Volume 10 Number 1                                    August 1996

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CONTENTS

Annual Picnic Starts the New Membership Year
Welcome To A New Birder
It's Time To Pay Your Dues
Calendar of Events
Grand Opening
Congratulations!
Yes, They're Here!
Vacation Reports
Birding Courses Offered at HCC
Third Annual Fall Migration Count
Dr. Roger Tory Peterson
The Most Expensive Pileated Woodpecker In Harford County
Harford's Avian Visitors
Field Trip Reports
HARFORD CHAPTER - MOS FIELD TRIPS AUGUST-OCTOBER 1996

This year, the picnic will again be held at the 4-H Camp at Rocks State Park. Tom Congersky will be making his legendary and tasty pit beef. Additional foods will be potato salad, Cole slaw, baked beans, corn-on-the-cob, crab soup, rolls, watermelon, and cake. All utensils and paper goods will be provided. Please bring the beverage of your choice.

The picnic will be held on Saturday, September 7 from 2 to 6 PM. Food will be served at 3 PM. Please return the reservation form at the back of the newsletter by Friday, August 30 if you wish to participate. Those who wish to attend the picnic and bring their own food are welcome to do so.

There will be a bird walk later in the afternoon. Although we don't usually see a lot of birds, this walk can turn up some nice fall migrants. Last year's walk was highlighted by a nice flight of low-flying Common Nighthawks.

Directions to the 4-H Camp are as follows: From Bel Air, take Route 24 north. When you enter Rocks State Park, look for the Cherry Hill Road bridge on the right. Turn right onto Cherry Hill Road and then take the first left into the camp. Our group is usually given the first pavilion on the left.

If you have any questions, please call Tom.

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Harford Bird Club birders are invited to take part in the Grand Opening Celebration. If you are interested in assisting with bird related demonstrations and representing the Harford Bird Club for a few hours in the afternoon, please contact Heather Helm at 612-1606 or 612-1688 or Mark Johnson. See the June issue of Wrenderings for full details.

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This summer Dave is working with Dr. Richard T. Holmes of Dartmouth College at the Hubbard Brook Research Station in New England. We all congratulate Dave and wish him well in his endeavors.

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"Local and Migrating Birds of Fall" Taught by Dave Ziolkowski, this course will have an introductory meeting at 7 PM on Monday, September 9. The class will then meet at 8 AM at various birding spots on six Saturday mornings from September 14 until November 16. While becoming familiar with good local birding areas, you will learn the proper use of binoculars and how to recognize and identify many bird species by their field marks and vocalizations.

"Birding Tour of Wildlife Refuges: South Jersey Coast." Taught by Dennis Kirkwood, this will be a weekend trip on October 5-6. Tour Brigantine NWR for waterfowl and shorebirds and the Cape May area for hawks and passerines. There will be a pre-trip meeting on Sep 25.

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We had been birding for about an hour when the curator of the sanctuary asked if we "would mind if Dr. Peterson sat on the bench next to us?" My son asked incredulously "As in Roger Tory?" The answer was yes.

Just imagine the thrill of sitting high on Hawk Mountain birding with Dr. Roger Tory Peterson! And then he turns to you and asks, "Have you seen anything good this morning?" He was gracious to all who had the pleasure of meeting him, signing autographs and discussing the history of the mountain with all there.

Roger Tory Peterson was the world's most honored naturalist. He received numerous honorary degrees and medals, including the highest civilian award of the nation, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

His field guide series is credited with helping to set the stage for the environmental movement. He wrote in the introduction to one of his guides, "Birds undeniably contribute to our pleasure and standard of living. But they also are sensitive indicators of the environment... The observation of birds leads inevitably to environmental awareness."

He is probably responsible for getting us all interested in birding - directly or indirectly. We, as well as all who love nature, owe a debt of gratitude to this man for so enriching our lives.

Dr. Peterson was born on August 28, 1908, and died July 28, 1996. He is survived by his wife, Virginia Marie Peterson, who joined in his work.

Good-bye Sir and thank you from all of us.

(Editor's note - My thanks to Jon and his family for writing this article on very short notice.)

