Date: Sat, 8 Jun 2002 05:12:38 EDT Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Marshall Iliff Subject: Sedge Wren still in Garrett County MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit MDOsprey and conventioneers, Yesterday 7 Jun 2002 I visited the Mosser Road crossing of Cherry Creek with my Victor Emanuel Nature Tours group I was guiding through Western Maryland. At 10:00 a.m. a Sedge Wren was singing at the same location I had it 22 May, suggesting very strongly that they are nesting (or will nest) here. The location is on the south side of the road and east side of the creek, about 50 yards south of the road near a flowering hawthorn tree. At times the bird was actually sitting in the lone flowering hawthorn (only tree out in the grass of the glades) and in the bushes nearby (to the northeast). Atlasers and convention-goers may want to keep tabs on this bird and keep careful watch for breeding behavior. Try visiting at night and in early morning as well, as those are the best time for song activity in this species. The Atlas safe dates begin 10 June, so this is not even an atlas record yet. Those safe dates are _extremely_ safe, and I have little doubt that this is a breeder and not a migrant. Sedge Wren has been suspected, but never confirmed, asa nester in Garrett County. I have two records prior to this year, plus an additional three birds this year (detailed in earlier message). It would be interesting to compile the Garrett records at some point. Good luck and keep us posted on potential breeding activity of this bird. Best, Marshall Iliff miliff@aol.com Annapolis, MD PS - Also, at Finzel Swamp, we had 3-4 Virginia Rails in the same area reported in my May 19-22 message. ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================