1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo--2 Ruby-throated Hummingbird--2 White-eyed Vireo--1 Red-eyed Vireo--2 Barn Swallow--6 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--1 Northern Mockingbird--2; one mimicking Summer Tanager Brown Thrasher--1 Cedar Waxwing--2 Northern Parula--4 Common Yellowthroat--2 Yellow-breasted Chat--9; many doing their call that is a near-perfect initial note of Northern Bobwhite Scarlet Tanager--1 Eastern Towhee--5 Chipping Sparrow--1 Field Sparrow--4 Indigo Bunting--8 Orchard Oriole--3 Non-avian: Fowler's Toad (tiny), Southern Leopard Frog, Green Frog. American Snout (my first in P.G.), Viceroy (fresh), Monarch (1), Black Swallowtail. Prince Baskettail, Widow Skimmer (2), Common Whitetail (20), Needham's Skimmer (500). Tiger beetle sp. (photographed). CHALK POINT CORMORANT COLONY After Milltown Landing, Ron Gutberlet and I decided to make one last stop and scan the Patuxent River from Eagle Harbor. We were surprised to note several hundred cormorants roosting on the power line towers between Chalk Point (P.G.) and Leitches Wharf (Calvert). When we scoped them, we were surprised to note many nests, as I'd never heard of a nesting colony in this part of the state. It was my first nesting confirmation for this species in Maryland (Ron had seen the Poplar Island colony). When we got back to my house, we reviewed both the previous atlas data and the latest on-line data. We found that nesting was confirmed at this location during the recent Atlas, but at very few others on the western shore (e.g., Potomac River). I learned that Matt Hafner and Jim Stasz first discovered the Chalk Point colony about five years ago. The first cormorant nesting in the state was discovered at Poplar Island around the end of the previous Atlas effort. Here are the current numbers from the Chalk Point colony: Total: 33 nests, 278 individuals Prince George's Co. side: 16 active nests, 137 individuals Calvert Co. side: 17 nests, 141 individuals. Because we were scoping from Eagle Harbor, I would expect that higher totals could be counted if viewing from a closer vantage point. Highlights from Sunday, 6/28 St. Mary's River SP--Indian Bridge Road, St. Mary's Co. Walked full length of Indian Bridge Road between Point Lookout Road (MD 5) and St. Andrew's Church Road (MD 4). Effort was made to keep exact counts of all species. Best non-avian sighting was a MINK running across the road. Red-shouldered Hawk--4 Killdeer--3 Yellow-billed Cuckoo--1 Chimney Swift--1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird--3 Hairy Woodpecker--2 Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)--1 Pileated Woodpecker--1 Eastern Wood-Pewee--5 Acadian Flycatcher--5 Eastern Phoebe--4 Great Crested Flycatcher--1 Eastern Kingbird--1 White-eyed Vireo--3 Red-eyed Vireo--9 Barn Swallow--4 White-breasted Nuthatch--4; local in St. Mary's; more than I'd had in St. Mary's Co. in total before today. Jim Green also had two on McIntosh Road, and Ron Gutberlet had one on St. Andrew's Church Road (total of 7 for St. Mary's River surveys) Eastern Bluebird--5 Wood Thrush--6 Brown Thrasher--2 Northern Parula--5 Pine Warbler--4 Prairie Warbler--4; concentrated around scrubby field of small pines and sweet gum on the east end of Indian Bridge Road Prothonotary Warbler--1; singing; second stream crossing from east end of Indian Bridge Road (St. Mary's River; Jarboesville Run); first I've had in eastern St. Mary's Worm-eating Warbler--1; singing near west end of the road Ovenbird--6 Kentucky Warbler--1; singing; second stream crossing from east end of Indian Bridge Road Common Yellowthroat--2 Hooded Warbler--3 Yellow-breasted Chat--1; singing from power line cut near west end of Indian Bridge Road Summer Tanager--3; one pair, another singing male Scarlet Tanager--10 Eastern Towhee--5 Chipping Sparrow--22 Field Sparrow--2 Song Sparrow--9 Blue Grosbeak--10 Indigo Bunting--24 Orchard Oriole--1 McIntosh Road, St. Mary's Co. Some sightings after I picked up Jim Green following our surveys. His full survey numbers are much higher, of course. Eastern Wood-Pewee--1 Acadian Flycatcher--1 Yellow-throated Vireo--1; my county closeout (#105); found by Jim Green during his survey Wood Thrush--3 Northern Parula--2 Worm-eating Warbler--1 Ovenbird--2 Scarlet Tanager--1 Beauvue Ponds, St. Mary's Co. Green Heron--1 Osprey--6 Barn Swallow--4 Common Yellowthroat--1 Chipping Sparrow--1 Grasshopper Sparrow--7 Blue Grosbeak--2 Indigo Bunting--2 DICKCISSEL--2-3; two adult males singing on territory in the field across from Beauvue Ponds; first male found by Jim Green last week. On this visit there were at least two conspicuous, persistently singing males, one of which was missing feathers on its crown. I thought I saw a female fly into dense grass with one of the males, but we were unable to get a confirming view Eastern Meadowlark--6 Orchard Oriole--6 Sollers Wharf Road, Calvert Co. Osprey--4 Eastern Wood-Pewee--1 Red-eyed Vireo--1 Barn Swallow--2 Eastern Bluebird--7 Northern Parula--1 Grasshopper Sparrow--2 Mackall Road, Calvert Co. (field habitat) Grasshopper Sparrow--1 House Sparrow--Pair nesting below active Osprey nesting platform Cage Road, Calvert Co. This is one of my new favorite roads in Calvert Co., an excellent winding road that passes hilly fields with scrubby hedgerows. It is a great place to find a Dickcissel