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This story takes a terrible turn of events (from my perspective only) the morning of May 27, Memorial Day. While standing in front of my patio doors enjoying an early morning cup of tea, I see a large bird with white in the wings fly by. I naturally assume it's the second year Crow who lives in our area that has white wings (looks like a miniature Turkey Vulture). So I grab the binoculars to take a look at my Crow and, yes, you guessed it - an actual Pileated Woodpecker. Being the honest soul I am I went and awakened my wife and congratulated for her winning our bet. She didn't fully comprehend what I meant until I took her to the window, handed her the binoculars and directed her to look at the bird jumping around on our firewood pile. Thankfully she took it easy on me at the jewelry store later that day, but not so easy that I still had to say good-bye to some of my favorite Presidents.

In the end I would like to remind anyone who has anything to do with birds to remember this one thing - NEVER say never when it comes to finding a species and NEVER BET AGAINST BIRDS !!!

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Several interesting migrants were reported from around the county beginning with a Least Flycatcher, 5 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and a rare Lincoln's Sparrow at Susquehanna State Park on May 12 (DL & RC). On that same day backyard birders found another pair of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks in Street (DB), a Great Crested Flycatcher and Eastern Wood-Pewee in Havre de Grace (PH), and a Cape May Warbler in Emmorton. A Blue Grosbeak appeared at a feeder in Bel Air on May 14 (RC). On May 16, a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher was identified at Susquehanna State Park (GG), and 3 Bay-breasted Warblers were seen together at APG's Maryland Boulevard Picnic Area. Seen from a backyard in Street were a Common Nighthawk on the evening of May 16, and a Magnolia Warbler, a Black-throated Blue Warbler, and an American Redstart just three days later (DB). The Harford Glen banding crew was thrilled to snare a Gray-cheeked Thrush and a Mourning Warbler on May 23 (DK).

The tidal mudflat off Tydings Island was a popular stopping grounds for shorebirds migrating up the Susquehanna River. The rarest species included a Sanderling on May 17 (RB), 4 Whimbrels on May 20, and a single White-rumped Sandpiper on May 25 (RB). Dunlin also dropped by with 9 reported on May 17 (RB), and 5 noted on May 21. A dozen Semipalmated Plovers were there on both May 21 & 31 (RB). Lone Ruddy Turnstones made several appearances, starting on May 17 and as late as May 31 (RB). The last day of May also held the following late migrants at Tydings (RB): 9 Black-bellied Plovers, 5 Greater Yellowlegs, 7 Spotted Sandpipers, and 6 Semipalmated Sandpipers.

Spring white herons included 6 Great Egrets at Harford Glen from May 20-24 (DK), and a lone Snowy Egret at Tydings Island on May 31 (RB). Spring terns included 3 Caspian Terns seen from Rock Run Mill on May 12 (DL & RC), and a Common Tern at Tydings Island on May 25 (RB).

On Jun 9, excitement brewed over a report from along Jenkins Road in Pylesville, where a Vesper Sparrow was seen at close range on a telephone wire and a distant Dickcissel was heard singing (RB). Unfortunately, both of these rarities may have been one-day wonders as several efforts to relocate the birds were fruitless. Not all the effort was in vain as two Horned Larks were seen performing their high-in-the-sky courtship flight here on Jun 11.

Several nesters were found in the county, including Chimney Swifts in, of all places, a chimney in Street on Jul 5 (DB). On May 27, two pairs of Red-headed Woodpeckers were found at Bradenbaugh, ending a several year absence for that species in the area (DK). Downy Woodpeckers fed their young for the first 8 days of June in a backyard tree hole in Pylesville (JLF). A Carolina Chickadee hatched on Jun 2 in Baldwin did not live to be one week old. However, at the same property, 5 House Wrens successfully fledged on Jun 12, and the father of this brood was already singing on top of a different nestbox on Jun 27 (MJ). On Jul 11 a family of 5 House Wrens chattered loudly in reaction to a cat at Street (DB). Among the thrushes a pair of Eastern Bluebirds who had staked out their territory beginning in mid-February finally fledged 4 young on Jun 8 in Baldwin (MJ). At Gunpowder State Park in Baldwin, a male Wood Thrush was on territory on May 17 (MJ), and nearby a pair of Veeries, uncommon as a county breeding bird, were singing for mates on Jun 23 (MJ). On Jun 16, a pair of White-eyed Vireos mated near Lake Mitten (JLF), and 6 days later a parent "White-eye" carried food back to its young at the Susquehanna State Park campground (LE).

