Volume 12 Number 6

June 1999

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Found an injured raptor?
Contact Debbie Delevan of Chesapeake Birds of Prey, Inc.

Phone: (410) 692-9305
Fax: (410) 692-2765
E-mail: raptors@bellatlantic.net

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CONTENTS

Summer Social at Leight Center
Departing President
Greet the New President
Calendar of Events
Leight Center
Earth Day
Harford's Avian Visitors
Vacation Reports
MOS Convention
Martha Lewis Cruise Update
Field Trip Reports
HARFORD CHAPTER - MOS FIELD TRIPS JUNE - AUG 1999
SUMMER SOCIAL RESERVATION FORM

The Harford Bird Club will have its third summer social at the Anita Leight Estuary Center on Friday, July 16 at 6:30 PM. Light fare (wine, soft drinks, cheese, crackers, vegetables, and fruit) will be included in the registration fee of $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for children. Please return your reservation form to Debbie Delevan by Wednesday, July 7.

The speaker at the meeting will be Dr. Bill Seegar who will present a program on satellite tracking of Peregrine Falcons and also other birds. Dr. Seegar has spent years working on this project and has many stories to tell. He had previously presented a program on Tundra Peregrine Falcons in 1988.

The Leight Center is located two miles east of Edgewood just south of Route 40 on Otter Point Road. Details are available from Larry Fry at 410-452-8539 or Debbie Delevan at 410-692-9305.

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It has been my pleasure to serve as president of the Harford Bird Club over that past two years. I made the decision during the fall to not seek another term of office and so it is time to turn the gavel over to Debbie Delevan. I wish to thank those members of the bird club who have done an outstanding job over the past two years in service to the club. Among those who have helped are: Jean Fry, for all of the assistance and advice; Dave Webb, for the field trips; Joe and Carole Vangrin, for mailing the newsletters; Randy Robertson and Tom Congersky, for assisting the president and for the picnics; Mary Procell, for keeping precise minutes; Jean Williams, for the publicity; Bobbie Siebens, for the dinner reservations; Les Eastman, for the newsletter; Joyce Gorsuch, for keeping the dollars and cents; Mark Johnson as past president, for the advice and counsel; and, finally to Debbie Delevan, for agreeing to take the position.

I will remain an active member of the bird club and will continue to assist in any way possible. Now that we are retired, we will probably be moving away from the area in a couple of years, but that has not yet been fully decided.

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Debbie Delevan agreed to serve as the new president of the bird club and submitted the following article. Debbie has been very active in bird rehabilitation and has great enthusiasm for the future of the club.

Harford County became my home about six years ago as I settled in the Jarrettsville area. Birds have always held a deep mystical place in my heart, while scientifically I was fascinated with their physiology and adaptations. My earliest memories were from childhood as I desperately tried to raise the tiny birds that had fallen from a nest. My love and respect for nature deepened when I graduated with a degree in biology. It was then that I became committed to helping and educating the public as to our mission as the Earth's stewards.

Still investigating science, I continued my education by securing degrees in the fields of nursing, medical technology, histology, and am now pursuing a Masters Degree in Biology. My medical background proved very useful as I founded several wildlife rehabilitation organizations, Wildlife R & R and also Chesapeake Birds of Prey. Both nonprofits helped several thousand songbirds, waterfowl, and raptors that were injured or orphaned in Harford, Cecil and Baltimore Counties. I hold a state and federal wildlife rehabilitation permit and limit the practice to raptors.

My goal is to educate young and old alike as to the beauty and fragility of our avian species. Many schoolchildren and adults are given the opportunity to view a bird of prey up close and personal via the countless slide, lecture and demonstration programs conducted in public schools, libraries, colleges and service clubs. Conservation and community involvement promote environmental awareness. It is my intention to encourage Harford Bird Club members to become more personally involved in educational and research projects. By doing this we are setting an example as responsible stewards.

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Last year the bird club gathered donations for planting a bird garden at the Leight Center. The planting was done last May. I am pleased to report that almost all of the shrubs and perennials survived the dry summer and winter.

