Volume 19 Number 4 |
July - August 2006 |
One of the most difficult, yet most rewarding aspects of the Christmas Bird Counts for me is contacting landowners for permission to access their property. Often this is time consuming, and can be foreboding when you walk up a long dark farm lane or similar property! But the payoffs have been fantastic, including such wondrous birds over the years as Short-eared Owl, American Pipit, and Saw-whet Owl. Now the Harford Bird Club is setting up a program to thank these landowners for allowing our access. As suggested by Dennis Kirkwood, Dave Webb is heading up a program to identify landowners that have allowed birding access on their lands. We will begin to invite these 'friends of birding' to dinner meetings free of charge for recognition for their contributions to the club and our activities. Thanks most certainly go out to Dennis for suggesting the idea and Dave for coordinating the task. Over the next few months, if you have names of landowners that have been particularly lenient about allowing access to their lands for birding, please be sure to contact Dave Webb with their names and details about contributions!
Speaking of contributing the use of land, Dennis Kirkwood once again has agreed to host the annual Harford Bird Club picnic on Saturday, September 9th! The picnic was a HUGE success last year, with the ever impressive cooking of Tom Congersky and Randy Robertson, not to mention a cooperative pair of Red-headed Woodpeckers and many other birds along the way. Look for additional details on the picnic elsewhere in this newsletter. Be sure to get your reservations in soon so that we know how many people to cook for, and I look forward to seeing all of you on September 9th!
This past month we had our Summer Social event at the Anita C. Leight Estuary Center, a fantastic nature center with meeting facilities and fantastic views of the Bush River and surrounding woods. Several new members, and our member or longest tenure (a member since the 1950s!) were in attendance. Guest speaker Bob Ringler shared videos from Costa Rica, showing us just what a hummingbird feeder can do when in the right location! The Mill of Bel Air sponsored a very successful raffle on the evening that included everything from bird feeders and books to walking/talking penguins! Becky Gallo, dedicated bird club member and employee of the Estuary Center, worked overtime to open up and clean up the building for us. A special thanks goes out to Becky and all the others that assisted with purchasing and set-up of all the 'goodies' for the Summer Social, I can guarantee that all 41 club members in attendance enjoyed the meeting and the opportunity to share stories over wine and cheese!
And last but most certainly not least, Colleen Webster and the Field Trip Committee have been hard at work setting up a host of trips from late August through October. Everything from canoe trips and owling to fall-warbler walks and hawk watches, the Harford Bird Club has much to offer over the next few months! Please be sure to check the field-trip list in this newsletter or online at www.harfordbirdclub.org for dates and times of each trip. In the meantime... remember to ask all of those people running for political offices in September and November to keep birds and the 'sport' of birding in mind as they develop their policies! Hope everybody enjoys the 'dog days' of summer; and we'll see you out on the birding trails and picnics! Russ Kovach
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Annual membership dues are now due for the club year running from September 1, 2006 through August 31, 2007. Please fill out the form, 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 November 1, 2006. You may pick up your membership card at the November meeting or they will be mailed to you. *Please do not send dues with the picnic reservation form.* Thank You
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| September 1 | Deadline: Harford Birdlife: Becky Gallo |
| September 9 | "End of Summer" Picnic. |
| September 17 | Fall Count: for more information contact Mark Johnson at 410-692-5978 |
| September 25 | Deadline: Wrenderings: Rick Cheicante |
| October 26 | HBC Executive Board Meeting - 7:00 p.m. at the Harford County Public Library (Bel Air) |
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Ever wonder why the species in your bird books are ordered the way they are? Or, why they change as often as they do? The reason is that the official source for the taxonomy of North America Birds is the "American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) Check-list of North American Birds". Once upon a time the AOU would go for years without a need to update the checklist. However, with the use of modern molecular techniques in the field of bird classification, the AOU has had to issue updates annually just to keep up with the progress in the scientific community.
So what changes do this year's updates have in store for your bird list? Well, probably not much since most of the updates described in this 47th checklist supplement involve either tropical species or Latin name changes. However, there are a couple of noteworthy changes that should grab the attention of North American Birders.
If you are a birder who's been lucky enough to see a Blue Grouse in the interior west - well, you'll have to remove it from your list now. Replace it with the newly split Dusky Grouse of course though. And if you're one of the more lucky of us who have seen a Blue Grouse in CA, western OR, or the western quarter of WA, B.C., or AK - well kudos to you - you've gained a Sooty Grouse!
