Calvert Co - Saturday morning

Lou Shomette (lshomett@maa.org)
Mon, 27 Apr 98 10:08:55 EST 

     Hi all,
     
     Sharon and I spent Saturday morning at Jefferson Patterson Park and 
     Walnut Creek Cypress Swamp located in Calvert County.  We first went 
     to Walnut Creek Cypress Swamp.  Upon reaching the entrance, we noticed 
     that the park didn't open until 10 a.m. So we headed to Jefferson 
     Patterson Park.  We were greeted by the sound of Bagpipes -- the 
     annual Celtic Festival was scheduled for the park that day.  
     Fortunately, there was virtually no one there except the Festival 
     staff.
     
     We started down the trail by the Park Gift Shop, saw three CHIPPING 
     SPARROWS at the entrance of the trail.  Within 30 feet of the trail we 
     heard a Tanager song.  We followed the trail back out to the field and 
     were treated to two SUMMER TANAGERS.  A couple of minutes later three 
     Zebra Swallowtails perched near by for camera shots.  Along the field 
     (where cars were starting to be parked for the festival) we heard many 
     NORTHERN PARULAS and two YELLOW WARBLERS.  
     
     Back on the trail we heard/saw two YELLOW-THROATED WARBLERS, BARRED OWL 
     (heard), many BLUE/GRAY GNATCACHERS, a PINE WARBLER, two LOUISIANA 
     WATERTHRUSHES, two SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, and a RED-EYED VIREO.  The Bagpipe 
     music, which started out being novel, became quite annoying.  Do they ever 
     finish a song? or is it the same one for hours and hours!  When we 
     finished birding the trail, we came out of the woods to see hundreds of 
     cars in the first field and literally a thousand people - many dressed in 
     Irish garb.
     
     Time to move on.  At Walnut Creek Cypress Swamp, NORTHERN PARULAS were 
     everywhere.  Never a time when we didn't hear one.  Two PROTHONOTARY 
     WARBLERS chasing each other throughout the swamp.  A couple of LOUISIANA 
     WATERTHRUSH, a YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER and a CATBIRD (near the parking 
     lot.)  Three BLACK VULTURES circling over head.
     
     Great weather and great birds.  Let's get these warblers up to Howard 
     County!
     
     Lou Shomette
     Columbia, MD