Date:         Tue, 29 May 2001 11:19:34 -0400
Reply-To:     Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
Sender:       Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
From:         Jerry and Laura Tarbell <birdersforever@EROLS.COM>
Subject:      Re: Dickcissel, YCNHs, Henslow's, Grouse,etc. etc. (longish)
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Stan,
We bumped into you while you were eating lunch at Mt. Nebo. The most reliable
site for Canadas is New Germany State Park. Walk the trail downstream from the
lake. We had several singing males and a couple of good looks. I know some
equally good spots but they involve killer hikes that ford a sizable stream into
rather rugged country. My wife hates it back there. We didn't have your luck with
the mournings on Roth Rock. Only one member of our party got a half decent glance
at one. We had a Henslow's on Aaron Run in the scope for several minutes.
Jerry Tarbell

Stan Arnold wrote:

> Hi Folks,
>
> Three days of birding in western MD produced a treasure trove of interesting
> sightings and some spectacular looks at the birds most of us go chase, once
> migration slows to a trickle back in the coastal plain.  Joan DeCarli and I
> spent two days birding Garrett Co., where we were graciously shown around by
> Jon Boone, who not only put us onto numerous excellent birds, but also wowed
> us with his impressive paintings of local birds.  While Jon led us up Roth
> Rock Rd. (Table Rock) to see the MOURNING WARBLERs, we ran into Elliot and
> Nancy Kirchbaum, who joined us for several more hours of birding.  There we
> heard and glimpsed at least three singing Mourning Warblers.
>
> After two days in Garrett Co., today (Mon.) we headed east by way of
> Legislative Rd. and Green Ridge State Forest in Alleghany Co., where John
> Maloney joined us, and we finished the day in Frederick Co., where we were
> successful in finding DICKCISSEL, HORNED LARK, VESPER SPARROW, and
> YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON, but no Loggerhead Shrike.
>
> Highlights of the trip were the close views of  RUFFED GROUSE and UPLAND
> SANDPIPER, and SCOPE views of ALDER and LEAST FLYCATCHERs, GOLDEN-WINGED
> WARBLER, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, HOODED WARBLER, BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER,
> BLUE-HEADED VIREO, VESPER SPARROW, BOBOLINK, and PURPLE FINCH, and an
> absolutely unbelievable ten minutes of HENSLOW'S SPARROW at a range of 35
> feet, IN THE SCOPE.  Joan and I took turns at the scope, verbalizing all the
> field marks we had just reviewed in Sibley, NGS, and Peterson.  The bird
> stayed on the same sprig of grass the entire time, doing nothing more than
> turning back to front, then front to back, so that we could study every
> feather.  Could this have really been a sparrow?  Incredible.
>
> All in all, we got all of our targets, except for Saw-whet Owl, Pine Siskin,
> and, surprisingly, Canada Warbler.  Joan picked up eleven lifers, I picked
> up eleven year birds, and John Maloney picked up four year birds today
> (Mon).  HIGHLIGHTS, listed by county, with particulars:
>
>     GARRETT COUNTY:
>
> RUFFED GROUSE--walking along Cranesville Rd., just north of Muddy Creek Rd.
> at 6:15 a.m. on 5/26.  It was hardly fazed as we backed up to get within
> about 20 feet for some great looks.
>
> UPLAND SANDPIPER--two sitting atop fence posts near the end of Norris Welch
> Rd.  These birds were posing for pictures.
>
> RED-HEADED WOODPECKER--Pleasant Valley Rd. (eastward extension, next to
> collapsed barn).
>
> ALDER FLYCATCHER--best views were atop the snags at Mt Nebo WMA, where one
> was present for nearly an hour on Sat., but totally absent on Sun.; also
> seen at Muddy Creek Rd., just off Cranesville Rd.
>
> WILLOW FLYCATCHER--Norris Welch Rd., on left, where county maintenance of
> road ends.  There were at least four singing.
>
> LEAST FLYCATCHER--everywhere
>
> COMMON RAVEN--a pair that may be nesting at Mt. Nebo WMA, just north of
> Oakland.  We seemed to disturb one of these birds when we first entered the
> area, and it croaked for quite a while.  Later, we saw the pair flying high
> over the area.
>
> CLIFF SWALLOW--in addition to the usuals under the US 219 bridge over Deep
> Creek Lake, we saw these birds on the wire over Muddy Creek Rd., just off of
> Cranesville Rd.
>
> GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET--seen in the pines along Cranesville Rd., on the
> north side of Muddy Creek (the creek, not the road), and also in the pines
> in the Potomac State Forest at the end of White Church Rd.