or Northern Shrike in season. It is the unnamed road on the DeLorme that connects Mackall Road and Lloyd Bowen Road (well-known spot for Calvert BHNUs). Eastern Bluebird--2 Grasshopper Sparrow--1; singing Song Sparrow--2 Blue Grosbeak--2 Indigo Bunting--2 Please contact Dave Curson or David Yeany if you can help out with some grassland IBA Bird Blitz surveys this month! I hope to post some photos later tonight. Good birding! Bill Bill Hubick Pasadena, Maryland bill_hubick AT yahoo.com http://www.billhubick.comSubject: Fw: Bobcat at SERC From: James Tyler Bell <jtylerbell AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 06:45:00 -0700 Not a bird sighting but certainly unusual! I'll be on the lookout moreso than previously as there were reports of a bobcat here at SERC last year. If there's a kitten this year, guess they were right! BTW, SERC is the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater. The report was off of Contees Wharf Rd. off of Muddy Creek Rd. south of 214. Tyler Bell jtylerbell AT yahoo.com California, Maryland From:Whigham, Dennis Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 8:21 AM To: SERCstaff Subject: FW: Bobcat at SERC Al Tucker reports seeing a bobcat at SERC (see below). Keep your eyes open for this welcome addition. If you see it, report where and when so that we can get an idea if it is staying on the property. Dennis Dennis F. Whigham Senior Ecologist and Deputy Director Smithsonian Environmental Research Center Box 28 Edgewater, MD 21037 phone: 443-482-2226 email: whighamd AT si.edu ________________________________ From:ALBERT TUCKER [mailto:ajtucker AT ieee.org] Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 7:14 AM To: Whigham, Dennis Cc: Chris Swarth; Gene Meyer Subject: Bobcat at SERC Dennis, As I was driving into SERC last evening, a movement in the hayfield caught my eye. For a fleeting 2 sec, I saw the unmistakable gait of a bobcat. About a month ago, I saw a bobcat kitten here on our farm; it decided to attack the tractor rather than retreat. My guess is that it was less than 6 weeks old. Given that they are on both sides of the county, they must be more prevalent than just occasional visitors. That means we have another top level predator in addition to the coyote around. -- AlSubject: NE Frederick County Dickcissels From: Max Wilson <mercretas AT HOTMAIL.COM> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:49:29 -0400 I was enticed by the reports of Dickcissels and other grassland species out of northern Frederick County on Saturday, so I headed up myself on Sunday morning. I started at the overgrown pasture at Keysville and Creamery Roads southeast of Emmitsburg that Jim Wilkinson found. That area was incredibly productive, with at least 6 singing Dickcissels, at least as many Grasshopper Sparrows, a few Indigo Buntings, and 2 Red-headed Woodpeckers moving between the different telephone polls. A Red-tailed Hawk sat sentinal over the fields from a phone poll deep in the middle of the field on the NE corner of the cross streets. I didn't have any Bobolinks or Blue Grosbeak. A big sign on the corner of these fields indicates that they are slated to be sliced up and sold off for development. It seems that the birds have gotten a temporary reprieve with the slow down in the housing market. After getting my fill of Dickcissels at that field, I drove the back roads of the area with my windows down hoping to hear a Vesper Sparrow. I didn't get any Vespers, but I did drive past at least three Kestrels. I stopped at Lilypons later in the morning on my way home. The only birds of note were two calling Barred Owls, a Yellow-Billed Cuckoo, and a singing Willow Flycatcher. Max Wilson Kensington, Montgomery County, MD mercretas AT hotmail.comSubject: Re: MD/DC Records Committee - new web updates From: Bob Hartman <rhartman0 AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:13:39 -0400 Phil, I thought I remembered that a Yellow-billed Loon was seen somewhere along the Susquehanna River near Conowingo Dam about 8 years ago, but I can't find any reference to it in the documents you mentioned. Maybe I'm just mis-recalling the Pacific Loon accepted from 1999. Thanks, Bob Hartman Phil Davis wrote: > MD Osprey, MD Birds, and BRCF-L: > > Due to some web technical difficulties, it's been a while since we have > posted any updates to the MD/DC Records Committee web pages. A new batch > of PDF web products is now available. Here are the highlights and a > summary: > > 1. Members. Since our last posting three members have rotated off the > committee and we thank them very much for their service; they are: Tyler > Bell, Ellen Lawler, and Marcia Watson. The three new members that were > elected to the committee for three-year terms are: Gwen Brewer (Charles > County), Mikey Lutmerding (Prince George's and Allegany Counties), and > Dave Ziolkowski (Harford County). > > http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/rcmembers.pdf > > 2. Review Lists. The latest MD and DC review lists are posted here ... > > MD http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/mdreview.pdf > DC http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/dcreview.pdf > > 3. Official Lists. The current Official Lists of the Birds of Maryland > and the District of Columbia are posted here ... > > MD http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/mdlist.pdf > DC http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/dclist.pdf > > 4. MD/DCRC Databases. Updates to the abridged versions of the MD/DCRC > databases of reports and records are here ... > > MD http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/mddatabase.pdf (a very > large document - you can search it but you probably do not want to print > it!) > DC http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/dcdatabase.pdf > > 5. Minutes of the MD/DCRC 2009 Annual Meeting and Annual Business > Report. This detailed document can be found here ... > > http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/rcannual2009.pdf > > 6. Skins Workshop Minutes. Species accounts, with photographs, of taxa > studied during the MD/DCRC Skins Workshops at the Smithsonian > Institution for 2008 and 2009 have been posted: > > The 2008 report covers the following taxa: Nelson’s Sharp-tailed > Sparrows – all 3 subspecies; Broad-tailed, Calliope, Allen’s and Rufous > Hummingbird – including the 2004 MD Calliope > specimen; California Gulls – all ages; remeasurement and photographs of > the 1842 DC Leach’s Storm-Petrel specimens: and measurement and > photographs of the circa 1842 DC Long-billed Curlew skull skeleton > specimen, comparing it with a Eurasian Curlew skull. > > 2008 http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/rcskins2008.pdf > > The 2009 report covers the following taxa: DC Band-rumped Storm Petrels > - in preparation for a future split, Eastern/Western Meadowlarks; Lark > Bunting winter plumages; Mountain/Eastern Bluebirds; Thayer's/Kumlien's > Gull; and Western/EasternWood Pewee. > > 2009 http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/rcskins2009.pdf > > 7. The updated MD/DCRC index of identification and reference articles > can be found here ... > > http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/rcbibliog.pdf (another large > document - again, you probably do not want to print it!) > > Hope this helps ... > > Phil > > =================================================== > Phil Davis, Secretary > MD/DC Records Committee > 2549 Vale Court > Davidsonville, Maryland 21035 USA > 301-261-0184 > mailto:PDavis AT ix.netcom.com > > MD/DCRC Web site: http://www.MDBirds.org/mddcrc/rcindex.html > =================================================== >Subject: OT- VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD-VA, Roseate Spoonbill- DE (Photos) From: Jeffery Davis <jwdjwd67 AT MSN.COM> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:27:40 -0400 It was quite a busy weekend. Amy and I spent the entire afternoon Saturday basking in the company of the ROSEATE SPOONBILL (Photos) which was being extemely agreeable in the back yard of a private residence near the Catch 54 (the bird was easily viewable from the road). He posed for a lot of photos and provided exceptional looks. When we returned home around 10:00pm and I began scanning the emails from the 20+ birds lists I belong to (It might be 30+ by now actually. I'm seriously mentally ill.), when I found the amazing post about the Violet-crowned Hummer in VA! 3 hours of sleep and we were back on the road headed for Ron and Carol Baker's lovely B&B- THE HUFFMAN HOUSE AT CREEKSIDE FARM (16 Old Huffman Store Road • Newport, VA • 24128) http://www.thehuffmanhousebandb.com/. A little over 7 and a half hours of driving (with stops) and we were enjoying tremendous looks at this SE-AZ specialty. This gorgeous VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD (Photos. I have only had time to put up a couple shots but I hope to get a few more up soon. ) was a lifer for us both so we stayed nearly all day to enjoy it. In fact, we were the last of the surprisingly small crowd (surprising considering it may well be the first documented record East of TX) to leave. Being last to go we were lucky enough to be treated to extended views of the bird preening on the tree across from the feeder. It was an amazing day. If you haven't already picked this beauty up in AZ or if you just need a pretty good bird for your VA state list ;) it is well worth the trip. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffamy/ regards, jeff Downingtown, PA Checkout our bird photos at the link below: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffamy/ "Birding Like I Have Six Months To Live"Subject: OT- VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMER in VA From: Nico Sarbanes <nasarbanes AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 20:13:29 -0700 Hey everyone,
In case you hadn't heard yet, a Violet-Crowned Hummingbird is being seen in
Craig County,
Virginia right now. Here is the original post from the VABIRDS list:
"Bill Akers and I just visited Huffman House Bed and Breakfast which is owned
by
Carol and Ron Baker. They noticed on Thursday June 25, a Violet-crowned
Hummingbird at their feeder. They forwarded some pictures to us and we spent
the morning (Saturday June27th) at their house and observed and photographed
the birds on numerous occasions.
The bird is an adult in good shape and very comfortable in their yard. It is
defending the feeders from the many Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. Since it is
territorial, I feel that it will stay around a while. We think that this is the
first occurrence in Virginia and probably the first time east of
Texas.
