Volume 18 Number 1 |
Winter 2005 |
It is with great pleasure I announce our new officers. Rick Cheicante, our newsletter Editor, has graciously accepted the position of President. Russ Kovach will assist him as Vice President. Recording Secretary is long time member Emily Hines. Corresponding Secretary is Martha Crouse-Farley, and Treasurer, Marjie Heagy. Thank you all for agreeing to serve.
I can hardly believe my stint as President is over. I have enjoyed serving the club over the past 2 years. Mostly it's been a fun job. You are a terrific group of folks. I'd like to extend special thanks to out-going Treasurer, Joyce Gorsuch. Joyce faithfully served as Treasurer for over 15 years! Debbie Stewart, my Vice President has helped me tremendously during my 2-year term of office. I'd also like to thank Carole Vangrin who has served as Corresponding Secretary for many years. Carole was the person to pick up, label and mail the newsletters among many other duties. Thanks also to Marjie Heagy who kept the minutes. Marjie will remain an officer as she takes on the Treasurer's post. Thank you Ladies for all you have done for the Club.
Our Summer Social was an enjoyable event. We had 41 members and guests attend. Our speaker, Dr. David Curson, Director of Bird Conservation, Audubon MD/DC, spoke about the implementation of the Important Bird Areas (IBA) program in Maryland. Hopefully, we in Harford County will consider this program and nominate potential IBA's in the county. Jean Wheeler
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Annual membership dues are now due for the Harford Bird Club year from September 1, 2005 through August 31, 2006. Attached is a pre-addressed envelope with fee structures. If you did not receive this envelope, please contact Marjie Heagy at (410) 557-9485 for more information on renewal. Please fill out the envelope, enclose your check made payable to HARFORD MOS and mail it to our treasurer, Marjie Heagy. We would like to have all dues paid by December 1, 2005. "Please do not send dues with the dinner reservation form."
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Location: Anita Leight Estuary Center
Date: July 15, 2005
After socializing and light refreshments, Jean Wheeler opened the meeting at about 7:30 p.m. Introduction of new officers were made: Rick Cheicante, President; Russ Kovach, Vice President; Marjorie Heagy, Tresurer; Martha Crouse-Farley, Corresponding Secretary; and Emily Hines, Recording Secretary. Thanks were given to past officers: Carole Vangrin, Marjorie Heagy, Debbie Stewart and Joyce Gorsuch, who served 15 years as Tresurer. Approximately 35 people were in attendance including several guests.
Dave Webb told an interesting Bobolink story; after many hours of observation he determined the Bobolinks are the first Harford County breeding pair. Jean Wheeler attended the MOS Conference at Solomon's Island; MOS is celebrating their 60th anniversary this year. Next year's conference will be June 9, 10 and 11 in Allegany County at Rocky Gap. The Wild Bird Store is re-located in the Forest Hill Inductrial Park.
Dates to remember:| August 12 | Eastman's Hummingbird display, bring a snack to share. |
| August 20 | Bombay Hook for shorebirds. |
| September 10 | Picnic at Kirkwood's farm. |
Our speaker was Dr. David Curson, Director of Bird Conservation, Audubon MD/DC. His talk and slide presentation was on "Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Maryland".
Meeting adjourned at approximately 9:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Emily Hines, Recording Secretary
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The weather was nearly perfect for this years' count with a mostly clear sky reported from most observers, a mild north wind with highs in the 70's. However, counters and species were down compared with results from previous years. Thirteen observers made up seven parties that counted throughout the county, compared with sixteen observers and nine parties in 2004. A total of 4678 individuals were estimated of 139 species, compared with 5848 and 151 individuals and species, respectively. Areas included primarily the coastal plain (Aberdeen, Joppa, Edgewood, and the APG areas) and the eastern piedmont (Susquehanna State Park and surrounding areas). The central, northern and western portions of the county were not covered.