The shorebird, tern, and cuckoo lists have undergone some rearrangement but otherwise remain the same compositionally. One neat thing about the shorebird regrouping is that the Willet and the Tattlers are now included with "yellowlegs" and "shanks" in the genus Tringa. Although taxonomists have long suspected close relationship between those sandpipers, birders may none-the-less be surprised to learn that Willet, with its flashy wing pattern, dull blue-gray legs, heavy straight billed, and plain underparts, is now considered a "shank" too. Dave Ziolkowski
A complete summary of this year's AOU checklist updates are available at http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBS/whatsnew
Detailed accounts for the updates are available in the original AOU document: American Ornithologists' Union. 2006. Forty-seventh supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 123(3):926-936. www.aou.org/checklist/Suppl47.pdf
The complete updated AOU check-list can be found at www.aou.org/checklist/index.php3.
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May - June 2006: Late spring, early summer brought us lots of good birds. The Warblers were back, especially at Susquehanna State Park and Eden Mill. New breeding birds for the County or for our own personal bird list were also found.
Geese, Swan, Ducks, Gamebird
Canada Geese were spotted at Swan Harbor Farm in May (MoH). DW had four Tundra Swans fly over the
Route 22 gate of APG on May 1st. FG & JG saw 1 Wood Duck at Swan Harbor Farm on May 29th. On
May 26th MoH and CS spotted a female Common Goldeneye on APG. DW saw 2 different mergansers,
Hooded on June 8 and Common on May 26. Wild Turkeys were present on APG on May 4, 11 and 16
(MoH).
Pelican, Cormorant, Herons
JG and BG watched a White Pelican land in the water near the new pier at Swan Harbor Farm on June 12,
it stayed for about an hour. MoH saw 75 Double-crested Cormorants and 100 Great Blue Herons at the
Conowingo Dam on May 7th. On June 8th DW spotted a Great Egret in the marsh by Phillips Airfield.
Swan Harbor Farm, Ducks Unlimited Pond was busy - JG saw a Snowy Egret flyover on May 15, a Cattle
Egret was scoped out on May 21st (JG) and MoH saw a Green Heron on May 18th.
Vulture, Hawks, Falcons
Black Vulture babies were found in the abandoned silos at Swan Harbor Farm on May 29th by FG & JG.
On May 14th DL saw two Ospreys at Lakeside. Bald Eagles were present in their usual haunts -
Conowingo Dam (May 7 MoH), Swan Harbor Farm (MoH, JG, FG May & June) and APG (MoH May). A
Northern Harrier flew through the Havre de Grace area on May 7 (MoH). On June 9 DW watched 2 adult
American Kestrels bring food to 4 fledglings at the Munson Test Course on APG. A Peregrine Falcon flew
over JG's house at Swan Harbor Farm on May 14.
Rail, Plovers, Sandpipers
On May 26th DW heard a Virginia Rail calling near Boone Creek. FG and JG saw a Black-bellied Plover
and 3 Semipalmated Plovers at the Ducks Unlimited Pond at Swan Harbor. DS saw 14 Semipalmated
Plovers and 3 Solitary Sandpipers at the same pond on May 12th. At Lakeside on May 14th DL saw 3
Killdeer, 2 Spotted Sandpipers and 1 Solitary Sandpiper. Fourteen Semipalmated Sandpipers, 1 White-
rumped Sandpiper and 5 Least Sandpipers were seen at Swan Harbor on May 28th (FG). DK saw a Short-
billed Dowitcher on May 3rd at Harford Glen.
Terns, Cuckoos, Owls
MoH saw a Royal Tern on June 4th while walking the Promenade in Havre de Grace. Least Terns were
spotted at Lakeside (DL May), and at Harford Glen (RC June). A Yellow-billed Cuckoo was seen in the
Rock Run Mill Area of Susquehanna State Park on May 12 by RC and at Swan Harbor on May 29 by FG &
JG. BC heard a Great Horned Owl in Bel Air near John Carroll School on June 17th. MoH saw 2 Barred
Owls at the front gate of Swan Harbor Farm on May 4th.
Hummingbird, Woodpeckers, Flycatcher, Vireos
A Ruby-throated Hummingbird was seen three different times in May on APG (MoH). He also saw a
Hairy Woodpecker on May 12th on APG. FG & JG saw a Northern Flicker at Swan Harbor Farm on May
28th. DW got to see a male and female Pileated Woodpecker with a fledgling near Woodrest Creek on
June 12th. Eastern Wood-Pewees were seen at Swan Harbor Farm (FG & JG) and on APG (MoH).
Along the wooded area of the driveway going into Swan Harbor Farm FG & JG heard at least 8 Acadian
Flycatchers singing at the end of May. DW heard 3 Willow Flycatchers singing on the Scarboro Equestrian
Trail on May 23rd. Eastern Kingbirds were seen on APG (MoH), Lakeside (DL) and Swan Harbor Farm
(JG & BG). Warbling Vireo and Red-eyed Vireos were both seen at Swan Harbor during the last
weekend of May (FG & JG).
