Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2001 09:59:29 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: "Lovelace, Glen" Subject: Oak Grove area 4/29 Comments: To: DE-Birds MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Hello All, (DE) Went to Chapel Branch Nature Area near Seaford yesterday morning. Had a good crop of summer residents (both tanagers, wood thrush), a few warblers (4 Parula and a Black-Throated Green) and several winter birds that I had somehow missed in DE to this point in the year (Hermit Thrush, RB Nuthatch, and 5 Ruby Crowned Kinglets). Next stop was the pasture at the crossroads of Woodland and Woodpecker Rds. There was one singing Vesper here and at least 2 grasshoppers (one giving great looks while perched on the fence). Further north on Woodland Rd, a flock of pipits. I found a new puddle - a small retention pond behind the new Gethsemane Church in Reliance. It held 1 Greater and 1 Lesser Yellow and ~30 Least Sands. (MD) Moving on the my homelist circle at Oak Grove, I had one singing Vesper on Oak Grove Rd, then 1 Greater, 1 Lesser Yellow and 1 Solitary Sand in the puddle next to the woods. In the puddle off of Kinder Rd, there were both Yellows, 2 Solitary, 1 Pectoral and 61 Least Sands. In the surrounding woods, I found a Blue-Headed Vireo (a first spring record on my homelist) and a Worm-Eating Warb that has found enough habitat (its usual area was cut down last year). While walking the fields of my grandfather's farm to check my bluebird boxes, I found 2 Grasshopper Sp (DE/MD), a singing Yellow Warb (DE), a Chat that conveniently sang on either side of a Mason-Dixon marker to be counted in both states, a House Wren (MD and another first spring record on my homelist). Also had a Kingfisher at the pond on the farm which is a good year bird. In all, 65 species on the homelist - an April best and a tie of the 2nd best total ever. I was happy :). I ran into Jim Stasz on Oak Grove Rd and got a lead on some good gulls. The location was Indiantown Rd, south of Brookview, Dorchester Co. There is a pig farm at the intersection with Jones Thicket Rd. There were thousands of Laughers, plenty of Herring and Ringers. Jim had told me that there were 7 Lesser Black Backs and an Iceland there too. I managed to pick out 4 Lesser Black Backs, but not the Iceland. Jim, thanks for the tip. Good Birding, Glen Lovelace III Seaford, DE ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================