Yesterday I went to Western MD with Dovid Kozlovsky, Heidi Trasatti, and DJ Trasatti yesterday for a full-day birding adventure. We left Towson at 5:30am and I didn't get home until 10pm!
Our first stop was Old Legislative Road in Allegany Co, where the HENSLOW'S SPARROWS were incredibly cooperative. One was perched and singing in the same bush for the entire duration of our visit. I counted 3 total. Other highlights included EASTERN MEADOWLARK, GRASSHOPPER SPARROW, and WILLOW FLYCATCHER, but no Golden-winged Warbler. We also checked the 3-way intersection farther south on Old Legislative - no luck.
Next was Finzel Swamp, where we heard a PURPLE FINCH but couldn't locate it in the parking lot. In the swamp itself, we found WILLOW FLYCATCHERS, heard a HOODED WARBLER and saw a CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, and watched a grackle chase off a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK.
Swallow Falls State Park was our 3rd and most productive spot, especially Maple Glade Road near the campsite area. I counted 8 BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS, 7 BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS, and 4 OVENBIRDS throughout the park. A MAGNOLIA WARBLER dropped low, giving DJ a great view at a life bird for him, and a BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER was equally as cooperative. The most cooperative, however, was a BLUE-HEADED VIREO who perched right over us and sang for 5 minutes, allowing a great photo opportunity. A male SCARLET TANAGER was feeding a wing-whirring female, and a pair of BROAD-WINGED HAWKS tending to some loud youngsters in a nest. In the campsite playground area, a LEAST FLYCATCHER was calling and foraging. Both CUCKOOS and a PILEATED WOODPECKER were heard as well, and 3 "Baltimore winter birds" were nesting and foraging actively: HERMIT THRUSH, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, DARK-EYED JUNCO.
Heidi and DJ parted ways, and Dovid and I continued on. We drove along Cranesville Road, where we had an EASTERN MEADOWLARK and FIELD SPARROW on the Garrett side, and a BOBOLINK on the West Virginia side. I need this for my MD year list and was tempted to chase it across the state line!
We decided to skip Cranesville Swamp and went to "The Dip," the lowest point between Swallow Falls and Herrington Manor, where two streams converge. A CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER dropped to eye level with food in its beak, and I also heard BLACKBURNIAN and MAGNOLIA songs from the trees. Most unusual was a very loud VEERY.
Herrington Manor was incredibly quiet, and I couldn't hear any Alder Flycatchers, so we left within 15 minutes. It was the slowest time of the afternoon anyway, so we decided to spend that time driving back for another attempt at the Golden-wings.
We checked Good Hope Road in Garrett County, where an AMERICAN KESTREL was a nice find, but no Golden-wings. We figured our best shot was another round at Old Legislative.
But first, I wanted the Alder Flycatcher and Dovid wanted the Purple Finch at Finzel. We succeeded. The PURPLE FINCH was singing (and visible!) in the trees along the entrance, where the residents have birdfeeders in their yards. Two other birders in the swamp itself told us where to find the VIRGINIA RAIL and ALDER FLYCATCHER and both were located within 10 minutes.
Back at Old Legislative, we went down to the 3-way intersection and immediately noticed more activity than in the morning. AMERICAN REDSTARTS, YELLOW WARBLERS, COMMON YELLOWTHROATS, and INDIGO BUNTINGS were everywhere. We heard a low buzz, which turned out to be a beautiful BLUE-WINGED WARBLER. A few minutes later, there it was -- a GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER popped up and chipped at us for at least 5 minutes. It wasn't singing, but was active. This was at about 7:30. Two unexpected highlights were a LEAST BITTERN that flew overhead, and a kettle of 5 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS.
With 2 hours of daylight remaining, we decided to look for the nearest location where Dickcissels had been found in the past month, so I checked eBird and it took us to Broadfording/Spickler Roads in Washington County. Within 15 minutes, we found 3 DICKCISSELS, 5 EASTERN MEADOWLARKS, and a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW. We then drove home, exhausted but satisfied.
Thanks to everyone who emailed me privately with tips on Old Legislative and Finzel -- they really paid off.
Tim Carney
Baltimore/Anne Arundel
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