Briefly, here are the highlights. Les Eastman found a respectable 76 species, 15 of which were warblers including 8 Cerulean, a Nashville and Chestnut-sided. Rick Checante and David Larkin found 84 species at SSP including 5 species of sparrows and 19 species of warblers. Among them included the rest of the Ceruleans, 5 Worm-eating Warblers, and the only Wilson's Warbler of the count. They also recorded a late White-throated and the only Lincoln's Sparrow. Deidre DeRoia canvassed the Spesuite Island area of APG where she found 48 species and County's best place to find Yellow Warblers (49 were counted). Spike Updegrove and team (Dan Kogut, Brent Mattox, and Muskit Jamil) found 70 species in the Aldino area including 5 raptor species and an American Woodcock (70 species total). Phil Powers found 10 Wood Thursh in the Joppatowne area and recording a total of 31 species. Mark Johnson, Suzanne Procell and Jerry Strickroth counted the cantonment area of APGEA focusing on atlasing as well. They had great looks of a Bay-breasted Warbler (12 warbler species) and witnessed Chipping Sparrow copulation; blink and you missed it. They recorded 60 species. However, it was the dream team of the ‘Daves' (Dave Webb and Ziolkowski) who again came away with honors finding 120 species! They logged 11 hours on foot and 100 miles in the car. They found the only Virginia Rail, Northern Bobwhite, and Whip-poor-will's of the count. The recorded 9 Pileated Woodpeckers and 19 species of warblers. Keep up the good work guys! Mark Johnson
See a spreadsheet of the results.
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| October 28 | Deadline: Harford Birdlife |
| November 4 | November Dinner Meeting |
| November 7 | Deadline: Wrenderings |
| December 3 | State Board Meeting at Harford |
| December 30 | Rock Run Christmas Bird Count |
| January 13 | Winter Meeting |
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Scholarship - This year's John Wortman Scholarship winner is George Yorkston, Naturalist at Anita Leight Estuary Center. George will be attending the Maine Field Ornithology Audubon camp. Be sure to congratulate George. Jean Wheeler
MOS Conference Update - The MOS conference at Solomon's Island celebrated the organization's 60th year. I was the only representative from Harford County. I had a wonderful weekend of birding and socializing with friends including Jean and Larry Fry. The best bird of the conference was a Swainson's Warbler, which was probably a life bird for half the people attending. Southern Maryland has some great birding habitat. Next year's conference will be at Rocky Gap in Allegheny County June 9,10 and 11. Maybe we can get a group together to attend. Jean Wheeler
Field Trips - "On The Road Again" - around the county in six new trips!
The Field Trip Committee is pleased to introduce here a new series of trips designed specifically to highlight different stretches of some of this county's most scenic and birdy roadways. Though much of what we see is hustle and bustle, many "hidden" sections of the county remain serene. These places offer ideal conditions for leisurely bird walks and, further, we feel they fill a key role in our goal of providing diverse birding opportunities to the club membership. Especially unique about these sites is that they represent an exemption to the idea that wanting a stable and easily accessible walking environment means that you miss out on access to outstanding habitats. The flat roadways and prime habitats of these sites afford high quality birding for birders of nearly all abilities.
Though we have been judicious in choosing only those streets that we feel are both exceptionally quiet and safe, the committee recognizes the results of numerous studies on snakes, spiders, and large carnivores that indicate that humans are inherently unpredictable and dangerous animals. It is with this in mind that we recommend trip goers accept this species' sad shortcoming and exercise the usual roadway cautions while having a heck of a good time (and please, no hitchhiking after the trip; this isn't the 70's anymore). Dave Ziolkowski
Conservation - You've probably heard or read something about "comprehensive rezoning" in recent months. Landowners get to request that their land be zoned differently, most often for a more intense use such as commercial or industrial, or, for a greater number of homes that can be built according to how many acres owned. It is most disturbing to neighboring property owners when someone seeks to rezone agricultural land to ‘rural residential' or to a more intense use zone. Many properties are seeking such changes, and likely about 25 percent of the requests will be approved by the Harford County Council. I have been reviewing the locations of properties seeking rezoning to try to identify those that would damage or alter areas used by the club or known to be important habitat for specific species. Again, I need your input. Please email me or call me at 410 692-9741 to let me know what properties are important to you, and I will check on rezoning requests in that area. Based on your concerns, I will prepare testimony for the public hearings.
