Tim and I did a Christmas Count last year at the Monocacy Natural Resources Area and while there, we opined that it might be good for spring birding and we decided we'd check it out. So we did just that yesterday but given how cold, slow, and windy this spring has been, we still really don't know if it is worth a return visit. First off, we checked the hunting dates on the DNR website quite carefully but not carefully enough. Turns out you have to go to a separate website for Wild Turkey to find the spring hunting dates (which end May 23). What they really need - as do all the WMAs - is a google calendar where they can state clearly what's open on a given date. So we arrived, and sure enough, the decals on the trucks in the parking lot told us that these were hunters. On went the blaze orange vests and hats. We did encounter two hunters heading out having already bagged their bird, and heard the gobbler call of another hunter.
So it is great habitat and very pretty. The main trail is heavily wooded with lots of understory vegetation, running along a rather noisy and fast stream. We had one Kentucky Warbler, one Redstart, one Louisiana Waterthrush, many Northern Parulas, several Great-crested Flycatchers, numerous Ovenbirds, numerous Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, numerous Yellow-Rumps. About six Scarlet Tanagers. Several Wood Thrush. That main trail veers left away from the stream. There is a side trail to the stream that is basically the same habitat. Several Red-eyed Vireos along this side trail. The main trail continues to a fence at the property line. As you head back, you can turn right into what is immediately a more open area. There was a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, an Indigo Bunting.
We then hiked Sugarloaf and heard one Black-throated Green and a couple of Black-and-White Warblers, along with many Ovenbirds and a couple of Scarlet Tanagers.
Today we decided to stay more local - why waste gas and time going distances if the weather pattern hasn't changed? And that decision proved wise. We went up to Riley's Lock and found one Baltimore Oriole, one Prothonotary, lots of Ovenbirds, lots of Parulas, lots of Great-crested Flycatchers and one Red-eyed Vireo.
We stopped at the Maryland Conservation Area on the way back down River Road. Found one more Baltimore Oriole, many Wood Thrush.
Somewhere out there is a grinch who stole spring migration from the East Coast.
Ellen Paul & Tim Boucher
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