Ipswich Sparrow at Cambridge

Miliff (Miliff@aol.com)
Fri, 20 Mar 1998 00:52:25 EST


Hello all,

     I spent today looking for the Smew reported at Cambridge (I see no
particular reason to assume it is an escapee, despite the comment on the
Voice).  I was not successful in finding the bird, nor were any of the several
other birders I ran into there.

     I did meet up with Harry Armistead on the Cambridge Fishing Pier (which
is actually Old Rte. 50 on the west side of rd., south side of bridge) who had
just found an Ipswich Sparrow feeding along the wrack line in the beach grass
right next to the fishing pier (between the pier and "new" Rte. 50).  We were
able to watch it as it fed directly below us, totally unconcerned with our
presence.  We watched it from 2:00-3:00 (at which time I took several photos,
large even in a 300mm lens) and I returned later to watch it from 4:00-5:00
(during which time I took field notes and was able to show it to Shirley
Bailey of Cambridge).
    
      To my knowledge there are only 5 previous records away from the coast in
Maryland: Old reports from Kent and Anne Arundel Counties, 2 reports from
Hart-Miller Island (November 1991 by Michael O'Brien et al. (photos) and
November 1996 by Gene Scarpulla et al.)and one from Dorchester County (Mary
Gustafson and Bruce Peterjohn (photos)).  There is only one previous March
report (according Iliff, Ringler, Stasz 1996 - but what do they know? <grin>).
This seems a likely time for the species to be heading back north, and the Bay
seems to trap some oceanic or coastal birds in their northward migration
(Northern Gannets for example).  Perhaps the Ipswich Sparrow thought it was
following the coast northward but ended up following the eastern shore of the
Bay?  
     
       In any event, it might be worth looking for if anyone is heading to the
coast this weekend.  The Cambridge Fishing Pier is a 3 minute detour from Rte.
50, and the bird was seen directly off the west side of the pier.  Very easy
to find if it's there.
Word has it they may be split again....

       Only other birds of interest in the area were an ad. female Peregrine
sitting on the east side of the bridge there and a Red-throated Loon in the
center of the River.

       Best birds,

       Marshall Iliff
       miliff@aol.com
       Annapolis, MD