The final portion of the project was to construct bird feeding stations. That segment was recently completed.

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Jean and I again took the club display to the Earth Day festivities held in Havre de Grace on April 17. We distributed over 250 county checklists and also answered many questions. This is always a good opportunity to tell our bird story. Les Eastman also helped by setting up his scope by the waters edge and showing a crowd of people the birds including a newly found Bald Eagle nest across the river.

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Everybody has their favorite time of year for birdwatching, due either to the conditions that one is forced to bird in or due to the birds that are present. But what nobody can deny is that spring migration offers a greater variety of birds than any other season. This is reflected in the number of submissions this month to the HAV column, by far the most in over a year! To make this account easier to follow, we will start off by reviewing avian visitors from select locations around the county, and then take a look at some birds in people's yards. Here are Harford's Avian Visitors for April and May, 1999.

There are a couple of places around Harford County that just have to be continuously covered in the visitors column due to the fantastic birdwatching they provide. Sometimes these places on the surface do not look as though they would be birding "hotspots", such as the Tydings marina in Havre de Grace, for example. One of the most remarkable reports from this marina and city park was an Anhinga on April 18 (MH). Undoubtedly hoping to spot an Anhinga, another birder reported many Caspian Terns and five Northern Shovelers from the marina two days later (DW). The Caspian Terns were visited by a Forster's Tern on the 22^nd (KF & MH). Jumping ahead to May, some late migrating ducks stopped by to say hello, including an American Wigeon and a Gadwall, both of which were originally reported on the 18th and remained at least until the 24th (perhaps they decided not to migrate any further???) (DW). Late May and early June will feature peak shorebird migration through the mud flats of Tydings Island, but early shorebirds of course can be found there as well, including over 60 Semipalmated Plovers on May 21 with three Mute Swans (RB, JW, and DW), and Ruddy Turnstones with accompanying Whimbrel on May 23 (RB). That same day featured another remarkable migrant, as an Arctic Tern visited the Tydings Island mud flats (RB).

One of Harford County's best treats for migrating birds is Aberdeen Proving Ground, which features many different (although often inaccessible by people) habitats ideal for our avian visitors. One of these great locations is home to the most dense Yellow Warbler population in Harford County, Spesutie Island. While trying to eat lunch on the island April 8, one birder was interrupted by a small flock of Savannah Sparrows (DW). To further distract the birder from lunch, one of the Savannah Sparrows turned out to be a Vesper Sparrow (may we all be so disturbed). On April 16, a Wild Turkey made its presence known, to be followed up on the 20^th by an early Prairie Warbler (DW). The very next morning two Virginia Rails vocalized on the same island. Finally, five Common Snipe were hunted down on May 7 (DW). Other notable reports from the proving ground include a confused Glossy Ibis hanging out with Canada Geese on March 29 (JK & RBe), and an early Ovenbird from Michaelsville on April 24 (DW), in addition to 9 Blue-winged Teal and a Ring-necked Duck in a public-access area (KF & MH).

Harford Glen is a Public-school-owned property nearly smack-dab in the middle of Harford County that includes a unique freshwater marsh, attracts many different species of birds. All of this is in addition to many acres of mature forest. Chipping Sparrows, Palm and Pine Warblers, a House Wren, and a Louisiana Waterthrush all were reported from "the Glen" on April 5 (KF & MH). One week later a Broad-winged Hawk was seen flying over a Greater Yellowlegs, Brown Thrasher, and a White-eyed Vireo at the same location (DL). On April 17, the first report of American Bittern arrived along with Solitary Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, and Black-and-white Warbler being reported the following day (RC & DL). April 21 at Harford Glen featured 3 American Bitterns and a Red-headed Woodpecker (DL, RK, & TU), augmented by a Common Snipe, Great Crested Flycatcher, Blue-headed and Warbling Vireos, and a Tennessee Warbler on April 22nd (KF & MH).

