Date: Thu, 4 Mar 2004 17:09:10 -0800 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Ole Buck Subject: Re: Directions In-Reply-To: <001901c40080$ff3b8080$2d6185c0@dataprompt.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Evening all. This was originally for a fellow birder who asked me off-list for directions to Beavue Ponds. After writing it I thought maybe some other folks might find the directions useful as well. So if you already know where the Ponds are just ignore this email. :) Good luck with the owls Helen!! Sorry for the delay, I actually had to look up the road names. I didn't even know I didn't even know them! :) If you are coming from the Waldorf area you'll want to head south on RT 5 / 235 until you get to the intersection of RT 235 and RT 4. And if you're coming from Calvert just take RT 4 into St. Mary's County. The rest of the directions are the same regardless of which way you're coming from. From the RT 235 and RT 4 intersection you'll want to go South on RT 4 until it runs into RT 5. Turn Left onto South RT 5. Go up the hill to your first traffic light. You'll turn Right onto Medley's Neck Rd (RT 244 I think). You'll follow this for just a couple of miles and then turn Right onto Breton Beach Rd. You'll be able to see the ponds on your right from there. Go down just a little ways and take your first right onto Abells Wharf Rd. There's a small grove of trees in the field on your left, everyone parks alongside the road near that usually. The big pond on your right is the busiest pond most days. They have all been slow this week though. If you drive down a little farther there will be a small building on your left. The bushes/trees/fenceline on the opposite side of the road is where the white-crowned sparrows hang out. If you continue down the road you'll dead-end at Abells Wharf where you can get gulls and ducks on Breton Bay. Birds to watch for: N. Harriers : as many as 8, we've had two males, one mature, one first winter SE Owls : as many as 4 or 5. They'll interact with the harriers and vocalize (a screechy cat-like noise) Osprey : two have been seen sitting on a platform near the beginning of Abells Wharf Rd. Kestrel : usually two, one near each end of Abells Wharf Rd. Green-wing Teal : 4 over the weekend American Coot : usually only a couple in the main pond N. Shovelers: reported I think in the last pond before the wharf (behind the fence) but I haven't seen them yet Eastern Meadowlarks : singing from the power lines, we had a couple dozen on sunday Bald Eagle: on occasion And plenty of stuff on the ponds Happy Birding and good luck with the owls!! Chris Ordiway Callaway, Md. --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Search - Find what you?re looking for faster. ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================