Date: Mon, 8 Jul 2002 18:37:07 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Paul Woodward Subject: McKee-Beshers WMA (Mont Co) 7-7-02 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit 7 July 2002 Too nice a day to stay inside so I came out for a couple hours. Came in on River Rd to check the overhead wires, returned and then drove to the impoundments on Hunting Quarter Rd, mainly to look for the Yellow-crowned Night Herons. Although there was still some water left in the swamp, I didn't see the herons. Walked around the impoundments. Finished the day by walking from the 1st parking lot on Sycamore Landing Rd to River Rd to Hughes Rd ., returning along the same route. Still a fair number of birds singing-Mourning Dove,Acadian Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, House Wren, Wood Thrush, Am. Robin, Northern Parula, Prairie Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Eastern Towhee, Field Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Cardinal, and Indigo Bunting. Direct evidence of breeding were a male Orchard Oriole feeding a fledgling and a female Wood Duck with young. The calling orioles attracted a male Blue Grosbeak. Also heard another one singing in the overgrown field north of River Rd. A sign of the changing season was the swallows. The nesting trees were almost all gone( I only saw one), but there were 42 rough-wings (almost twice the number from a week ago) on the wires along River Road. There were also 5 male Purple Martins(a rare bird here) calling and flying around the impoundments. On a down note there was one of the Mallards they use for dog training swimming around with a broad piece around the body tying the wings so they couldn't move at all. Paul Woodward Fairfax City, VA 22032 grackling@worldnet.att.net ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================