There are, of course, a scattering of other reports from around the county. On April 5 a Redhead was reported sunbathing on the Gunpowder River (MH). Pylesville was the location of another Vesper Sparrow on April 18, along with a Yellow-throated Warbler at the Rock Run Mill (KF & MH). The Edgewood Arsenal, a division of Aberdeen Proving Ground, is located along the Gunpowder River and provides excellent waterfowl viewing throughout the winter and spring, including a Lesser Scaup and Ruddy Duck on April 22 (KF & MH). The arsenal also provided some shorebirds that same day, highlighted by both Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, and 3 Pectoral Sandpipers (KF & MH). On the subject of shorebirds, Stilt Sandpipers are rarely reported from Harford County, not at all deterring one from visiting an industrial park in Edgewood on May 7 (RB). This May was a good month for the town of Havre de Grace (as far as visiting birds were concerned). A pair of Northern Bobwhite trespassed on a front stoop of a private residence on May 9 (DW), and a Wilson's Warbler sampled some Havre de Grace waterfront property on May 21 (RB, JW, & DW). Finally (actually the earliest report for this HAV), those of us who live near Joppa know about the small Copenhaver Park on Trimble Rd, a park that was host to an early Eastern Kingbird on March 26 (PP).

And now from the home-front: more avian visitors! A home in Baldwin was haunted by a Fox Sparrow on March 27, along with a Tree Swallow that decided to occupy a nearby nest box (MJ). Be sure to look sharp at all those House Finches that visit the feeders, one could be a Purple Finch, as was the case in Webster Village on April 5 (DW). A Joppa home was the "hangout" for a few Purple Martins and over 40 Cedar Waxwings on April 8 (DZ), while across the county in Baldwin 6 Common Loons flew over a private residence (MJ). Owning a farm is a great way to have a massive "yard list", as was certified by one Darlington farm on April 11. The birds of note that day were Wild Turkey, Bald Eagle, Vesper Sparrow and Brown Thrasher (RN & DW)! An enviable yard bird at Webster Village on April 16 was a Caspian Tern, uncommonly seen inland from the bay (JW). Many birders travel to hawk watches to see a multitude of raptors. One Baldwin birder needn't bother, with an April 18 raptor list of Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, both Black and Turkey Vulture, and two Falcon sps (MJ). Perhaps one of the falcons was the American Kestrel that visited a Forest Hill yard on April 22 (HB). On April 21, two days after hanging a hummingbird feeder in Edgewood, a Ruby-throated Hummingbird sampled the "goodies" at the feeder (TC). A late Dark-eyed Junco was in Pylesville on April 26 (J&LF). The end of April was announced by a singing Hooded Warbler at one Harford County yard on the 28^th (DB). That same yard was visited by a life-bird for the human attendant, a Blue Grosbeak on May 6. Certain residential areas just seem to attract birds, such as the Forest Hill yard that attracted Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, White-eyed Vireo, and Wood Thrush during the first week of May (HB). The day after completing a May count without a Rose-breasted Grosbeak in sight, a birder was chastised by one at his Webster Village home on May 9, the same house that played host to a couple of Swainson's Thrushes on May 19 (DW). May 10 was another good day for yard birds around the county, with highlights being the Scarlet Tanager and Black-throated Blue Warbler in one county yard (DB), while late Yellow-rumped Warblers and an Indigo Bunting visited a Forest Hill residence (HB). On May 5, a Nashville Warbler visited Pylesville (J&LF).

All of these birds and more were seen during April and May in Harford County, certainly a fantastic time to be a birder. What is truly amazing about this list is that some of the more frequented spring migration "hotspots" were unusually under-represented, places such as Rocks and Susquehanna State Parks. That of course doesn't mean that both birds and birders weren't there at all! One birder at Susquehanna State Park on May 11 had an excellent outing, highlighted by a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (MH). Be sure to report findings from your excellent outings for future Harford's Avian Visitors columns via "snail mail" to 810 Falconer Rd, Joppa, MD, 21085; or via e-mail to rkovac1@tiger.towson.edu.

