Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2003 11:41:55 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Chris Starling Subject: Various birds 6/20-22 Greetings, It has been a while since I posted anything here. I spent most of May concentrating on birding the Delaware Coast and the weather has really done much to get me out lately around Cecil County, plus I have been traveling lately. Despite this I did manage to make a few casual observations around the northeastern part of our great state. Friday while working at the marina I was able to confirm a few species for my atlas block. The most notable was Baltimore Oriole. I had been hearing and seeing a male Oriole in the marina glades all spring but finally saw him carrying food on Friday. Also I had White-eyed vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Eastern Wood Pewee, Great-crested Flycatcher, and Pine Warbler in the Marina. Saturday I spent most of the day tending to house occasionally listening and looking outside for yard birds. (Parke, I'll be emailing you a list of confirmed breeding birds -I believe I am in one of your atlas blocks). Anyway the best bird of the day was a Barred Owl that my wife and I flushed from the ground just inside the woods next to our yard. (Han's this happened as soon as I hung up the phone with you). Above the owl were the Ospreys which have successfully nested in the same dead tree now two years in a row. Other birds around the owl included Red-eyed Vireo, White-eyed Vireo, Northern Parula, Common Yellowthroat, Catbird, Baltimore Oriole, and various feeder birds. they all seemed to be quite irritated the Owl was there. Often when my wife is home alone on late evenings she tells me that she hears the owl calling from the woods. Also, in Shelter Cove (in front of my house) we had a rare visit from a Great Egret on Sunday. Sunday I spent most of the day in the dark basement/recording studio of a Jarrettsville residence. during one of our breaks I went out and was delighted to hear a good number of recognizable song. Included were: Great- crested Flycatcher, Catbird (12+), Baltimore Oriole, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, Eastern kingbird and one very loud offensive sounding Pea Fowl (neighbors pet) Good Birding, Chris Starling North East, MD ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================