The best way to get to the Huffman House is to drive on 460 west of Blacksburg,
Turn right on route 42 at the entrance of Newport, VA. There is a super value
mart there. From 460 it is 6.8 miles to the site. You will see a sign that says
Huffman on the right and the next right turn is Huffman Store Road. Turn in
there and park next to the white store. The birds favorite feeder is the one on
the porch on the right side (as you face the house) It also frequents the tree
in the front yard on that side of the house which has numerous dead twigs which
are its favorite perches.
Since this is a bed and breakfast, please be considerate of the grounds and the
guests.
The website for the Huffman House is www.Thehuffmanhousebandb.com
Mike
Michael R. Boatwright
--
Amherst, VA_______________________________________________"
Nico Sarbanes
Baltimore
Subject: OT- photos from ABA Young Birders Conference in San DiegoFrom: Nico Sarbanes <nasarbanes AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 19:41:32 -0700 Hey everyone- Just got back from an awesome conference in San Diego that included trips to the Salton Sea, Santa Cruz Island, the Laguna Mountains, and the San Diego Zoo. Photos are up at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicobirdphotos/ Enjoy! Nico Sarbanes BaltimoreSubject: MD/DC Records Committee - new web updates From: Phil Davis <pdavis AT IX.NETCOM.COM> Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 21:33:18 -0400 MD Osprey, MD Birds, and BRCF-L:
Due to some web technical difficulties, it's been
a while since we have posted any updates to the
MD/DC Records Committee web pages. A new batch of
PDF web products is now available. Here are the highlights and a summary:
1. Members. Since our last posting three members
have rotated off the committee and we thank them
very much for their service; they are: Tyler
Bell, Ellen Lawler, and Marcia Watson. The three
new members that were elected to the committee
for three-year terms are: Gwen Brewer (Charles
County), Mikey Lutmerding (Prince George's and
Allegany Counties), and Dave Ziolkowski (Harford County).
http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/rcmembers.pdf
2. Review Lists. The latest MD and DC review lists are posted here ...
MD http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/mdreview.pdf
DC http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/dcreview.pdf
3. Official Lists. The current Official Lists of
the Birds of Maryland and the District of Columbia are posted here ...
MD http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/mdlist.pdf
DC http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/dclist.pdf
4. MD/DCRC Databases. Updates to the abridged
versions of the MD/DCRC databases of reports and records are here ...
MD
http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/mddatabase.pdf
(a very large document - you can search it but
you probably do not want to print it!)
DC http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/dcdatabase.pdf
5. Minutes of the MD/DCRC 2009 Annual Meeting and
Annual Business Report. This detailed document can be found here ...
http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/rcannual2009.pdf
6. Skins Workshop Minutes. Species accounts, with
photographs, of taxa studied during the MD/DCRC
Skins Workshops at the Smithsonian Institution
for 2008 and 2009 have been posted:
The 2008 report covers the following taxa:
Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrows – all 3
subspecies; Broad-tailed, Calliope, Allen’s and
Rufous Hummingbird – including the 2004 MD Calliope
specimen; California Gulls – all ages;
remeasurement and photographs of the 1842 DC
Leach’s Storm-Petrel specimens: and measurement
and photographs of the circa 1842 DC Long-billed
Curlew skull skeleton specimen, comparing it with a Eurasian Curlew skull.
2008 http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/rcskins2008.pdf
The 2009 report covers the following taxa: DC
Band-rumped Storm Petrels - in preparation for a
future split, Eastern/Western Meadowlarks; Lark
Bunting winter plumages; Mountain/Eastern
Bluebirds; Thayer's/Kumlien's Gull; and Western/EasternWood Pewee.
2009 http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/rcskins2009.pdf
7. The updated MD/DCRC index of identification
and reference articles can be found here ...
http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/rcbibliog.pdf
(another large document - again, you probably do not want to print it!)
Hope this helps ...
Phil
===================================================
Phil Davis, Secretary
MD/DC Records Committee
2549 Vale Court
Davidsonville, Maryland 21035 USA
301-261-0184
mailto:PDavis AT ix.netcom.com
MD/DCRC Web site: http://www.MDBirds.org/mddcrc/rcindex.html
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Subject: Rt 54 & Dickcissel, 06/27/09From: Kevin Graff <whitemarlin2001 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 16:33:07 -0700 Hi all,
06/27/09 - 730am-910am (while watching spoonbill in DE)
unknown name island off an west of Nantucket Point area, island on MD side w/ N
tip on DE side, with sandy beach facing NE and good clump of grasses, we were
facing south view from north side of Rt 54 in between houses across from pond
where the spoonbill was.