OBSERVERS: (RBe) Ralph Benck, (RB) Rick Blom, (HB) Harold Boling, (DB) Debbie Bowers, (RC) Rick Cheicante, (TC) Tom Congersky, (KF) Kevin Fehskens, (J&LF) Jean and Larry Fry, (MH) Matt Hafner, (MJ) Mark Johnson , (RK) Russell Kovach, (DL) Dave Larkin, (RN) Rich Norling, (GP) Glenn Randers-Pearson, (PP) Phil Powers, (TU) Towson University Ornithology Class, (DW) David Webb, (JW) John Wortman, and (DZ) David Ziolkowski .

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Although the club activities slow down over the summer, many of you will be birding on your vacations this summer. We will have a section in upcoming newsletters for "Birds I Saw on My Summer Vacation." Please send your contributions to Debbie Delevan by September 15. Debbie's address is 3504 Advocate Hill Drive, Jarrettsville MD 21084.

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About a dozen Harford County Bird Club members attended the annual MOS Conference held at Solomons in Calvert County on May 14-16. Many field trips were arranged in Calvert, Saint Marys and Charles Counties. Jean and I found a new life bird--Summer Tanager. We also had excellent looks at Bay-breasted, Prothonotary, Parula, Black-and-white, and Worm-eating Warblers as well as American Redstart and Scarlet Tanager. Tom Congersky is still there in the woods hunting for his Hooded Warbler. This is always a great experience and offers an adventure filled weekend. It provides a good opportunity to socialize and to bird to the max. Next year's conference will probably be held in the Chestertown area sometime in May.

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Reservations are still being accepted for the July 10 cruise aboard the Skipjack Martha Lewis. While on deck, learn about the vessel's rich history and watch the sun descend over the Susquehanna. Cost is $16.50 per person. For additional information and/or to make reservations, contact coordinator Bill McIntosh (410-734-6517).

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On Saturday Feb. 20th, our small group made the 90-minute trip to Florence, NJ where we met our host and resident gull expert Ward Dasey. A pleasant (but cold!) park setting along the Delaware River afforded us a unique experience in gull-watching. With a huge landfill situated directly across the river, the gulls behaved in a rather circuitous manner. After the gulls would leave the landfill, they would fly upriver, land on or near a large sandbar, float downriver in mixed flocks (best viewing and up close) where they eventually wound up on a small spit of beach, only to then fly their way back to the landfill. The keenest eyes made quick work of discerning an adult Iceland Gull amongst the mixed flotillas of Great Black-backed, Herring and Ring-billed Gulls. By days' end, we had 3 Glaucous Gulls, 10 Iceland Gulls, 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a possible Thayer's Gull.

IT TRULY was a wonderfully enjoyable trip and as agreed by everyone, a fantastic place to watch and study gulls. It really boasted well with a WaWa nearby and a heated municipal bathroom. Everything a cold weather birder could ask for and more.

On March 21, three Harford County birders joined trip leader Bob Ringler for a morning of birding in the rain at Carroll County’s Piney Run Park. Known for its waterfowl, the park provided fourteen species, including Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, American Black Duck, Mallard, Lesser Scaup, Northern Pintail, Common Merganser, Green-winged Teal, American Coot, Pied-billed Grebe, and Canada Goose. Especially enjoyable were the arrival of a small flock of migrating Tundra Swans and the unexpected sighting of a Surf Scoter. Other highlights were Bonaparte’s Gull, Fox Sparrow, and two singing Eastern Phoebes. The species total for the morning was forty.

Adiverse group of twenty birders, including two each from the Cecil and Baltimore Chapters, and 3 CMW students met for a morning trip at the Edgewood Area of APG. We started out overlooking the Gunpowder River where there were a few hundred scattered Lesser Scaup and Ruddy Ducks. The only oddities noted on the river were a distant pair of Mute Swans, and a seemingly out-of-habitat drake Wood Duck.

The trip ended with a nice walk in the "Pines" area between Canal Creek and Riordan Inlet. It did not take long before we came upon the first of several Pine Warblers, one of our target species. We later had good looks at other birds including Eastern Bluebird, both kinglets, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Gray Catbird, and American Tree Sparrow. By morning's end, we had tallied a very satisfying 54 species.

