Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2003 13:38:46 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: "Lovelace, Glen (DelDOT)" Subject: Oak Grove Area October update Comments: To: DE-Birds MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Hello All, I am behind on my updates for this month, so please excuse the lateness of some of these reports. 10/2 - took off a couple hours in the morning and was well rewarded. I found a Gray-Cheeked Thrush on Horseshoe Rd at the curve where the road turns away from the railroad. That one was new to the homelist (146 for the year/ 176 all time). At the same spot was a first fall female Cape May Warbler (147). The poor thing was completely drab. Looking at the bird from underneath, I never saw any color (the greenish rump). Other interesting finds included returning Phoebes (3), House Wren (2), Catbird (1). Warblers included Black-throated Green (3), a Parula (singing weakly), a Redstart (also singing weakly), an imm. Blackburnian, Pine, Yellowthroat and the Cape May. 40 species total. 10/3 - another first fall female Cape May found in my parents backyard. This one had a faint yellow wash in the center of the chest and I saw the greenish rump. 10/4 - the first yellow Rumps showed up in my crabapple tree. 10/5 - an excellent day with 52 species (50+ in October is good here) including 9 warblers, but nothing new. First thing out the door, I had a Scarlet Tanager, Rose-Breasted Grosbeak, RC Kinglet and a Blackpoll Warbler in the yard. North Oak Grove Rd was active, but all common birds (several Indigo Buntings still present). The best stop of the day was on Wild Turkey Rd at the small corner of woods just east of the intersection with North Oak Grove. This is not a spot I normally check, but I have recently in a effort to bird all east facing woods in the morning looking for migrant activity. The flock here included a first fall male Cape May, an Immature Chestnut-Sided, a B&W, a Pine, and a Palm, 2 Phoebes, a Catbird and a Towhee. Found another Cape May on Horseshoe Rd at the bend and a Parula at the stream. Other sightings included 2 adult Bald Eagles on the south end of North Oak Grove Rd, a Savannah Sparrow on Oak Grove Rd and on the farm, a Kingfisher and a late Chimney Swift at the pond on the farm. 10/9 - Scarlet Tanager and Blackpoll Warbler still present. 10/11 - both still here, Yellow Rumps up to 5. 3 Greater Yellowlegs flew over, and a flock of ~50 Snow Geese. Usually Snow Geese are not seen this far inland until November. 10/13 - what a difference a cold front makes! The birds made me think it was winter. The only remaining migrant warbler was a single Parula and the Yellow-Rumps had taken over. Instead, I had the first arrivals of bird to spend the winter like White-Throats, 4 Swamp Sparrows, an increase in Song Sparrows, a Winter Wren, a Hermit Thrush, and 3 Sapsuckers. Other good birds included an immature Bald Eagle, a House Wren, 2 Palm Warblers, 3 Pines, 5 Indigo Buntings and 1 Blue Grosbeak remaining. The frustrating thing was a nuthatch type 'enk-enk' that I heard call once. Never saw the bird and it was not enough to decide which flavor (though I leaned toward White-Breasted). I spent a long time looking for this bird since I need any nuthatch for the year. 45 species total. Good Birding, Glen Lovelace III Seaford, DE ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================