In addition to this, I would like to ask my fellow birders to tell me about some specific place in the county you would like to see protected, or, about a particular type of habitat you would like to see increased. For example, I have heard there was an Eastern meadowlark sighting not too long ago in a suburban neighborhood. There may be opportunities near this site to expand this type of habitat or create a "corridor" between such sites. Please get in touch with me if you have a suggestion and maybe a new habitat initiative can be explored. Debbie Bowers
Welcome New Members - The Harford Bird Club would like to extend a warm welcome to our newest members:
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Spring 2005: Of the 300 or so bird species ever recorded in Harford County, over 200 of them were encountered from mid-March to mid-June of 2005 by the keen eyes and ears of birders around the county. This spring's tally included everything from winter waterfowl en route to their northern breeding grounds, to colorful spring warblers returning to raise their young here in Harford. And occasionally the lucky birder found himself in the right place at the right time to witness a wayward migrant hundreds of miles off course. TT is one such lucky birder. On the last day of May arriving at Fallston High School where he teaches, TT recognized the distinctive call of a Sandhill Crane and looked to see one grazing between the school's track and main building. TT photographed the bird and even brought his students outside to see this vagrant. Within hours, the Sandhill Crane took flight northward, and despite diligent efforts to relocate the bird it was never seen again.
Another rare visitor to Harford County was a Trumpeter Swan, seen at a farm pond in Forest Hill on April 1-3 & 5 in the company of about 20 Canada Geese (LW). The bird's identification was certified by the presence of two large yellow wing tags marked "705". With an 80-inch wingspan, the Trumpeter Swan is the largest waterfowl species in the world. Historically, the species ranged across most of North America, including the Chesapeake Bay in winter. Early settlers hunted them for food and the millinery trade. A victim of its conspicuousness, the species was nearly harvested to extinction, and by 1933 only 66 remained in the continental U.S. Several reintroduction programs have helped to reestablish Trumpeters to parts of their former range. One such program is run by Harry Lumsden, founder of the Ontario Trumpeter Swan Reintroduction Program, at the Wye Marsh Wildlife Center. Mr. Lumsden relays that #705, a male or ‘cob', was hatched in 2002 by a captive pair of Trumpeters near Grand Valley, ON, and was released in June of 2004 from Morriston, ON. LW's sighting in Forest Hill is the only report that Mr. Lumsden has received of #705 since his return to the wild.
Elsewhere around the county
WATERFOWL: The last large flocks of northbound Snow Geese were seen over Webster (200, Mar 19, MW) and Havre de Grace (400, Mar 30, CW). On Mar 19, d&DW counted 7 American Wigeon near Wood Island, and on Mar 31, DW spotted a pair of Northern Shovelers at Spesutie Narrows. Teal of both species were reported from several locations in the eastern half of the county: DW found Bluewings at Spesutie Island (4, Mar 31), APG's Maryland Boulevard Picnic Area (2, Apr 10), and the Havre de Grace Promenade (1, May 1). DL tallied 3 Greenwings at Harford Glen on Apr 24, while JBG noted single teals of both species at Swan Harbor Farm on May 3. MH captured high-count honors of all dabbling ducks on Apr 6 when he recorded 26 Gadwall, 8 American Wigeon, and 5 Blue-winged Teal at Forest Greens, and 5 Northern Shovelers and 25 Green-winged Teal at Swan Harbor. On Apr 8, DLW of Poplar Grove spied a drake Wood Duck perched at least 100' high on the limb of a tall poplar tree in their yard. After about ten minutes, a hen Woody flew past, and the drake took off in hot pursuit of her towards Deer Creek. Other pairs of Wood Ducks were found at Forest Greens (MH, Apr 6), Lakeside Business Park (DL, Apr 9), and two pairs at Harford Glen (RC, Apr 9). d&DW counted an impressive 28 Wood Ducks just off Wood Island on Mar 19.
Diving ducks included flocks of 4 Long-tailed Ducks and 15 Red-breasted Mergansers on Conowingo Lake on Apr 4 (MH). DW saw 3 late Red-breasted Mergansers near the HdG Promenade on May 1. Unlike 2004, when Common Mergansers were spotted in the Lower Susquehanna Valley well into June raising suspicion that they could be attempting to breed, the last report of this species came on Apr 3 when CW saw a drake and two hens near the mouth of Deer Creek.
