This morning, I also did the Keymar area birds. What a fantastic spot. Such an array of habitat, full of birds, with plenty of places to pull over and *minimum* traffic.
My first stop was actually Ruhl Road in northern Baltimore County, just south of the PA line, where Kevin Graff reported displaying HORNED LARKS yesterday morning. I wasn't expecting to find anything given the time of day/overcast conditions, but surprised myself by finding 3-4 birds including one displaying male. Thanks, Kevin!
I then headed out to Carroll County to check out all the birds that had recently been reported. The day ended with 59 species; not bad for an overcast afternoon in late spring. Highlights, broken down by road:
Crouse Mill Road: AMERICAN KESTREL on the telephone wires.
Crouse Mill/Sharrett Road intersection: Adult male RED-HEADED WOODPECKER flew over the intersection as I was approaching and perched on a snag over the stream which runs parallel to Crouse Mill Road.
Sharrett Road, railroad tracks: VESPER SPARROW heard but not seen in trees along western edge of rr tracks; GRASSHOPPER SPARROW heard but not seen in field on south side of Sharrett Road, next to rr; immature BLUE GROSBEAK here as well. (I did not get the Red-headed Woodpecker that has been reported here)
Sharrett Road, just east of Rt. 194: DICKCISSEL heard clearly (and recorded) but not seen along a fencerow which runs perpendicular to Sharrett Road. (There was a large patch of thistle here, for an exact location)
(Did not attempt Sixes Bridge Road; too rough and uneven for my car)
Keysville-Bruceville Road, just west of 194: A poor RED-TAILED HAWK was clobbered by a male BALTIMORE ORIOLE and an EASTERN KINGBIRD. The hawk was perched on a telephone pole, with the kingbird perched a foot away, and the oriole a foot away from the kingbird. The oriole was singing loudly, occasionally alighting/hovering over the hawk, then settling back down. The kingbird flew off behind the hawk, turned around, and then attacked the hawk head-on. The hawk flew off, pursued closely by the kingbird, which then landed ON the hawk's head in flight and pecked at it.
Farther down on K-B Road, I had two EASTERN MEADOWLARKS on the telephone wires in full song.
Keysville Road, north of the 4-way intersection (K-B Road turns into Keysville Road on the other side of the intersection): A field on the east side of the road had a singing HORNED LARK, singing VESPER SPARROW, and two singing GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS. The Vesper and one of the Grasshoppers were perched on the telephone wires, where I had clear/prolonged views and was able to record both. The Vesper actually dropped down into the field along the road, where I was able to view it extremely well and could see the chestnut shoulder patch.
Very cool area -- thanks everyone for the tips/locations. Vesper was a lifer for me!
Tim Carney
Baltimore/Anne Arundel
On Monday, June 18, 2012 1:08:35 PM UTC-4, Bob Ringler wrote:
> Yesterday before heading to Washington County to see the Collared Doves I crossed northwest Carroll County and saw or heard all the local breeders at traditional sites in the grasslands.</div>
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> Kestrel - 1 on Keymar Road in Frederick Co.</div>
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> �</div>
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> Red-headed Woodpecker�- 1 adult on Sharrett Road east of the railroad.</div>
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> �</div>
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> Vesper Sparrow�- 1 heard singing along the railroad at Sharrett Road, 1 seen on Sixes Bridge Road just east of Keysville Road, 1 seen singing on Mumma Ford Road in Frederick Co.</div>
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> �</div>
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> Savannah Sparrow�- a pair on the barbed wire fence along Sharrett Road east of the railroad, both carrying food.</div>
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> �</div>
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> Grasshopper Sparrow� - several seen or heard on Sharrett Road & Sixes Bridge Road, and on Keymar Road & Mumma Ford Road in Frederick Co.</div>
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> �</div>
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> Blue Grosbeak - 1 immature male singing on Sixes Bridge Road east of Keysville Road.</div>
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> �</div>
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> Dickcissel - 1 singing male on Sharrett Road just east of Route 194, 4 or 5 on Sixes Bridge Road east of Keysville Road and 1 a half mile west of Keysville Road.</div>
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> �</div>
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> Bobolink - 1 singing male on Keysville-Bruceville Road southeast of Keysville.</div>
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> �</div>
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> Meadowlark - seen or heard in many of these sites, most in the field�with the Bobolink.
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> --
> </div>
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> Bob Ringler</div>
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> Eldersburg MD</div>
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