Volume 16 Number 4 |
August 2003 |
Start the bird club's 55th year with some great food and fellowship. The Harford Bird Club's annual picnic will take place at Mariner Point Park in Joppatowne on Saturday, September 6 from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. The picnic gives old and new members alike a chance to meet and socialize at this wonderful and pleasant Harford location. And please, don't forget to bring all of your summer birding stories and experiences to share.
Once again Tom Congersky and Randy Robertson will serve up their "legendary roast beef" and corn on the cob. Jean Fry is making her superb, Maryland crab soup. Other foods include potato salad, baked beans, watermelon and cake. Utensils and paper goods will be provided. Please bring the beverage of your choice. Those who wish to attend the picnic and bring their own food are always welcome to do so. Food will be served at 3 :00 p.m. As a fund-raiser, we will have a raffle with some great prizes. After the picnic we will have our traditional bird walk. Although this walk has not turned up lots of species, this is new territory and you never know what we may find. Please return the reservation form by Friday, August 29, 2003.
Directions to Mariner Point Park are as follows: From the intersection of Route 40 (Pulaski Highway) and Joppa Farm Rd (Pizza Hut and former location of K-Mart), take Joppa Farm Rd southeast for approximately 2.0 mi. to Kearney Rd. Turn right and follow the signs into the park. Call Tom C. (410-676-6489) or Randy R. (410-273-9029) for more info and better directions.
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Annual membership dues are now due for the club year running from September 1, 2003 through August 31, 2004. This year the membership form has again been combined with the return envelope. Please fill out the form, enclose your check made payable to HARFORD MOS and mail it to our treasurer, Joyce Gorsuch. We would like to have all dues paid by November 1, 2003. You may pick up your membership card at the November meeting or it will be mailed to you. *Please do not send dues with the picnic reservation
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Only real bird watching enthusiasts would come out on a cool, rainy, windy morning to count birds. In a nutshell, those were the conditions for many who canvassed Harford County to determine which species and how many of each were to be found on 10 May 2003. Sixteen people made up 6 parties that covered 26 miles in 33 hours on foot, 198 miles in 18 hours by car, and spent 45 minutes owling. A "U-shaped" countywide area was covered by volunteers, leaving the Bel Air area northward virtually uncovered.
Even given those conditions (which were average for May this year), many uncovered some excellent species. The high species list goes to the team of Cheicante and Larkin for finding 97 species. This team covered the Rock Run area and logged an impressive 21 warbler species. They also found the only Lincoln's Sparrow, Cliff Swallow, and straggling Red-necked Grebes.
Jon Cupp Sr. came in second for finding an impressive 90 species, including an albino House Finch and 18 warbler species. Jon also found the only Least Flycatcher for the count.
The team of Eastman and Robertson found 86 species, 19 of which were warblers. They found an impressive 12 Yellow-throated Warblers and 4 Wild Turkeys. Eastman and Robertson edged out the team of Updegrove et al. (remnants of the "Upchucks"?) by one species. The Upchucks found 85 species with highlights including 21 Black-and-white Warblers and a White-crowned Sparrow.
Johnson, Procell, Congersky, and Soubie beat the bushes downrange at APG and came up with 80 species for a 1/2 day of work. Highlights included a Common Loon in breeding plumage, an immature Little Blue Heron and only Summer Tanager for the count. Bill Pfingsten found 63 species in the Sweet Air section of Gunpowder State Park including the most Ovenbirds and Veeries found by any party and a Blue-headed Vireo. Dennis Kirkwood canvassed the WFBF area and found 100 Bobolinks, a Semipalmated Plover, and the only Worm-eating Warblers for the count.
Altogether the 6 parties found 143 species and 6234 individuals. Not bad for just another rainy day in May. The following people assisted in the count: Bill Pfingsten, Dennis Kirkwood, Les Eastman, Randy Robertson, Jon Cupp Sr., Rick Cheicante, David Larkin, Mark Johnson, Suzanne Procell, Tom Congersky, Don Soubie, Spike Updegrove, Katie Bohdel, Michael Burchette, Joseph and Robert Tillinghast. Mark Johnson
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The event is best described as; "Like an old-fashioned roof-raising, we are bringing together an entire community to celebrate the birth of this new community center. All proceeds will benefit the Abingdon Branch and the Harford County Public Library."
The Harford Bird Club is going to be part of this exciting event. With up to 17,000 area families and residents, it's sure to be a blast.
