Richard Edden, Nick Puts, and I went to Garrett County today to look for any remaining breeders. It was quite a different experience from my May/June trips, when the birds were active and vocal. Today they were quiet, and I only saw about half of what I saw earlier this year. No woodpeckers, Catharus thrushes, or cuckoos at all. However, we still saw a lot. Itinerary/highlights below:
Finzel Swamp, 10:00 - Silent and devoid of birds at 10:00. I was excited when a Field Sparrow popped up.
New Germany, 11:00 - Nearly all the conifers along the upper parking lot/ranger's station were also silent and devoid of birds. We did find a family group of 5-7 MAGNOLIA WARBLERS at the parking lot. Further down the purple trail, we stumbled across several very cooperative mixed flocks at lower elevations. CANADA WARBLER, BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, BLUE-HEADED VIREO, and RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH all made appearances.
Big Run Rd, 1:20 - Watched several birds bathing in the roadside stream and taking cover in the rhododendrons. The best was a clean spring male CANADA WARBLER. Also: BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER, and several SCARLET TANAGERS.
Frank Brenneman Road, 1:30 - Nice mixed warbler flock, including WORM-EATING WARBLER, HOODED WARBLER, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, MAGNOLIA WARBLER, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, AMERICAN REDSTART, and BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER.
Swallow Falls, 3:00 - Absolutely packed with people and they were parked below the trees where I normally look for warblers. We found a mixed flock comprised of BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, MAGNOLIA WARBLER, and RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH near the ranger's station (where Maple Glade Road turns from asphalt to dirt). Maple Glade itself was eerily silent, except for 2 BLUE-HEADED VIREOS and 2 flyover COMMON RAVENS. I talked it up as the most diverse and birdy stop of the whole trip, when it was actually the quietest.
The Dip (Between Swallow Falls & Herrington Manor), 4:30 - CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, MAGNOLIA WARBLER, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, BLUE-HEADED VIREO, and scores of BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES made for a nice stop.
Cranesville Swamp, 5:00 - BLACK-THROATED GREEN and MAGNOLIA WARBLERS at eye level, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLERS carrying food, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES honking in the trees, and a Ruffed Grouse tail feather (can I count that on eBird?) were the highlights of the swamp itself, and then we saw AMERICAN KESTREL, BROWN THRASHER, and PURPLE FINCH on Cranesville Road near the entrance.
Westernport Road, 7:35 - NORTHERN PARULA, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, and BELTED KINGFISHER rounded out this brief stop.
Russell Road, 7:50 - 2 singing HENSLOW'S SPARROWS and 3 EASTERN MEADOWLARKS finished off our day.
Thanks to Mikey Lutmerding for emailing Richard so many helpful tips on where to go for our target birds!
Tim Carney
Baltimore/Anne Arundel
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