Although not exhibiting breeding behavior, other nice songbirds from the breeding season were a Yellow-throated Vireo in Baldwin on Jul 3-6 (MJ), a Yellow-billed Cuckoo in Pylesville on Jul 11 (JLF), and a surprising Black-billed Cuckoo in Street on Jul 20 (DB). Also discovered were single Brown Thrashers at Lake Mitten on Jun 29 (JLF) and at Street on Jul 18 (DB), an Eastern Meadowlark at Pylesville on Jun 22 (RB), and a baldheaded Northern Cardinal in Bel Air on Jun 10 (KB). Resident warblers included a pair of Yellow Warblers at the Havre de Grace Promenade on Jun 9 (PH), and a single Blue-winged Warbler, Prairie Warbler, and Yellow-breasted Chat at the Susquehanna State Park campground on Jun 22 (LE). Another Prairie Warbler showed up at a Street backyard on Jul 7 (DB), with an Ovenbird also there on Jul 17. A very vocal Northern Parula sang from Gunpowder State Park at Baldwin on Jun 27 (MJ), and a Louisiana Waterthrush sang from Heavenly Waters Park in Bel Air on Jul 12 (RC).

Among local birds of prey, a Bald Eagle made a rare inland appearance at Pylesville's Lake Mitten on Jun 3 (JLF). Also in Pylesville, a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks monitored since mid-April finally hatched a chick on Jun 5 (JLF). Unfortunately, the chick was never seen again after a heavy rain and windstorm passed through on Jun 17. On Jun 21, an adult Cooper's Hawk was seen chasing after a Killdeer at White Hall (RB), and on Jul 3 an immature Cooper's pursued an American Robin at Fallston (RB). Reversing roles, however, a Barn Swallow was seen driving off an American Kestrel at Emmorton on Jul 1. The only owls reported were Barred Owls heard hooting from Rock Run on Jun 16 (LE), and from Street on Jul 17 (DB).

Highlighting the reports of summer gulls and terns, all of the following were seen at Tydings Island on Jul 4 (RB): 210 Great Black-backed Gulls, 400 Ring-billed Gulls, 110 Herring Gulls, 8 Forster's Terns, 7 Caspian Terns, 3 Least Terns, and 2 Common Terns. Another Common Tern was there on Jul 9 (GG). Although local birders kept their fingers crossed that Hurricane Bertha might carry a few pelagic birds to Harford County, nothing unusual was reported from the upper Chesapeake. However, one birder looking for storm-blown birds on the Tydings Island mudflat on Jul 13 found the first true fall migrant -- a Semipalmated Plover (RB). Another early migration indicator was the 20 Purple Martins flying southward over Emmorton the next evening.

In the hodgepodge category -- what a thrill it must have been to see the flock of 4 Wild Turkeys in a Street backyard on 15 Jul (DB)! On Jul 7, a Northern Bobwhite was seen and up to 2 others were heard near Susquehanna State Park (LE). Although common along the bay and Susquehanna River, a displaced Double-crested Cormorant was found on Lake Mitten on 16 Jun (JLF). The 4 Spotted Sandpipers spotted on Jul 4 during a Susquehanna River canoe trip were possibly local breeders (RC).

The final report focuses upon a cherry tree growing in a backyard in Rock Run (LE). From Jun 10 to 15, the tree's ripe fruits attracted many different species of birds to feast. Among the 12 species noted enjoying the cherries, were Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Brown Thrasher, Cedar Waxwing, and Scarlet Tanager. The Eastmans will have to buy canned cherries for their pies this summer!

Observers: Rick Blom (RB), Deborah Bowers (DB), Kit Brown (KB), Rick Cheicante (RC), Les Eastman (LE), Greg Futral (GF), Jean & Larry Fry (JLF), Gary Griffith (GG), Pat Haacke (PH), Mark Johnson (MJ), Dennis Kirkwood (DK), Dave Larkin (DL), Mary Procell (MP)

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In riparian habitat along Gashey's Creek, Les Eastman's finely tuned ears detected Ovenbirds, Wood Thrush, Louisiana Waterthrush, Willow Flycatcher and Parula Warbler while we also observed an Eastern Wood-Pewee building a nest and a pair of Red-bellied Woodpeckers feeding their young.

On this marvelous morning Elsie Cerutti, Ryan Preisan, Tricia Precht, Les Eastman, Lyn Davis and Greg Futral observed a total of 52 species and heard a dog pheasant! Not bad for a half day trip.

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Here are the Harford Bird Club field trips for the next few weeks. If you would like further information about a particular field trip, please contact Dave Webb.

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