There will be arts and crafts, food, live entertainment, children's games, a silent auction, a raffle, a petting zoo, community displays, storytelling, author readings and book signings.
What we need are volunteers: 9:30 a.m. setup and 4:00 p.m. take down. Our bird club display is portable and ready to go. Then we need one or two club members every 2 hours or whatever we can get. These fairs can be lots of fun with lots of interaction: kids love to identify birds, adults share funny stories, and of course - lots of bird questions. Bring your bird knowledge and love of people and you'll have the great time. For additional information or to volunteer, contact me at 410-879-2364. Debby Stewart
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| September 6 | Annual Picnic at Mariner Point Park in Joppatowne. |
| September 13 | Abingdon Family Fun Day at Emmorton Elementary School. |
| September 16 | Deadline - to contribute Harford Birdlife reports to Jean Fry for July 16, 2003 - Sept. 15, 2003. Jean's address is 1202 Ridge Road, Pylesville, MD 21132 or email at ffryjl@aol.com. |
| September 23 | Deadline - to submit articles for the Sept./Oct. issue of Wrenderings to Rick Cheicante. Rick's address is 1003-F Jessica's Ct, Bel Air, MD 21014 or rickcheicante@cs.com. |
| November 7 | Dinner Meeting at Churchville Presbyterian Church at 6:15 p.m. Guest speaker TBD. |
| December 6 | State Board Meeting. |
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New Members - The Harford Bird Club would like to welcome our newest members:
New Field Trip Chair - The Harford Bird Club would like to welcome the return of Dave Ziolkowski to club activities. Dave Z., never really gone, just on lend to Missouri as we see it, has agreed to head our field trip committee. The field trip committee, lead en masse since the departure of field trip maestro Dave Webb, is ready for fall take-off. See Dave Z.'s schedule of upcoming field trips starting on page 9.
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Publicity Committee - The Harford Bird Club is looking for a chairperson for our Publicity Committee. This is a wonderful volunteer opportunity to work for and with the Harford Bird Club, it's executive council, all of it's members, and the organizations with which we share common goals and ideas. Contact Jean Wheeler, Harford Bird Club President, at (410-879-7424) for further information.
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Most of this time period saw cooler temperatures than usual for this time of the year, as well as above average rainfall. Only a few days in June and July were in the 90's. Birds have been singing more actively and later in the breeding season than in those hot dry years. There seemed to be more reports of bird activity, which may be attributed to the cooler, wetter conditions.
JLF saw a Common Loon in full breeding plumage on Lake Mitten in Pylesville on 5/29.
LE reported several hundred Double-crested Cormorants at Conowingo Dam on 5/31. He also found about two hundred Great Blue Herons there on the rocks and in the water that same day. More were on the nests in the heronry. In addition he saw seven Black-crowned Night Herons (all in adult plumage)---one near the dam, two at the usual spot near the lower end of Rowland Island, and four on the small wooded island downstream from Rowland. JB found two adult Black-crowned Night Herons at Conowingo on 7/3. JLF saw a Green Heron at Lake Mitten on 6/10. A Great Egret was spotted by JC at Swan Harbor on 5/29 and five were seen by DL at Lakeside ponds near Edgewood on 6/28.
DZ reported a fairly uncommon Glossy Ibis at Swan Harbor Farm near Havre de Grace on 6/25.
DL found a Wood Duck with ducklings at Swan Harbor on 6/29. LF saw an adult male Ruddy Duck in full breeding plumage at Lake Mitten on 7/14. Its bill was bright blue and its tail was perpendicular! That was an unusual sighting considering the date.
JLF saw an Osprey numerous times at Lake Mitten. On 5/19 it was being attacked by two Red-shouldered Hawks. It was seen again almost daily from 6/1 until 6/9. On 6/6 it was chasing a Bald Eagle. Although the bird was territorial, attempts to find a nest were unsuccessful.
LE found thirteen Bald Eagles at Conowingo Dam on 5/31. Eight were immature, and there was one eaglet on a nest on the left hand tower on the Cecil County side. It got up and flapped its wings while he was watching. LE reports that this pair of eagles has been trying to nest for about five years and they have finally succeeded! JC saw an immature Bald Eagle at Swan Harbor on 5/29 and three immatures there on 5/31. JLF saw three mature Bald Eagles and one immature along with a Red-shouldered Hawk soaring over Grande View Drive in Pylesville on 5/19. JLF had a Cooper's Hawk soaring over Lake Mitten on 5/29. JC saw a Broad-winged Hawk being mobbed by crows at the Rock Spring McDonald's north of Bel Air on 5/19. He also saw a Red-shouldered Hawk over Main Street in Bel Air on 5/27 and a Cooper's Hawk on 6/8 at St. Mark's Church in Fallston.
