Indian Creek Trip Report
Norm Saunders (osprey@ARI.Net)
Tue, 17 Feb 1998 04:41:00 -0500
I'm forwarding this interesting writeup of a site in Charles County.
Enjoy!
Norm
------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 1998 23:45:52 -0500
Reply-to: Southern Maryland AS discussion <MD-SMAS-GENERAL@LIST.AUDUBON.ORG>
From: "Jack C. Leighty/Susan J. Noble" <jleighty@CHESAPEAKE.NET>
Subject: Indian Creek Trip Report
Field Trip: Indian Creek Natural Resource Management Area
This 680 acre tract lies on the south side of Route 231, just west of
the Benedict bridge in Charles County , extending south to Indian
Creek. The southeast corner fronts on both the creek and the Patuxent
River. It is made up of woodlands, fallow fields, cultivated fields,
swamps, a pond, and streamside habitat. Food is abundant for all bird
and wildlife species.
The parking lot is just opposite Serenity Farm where Tundra Swans
(just half a dozen on this day), Canadian Geese (lots & lots), and,
occasionally, Snow Geese can be seen in its broad fields that lie
along the river. There we met, 16 in all, at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday,
February 15 to explore the tract for winter birds with trip leader
George Jett.
Apparently impatient "to get the show on the road", Eastern
Meadowlarks began to show up immediately. The first one seen,
parked on the entry gatepost near the road where it sat long enough to
make itself heard. Then, five or more assembled in the trees on the
ridge west of us, where their yellow breast feathers were brilliant in
the morning sun. A great way to start the business of the day.
Mixed flocks of Common Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, and European
Starlings moved about the area and sat for scope-viewing in the trees.
The Mourning Doves, that are hunted there during the "open "season,
were very abundant, and the nearby barns seemed to have their usual
complement of Rock Doves. An American Kestrel sat on the power line,
near Route 231, peering intently at the ditch at roadside. Before we
departed, it dropped to the ground, captured its breakfast and
returned to its spot on the wire. Both American Crows and Fish Crows
were spotted. All of this from the parking lot!
As we moved south toward Indian Creek, our noise disturbed a large
flock of Canada Geese that had been resting on a pond, just over the
hill, west of us. As they left, complaining loudly, they made a
bombing run over us, but, fortunately no one was hit.
The first wading bird noted was a very distinguished appearing Great
Blue Heron on the edge of a pond, east of our path. At about the same
time, the second raptor of the day appeared - a Red-tailed Hawk
heading east over an east-west treeline toward the river. Both Turkey
and Black Vultures were doing their usual thing overhead all morning,
and high above us a Red-shouldered Hawk was sighted using the same
thermals that the vultures had found. Our only Bald Eagle sighting
occurred near the end of the trip when some of our more sharp-sighted
companions spotted an eagle briefly above the treeline on the tract's
western ridge.
As we continued toward the creek, we made frequent stops to put
binoculars and scopes on "bush" birds in the trees, berry bushes,
vines and thickets along the trail. These habitats provided excellent
birding on both the entering and returning legs of the trip. Visiting
them in the spring and summer, when fruit and berries are abundant,
should be even better. However, we didn't do badly. We saw both
Red-bellied and Downy Woodpeckers, the Carolina Chickadee, Tufted
Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Eastern Bluebird,
American Robin, Gray Catbird, Northern Mockingbird, Yellow-rumped
Warbler (known locally as "butter-butt"), Northern Cardinal,
Rufous-sided Towhee, Field Sparrow Song Sparrow, White-throated
Sparrow, House Finch and Goldfinch. We heard, but did not see, a
Hermit Thrush.
The mouth of Indian Creek, on the river, is broad and sheltered.
set on it and feed from it. Large groups of Canvasback ducks, smaller
groups of Ruddy Ducks and pairs of Common Goldeneyes, Red-breasted
Mergansers, Green-winged Teal and, of course, Mallards were moving
about and feeding. The gull species present were Ring-billed and
Herring Gulls.
On the way back, our adventurous leader took us on a short-cut
through a briar patch. As our people lined up to brave the sticky
gauntlet we learned that, unlike Brer Rabbit, not many birders are
"born and bred in a briar patch". Nevertheless, we all made it
through, relatively unscathed.
Back at the parking lot, George led a review of the bird list.
Total species, 43. Not bad, and the cold sunny day was a great time
to be outdoors. But, that's not all! Cora Fulton produced a great
cake, with enough slices for each of the16 birders.
One of the really nice aspects of this trip was having a number of
first-time birders along. George is an excellent leader, and
instructor, and we all enjoyed meeting the new people and sharing with
them our own knowledge of the birds that we saw. These trips are great
fun. Try them. You'll be glad you did.
Jack Leighty
Huntingtown
jleighty@chesapeake.net