Date: Sat, 6 Jan 2001 20:21:23 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Michael Bowen Subject: Northern Shrike Comments: cc: voice@capaccess.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed This is a message to those of you -- and it seems to be a whole lot of people! -- who go looking for the Northern Shrike along Hughes Rd. just north of River Rd. in Montgomery County. Much of the land thereabouts is owned by a member of the Saudi royal family; he has a resident agent who lives in the low structure just south and west of the main entrance to the Potomac Polo Fields, about 1/4-mile up Hughes Rd. on the left (west) side. This area is part of the Seneca Christmas Count circle, and those of us who counted the area on December 17, 2000 (we didn't see the Shrike then, worse luck) had permission to walk the fields here. That permission DOES NOT extend to the many folks who are now looking for the Shrike hereabouts. So PLEASE do not trespass in this area. Stay strictly on the public roadway. The Saudi property is very extensive and includes some excellent sparrow habitat In the low area to the west near Willard Rd., well away from Hughes Rd.) I am afraid that irresponsible behavior may result in permission for access during counts being withdrawn. Already, I notice that some people have broken through the hedge to the east of Hughes Rd, in order to gain access to the cornfield where the shrike sometimes perches on cornstalks. There is a place near a locked gate, just opposite the main entrance to the polo fields , where there's lots of space to set up scopes and to scan the cornfield. Also, cars should if possible be parked off the road; there are several safe places to do so. Hughes Rd. is not heavily traveled but the vehicles that do use it tend to move at high velocity, so be careful. I have briefed the resident agent, a lady called Sally Carroll, on why there are so many people in the vicinity every day, and she is thrilled that an unusual bird has been seen nearby. I told her that birders would be responsible. Please don't prove me wrong!! She has many dogs, most of them greyhounds; they are very friendly but may unexpectedly jump into the road. Knocking them down would not make you popular with the Montgomery County Chapter of MOS!! I wish you luck in finding the bird. Just be patient; it flies around quite a bit and may be found on either side of Hughes Rd. Mike Bowen D.H. Michael Bowen 8609 Ewing Drive Bethesda MD 20817 (Montgomery County) Tel.: (301)530-5764 dhmbowen@yahoo.com _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================