Date: Tue, 1 Aug 2000 09:45:12 EDT Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Gail Mackiernan Subject: Western Maryland Sun/Mon Hi all -- Thwarted by USAirways in our plans to take a long weekend in Maine (don't ask!-- they couldn't find a pilot qualified to play the Airbus plane which sat at our gate for hours until they finally cancelled the flight too late to get any of us on a decent flight later that day...) we decided to cut our losses and keep our bags packed and head out to western Maryland for another round of "let's try and find the birds when they don't want to be found..." We left pre-dawn Sunday, and started our count as we entered Washington Co., visisting Green Ridge State Forest, Old Legislative Rd. field south of Frostburg, Jasper Riley Rd. sewage farm, Swallow Falls State Park, Cranesville bog, Mt. Nebo WMA, Backbone Mt., Allegany Co. sewage ponds, Blairs Valley WMA. We didn't visit Finzel Swamp because on Sunday the road in was itself a swamp! Other than that, and a late evening thunderboomer that ended any chance of Saw-Whet Owls at Cranesville, and a brief shower Monday, we managed to avoid the threatened rain all two days. Our final tally was 95 species, with some highlights and also strange misses. the best bird was undoubtedly the scope-filling views we had of an adult HENSLOW'S SPARROW at Old Legislative Rd. field, where we also saw a juvenile, plus Vesper and Grasshopper Sparrow. We had a good total of 17 warbler species, including 10 in one mixed flock along Maple Glade Rd. at Swallow Falls. Best was MOURNING, heard but not well-seen at Backbone Mt. We were also interested to see a party of three MYRTLE WARBLERS at Swallow Falls (has anyone confirmed them breeding in Maryland yet?). We dipped completely on Golden-winged despite a valiant effort. A cooperative ALDER FYCATCHER was right off Muddy Creek Rd. at Cranesville, possibly feeding young. The only wren was WINTER WREN. We had no Ravens, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks or Juncoes. Shorebirds at the two sewage works included Semipalmated Plover, Semipalmated, Solitary, Spotted, and Pectoral Sandpiper but no Yellowlegs. Few birds were singing, mostly the ubiquitous Indigo Buntings and Towhees, and in forest, Blue-headed Vireo and Hermit Thrush. We did best with pishing and screech owl imitations, did not use any tapes. Cheers, Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper ========================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ========================================================================== ==========================================================================