JB reported seeing a Wild Turkey crossing Knopp Road near Camp Wo-Me-To in Street on 7/1.
DL found a Spotted Sandpiper at Lakeside on 6/15 and thirteen Killdeer at Swan Harbor on 6/29. MH saw the following at Swan Harbor Farm on 5/23: one White-rumped Sandpiper, twelve Dunlin, thirteen Semipalmated Plovers, and a few lingering Solitary Sandpipers and Greater Yellowlegs. On 5/26 he found: 165 Dunlin, nineteen Short-billed Dowitchers, thirty-eight Semipalmated Sandpipers, nineteen Least Sandpipers, four Semipalmated Plovers, one Solitary Sandpiper, one Spotted Sandpiper, two Greater Yellowlegs, and one Lesser Yellowlegs. On 5/29 JC saw the following at Swan Harbor: a solitary Solitary Sandpiper, eight Dunlin, thirty-five Least Sandpipers, eighteen Semipalmated Sandpipers, one White-rumped Sandpiper, three Spotted Sandpipers, and two Lesser Yellowlegs.
DL saw five Least Terns at Lakeside on 6/28, and JC found one at Swan Harbor on 5/29.
JF heard a Yellow-billed Cuckoo on 6/10 near Ridge Road in Pylesville; they have been noticeably scarce this year in that area.
DB in Street had a Barred Owl in full view twice during the day on 5/26. JLF heard three Barred Owls in Pylesville calling all manner of calls, including barking and "who cooks for you?" at 3 AM on 6/7 and again at 3:30 AM on 6/10 and at 2:15 AM on 6/28. When did they sleep?
LE near Havre de Grace reported that the hummingbirds were putting on quite a show on 7/3. There was constant activity with up to twelve birds seen at one time. He has seven feeders out, but the three closest to the house are getting most of the attention. Several times there were five birds feeding at the same time from a four port feeder!
JLF saw a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers with a newly fledged male near Ridge Road in Pylesville on 6/22. The young one worked on a decaying log for a long time. JC saw a Pileated fly over Connelly and Harford Roads in Fallston on 5/19.
JC found an Acadian Flycatcher and a Great Crested Flycatcher on Guyton Road in Fallston on 5/19. He also saw Acadian at Swan Harbor on 5/29. He spotted several Eastern Wood-Pewees and an Eastern Kingbird on Laurel Brook Road in Fallston on 5/19. MH heard an Alder Flycatcher calling on a farm southwest of Rocks State Park on 5/19. LE reported that a Great Crested Flycatcher was nesting in one of his bluebird boxes, which the bluebirds had used already this year to raise a family. He noticed that something had enlarged the hole. On 7/4 he observed both parents carrying food into the box. There was also a young bluebird around, perhaps checking out the old homestead.
JC saw a Red-eyed Vireo near Schuster Road in Churchville on 5/27 and three Red-eyed in Fallston near Guyton Road on 5/19. JB saw one or two Yellow-throated Vireos at Eden Mill in Pylesville on 7/8.
JB reported a Purple Martin at Conowingo on 7/3, as well as several hundred Tree Swallows, and Northern Rough-winged Swallow. JC saw several Bank, Barn, and Tree Swallows at Swan Harbor on 5/29. MH found four and probably five Cliff Swallow nests on the Route 623 bridge over Broad Creek on 6/15. They could easily see four nests being used, plus one bird repeatedly taking food to an area of the bridge that they couldn't see. Is this a first nesting record?
JLF saw two Tufted Titmice feeding a fledgling in their driveway on 6/6. There is a virtual plethora of House Wrens in their neighborhood this season. JC saw a House Wren in Bel Air across from the library on 6/5 and a Marsh Wren at Swan Harbor on 5/29. Good find!
DB in Street has had a pair of Brown Thrashers, a pair of Gray Catbirds, and a pair of Northern Mockingbirds all summer. JLF saw a pair of Brown Thrashers with one fledgling near Lake Mitten on 6/11 and another pair with a fledgling on Ridge Road on 6/29.
