While looking for field birds today in Caroline County I found 2, perhaps 3
singing DICKCISSELS near Goldsboro. They were in the same little triangle
of beautiful habitat that, in the summer of 2003, Walter Ellison found
swarming with Dickcissels. The area is bounded by Bridgetown Road on the north,
Union Road on the west, and Davis Road on the east. The birds were closest
to Davis Road about 1/2 mile west of the intersection with Bridgetown.
Also in this area was a calling NORTHERN BOBWHITE, in the same place where I'd
heard one in early May, as well as numerous GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS and a
couple of BLUE GROSBEAKS.
Earlier in the day I had another Bobwhite in Wicomico County, at the south
end of Old Bradley Road near the powerlines. I spent some time walking the
Tyler Trail where I was pleased to see 3 YELLOW-THROATED WARBLERS, still
singing. I also stopped at the Rt.313 bridge in Sharptown, where I saw at
least 3 of the previously reported CLIFF SWALLOWS working on their nests. I
looked for Vesper Sparrow in the fields east of Sharptown but could not find
any.
Joel Martin
Catonsville, MD
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