Date: 6/18/12 3:06 pm
From: stan arnold <thrushhost...>
Subject: [MDBirding] [MDbirding] Three ravens at Swan Creek; ducks continue


Hi Folks,

During a survey at Swan Creek (AA County by Key Bridge) this morning
(Monday, 6/18) I encountered a COMMON RAVEN near the north cell. It
circled around the large abandoned building adjacent to the cell, calling
much of the time, then flew directly over my head at about 50 feet up. It
appeared to be missing some tail feathers. As it circled again over the
building, it was joined by yet another raven, and the two cavorted for a
while, and then a *third* raven joined the two, and they flew together to
the north end of the property, returned, and then disappeared when they
went off together toward the northeast. I don't know if this was mom and
the kids, or if the birds were uniform in age; my eye could not make any
distinction among them. This is the 10th consecutive month that I have
observed raven at this property. Since we don't have any rocky cliffs
nearby, I have often pondered whether they might try to nest on some part
of the nearby power plant, where there are certainly some cliff-like
settings offered by the large concrete structures. Where ever they are
nesting, they have been making frequent visits to this Patapsco River venue.

The out-of-season ducks also continue in the north cell of the property:
one male RING-NECKED DUCK, one male LESSER SCAUP, three RUDDY DUCKs and a
pair of BLACK DUCKs. During a survey on Saturday I also encountered both a
male and female GADWALL swimming together in the north cell. I had six
species of wader today: Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little
Blue Heron, Cattle Egret, and Black-crowned Night Heron (all adults, when
age could be determined).

Also of note was an early (or late) CASPIAN TERN, in the north cell.
LEAST TERNs have not been common here this year, but there were two of them
in the mitigated wetlands this morning. On Saturday I saw the property's
first COMMON TERNs of the year on the river pilings to the east of the
property, two of them.

Stan Arnold
Ferndale, MD
<thrushhost...>


*** NOTE: Swan Creek/Cox Creek is an active industrial site and mitigation
project in northern Anne Arundel Co. Access is at the end of Kembo Road off
Fort Smallwood Road near 695. The site is open ONLY Monday through Friday,
7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Please be in your car and leaving at 3:30 p.m..
Remember to always sign in at the office, to be on your best behavior
(people have worked hard to coordinate this access), and to stick to
permitted areas. This Swan Creek map linked here details where you are and
aren't allowed to walk. http://www.billhubick.com/docs/swan_creek_map.jpg.
***