Confirmations of breeding waterfowl started on Apr 26 at Tydings Island, with CW noting a pair of Canada Geese followed by 8 goslings, and a hen Mallard with 7 ducklings swimming behind her on May 7. JBG also spied a hen Wood Duck escorting her 5 chicks at the Swan Harbor impoundment on Jun 12. Another hen Woody with a half dozen ducklings in tow was discovered at the old canal lock near Lapidum Landing on May 21 (CW). A family of American Black Ducks including 5 ducklings was seen on Jun 9 at Michaelsville (DW).
GAMEBIRDS & GREBES: JBG were surprised to see a Wild Turkey hen with 9 poults at Roye Williams Elementary School on May 21. Imagine CW's astonishment on May 29 at finding a female Northern Bobwhite foraging on the Concord Point Lighthouse lawn amongst chairs leftover from the previous night's wedding. A rare Red-necked Grebe that MH & MB found on Mar 24 on the Susquehanna River at Lapidum stayed for three days (FS). Single Pied-billed Grebes were recorded at Forest Greens (MH, Apr 6) and Lakeside (DL, Apr 24). Pied-bills bred at Swan Harbor for the third year in a row. MH first spotted a calling male and his mate on Apr 6. By Jun 13, JBG saw 3 adults and 8 chicks of two distinct age groups.
CORMORANTS, HERONS & VULTURES: DW estimated 125 Double-crested Cormorants roosting in trees on the south side of Wood Island on Apr 8. JBG found a stray American Bittern at Swan Harbor on Jun 12. CW reported that the Great Blue Heron colony at Tydings Island grew to 13 nests this season (Apr 1). By Apr 19, the Great Blues were joined by 10 Black-crowned Night-Herons, including 2 on nests and another constructing its nest. Later in the season a Great Blue and a Black-crown were mooching for handouts from Hutchins Park anglers (CW, May 26). One or two Great Egrets were consistently found from Apr 9-24 at Harford Glen (RC & DL), Apr 24 ‘ May 8 at Lakeside (DL), and Apr 27-29 at Maryland Blvd Picnic Area (JC). The only other ‘white' egrets to visit the county were a lone adult Little Blue Heron at Harford Glen (GF & RC, Apr 9) and a flock of 3 Cattle Egrets at Swan Harbor (JBG, May 1). The arrival and departure dates for Glossy Ibis were marked by single birds at Spesutie Island (DW, Mar 31) and Swan Harbor (MH, May 19). FM recorded an pair of inland Glossies at Eden Mill on Apr 26, while JBG noted a high count of 4 birds at Swan Harbor on Apr 30. MW had the (mis)fortune of seeing two Black Vultures copulating on the muddy banks of Broad Creek Landing on Jun 12.
RAPTORS: CW monitored the breeding behavior of a pair of Osprey near Tydings Marina throughout the reporting period. She reported that their platform-supported nest had been rebuilt and was occupied by Mar 27. Three chicks were finally visible on May 18. On May 23, the female Osprey stole a fish that the male was eating so that she could feed it to the young. Three days later the male flew to the nest carry a large ($$$) koi in his talons. As of June 12, the chicks were still in the nest. A Bald Eagle aerie near Susquehanna SP had one parent on the nest on Mar 27 (CW); on Apr 10 both parents were seen sharing nest-tending duties, giving boisterous cries with each changing of the guard. By May 24, up to two eaglets were spotted on an aerie at Swan Harbor (JBG). On May 21, one of the parents chased away an intruding Osprey; as of Jun 13 the eagles were still bringing fish to the nest. KG tallied 23 Bald Eagles, including 9 adults, at Conowingo Dam on Mar 27. A group of Bald Eagles ‘ two adults and one immature ‘ circled over DB's house near Rocks SP for nearly half an hour on Apr 11. RC spotted a Broad-winged Hawk migrating over Creswell on Apr 16, and CS reported seeing one at Susquehanna SP on May 2. The Northern Harrier seen flying over Fallston on May 31 (RK) was most likely a very late migrant. Sightings of American Kestrels included one at Swan Harbor (MH, Apr 6), and a single bird hovering over the median of Route 24 at Abingdon (JBG, Jun 10).
