Date: Thu, 6 Sep 2001 18:08:06 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Fred Shaffer Subject: Schoolhouse Pond fall migrants I had a wonderful early morning walk at Schoolhouse Pond this morning and finally got some fall migrants at the pond. Usually I walk the entire distance around the pond before work, but today I only made it part of the way around as I saw so many birds. First I heard the alarm/flight call of a shorebird. The bird circled the pond and I got good looks at the bill, underside, and wings to determine that it was a dowitcher. I also repeatedly heard its flight call, which after listening to my Stokes CD, determined that the call matched that of a Short Bill Dowitcher. The call was much lower and sharper than what was recorded for a Long Billed Dowitcher. Than, I always check a particular tree along the backside of the pond which seems to me to be significantly taller than all of the surrounding trees and seems to be a favorite of songbirds at times. Today, there were literally birds all over the top portion of the tree. The ones which I could clearly identify were a female Wilson's Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Eastern Peewee (calling), two empid. flycatchers, two Red Eyed Vireo, Great Crested Flycatcher, Olive Sided Flycatcher (I got great looks at this bird), several Cardinals, and several Chicadees. Also present, in different areas were the usual Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, Wood Ducks, White Eyed Vireo, Song Sparrow (singing from the same tree all summer), and Catbirds. Fred Shaffer Crofton, AA fshaffer3@aol.com ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================