This thread of descriptions has evoked my own memories of ANS trips down to Elliott Island with Hal Wiernga and prompted a couple of observations (readily subject to editing by Hal's better memory) 1.) - - that the Black Rails did not usually call until considerably later than people have mentioned these days . . .11:30 or even midnight, 2.) that another possible cause for the rails' decline was a well- intentioned effort to establish barn owls in boxes out in the marsh several years ago which did not take account of how a black rail in the reeds looked little different -- to an owl -- than mice, voles, etc., and that the rail population seemed to have been affected soon after. 3.) that the whip-poor-wills' calling was usually north of the marshes - - in the woods near, and west of, the intersection of Henry's Crossing Rd. and Elliott Island Rd.
Leo Weigant
On Jun 11, 2012, at 4:02 PM, <birdingcouple...> wrote:
> Hi all _ I was out on E I Road last night until 10pm. Beautiful > sunset, fireflies over the marsh, lots of Va Rails and a distant > Common Gallinule, but did not have Black Rail calling. > > Good Birding! > Warren Strobel > Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry > From: "Gail B. Mackiernan %<3Ckatahdinss...>%3E" > <katahdinss...> > Sender: <mdbirding...> > Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2012 15:17:39 +0000 (UTC) > Cc: <mdbirding...> > Subject: Re: [mdbirding] Night Birding -Elliott Island Rd > > Since you didn't mention them, assume no sound of Black Rails? Does > anyone know if they are there this year? Numbers have of course > precipitously declined since the "olden days" -- e.g. 1980s and > earlier -- and they seem to be barely hanging on now in what was > once a stronghold. I have heard from a number of sources that > burning of marshes in both Maryland and, especially, on their > wintering grounds has been a major contributor to this decline, > which is not limited to Maryland. Marsh burning is very destructive > to the fragile soils of this habitat and contributes to incursion > of invasive plants and loss of land to open water, as well as being > harmful to native animals. (My marine biologist hat speaking). > > Back in the 1980s and even early 90s it was not at all unusual to > drive the Elliot Island Road after dark and hear perhaps 10-15 > calling. Folks would sometimes tape them out but of course that is > totally out of line today. One could also hear and often see > Henslow's Sparrows at Savanna Lake (at the very start of the road) > but they too are a thing of the past. In about 1985 Jay Sheppard > and I went with Arnold Small to the Delaware Bay and stopped on the > way back so Arnold could hear (and see in the fading light) a > singing male at Savanna Lake, a species he had not seen in 20+ years. > > We are fortunate that this species has a toehold still in some of > the western MD sites, and I echo Bill Hubick's thoughts on > sensitive species... > > Gail Mackiernan > Colesville, MD > > From: "Lin Just" <ljustrn...> > To: <mdbirding...> > Sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 11:00:01 AM > Subject: [mdbirding] Night Birding -Elliott Island Rd > > Sorry this is late, have been trying to catch up on sleep between > birding and working! Sat. night, my husband Jim and I decided to > go on our yearly trek to Elliott Island Rd. for some night > birding. We started off at Blackwater NWR where best birds were > RED HEADED WOODPECKERS at the beginning of the wildlife drive, > SUMMER TANAGER, off Little Egypt Rd. by the Kiosk and GRASSHOPPER > SPARROWS in the fields off Little Egypt Rd. Shorebirds included > WHITE RUMPED SANPIPERS (5), SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS(9), GREATER and > LESSER YELLOWLEGS and SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. Elliott Island Rd., > was fascinating as always. It's such a surreal place, one that I > can't believe still exists in this, unfortunately, ever developing > world. Highlights were a total of 16 (at least), VIRGINIA RAILS, a > LEAST BITTERN in flight, PRAIRIE WARBLER, seen well. The sounds of > the MARSH WRENS and SEASIDE SPARROWS filled the air. As the night > fell, we were able to hear 3 CHUCK-WILLS-WIDOWS on Kraft Neck Rd., > despite the deafening sounds of the frogs -( by the way, anyone > know the name of those odd sounding frogs)? I remember it being > much easier in years past to find the chucks as well as the whips- > although I haven't heard whips here in several years. We did locate > 4 WHIPS and 2 CHUCKS off North Tara Rd. south of Federalsburg > (thanks to the postings on E-bird!) I listed all my bird sightings > on e-bird, As always, have fun birding! > > Lin Just > Colora, Md > (also at <crazy4wildbirds...>) > > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the > Google Groups Maryland & DC Birding group. > To change email options, visit this group on the web at https:// > groups.google.com/d/forum/mdbirding?hl=en > Posts can be sent to the group by sending an email to > <mdbirding...> > Guidelines for posting are available at https://sites.google.com/ > site/mdbirdinghost/f/guidelines.pdf > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the > Google Groups Maryland & DC Birding group. > To change email options, visit this group on the web at https:// > groups.google.com/d/forum/mdbirding?hl=en > Posts can be sent to the group by sending an email to > <mdbirding...> > Guidelines for posting are available at https://sites.google.com/ > site/mdbirdinghost/f/guidelines.pdf
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