RAILS & SHOREBIRDS: MH found 3 Soras at Swan Harbor on May 12, and DW heard a single King Rail incessantly calling at Michaelsville on Jun 6. CS recorded a half dozen American Woodcocks at APG-EA on Mar 21, our peak migration period for this species. The timberdoodle displaying at Swan Harbor on May 18 (JBG) was late enough to be a probable breeder. MH proved that April is the prime month for both Pectoral Sandpiper and Wilson's Snipe, when he found 2 and 15 of these species, respectively, at Swan Harbor on Apr 6.
High counts for plovers included 7 Killdeer at Lakeside (DL, Apr 17), 12 Semipalmated Plovers at Swan Harbor (MH, May 19), and a whopping 50 Black-bellied Plovers at Tydings Island (CW, May 19). Late dates for the transient plovers were May 30 for Black-bellies (4, CW, Tydings Island) and Jun 12 for Semi's (3, JBG, Swan Harbor).
Tringa sandpipers were prevalent at a handful of hotspots. All first sightings were of single birds: Greater Yellowlegs on Apr 6 (MH, Swan Harbor), Spotted Sandpiper on Apr 9 (RC, Harford Glen), and Lesser Yellowlegs and Solitary Sandpiper on Apr 24 (DL, Harford Glen). A flock of 8 Solitary Sandpipers on May 19 at Swan Harbor scored MH both ‘high count' and ‘departure date' honors; from this same location, JBG found the last birds of the remaining 3 species on May 21 with 2 Greater Yellowlegs, 6 Lesser Yellowlegs, and 2 Spotted Sandpipers. Other high numbers included 6 ‘Greaterlegs' (DL, Harford Glen, Apr 24); 25 ‘Lesserlegs' (MH, Swan Harbor, May 12), and 6 ‘Spotties' (MH, Swan Harbor, May 19).
The first ‘peep' shorebird was a Least Sandpiper found on May 8 at Lakeside (DL). A pair of Semipalmated Sandpipers showed up four days later at Swan Harbor (MH). High counts of these species also were found at Swan Harbor ‘ 50 Leasts (MH, May 19) and 12 ‘Semis' (JBG, May 21) ‘ as was a rare- in-spring Western Sandpiper (RC, May 19). Other exceptional shorebirds included 21 Short-billed Dowitchers (MH, May 19, Swan Harbor), 9 Dunlin (JBG, May 21, Swan Harbor), and 20 Ruddy Turnstones (CW, May 30, Tydings Island).
GULLS & TERNS: In recent years, Harford birders have learned that the Susquehanna River is a minor, but regular, flyway for the spring migration of both Little and Black-headed Gulls. Armed with knowledge of a couple of distinctive field marks, a good set of optics, and a healthy dose of patience and persistence, gull fanciers during the last week of March and first week of April sift through steady streams of Bonaparte's Gulls in hopes of picking out their rarer cousins. This year, MH & MB picked out an adult winter Little Gull and a breeding plumaged Black-headed Gull on Mar 24 from Lapidum Landing. Sightings of both species continued for another three days, with 3 adults and one winter-plumaged Little Gull picked out on Mar 26 (HH, BR). Singles of these two species showed up again at Conowingo Lake on Apr 4 (MH). Counts of Bonaparte's Gulls at Lapidum fluctuated with the river level: normal flow supported an estimated 400 on Mar 24 (DW), flood conditions dropped their numbers to just 3 on Apr 3 (LE), and the count recovered to about 100 by Apr 28 (CS). MH recorded the last ‘Boney', a single bird at Tydings Island on May 12. The only Laughing Gulls reported were a pair seen flying over Webster on May 9 (DW). All Caspian Tern reports came from Tydings Island (CW): the first flock of 8 arrived on Apr 12, a high count of 150 was there on May 7, and 30 remained on May 30. DL found a lone Least Tern at Lakeside on May 22.
DOVES, CUCKOOS & OWLS: Anyone missing a Rock Pigeon? JBG saw one with a silver leg band at Swan Harbor on May 8. A pair of Yellow-billed Cuckoos found at Street on Jun 10 were probable breeders (DB), as was a single Yellow-bill calling at Swan Harbor four days later (JBG). DW heard 3 Black-billed Cuckoos before dawn on May 26 at Michaelsville, however, unlike last year this species did not stay in the area to breed. JT reported on Mar 26 that a Great Horned Owl's nest near Susquehanna State Park was being mobbed by a flock of American Crows. On a sad note, CW found a dead roadside Barred Owl in Susquehanna State Park on Apr 3. On a brighter note, two Barred Owls were heard calling back and forth to each other in the park on Apr 21 (LE), and a pair near Rocks SP called each day from Apr 26 ‘ May 2 (DB). DZ & RK found two recently fledged Barred Owls at Rumsey Island on Jun 10.