WEATHER: PC, 78-82 degrees, N 6 mph- calm
OBSERVERS: John D, Kevin G
Canada Goose - 12
Mallard - 2
Brown Pelican - 1
Double-crested Cormorant - 2
Great Egret - 1 (flyby south of island)
Snowy Egret - 2
Osprey - 1
American Oystercatcher - 3 (possible on nest)
Willet - 2
Laughing Gull - 15 (carry food to nest(s)
Great Black-backed Gull - 1
Least Tern - 2 (carry food to nest)
Royal Tern - 4 (carry food to nest(s)
Common Tern - 4 (carry food to nest(s)
Black Skimmer - 16 (3 nests)
Barn Swallow - 1
Red-winged Blackbird - 3
Boat-tailed Grackle - 1
SPECIES: 18
TOTAL BIRDS: 73
After spoonbill spot, (cannot post DE list but will give short notes) we head
north to Fowler Beach area of Prime Hook NWR with nearly 70 species including
many late shorebirds (1 Red Knot) and to see Dickcissel south of Milford and
then head inot MD for Dickcissel in Talbot Co, see below.
06/27/09 - 215pm-330pm
Old White Marsh Cemetery, off of Rt 50, Trappe, Talbot Co., MD
WEATHER: Fair, 82-83 degrees, NNW 10 mph- NNW 11 mph
OBSERVERS: same
Northern Bobwhite - 1
Black Vulture - 1
Turkey Vulture - 9
Red-tailed Hawk - 2 (in distance)
Mourning Dove - 2
Chimney Swift - 1
American Crow - 1
Tree Swallow - 1
Barn Swallow - 13
American Robin - 6
Northern Mockingbird - 2
European Starling - 10
Chipping Sparrow - 2
Indigo Bunting - 1
Dickcissel - 2
Red-winged Blackbird - 41
Eastern Meadowlark - 3
Common Grackle - 15
Brown-headed Cowbird - 1
Orchard Oriole - 2
American Goldfinch - 6
House Sparrow - 4
SPECIES: 22
TOTAL BIRDS: 126
Kevin Graff
West Ocean City, MD
WhiteMarlin2001 AT yahoo.com
Subject: Roseate Spoonbill - 6PM -Catch 54From: Marcy Stutzman <marciastutzman AT NETSCAPE.NET> Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 19:04:21 -0400 Winger & June West were dining at Catch 54 when the Roseate Spoonbill flew in about 300-400 yds west of the window they were lookout out from the restaurant. Marcy Stutzman Russett, MD marciastutzman AT netscape.netSubject: Roseate Spoonbill - seen 6-28 From: K Lambert <kbert59 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 13:29:54 -0700 Spoonbill in what has come to be its usual place off Madison Ave in DE. Seen standing on the ground, near the pine tree - at 11:30AM & again at 1PM. Snoozing & preening. Nice looks. Now, if only it would fly a few hundred yards south ... Lunch at Catch 54 was decent. Kathie Lambert kbert59 AT yahoo.com Harwood, MD --- On Fri, 6/26/09, Phil DavisSubject: Dickcissels, Vesper Sparrows -- Dorchester/Caroline, 6/28 From: John Hubbell <johngilhub AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 18:36:22 -0400 I started the day by going for the Tyler Bell Trifecta in Delaware, and ended up with 2 out of 3 after dipping on the duck. It took the spoonbill about 90 minutes to make an appearance, coming out of the marsh to the west of the Catch 54 Restaurant before settling in right behind the restaurant. I spent a little more than an hour on the bridge, watching numerous terns, gulls, cormorants, egrets, and herons making the trip in and out of Maryland, but the spoonbill seemed happy to stay put, even when being crowded by a kayaker. I then headed west back into Maryland to do some more border birding, this time between Dorchester and Caroline Counties. I was hoping for Vesper Sparrow in Caroline and Dickcissel in Dorchester, so of course started out by getting the opposite. In Dorchester, a Vesper Sparrow sang from a weedy field on the west side of Line Rd, just north of Woodpecker Rd. I found 2 singing male Dickcissels in Caroline County on Bradley Rd, which runs north of 318 just west of Federalsburg. I crossed back south of 318 in search of Dorchester Dickcissels, finding 2 singing males on Lovers Rd at the intersection with 318. After some more back road driving in Caroline, I finally found a Vesper Sparrow on Nichols Rd. Bird the borders. John Hubbell Washington DCSubject: Re: Ho Co (Pine Siskin) From: Rick Sussman <Warblerick AT AOL.COM> Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 16:26:12 EDT Hi Bonnie, Wanna buy 40 lbs of thistle seed...? Rick Sussman Woodbine,MD In a message dated 6/28/2009 3:48:18 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, bonnieott AT VERIZON.NET writes: I just found a Pine Siskin on my feeder. happily eating, calling and flew off after I got 50+ pictures and a video. You can see the pic at my flickr site www.flickr.com/photos/sparrowbon/ Bonnie Bonnie Ott **************Make your summer sizzle with fast and easy recipes for the grill. (http://food.aol.com/grilling?ncid=emlcntusfood00000005)Subject: Ho Co (Pine Siskin) From: Bonnie and John Ott <bonnieott AT VERIZON.NET> Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 15:48:10 -0400 I just found a Pine Siskin on my feeder. happily eating, calling and flew off after I got 50+ pictures and a video. You can see the pic at my flickr site www.flickr.com/photos/sparrowbon/ Bonnie Bonnie Ott Howard County Field Trip Chair Ellicott City, MDSubject: Re: Black Rails From: JAMES WILSON <wlsngang AT VERIZON.NET> Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 10:39:29 -0400 Slightly out of area but still worthy of a mention ... a Black Rail has been calling consistently at the Meadows in Cape May. Not that unusual except it has been seen at least twice ... once by Michael O"Brien (Maryland alumnus birder extraordinaire) while leading a Cape May birding workshop and seen and photographed by Bob Fogg (photo at http://www.birdcapemay.org/blog/ ). Also of note was a Back Bay Breeding Bird survey in Cape May on June 20. The extremely high tides pushed the birds onto the highest peaks of remaining ground. 