>
> GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER--widespread, but we obtained excellent scope views at
> Mt. Nebo WMA, where one perched obligingly atop dead snags, and even better
> scope views at the trailhead of 5.5 mile Trail, which is at the bottom of a
> VERY steep hill along Herrington Manor Rd., north of the entrance to
> Herrington Manor State Park, but before the Swallow Falls entrance.
>
> CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER--absolutely everywhere.
>
> MAGNOLIA WARBLER--end of White Church Rd. (see GC Kinglet)
>
> YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER--in pines along Cranesville Rd. on north side of Muddy
> Creek, with GC Kinglets
>
> BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER--many locations, but abundant at the trailhead of 5.5 m
> ile trail (see GW Warbler), and in pines in Potomac State Forest at end of
> White Church Rd.
>
> MOURNING WARBLER--three or more singing, upper half of Roth Rock Rd. (Table
> Rock).
>
> VESPER SPARROW--two viewed in scope at large field on north side of
> Combination Rd.
>
> HENSLOW'S SPARROW--very disappointing in Garrett Co.  During an hour at
> Combination Rd., part of which time it was raining, I only heard three
> vocalizations of this bird, and never saw it.  No definitive sighting at all
> was made at Aaron Run Rd.  Our good sighting was in Alleghany Co. (see).
>
> DARK-EYED JUNCO--several along Roth Rock Rd.
>
> BOBOLINK--several along Combination Rd., one viewed in scope
>
> PURPLE FINCH--a pair observed in a tree at Swallow Falls State Park, next to
> parking lot.
>
>     ALLEGHANY CO.:
>
> WARBLING VIREO--campground on Kaeskamp Rd. in Green Ridge State Forest
>
> BLUE-WINGED WARBLER--along Old Legislative Rd. (see Henslow's Sparrow for
> directions)
>
> GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER, at corner of Green Ridge Rd. and Kirk Rd. in Green
> Ridge State Forest (described in Claudia Wild's book)
>
> CERULEAN WARBLER--along Green Ridge Rd., in Green Ridge State Forest
>
> HENSLOW'S SPARROW--incredible looks in field on hill off of Old Legislative
> Rd., where seen by many last year, and in the exact location where Joe
> Halpin and I got excellent views a year ago.  Directions:  From I-68 south
> of Frostburg, MD, take exit 33, and go south on Old Legislative for 2.3
> miles.  At the intersection with Klondike Rd., go "sort of" straight across,
> and the paved road becomes gravel.  Drive 250 yards from the intersection,
> and park at the red gate on the right.  On the left side of the road is a
> dirt (4-wheeler) trail that goes up the grassy hill.  Follow this to the
> top, until another dirt/grassy trail crosses.  At the far left corner of
> this intersection of the two trails is where the Henslow's hangs out.  There
> are 6 or 7 tiny bushes in this area.
>
>    FREDERICK CO.
>
> HORNED LARK and VESPER SPARROW, two each seen in a dirt field on west side
> of Cap Stine Rd., just south of its intersection with S. Renn Rd.
>
> DICKCISSEL--after several trips up and down Cap Stine Rd. on both Friday and
> today (Mon., 5/28), without finding this bird, we decided to do a little
> exploring off the beaten path.  From Cap Stine Rd., we headed east on Manor
> Woods Rd., and in about 1/2 mile, abeam a huge radio tower on the right, I
> heard the familiar vocalization.  We only had one bird singing, which we got
> in the scope, as this was a lifer for Joan.  While we were watching the
> Dickcissel, a COMMON RAVEN flew in, and landed on the tower.  I suspect this
> may be one of the breeders from Sugarloaf Mountain, nearby.  Directions:
> >From I-70 near Frederick, take exit 52 (US 15/340) south, and make the first
> exit for Mt. Zion Rd.  Instead of turning right onto Mt. Zion, turn left,
> and this becomes Cap Stine Rd.  Follow Cap Stine about 2 1/2 to 3 miles
> south, and turn left on Manor Woods Rd.  Go about half a mile, and pull over
> abeam the large radio tower on the right (there is a long, flat beige
> building in the foreground).  This will be just before getting to a compound
> with a lot of trucks in it.  The dickcissel was singing on the thistle
> plants.
>
> YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON--there were two at Lilypons (have they nested
> here before???) Take the main path back from the "store" area (where they
> sell goldfish and plants), and the birds were in the first set of
> impoundments on the left, where one was seen last year.
>
> Despite a good dose of rain and fog, the weekend could hardly have been more
> productive.
>
> Stan Arnold
> Glen Burnie
> blackrail@earthlink.net
>
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