HI all,
Today Barry and I did our semi-annual run along the Catoctin Ridge (Frederick Co.) -- we start along Fish Hatchery Rd, then follow Mountaindale Rd, Delauter Rd, Gambrills Park Rd., and Tower Rd to Rt. 77. This year we were late doing the transect so there were virtually no migrants, but breeding birds were in and most were quite vocal. The number of Red-eyed Vireos and Ovenbirds seemed about normal, Scarlet Tanagers way down compared to last year and Redstarts numbers also seemed depressed although still one of the most common warblers. We checked areas where last year we had both Hooded and Kentucky Warblers and only heard one Hooded, no Kentuckies were heard at 2012's sites.
One surprise was a Ruffed Grouse flushed from the side of Delauter Rd (in a very narrow stretch with dense woods on either side); it flew off with whirring wings into the forest. Haven't seen or heard a grouse in this area for years. The other big news was 7 Cerulean Warblers heard (several well-seen) along Gambrills -Tower Rd -- there were two single birds and two areas with several singing males in loose proximity, which is not unusual (many of us recall the now-vanished "cluster" of breeding Ceruleans along the C&O Canal.) Drive slowly with windows down -- and of course, please, no tapes...
Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
Colesville, MD
Birds of interest:
May 29, 2013 7:30 AM - 11:30 AM
14.0 mile(s)
Comments: Driving transect Fish Hatchery Rd. - Mountaindale Rd. - Delauter Rd. - Gambrills Park Rd. - Tower Rd (to Rt. 77) up to and along Catoctin Ridge.
58 species (+2 other taxa)
Ruffed Grouse 1 flushed from roadside along Delauter Rd.
Green Heron 1 (Fish Hatchery ponds)
Pileated Woodpecker 2
Eastern Wood-Pewee 8
Acadian Flycatcher 10
Eastern Phoebe 5
Great Crested Flycatcher 6
Eastern Kingbird 3
Warbling Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 35-40 estimate
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 4
Barn Swallow 3
House Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4
Veery 2
Wood Thrush 12
Cedar Waxwing X heard only
Ovenbird 25 estimate; heard all along route in wooded areas
Worm-eating Warbler 2 (Delauter Rd.)
Louisiana Waterthrush 2
Black-and-white Warbler 3
Common Yellowthroat 1
Hooded Warbler 1 heard only
American Redstart 15 most common in woodland with good understory
Cerulean Warbler 7 all singing males (no females seen)
Magnolia Warbler 1
Blackpoll Warbler 2
Eastern Towhee 1
Chipping Sparrow 4
Scarlet Tanager 6
Indigo Bunting 2
Orchard Oriole 2
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