96 Clapper Rails were SEEN. Gotta love Cape May. On the more local front - my yard in Queenstown - I had 7 Great Crested Fly Catchers in the yard yesterday. I also had the pleasure of watching Mama Baltimore Oriole being pestered by 3 newly fledged youngsters as she flew from area to area searching for food. While eating dinner the other day and watching the birds and 3 squirrels enjoy the feeders, a rat joined the festivities. For nearly 45 minutes the rat scratched around and blended (?) right in. The squirrels only took offense when it tried to join them on the platform feeder (two 8x10 planks) and the squirrels quickly chased it off. Where are the raptors when you want them? Jim Wilson QueenstownSubject: Black Rails, Short-eared Owls and American Bitterns From: dan small <daniel_m_small AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 07:07:39 -0700 Last night, Maren Gimpel and I decided to try for Black Rails for the second time this year on Elliot Island Road. We birded Blackwater NWR for a few hours in the afternoon and found 2 Red-headed Woodpeckers along the closed auto tour road between the Woods trail and the Marsh trail. We ran into many Brown-headed nuthatches and the number of singing Pine Warblers was really impressive. We then headed over to Elliot Island Road and got there around 1930, we cruised along the road slowly hoping to hear a Saltmarsh-Sharptail and stopped at the end of the "good" Black Rail area and had dinner. We had no luck hearing a Saltmarsh then, but did hear one in the dark later. We were both blown away by the number of Seaside Sparrows, Marsh Wrens and Meadowlarks singing along the road, there was also a Black-necked Stilt parent and chick walking along the road. While watching the sunset from the end we had one Tri-colored Heron flyover, we then drove back east and parked at the boat ramp and and scanned the sky until dark. From here we had 5 Am. Bitterns, 5 Harriers and at least three Short-ears hunting to the west against a pink sky. We drove the road twice once it was dark, we heard 7 or so of Virginia's and Clappers on the drive west, but on the return trip east later in the night the numbers were significantly higher. We never heard any keekeekrees from the Black Rails, but did have have two making growling calls close to the road a couple hundred meters west of the building with the light at about 1130ish. It was great to get out of Queen Annes Co and do some marsh birding. Dan Small Chestertown, MDSubject: Poplar Island Sightings for23 June 2009 From: Les Roslund <lroslund AT BLUECRAB.ORG> Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2009 21:37:42 -0400 Subject: Poplar Island Sightings from June 23, 2009
This report is submitted on behalf of Jan Reese of Talbot County, who
continues to periodically survey the flora and fauna of the Paul Sarbanes
Ecosystem Restoration Project at Poplar Island.
Some of the birds were seen from the boat during the trip from
Tilghman Island and back.
Note particularly the presence of Pied-billed Grebe, Brown Pelican,
Great Egret, Virginia Rail, four species of sandpipers, and six species of
terns, along with interesting numbers of Osprey and Cormorants.
Weather: Overcast Early am, partly sunny pm, Temp: degrees F
72-81
SPECIES Number of birds
Pied-billed Grebe (1)
Brown Pelican (1)
Double-crested Cormorant (2246)
Great Blue Heron (43)
Great Egret (2)
Snowy Egret (36)
Turkey Vulture (1)
Canada Goose (67)
European Mute Swan (6)
American Black Duck (17)
Mallard (480)
Lesser Scaup (1)
Surf Scoter (2)
Ruddy Duck (4)
Osprey (51)
Bald Eagle (3)
Virginia Rail (1)
Killdeer (47)
American Oystercatcher (1)
Black-necked Stilt (6)
Willet (49)
Spotted Sandpiper (2)
Ruddy Turnstone (2)
Semipalmated Sandpiper (11)
Dunlin (8)
Laughing Gull (12)
Herring Gull (562)
Great Black-backed Gull (447)
Caspian Tern (5)
Royal Tern (2)
Common Tern (734)
Forster's Tern (4)
Least Tern (121)
Black Tern (2)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (1)
Fish Crow (6)
Purple Martin (6)
Tree Swallow (56)
Bank Swallow (6)
Barn Swallow (38)
European Starling (13)
Common Yellowthroat (1)
Seaside Sparrow (2)
Red-winged Blackbird (270)
Common Grackle (12)
Orchard Oriole (1)
Les Roslund
Lroslund AT bluecrab.org
Talbot County
Easton MD 21601
Subject: Frederick & Carroll Counties: Dickcissels, Red-headed Woodpecker, Hooded MergansersFrom: danny bystrak <dbystrak AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2009 18:21:40 -0700 I couldn't believe my eyes when I read Jim's post. I ran the Emmitsburg BBS route today (27 June) and had Dickcissels in two locations a Red-headed Woodpecker and a female Hooded Merganser! My first Dickcissel was on Harney Road, slightly more than .1 mile west of Bullfrog Rd (N). Then there were two singing about .45 miles west of Bollinger School Rd. (not to be confused with Bollinger Rd). The female Hooded Merganser was actually in Carroll County in a small stream on Bowers Rd. .33 miles west of Piney Creek Rd. Many years ago I saw a Yellow-cr. Night Heron at this same stop. I was disappointed to hear only one Red-headed