On April 11, a cool, rainy, morning, six spirited birders, led by Marcia Watson-Whitmyre, trekked through the fields and woods of Cecil County in search of "little brown jobs", and found them, and much more! Knowing that a major storm was imminent, this cocky group thrilled at the chance to spot as many birds as possible before the onslaught. They could hardly have been more successful. In about a two-and-a-half hour period, approximately 64 species were identified. The sparrows sighted were the Swamp, Vesper, Song, Chipping, House, and White-throated Sparrow. Along the water we found rafts of cormorants, coots, a Greater Yellowlegs, Killdeer, Great Black-backed and Ring-billed Gulls, Least Sandpiper, Osprey, Great Egret, and Wood Duck. Seeking shelter from the rain, we slipped into the woods and found Ovenbird, Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Brown Thrasher, Common Yellowthroat, Eastern Towhee, Dark-eyed Junco, Carolina Wren, American Goldfinch and Yellow-rumped Warbler. We all got a terrific look at a Hermit Thrush singing on a branch. Scanning the trees we found Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Downy and Hairy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker and Yellow-shafted Flicker. Dipping and gliding overhead, the swallows put on a show. Among them were Tree, Rough-winged, and Barn Swallow. Soaring high above us was Red-tailed Hawk. What a sight! Just when we thought it couldn't get much better, we all got a great view of some Horned Larks walking through the fields. What a superb morning for a group of birders who refused to let the rain dampen their spirits.

On Sunday , April 18, a large group of birders enjoyed a beautiful spring morning walk along Stafford Road in Susquehanna State Park. This walk, led by John Wortman and Kit Brown, included identifying and discussing spring wildflowers. The birds were a bit scarce that morning, but we had many beautiful wildflowers to give our attention to. We did see a number of Palm Warblers, heard Yellow-throated Warblers, saw a Caspian Tern and an Osprey fly up the river, and an early Broad-winged Hawk overhead. Much of the morning Northern Parulas tantalized us with their buzzy trills, mostly from afar but sometimes closer. A number of intrepid birders did manage to get a look at the warbler.

The wildflower list for the day included the ever-enchanting Dutchman’s Breeches and its cousin Squirrel Corn, Virginia Bluebells, Yellow Corydalis, Celandine Poppy, the look-alike pair of Cut-leaved Toothwort and Spring Cress, Blue Cohash, and Susquehanna’s famous stand of Harbinger-of-Spring, though it was a month past flowering.

Three birders made the trip to Bombay Hook which included stops at Woodland Beach, Bombay Hook (of course), Port Mahon and Little Creek. Though no rarities were seen, a total of 93 species were recorded. Two of our group getting a number of life birds. The bird of the day was voted the Brown Thrasher. These birds were numerous and kept the party entertained by their singing from the tops of trees. Other birds of note were a large flock of Cattle Egrets in a field on the way to Woodland Beach, a Merlin and Red-breasted Merganser at Woodland Beach, Marsh Wren (two early birds?) at Bombay Hook and a Solitary Sandpiper at Little Creek. Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs were numerous as were Black-bellied Plover, Dunlin, Glossy Ibis and Black-necked Stilts.

At 7:30 AM on Mother's Day morning, ten people participated in a field trip at Harford Glen. A total of 61 species were seen including 9 warblers. Among those seen included Canada, Parula, and Black-throated Blue. We also saw Yellow- throated Vireos. Ken and Sue Heselton also provided an excellent banding demonstration.

Five persons showed up on Tuesday, May 11 at Mariner Park in Joppatowne. We took a slow leisurely walk around the park on a beautiful sunny spring morning. We identified 37 species including both Orchard and Baltimore Orioles. We were also entertained by a beaver and numerous black squirrels.

