It may be good to keep in mind 2 different experiences birders had with the bobolinks at Swan Harbor recently. Last Wednesday, 2 of us found them almost immediately, but 2 days ago 8 of us were at that impoundment for about 90 minutes (enjoying not just birds but everything else) before we saw them. I'd given up on them, but suddenly a couple of males flew (unmissable) and were spotted right away. The bobs had been quiet all that time--nearby but hanging out in the middle of the area in the dense vegetation. We didn't see any females that day, but at least one or two are probably there but harder to pick out among all the female red-winged blackbirds.
Tim Houghton
(Glen Arm)
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From: <mdbirding...> [<mdbirding...>] On Behalf Of Tim Carney [<timmyc83...>]
Sent: Monday, July 30, 2012 7:46 PM
To: <mdbirding...>
Subject: [MDBirding] Re: Chesapeake Audubon at Swan Harbor, 7/29, bobolinks
Went up after work today; did not get Bobolink, but got my Harford County PECTORAL SANDPIPERS. There were 2 in the open impoundments on the right side of the entrance road (as you're driving in), along with 3 SOLITARY SANDPIPERS, 5 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, and plenty of LEAST/SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS and KILLDEER. I was able to photograph all 6 shorebirds. Other highlights included YELLOW WARBLER, a flyover BANK SWALLOW, 8+ BLACK VULTURES, 8+ BALD EAGLES, MARSH WREN, and a very healthy colony of PURPLE MARTINS. Most confusing was a family group of flycatchers near the parking lot, which had largish heads and pumped their tails (like Eastern Phoebes) but had clear buffy wingbars (like Eastern Wood-Pewees). I'm counting them as pewees.
Tim Carney
Baltimore/Anne Arundel
On Sunday, July 29, 2012 10:32:20 PM UTC-4, Timothy Houghton wrote:
> A congenial group of 8 people--representing a large range of birding experience--had a great time this morning at Swan Harbor Farm in Harford County. 2 bobolinks in the middle of the new/right/vegetation-covered impoundment were the highlight. Some other particular favorites included many bald eagles (of varied plumage), 4 shorebird species (least sandpiper, killdeer, lesser yellowlegs, solitary sandpiper), a green heron, a double-crested cormorant, and indigo buntings. Bees, wasps, and butterflies were active. We saw a cicada killer with a cicada drop down and go into a tunnel, and we had 4 species of swallowtail: tiger, spicebush, zebra, and black.
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> eBird report below:
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> http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S11230698
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> Tim Houghton
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> (Glen Arm)
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