Oxon Hill Farm and Myrtle Grove WMA, Saturday 4/25

Ellen Paul (epaul@dclink.com)
Sun, 26 Apr 1998 07:14:50 -0700 

We HAVE to get the new edition of Wilds.  Relying on the old one is
getting problematic.  Perhaps Oxon Hill Farm was good at one time.  Now
it is essentially nothing but city birds.  For those who don't know, it
is hard by the Wilson Bridge on the Maryland side.  It is mostly a large
field ringed by mature trees.  Other than the expected robins,
mockingbirds, mourning doves, crows, cardinals, jays, starlings,
grackles, and goldfinches, we had one Northern Harrier, two Brown
Thrashers, and several Yellow Rumps.

Way too much traffic noise, even at 6:30 am on a Saturday, to enjoy
anything.

Myrtle Grove was wonderful.  This was our first trip.  Extrememely
birdy, albeit diversity wasn't too high.  We heard and saw birds from
the minute we drove in.  Stopping every few feet was a necessity, to
pick out what we were hearing.  So, basically, there were large numbers
of Common Yellowthroats, Bluebirds, Yellow-rumped Warblers.  Quite a
large number of Red-eyed Vireos, White-eyed Vireos, and Northern
Parulas.  Also, one Yellow-throated Vireo.  One Red-shouldered Hawk. 
Quite a few Hooded Warblers (sorry, Lou), one singing a very aberrant
song, sounding much more like a vireo.  Many Chipping Sparrows, Field
Sparrow, White-Throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow.  Great Blue Heron, Canada
Geese.

For others who have never been there, here's some "gen" - a charming
South African term for background info.  First, it's very easy to walk
through the WMA on the gravel road and see pretty much everything, so if
you are one of those people who doesn't like traipsing through the
woods, this is a great place.  There are some paths into the woods but
the fields abutting the road are very densely vegetated and it would be
difficult to walk in (not to mention that you would be disturbing the
birds nesting in there).  There is relatively little poison ivy, and
thanks to what I assume is deer browse, relatively little understory
(not as bad as the parks in Montgomery County, though).

As you go down the road, you eventually come to a marshy area - several
small ponds and one large one.  These were surprising devoid of birds,
but I think they were promising.  They were certainly quiet, peaceful,
and beautiful.

There is a target range on the property, so if the noise of gunfire
bothers you (it didn't seem to bother the birds), drive all the way in
and bird in the woods around the pond/marshy area.  The entire time we
were there, a few gunshots were heard, for a total of about five
minutes.

I don't know what will come of the court action involving Myrtle Grove,
but if it isn't a favorable decision, I think it could prove difficult
to stop development there.  It is a small patch, from a conservation
point of view, and while we didn't do an exhaustive survey, it doesn't
seem to have much in the way of unusual vegetation or habitat.  So, it
is unlikely to get the time and attention of the major conservation
groups. It may be up to a handful of birders to save this one.


-- 
Ellen Paul        Chevy Chase, Maryland        Mailto:epaul@dclink.com