Only two attended the trip to Robert E. Lee Park at Lake Roland on a beautiful May morning. The first bird encountered included excellent looks at an adult Yellow-crowned Night-Heron found at the base of the dam. After a brief tour of the garden grounds, we headed across the light rail to the trails founded on the previous railroad bed. The forest was very diverse, with many species of viburnum, wildflowers, and deciduous trees present. These trails followed the reservoir to where it became swamp and then stream. We found 13 species of wood warblers, with excellent looks at singing Canada and Prothonotary Warblers. Others included Black-and-white, Blackburnian, and Black-throated Blue Warblers. Baltimore Orioles were common. A flock of Cedar Waxwings seemed to follow us wherever we went. We finished around 11:30 with 61 species identified.

As usual, the weather did not cooperate for my planned field trip. The skies were dark, thunderstorms threatened and it was very windy. No one showed up to look for nighthawks, so I checked myself to see what was around. I did have Chimney Swifts, Blackpoll Warblers, Veery and Palm Warbler, as well as twenty common everyday yard birds.

Six birders showed up at Tydings Park to look for shorebirds. We first walked the Promenade while we waited for low tide so the sand bar would be prominent. During our walk we found Blackpoll Warbler, Eastern Phoebe, Song Sparrow, Orchard Oriole, Chimney Swift, American Coot and Purple Martin.

Once low tide arrived we found Short-billed Dowitcher, Dunlin, Caspian Tern, Forster's Tern, Gadwall, American Wigeon and Black-bellied Plover. We also found Cattle Egret in flight and enjoyed a great view of an Osprey's nest during feeding time. In all we found 50 species.

Weather was the dominant feature of this trip. Leaders Beth Olsen and Jeff Effinger, along with three undaunted participants, spent the first two hours birding in successive downpours interspersed with light rain. This tapered off to light rain and drizzle followed finally, by an hour or two of cloudy, but more or less dry sky. It would be a bit of an understatement to say the day's potential for great birding was low. Even so, there were some sightings, once the rain subsided, that made the endeavor well worth it (though we would all probably agree we could have slept in another two hours and missed nothing!). Highlights included a Wood Thrush and Yellow-throated Vireo on the nest and a displaying Ruby-throated Hummingbird. We realize "a" displaying hummingbird means that the crucial ingredient, i.e. another hummingbird to receive the attention of the love struck participant, was missing. However, we report what we observed: a hummingbird doing its flight display solo. We also had excellent looks at Prairie Warblers singing from trees at the edges of some of the meadows and excellent views of both an immature and mature Bald Eagle. 65 bird species were seen in all. Most were summer-resident species, Blackpoll Warblers and some of the shorebirds being the exceptions.

In addition to the avifauna, a lepidopteran of special note was observed: a Pipevine Swallowtail. This is the unpleasant-tasting (from a bird's perspective) dark swallowtail thought to be the species mimicked by the other dark swallowtail females, Spicebush, Black and dark-phase Tiger; as well as the Red-spotted Purple and the female Diana Fritillary. The Pipevine Swallowtail is presently not as commonly observed in Harford County as many of its mimics, perhaps due to a decrease in its larval host plants, the pipevines.

Nine birders went to Broad Creek Scout Camp on Friday evening, May 28 at 8 PM to search for Whip-poor-wills and owls. There were no scouts camping there that evening, so the area was quiet except for tree frogs. A total of 24 species was seen or heard, including 4 or 5 Whip-poor-wills, 2 Great Horned Owls, and one Barred Owl. We also had a flyover by 2 Common Nighthawks. A couple of the Whip-poor-wills called repeatedly later in the evening, but they would not come out into the open, perhaps due to the bright moonlight caused by the almost full moon. When we returned to our cars we were surprised to find that it was 11 PM. "Time flies when you're having fun!.

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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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SUMMER SOCIAL RESERVATION FORM


Please return to Debbie Delevan, 3504 Advocate Hill Drive,
Jarrettsville, MD 21084 by Wednesday, July 7, 1999.

                __________ Number of adults ( at $5.00 each )
                __________ Number of children under 14 ( at $3.00 each )

                Please make checks payable to Harford County MOS.

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                         Print your name(s)

Include address and phone number if you would like transportation to the meeting.
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