Starting at 7:40am yesterday, Richard Edden and I headed east and then south yesterday for various target birds. After our 4th stop, we realized we had about 75-80 species and decided to go for 100. At the end of the day, we were only at 98 so I went out this morning to get some last-minute birds. By 7:40am this morning, our collective total was at 102. Highlights:
Swan Harbor Farm Park, 8/4/2012, 7:40am: 1 GLOSSY IBIS was in the retention ponds feeding with 10 GREAT EGRETS and the typical Great Blues/Mallards. Shorebirds included SOLITARY, LEAST, and SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS and LESSER YELLOWLEGS. A COOPER'S HAWK attacked the hordes of blackbirds and starlings. MARSH WREN was still in the wetland. SCARLET TANAGER heard on the way out.
Tydings Memorial Park, 8/4/2012, 9:20am: Hundreds of BARN and BANK SWALLOWS. The ratio was about 1:4 Bank:Barn. The majority of the Banks were on the telephone wires, and the majority of the Barns were on the docked boats, probably much to the dismay of the owners. There were also 3 FORSTER'S TERNS.
Bombay Hook, 8/4/2012, 11:40am: Where to begin? 3500 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 2500 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, 200 AMERICAN AVOCETS (lifer for Richard), WESTERN and LEAST SANDPIPERS, 5 STILT SANDPIPERS, 10 GLOSSY IBIS, 1 LAUGHING GULL, FORSTER'S TERNS, 3 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, 250 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, and 15 SNOWY EGRETS in Raymond Pool. A random NORTHERN PINTAIL along with several CASPIAN TERNS at Shearness Pool. Bear Swamp Pool featured CLAPPER RAILS calling and making brief appearances, one of each NIGHT-HERON, and more GLOSSY IBIS. GREAT and SNOWY EGRETS were throughout in large numbers. No on Least Bittern/Black-necked Stilt, but otherwise we hit all of our targets.
Egypt Road, 8/4/2012, 5:00pm: 2 NORTHERN BOBWHITE heard. 1 AMERICAN KESTREL seen as well. FIELD SPARROW and BLUE GROSBEAK singing.
Skimmer Island, 8/4/2012, 7:00pm: 1 LITTLE BLUE HERON, 2 TRICOLORED HERONS, 7 immature BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS, 5 RUDDY TURNSTONES, 2 AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS, 1 COMMON TERN, 1 CASPIAN TERN, 1 BLACK SKIMMER, 50 ROYAL TERNS, 3 BROWN PELICANS, and lots of random peeps running around. Could not pick out Sandwich or Gull-billed Terns, however.
Assateague State Park, 8/4/2012, 8:00pm: 100 SANDERLINGS, 2 each of BLACK-BELLIED and SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, 1 RUDDY TURNSTONE, and a calling CHUCK-WILL'S-WIDOW rounded out the day.
Cromwell Valley Park, 8/4/2012, 7:00am: BLUE JAY, WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH, BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD. These 4 were somehow missed yesterday. Then, after 7:40, I also had CEDAR WAXWING, LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH, and WARBLING VIREO which were also missed yesterday but past the 24-hour time limit. I also had great views of singing male BLUE GROSBEAKS and a family group of ORCHARD ORIOLES.
Tim Carney
Baltimore/Anne Arundel
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