NIGHTJARS, SWIFT & HUMMINGBIRD: DB heard a pair of Common Nighthawks over her Street home on the remarkably early date of Apr 12. DW found a pair of nighthawks swooping low over a field for insects at Michaelsville at dawn on May 26, and another 7 of them streaming over Webster on the following day. For the fifth year in a row, a Chuck-will's-widow was heard calling near Bridge Creek at APG-AA (DW, May 26). LE reported the first of both Apodiformes ‘ a flock of Chimney Swifts over downtown Havre de Grace on Apr 18, and 3 days later a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird at his backyard feeder near Susquehanna SP. CV was surprised to see a Rubythroat stop to investigate the sunflower feeder at her Bel Air home on May 3.
KINGFISHER & WOODPECKERS: Belted Kingfishers were spotted at Tydings Island (CW, 1, Apr 19 & May 19) and Street (DB, 2, June 5). Pairs of Pileated Woodpeckers were widely reported from Garland (MW, Mar 31), Street (DB, Apr 5), Rock Run (CW, Apr 7), Harford Community College (CW, Apr 18), and Swan Harbor (JBG, Jun 12). GRP found a Pileated Woodpecker tapping away at a black cherry tree near Otter Point on Apr 20. DW came across a pair of Downy Woodpeckers bringing food to their clamorous chicks inside a tree cavity at Harbour Oaks on May 30, and noted our only Red-headed Woodpecker a week later at Michaelsville.
FLYCATCHERS: LE found the earliest of our breeding passerines on territory, an Eastern Phoebe singing at the Susquehanna State Park campground from Mar 21-30. JBG found a nesting phoebe under a bridge at Gasheys Creek on Jun 12. The arrival date for Great Crest Flycatchers was Apr 27, with RC uncovering a pair at APG-EA; DW later found a pair near Plumb Point on Jun 13 entering a nest cavity. MH found the first Willow Flycatcher at Perryman (May 19), and DW found a singing male and a female building a nest in a hedgerow at The Wetlands golf course near Aberdeen (Jun 10). DZ & RK had a similar experience on this same latter date at Mariner Point Park, when they heard a male Acadian Flycatcher singing which led them to find the female sitting on her nest. d&DW hosted an Olive-sided Flycatcher in their Webster backyard on May 27. Among the rarest of our annual spring migrants, this bird perched atop a tall dead oak for nearly an hour and a half, occasionally darting off for a bumblebee snack.
VIREOS, JAY & CROW: Blue-headed Vireos migrated thru the county with appearances at Webster (DW, Apr 24 & May 3), and Susquehanna SP (CS, May 2). A Red-eyed Vireo at Stony Forest on Apr 20 (LP) was the first report of that species, while 5 Warbling Vireos arrived eight days later to their traditional Susquehanna SP breeding grounds (CS). DW had a migrant Warbling Vireo stop by his Webster backyard on May 9. The season's first White-eyed Vireo was a silent bird ‘ most likely a female ‘ that challenged RC's identification skills at Steppingstone Museum on Apr 23. At Rumsey Island on Jun 10, DZ & RK discovered a Yellow-throated Vireo in a sycamore tree feeding nestlings and a Fish Crow sitting on her nest. JBG must have thought it was still winter on May 10 when they counted 20 Blue Jays at their Swan Harbor feeder.
LARKS & SWALLOWS: Horned Larks were frequently observed in May at Swan Harbor where they breed ‘ MH's count of 6 birds on May 12 was the highest. JBG even found a pair of larks there on Jun 12. LE found huge numbers of Northern Rough-winged Swallows migrating up the Susquehanna River on Apr 3, which he estimated between 500-900 birds. Other locations reporting Roughwings included Lakeside (DL, up to 16, Apr 9-24), Harford Glen (DL, 2, Apr 24), Mariner Point (LN, 12, May 1), and Swan Harbor (JBG, 2, Jun 4). On May 21, JBG noted 4 Bank Swallows at Swan Harbor.