Woodpecker today. I usually record them on 4 or 5 stops. Also heard Savannah Sparrows in two places along Harney Rd. and Vespers in 3 or 4 places in both Counties. Also more Grasshopper Sparrows than I've had in many years. Couldn't find any Bobolinks unfortunately. Danny Bystrak Bristol AA Co. ________________________________ From: Jim WilkinsonSubject: NE Frederick County: Dickcissels, Red-headed Woodpecker, Hooded Mergansers, Bobolinks From: Jim Wilkinson <wilkinson8 AT VERIZON.NET> Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2009 20:41:22 -0400 My wife and I traveled backroads in northeastern Frederick County from near Lewistown to Emmitsburg today (6/27). Highlights of an excellent trip were Dickcissels in two spots, a female Hooded Merganser with four ducklings, an adult Red-headed Woodpecker, several Bobolinks and Meadowlarks, a dozen Grasshopper Sparrows and a Blue Grosbeak. Our first Dickcissels were two males along Sixes Bridge Road between Grimes and Sixes Roads in large fields at the crest of a hill maybe a third of a mile east of Grimes Road and east of a curve near a yellow house. The birds spent their time traveling between the small planted trees on the south side of the road and larger trees in a windbreak on the north side. We also saw two male Bobolinks at this location. The second group of Dickcissels consisted of at least 3 singing males and a female in overgrown fields with white flowers bounded by Keysville and Creamery Roads southeast of Emmitsburg. I think this is the most Dickcissels I have seen on one trip in Maryland. In these fields we also had Grasshopper Sparrows and a Blue Grosbeak. The Creamery Road bridge over Toms Creek was where we saw the female Hooded Merganser with her four young. The adult Red-headed Woodpecker was along Bollinger Road where it crosses Stony Branch; four Grasshopper Sparrows were heard in fields along Bollinger Road south of this area. Bollinger Road goes north from Motters Station Road east of Thurmont. We also heard one Bobolink along Blacks Mill Road just southwest of Creagerstown in a hayfield on the north side of the road near a small pond. Eastern Meadowlark and Willow Flycatcher were also singing here. Jim Wilkinson Columbia, MDSubject: Re: Gunpowder Falls/ Lost Pond Trail + Off-topic research participation opportunity From: Georgia McDonald <gmcdonald2006 AT VERIZON.NET> Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2009 20:39:59 -0400 I have been informed that my unidentified singer is a Yellow-throated Vireo. I knew I'd heard the song many years ago and thought any 3-A variation should be a vireo, but today it didn't match up with the any of the vireo songs on my bird-pod. In all the years of the Atlas Project and the June of Prettyboy Bird Blitzing, I did not hear this song variation. I did have one pair of YT Vireo for the atlas and a few in the Bird Blitz, but they all sang the song that is on the Bird-Pod. All the techno-gizmos in the world don't replace lots & lots of experience. Georgia McDonald Towson, Balt Co.Subject: Bird skins for Bridging the Americas - Slightly off topic From: Tim Boucher <tboucher AT GEOCITIES.COM> Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2009 19:48:10 -0400 I won't comment about the legal aspects of salvage, but if you want to know contact me (not Tim) offlist - ellen.paul [at] verizon.net I provide this information so that if you do it, you can at least do it effectively. To save a bird for science If the bird is not properly preserved and the data needed by scientists is not recorded, the time and energy it takes to bring the specimen to a museum or other research institution may be wasted. These instructions will help to ensure that your donation will be useful. On the label, write (in waterproof ink or pencil): - Date bird you found the bird Please write dates as date-month-year (“12 December 2004”). Please write the month in letters. - Where the bird was found. Be as specific as possible. - Your name and contact information. The museums are required to obtain and maintain this information, and your name and contact information enables the museum to contact you if more data about the specimen are required (for example, sometimes the ink runs or the writing is illegible). For permanently preserved specimens you can receive credit on the permanent museum label for obtaining the specimen. - Optional: Cause of injury, if known; medical reports, including lab results (especially toxicology), medications, necropsy. The museum may be able to provide forms or labels for you. Place each bird and its associated tag or label in a separate clear plastic bag. Using clear plastic bags is helpful when possible because then the receiving party can immediately see the specimen and determine its identity, quality, and preparation or sampling future.The bag should be closed and most of the air squeezed out to minimize freeze drying. Ziploc bags or bags that are heat sealed are best. It is helpful to place this bag in a second closed bag, particularly if the specimen is going to be stored in a freezer for some time before it is donated to the museum. For large birds, kitchen trash bags or larger trash bags are acceptable, but please be sure to close the bag tightly. Try not to let frozen birds thaw and then re-freeze. Don't keep in the freezer for any length