Lark, Swallows, Nuthatch, Wren
Horned Larks were at Swan Harbor on May 29th (JG) and June 15th (RC). Purple Martins are nesting off
Route 40 in Aberdeen (DW & JG) and at Swan Harbor (JG & BG). Tree Swallows were seen at Swan
Harbor by MoH, DW, JG and BG. Barn Swallows are also abundant at Swan Harbor (MoH, JG & BG).
Northern Rough-winged Swallows are nesting at Mulberry Point and Spesutie Island on APG (DW). A late
Red-breasted Nuthatch was seen on May 21st at Broad Creek (DW). An active Marsh Wren nest was
found on Swan Creek near High Point on June 18 by MW & dW.
Gnatcatcher, Thrushes, Mimids
Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were seen at Susquehanna State Park, APG and Swan Harbor during the month of
May (MoH). Eastern Bluebirds nested and were active at Swan Harbor Farm (MoH, FG, JG, BG). RC saw
a Veery and Wood Thrush in the Rock Run Mill Area of Susquehanna State Park on May 12th. RC had a
Gray-cheeked Thrush in his yard on May 21st, a new yard bird for him. Brown Thrashers have made Swan
Harbor a home, being first seen on May 28th and now seen on a regular basis (BG).
Warblers
Twenty-five species of warblers were reported to me! Northern Parula was seen at Susquehanna State Park
(RC) and Swan Harbor (FG & JG). A Yellow Warbler was spotted at Susquehanna State Park (RC). MoH
saw on APG a Chestnut-sided Warbler and RC saw 1 at Susquehanna State Park. On May 12th at the Rock
Run Mill Area of Susquehanna State park a Magnolia Warbler was seen (RC). A Cape May Warbler was
in Creswell on May 14th (RC). MoH saw a Yellow-rumped Warbler at Susquehanna State Park on May
24th. A Black-throated Blue Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler and Yellow-throated Warbler were
seen in May at Susquehanna State Park (RC). In Creswell a Blackburnian Warbler was seen in May (RC).
DW saw 2 Pine Warblers at Camp Saffron, Broad Creek on May 21st. RC saw a Prairie Warbler at Eden
Mill on June 17th. MH had a male and female Blackpoll Warbler in her yard in Fallston. A Cerulean
Warbler and Black-and-white Warbler were seen at Susquehanna State Park in May (RC). DS saw 1
American Redstart at Swan Harbor Farm on May 12th. RC saw at Susquehanna State Park a Prothonotary
Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Ovenbird and Northern Waterthrush. FG and JG saw at Swan Harbor
Farm a Louisiana Waterthrush at the end of May. A male Mourning Warbler was singing at Broad Creek
on May 21st. DS saw 2 Common Yellowthroat at Swan Harbor Farm in May. FG heard and saw a male
Canada Warbler in May at Swan Harbor Farm. RC saw a Yellow-breasted Chat at Eden Mill on June 17th.
Tanagers, Sparrows, Grosbeak, Orioles
DW & DK found a nest of a Summer Tanager along with 2 adults on APG June 9th, the first record for
Harford County. MoH saw a Scarlet Tanager at Swan Harbor Farm on May 4th. DW saw a Song Sparrow
feeding a cowbird fledgling along Deer Creek near Sandy Hook Road. A male White-throated Sparrow
was heard singing along Woodrest Creek on APG on June 12th, very late to migrate this year (DW). MoH
saw a Rose-breasted Grosbeak in Havre de Grace on May 3rd. Indigo Buntings were seen at Swan Harbor
Farm (FG, JG, BG, DS) and on APG (MoH). MoH & RC saw Orchard Orioles and Baltimore Orioles at
Susquehanna State Park. MoH also saw Orchard Orioles at Swan Harbor Farm.
Contributors
RC - Rick Cheicante, BC - Bill Collins, FG - Frank Gallo, JG - John Gallo, MH - Marjie Heagy, MoH -
Monroe Harden, DK - Dennis Kirkwood, DL - Dave Larkin, CS - Chris Starling, DS - Don Soubie, dW -
Danny Webb, DW - Dave Webb, MW - Marsha Webb
I want to thank everyone who contributed. The next article will have sightings from July 1 thru August 31, 2006. You can call me with sightings - 410-459-8873 or email me. Please send the reports to me as you see them.
Thanks and Happy Birding!
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Field Trip Schedule
by Colleen Webster
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Return to Table of ContentsPlease return to Eileen Nack, 8 Cresmont Drive, Aberdeen MD 21001 by Friday, September 1, 2006. __________ 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:___________________________
"End of Summer" Picnic Reservation Form