NUTHATCHES, WRENS, THRUSHES & MIMIDS: MD reported our only Red-breasted Nuthatches, a pair at her Moxley home on Apr 10. RC spotted the first pair of House Wrens at his Creswell home on Apr 22, while a Marsh Wren at Swan Harbor on May 19 was a noteworthy find for young MH. The first Blue- gray Gnatcatchers were a pair seen on Apr 8 at Spesutie Island (DW). Just a few miles west at the APG Tank Recovery Area, JC tallied a high-count of 5 gnatcatchers on May 4. JC also witnessed a territorial battle between an Eastern Bluebird and a pair of Tree Swallows, as they fought over a nestbox at APG-AA on Apr 15. LP welcomed the arrival of her first Wood Thrush and its flutelike vocal repertoire on Apr 20 at Stony Forest. Sightings of Catharus thrushes included a Hermit Thrush at Susquehanna SP (LE, Apr 24), a Swainson's Thrush at Rock Run (LE, May 11), a Veery at the Bosley Conservancy (MH, May 19), and a pair of Swainson's Thrushes at Webster (DW, May 24-25). On the early date of May 2, JBG found American Robin chicks in their nest at Swan Harbor. Both DB and JBG recorded single Brown Thrashers at their backyards (Street, May 1 and Swan Harbor, May 24, respectively).
WARBLERS: DW found three of the earliest arriving warblers, including a singing Louisiana Waterthrush near Rock Run (Apr 1), a male Pine Warbler visiting his suet feeder at Webster (Apr 1, 4 and 5), and a singing Yellow-throated Warbler at Susquehanna SP (Apr 8). Harford Glen lived up to its reputation as a hotspot for Palm Warblers on Apr 9 when RC tallied a whopping 10 birds; CW heard about 5 Palms on the Harford Community College campus two days later. First dates for other warblers included: Apr 19 for Northern Parula (CW, North Park Trail); Apr 23 for Cerulean, Prothonotary and American Redstart (RC, Rock Run); Apr 24 for Prairie (CS, Susquehanna SP); Apr 26 for Ovenbird (DB, Street); and Apr 28 for Yellow and Prairie (CS, Susquehanna SP). Also of note from Susquehanna SP, LE noted 3 Louisiana Waterthrushes chasing each other near the campground entrance on Apr 13-14, and CS witnessed two male Cerulean Warblers in a territorial dispute from just a few feet away (Apr 29).
First warbler sightings the next month included Magnolia on May 2 (DB, Street); Black-and-white and Blackburnian on May 2 (CS, Susquehanna SP); Blue-winged on May 3 and Nashville on May 9 (DW, Webster); Worm-eating and Northern Waterthrush on May 11 (LE, Fisherman's Park); and Chestnut-sided, Wilson's, and Canada on May 19 (MH, Perryman). GF shot a Yellow-throated Warbler at Susquehanna SP on May 7 ‘ with his camera, of course. MH counted 6 Blackpoll Warblers and a pair of Yellow-breasted Chats at Perryman on May 19. On May 28 at Street, DB watched a Worm-eating Warbler push himself up under a large piece of loose bark to snatch a white millipede; DW heard about 10 Worm-eating Warblers along a 1.5 mile-stretch of Broad Creek at Castleton (Jun 12). Singing Hooded Warblers were found at Michaelsville (DW, May 28) and a backyard in Street (DB, Jun 15). On Jun 15, DW was sitting inside his vehicle near Rock Run Mill when a male Prothonotary Warbler landed on the right outside mirror, and proceeded to peck at its reflection on the passenger's window and the mirror for nearly a minute! The only accounts of breeding warblers included a female American Redstart building her nest near Phillips Airfield (DW, May 28), an adult Louisiana Waterthrush feeding a fledgling along the banks of Broad Creek at Castleton (DW, Jun 12), and another Louisiana Waterthrush chick being fed along Gasheys Creek at Oakington (JBG, Jun 12).