of time as they become hard to skin. Try to get it to a museum quickly. Optional: If you really want to do a professional job, put a wad of absorbent cotton or tissue down the bird's throat to prevent fluids from seeping out onto the plumage, then arrange the bird in the bag so the feathers (especially the tail) aren't bent and the head, neck, wings, or legs aren't projecting at awkward angles (they are easily broken when frozen). Ellen Paul Chevy Chase MDSubject: I H8 Kiki Kerr From: James Tyler Bell <jtylerbell AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2009 15:02:08 -0700 After a successful twitch for state birds in Delaware (Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Roseate Spoonbill (which seemed quite content to sleep on the rocks north of Catch 54 well within DE airspace, Eurasian Collared Dove) we headed for Elliott Island Rd. for Black Rail. Jane Kostenko and I arrived well before sunset and drove down to the end to check out habitat and road conditions. The tide was extremely high and had flooded completely over in spots. We found the I (Heart) Kiki Kerr graffitti on the road followed about 1/2 mile later by a phone pole with Kerr painted on the north side of it. As the sun headed for the horizon, the Marsh Wrens and Seaside Sparrows came out in droves perching up on cattails or dead marsh plants. Around 7:30 or so, the Virginia and Clapper Rails became more vocal. At one point a Virginia Rail came out on the road and Jane had to chase it back into the reeds to avoid an oncoming car. We drove up and down the road and found a family of Black-necked Stilts (2 parents, 2 babies (puffballs on long legs with long bills)), had a flyover group of 5 Tricolored Herons, a single flyover Least Bittern, a single American Bittern hiding in the reeds and a couple of flyover Black-crowned Night-Herons shortly after it got too dark to use binoculars, and a Common Moorhen that was at first heard then seen. The wind died a bit and there was virtually no moon except a fingernail so we could hear birds far off across the marsh. The drone of mosquitos began to make it hard to hear distant birds if you cupped hands to ears. The final curtain call came several hours later when it began to rain and there was intense lightning to the west. We had heard on WTOP that there was a severe thunderstorm warning for some areas with large hail so we got out of there before any bad weather settled in. Black Rail is now my top nemesis bird in Maryland after whiffing at many attempts. The final score: Delaware 3, Maryland 0. Tyler Bell jtylerbell AT yahoo.com California, MarylandSubject: IBA Bird Blitz, St Mary's County, 6/27 From: John Hubbell <johngilhub AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2009 17:18:09 -0400 I covered an IBA bird blitz route in St. Mary's County this morning. The route included parts of Loveville Rd, Laurel Grove Rd, and Morganza-Turner Rd. Results below: Primary Target Species: Wood Thrush - 22 Worm-eating Warbler - 1 Prairie Warbler - 1 Secondary Target Species Brown Thrasher - 4 Eastern Towhee - 13 Field Sparrow - 1 White-eyed Vireo - 2 American Redstart - 1 Black-and-white Warbler - 1 Hairy Woodpecker - 2 Hooded Warbler - 3 Northern Parula - 6 Red-shouldered Hawk - 2 Yellow-throated Vireo - 1 (intersection of Laurel Grove and Holt Rds) John Hubbell Washington DCSubject: Gunpowder Falls/ Lost Pond Trail + Off-topic research participation opportunity From: Georgia McDonald <gmcdonald2006 AT VERIZON.NET> Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2009 15:58:54 -0400 This trail runs along the north bank of the Big Gunpowder Falls, from Belair Rd, southeast towards Rt. 95. It is accessed from a large parking lot on the east side of Belair Rd, just north of the river. Drive too fast and you'll miss the lot. We had a smattering of common nesters, mostly heard only's, and missing many species that are usually on this trail. It was somewhat of a surprise to get a Brown Thrasher in the middle of the woods, barely a bino field away from a singing Ovenbird. Most interesting bird was one that got away, an unidentified raptor. It didn't give us a long enough look, but the silhouette suggested possible Mississippi Kite. We also had an unidentified song: a clear, whistled "Three-A" with long pauses between repetitions of the two notes. I feel like it's something I SHOULD know, but can't I quite place it. Never saw the singer. Off topic: Denise L Goodfellow is an Australian Ph.D candidate who is doing research on American birdwatchers who travel internationally as couples. She has a multi-page survey on line. If you'd like to participate, the URL is: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=h3NCqTwur3H_2bPlbFtk_2bSpw_3d_3d Our complete list of birds on the trail today: Great Blue Heron Mallard Turkey Vulture Mourning Dove YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO Chimney Swift Belted Kingfisher Red-bellied Woodpecker Eastern Wood-Pewee Acadian Flycatcher Great Crested Flycatcher Red-eyed Vireo Blue Jay Barn Swallow Carolina Chickadee Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch Carolina Wren Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Wood Thrush American Robin BROWN THRASHER Cedar Waxwing Northern Parula Ovenbird SCARLET TANAGER Field Sparrow Northern Cardinal Indigo Bunting American Goldfinch |