JLF have several Wood Thrushes singing in their woods in Pylesville this summer. During last year's hot dry summer they totally disappeared. This year they have even sung all day long on rainy days! JC found three Wood Thrushes at Campus Hills Court in Churchville on 5/19. MH saw Veery and Swainson's Thrush at a farm southwest of Rocks State Park on 5/24.
JC saw three Yellow Warblers and three Common Yellowthroats at Schuster Road in Churchville on 5/27. On 5/29 he found Ovenbird, American Redstart, two Northern Parula, and Kentucky Warbler at Swan Harbor. On 6/29 JLF saw a pair of Yellow-breasted Chats at the Heaps School Road bridge over Broad Creek. The male called for about fifteen minutes. They saw a Yellow Warbler at Lake Mitten on 6/10. DB in Street saw a Kentucky Warbler on Rocks Ridge on 5/26. JB saw a Black-and-white Warbler at Rocks on 7/8, and a Prairie Warbler and a Yellow-breasted Chat at Eden Mill on 7/8. He found three or four Cerulean Warblers within one mile of the mouth of Deer Creek on 6/26 and two Black-and-white Warblers at the Wilson's picnic area in Rocks State Park on 6/21. One was feeding a cowbird fledgling! (I've noticed lots more Brown-headed Cowbirds this season than the last few years. Has anyone else made a note of that?) JB found Prothonotary Warbler and a Louisiana Waterthrush along the trail south of Conowingo Dam on 7/3. He heard three Hooded Warblers at Rocks State Park on 7/1 and one on 7/3 at the same location. JC saw a Blackburnian Warbler at Campus Hills Court on 5/19. MH saw two Canada Warblers and a Black-throated Green at Susquehanna State Park on 5/25.
MH found a late White-throated Sparrow at Eden Mill on 5/24. He saw two late Bobolink migrants at Swan Harbor Farm on 5/23. JC reported an Eastern Meadowlark near Schuster Road on 5/27.
DB in Street saw an immature Orchard Oriole and a pair of Baltimore Orioles feeding on cherries in her back yard on 6/22. JB saw an adult male Orchard Oriole at the mouth of Deer Creek on 6/26. He also found a female Orchard and a juvenile at Conowingo Dam on 7/3. JLF saw an Orchard Oriole at the Heaps School Road bridge over Deer Creek on 7/13. JW had a male Baltimore Oriole in her yard in Fountain Green east of Bel Air on 7/2. He was flying back and forth from a Sweetgum tree to a Bradford Pear. At times he was no more than seven or eight feet off the ground. She and her neighbor watched him for about fifteen minutes. She doesn't think that her suburban yard looks like oriole habitat.
Finally, MH reported on nocturnal migration over the rainy Memorial Day weekend (5/24-5/26): "Fair numbers of birds going over when the rain would stop on Sat. and Mon. nights. Saturday had numerous Swainson's with several Gray-cheeks and two Bicknell's Thrushes. Also two Bobolinks, Spotted Sandpiper and numerous unidentified warblers. Monday had a good flight of presumed Blackpoll Warblers (obviously most likely, but so many other warblers sound like that) and a few Swainson's and Gray-cheeked."
Persons who reported sightings for this column were: Debbie Bowers (DB), John Baur (JB), Jon Cupp (JC), Les Eastman (LE), Larry and Jean Fry (JLF), Matt Hafner (MH), Dave Larkin (DL), Jean Wheeler (JW), and Dave Ziolkowski, Jr. (DZ).
The deadline for the next Harford Birdlife will be Tues. Sept. 16 for the time period of July 16 until September 15, 2003. Please send your sightings to Jean Fry, 1202 Ridge Road, Pylesville, MD 21132. E-mail: ffryjl@aol.com. Phone: 410-452-8539.
Please include date, location, and any unusual behavior or activity. It helps if you list the sightings rather than put them in a paragraph.Return to Table of Contents
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Please return to Tom Congersky, 2418 Sycamore Lane, Edgewood MD 21040 by Fri., Aug. 29, 2003. __________ Number of adults ( at $12.00 each ) __________ Number of children 12 and under ( at $5.00 each ) Please make checks payable to Harford County MOS. _______________________________ Print your name(s) Include address and phone number if you would like transportation to the meeting. _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ TEL:___________________________ PICNIC RESERVATION FORM