TANAGERS, SPARROWS & GROSBEAKS: JC reported the first Scarlet Tanager of the spring from APG's Tank Recovery Area on May 4, and found a pair there six days later. The ping-pong ball song of a Field Sparrow caught MW's ear as she biked at Aldino on Mar 31; MH discovered a Swamp Sparrow at Swan Harbor (May 12). Swan Harbor also produced several sightings of Savannah Sparrows, including a high count of 20 birds on Apr 6 (MH) and 3 late birds on May 21 (JBG). A flock of 3-4 Savannahs were observed between Apr 9-17 at Lakeside (DL), while a pair seen throughout the period at the World Famous Bradenbaugh Flats are potentially the county's first breeding record (DK). On Apr 24, a lone Blue Grosbeak visited GK's feeding station at Upper Crossroads, as did one at LE's feeders near Susquehanna SP. A male Indigo Bunting (the ‘other blue grosbeak') came to a feeder in Webster on May 3 (ALG), while another male stopped by MjH's Cooptown backyard on May 5, followed by a female the next day. Single Rose-breasted Grosbeaks showed up at backyards in Street (DB, May 5) and Cooptown (MjH, May 7). Also on this latter date, MjH spotted the leucistic Northern Cardinal that has resided along the Ma & Pa Trail in Bel Air since 2004.
BLACKBIRDS & FINCHES: Reports of Bobolinks migrating through the county were quite sparse. High counts included 25 at Bradenbaugh during the first week of May (DK), and 5 at Swan Harbor (MH, May 12). CS counted 5 singing Eastern Meadowlarks at Weide Airfield on May 4. MW was able to confirm breeding Baltimore Orioles at Castleton on Jun 12 when she saw a male drop a fecal sac into Broad Creek. The spring migration of Purple Finches included a high count of 2 males and a female at a Webster feeder (DW, Apr 2) and the last bird, a female/immature, at a feeder near Susquehanna SP on Apr 21 (LE). JBG found a fledgling House Finch at Swan Harbor on the very early date of May 5.
And finally, from Forest Hill comes a phenomenal report of assorted mid-May migrants identified by MB, KC and MH. This trio of talented birders tallied an American Bittern, 3 Black-bellied Plovers, 10 Semipalmated Plovers, 25 Spotted Sandpipers, 6 Whimbrel, 15 Least Sandpipers, over 100 Dunlin, 25 Short-billed Dowitchers, 1 Black-billed Cuckoo, 7 Yellow-billed Cuckoos, 5 Veeries, 75 Gray-cheeked Thrushes, 8 Bicknell Thrushes, 300 Swainson Thrushes, 35 Scarlet Tanagers, and 10 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks!!! By now you might be asking ‘What new hotspot in Forest Hill produced all these birds?' The answer is KC's backyard, and actually none of these birds were seen. All were identified by their nocturnal call notes, given as they migrated overhead between 11 PM May 23 and 1 AM May 24. Now that is some birding by ear!
CONTRIBUTORS: Debbie Bowers (DB), Mike Burchett (MB), Kim Caughey (KC), Jim Chappell (JC), Rick Cheicante (RC), Marian Dodson (MD), Les Eastman (LE), Greg Futral (GF), John & Becky Gallo (JBG), Anna Lou Golladay (ALG), Kevin Graff (KG), Matt Hafner (MH), Marj Heagy (MjH), Hans Holbrook (HH), Dennis Kirkwood (DK), Russ Kovach (RK), Gail Kurtz (GK), Dave Larkin (DL), Frank Marsden (FM), Louis Nielsen (LN), Leanne Pemburne (LP), Glenn Randers-Pehrson (GRP), Bob Ringler (BR), Fred Shaffer (FS), Chris Starling (CS), John Taylor (JT), Tom Trafton (TT), Carole Vangrin (CV), Daniel Webb (dW), Dave Webb (DW), Marsha Webb (MW), Colleen Webster (CW), Dan & Linda Weeks (DLW), Laurel Witkowski (LW), and Dave Ziolkowski (DZ).
Please email your sightings of the usual and the unusual to Dave, or snailmail them to Dave Webb, 4141 Quail Way, Havre de Grace, 21078. Please remember to include the date, location, and (approximate) number of birds observed. Digital photographs are also now welcome. The timeframe for the next column is Jun 16, 2005 thru Sep 15, 2005. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this report!
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Field Trip Schedule
by Dave Ziolkowski
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