Re: MARYLAND'S NEXT 36
Phil Davis (pdavis@ix.netcom.com)
Sat, 13 Jun 1998 22:54:59 -0400
OK. Here’s my input, although I changed the rules ...
I decided to not use any of the species that Rick or Marshall already
listed and I likewise didn’t use any species that had already been reported
in Maryland (either as sight records or reports waiting be reviewed by the
Records Committee). Also, I decided to even more bold ... and predict
where the species would be found and by whom!
This is a rather outrageous, tongue-in-cheek (tongue-on-keyboard?) list.
After I compiled it, I had no real basis to cull it down to just 10 (that's
the hard part!), so I changed the rules to the “Next 36”.
I do not profess to be any kind of expert, here. If anyone wants to
discuss/debate these, please do, however, make it an “open” MD_Osprey
discussion. I’m not going to defend any of these!
I had fun pulling this together, maybe you will have some fun reading it.
Phil
1. BLACK-BROWED ALBATROSS, pelagic trip from Ocean City, Worcester Co.,
Paul O’Brien
Wanders the North Atlantic. A possibility, IF we ever get more Maryland
pelagic trips.
2. BERMUDA PETREL (Cahow), pelagic trip from Ocean City, Worcester Co.,
Ned Brinkley
Once almost extinct, these birds are making a comeback in Bermuda and now
number into the hundreds. There are several sightings (if not yet records)
from NC pelagic trips. IF we ever get trips out of Ocean City again, this
species would be a long-shot, but increasing in probability with each year.
3. MOTTLED PETREL, Sandy Point SP (after a hurricane), Anne Arundel Co.,
Gail Mackiernan
Several NY records. Maybe one will show up as a hurricane-assist.
4. LITTLE SHEARWATER, Ocean City pelagic, Worcester Co., Brian Patteson
Breeds in the Azores. We just need to spend lots of time far out in the
ocean.
5. BRITISH STORM-PETREL, found washed ashore at OC, Worcester Co., by an
unnamed lifeguard
Ranges includes the North Atlantic. Nova Scotia records and a specimen
was taken in South Carolina
6. RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD, OC pelagic, Worcester Co., M. O’Brien
Marshall predicted the White-tailed. I see his tropicbird and raise him one.
7. GRAY HERON, Conowingo Dam, Cecil Co., Dave Webb
This European version of our Great-blue has been found in Greenland.
Unfortunately, Dave will find this on the Cecil side of the river (!)
8. WESTERN REEF HERON, WA Vaughn MWA, Worcester Co., M Hoffman
There is at least one northeastern US record. Most of us don’t think
about all the white herons in this world-wide complex.
9. PINK-FOOTED GOOSE, Fred Fallon, Prince George’s Co., Merkle Sanctuary
Breeds in Greenland. Pennsylvania had one (or two), why not us?
10. WHITE-TAILED EAGLE, Conowingo Dam, Harford/Cecil Co., Rick Blom
Massachusetts has had one, I think NY had a flyby. Eagles like Conowingo.
11. ZONE-TAILED HAWK, Pt. Lookout, St. Mary’s Co., Patty Craig
Found in the southeast US, wanders into central California. Maybe a
misdirected vagrant might show up in MD some day (?) Check those Turkey
Vultures closely!
12. EURASIAN KESTREL; Elk Neck SP Hawk Watch, Cecil Co., Gary Griffith
Cape May has had one. Gary will find us one during his fall hawkwatch.
13. WATER RAIL, Elliot Is, Dorchester Co., Hal Weirenga/Lynn Davidson
Stragglers of this eurasian species have been found in Greenland. Heck,
it’s just a short hop from there to Dorchester County.
14. SPOTTED RAIL, Elliot Is, Dorchester Co., Greg Miller
These birds range widely in Central and South America. North American
“records” exist from Pennsylvania and Texas (some suspect these were
“human-assisted”, however).
15. COMMON CRANE, Patuxent WRC, Prince George’s Co., Peter Osenton
Accidental in the midwest during migration. Maybe the PWRC “crane pens”
will decoy them in (?)
16. NORTHERN LAPWING, West Ocean City Pond, Worcester Co., Marshall Iliff
Casual on the Atlantic coast. We are due ... we just need good habitat.
17. WOOD SANDPIPER, Courthouse Point, Cecil Co., Marcia Watson-Whitmyer
New York has had a record.
18. WANDERING TATLER, Ocean City Jetty, Worcester Co., Les Eastman
Eastern Canada and Massachusetts have had records.
19. ESKIMO CURLEW, Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co., Gene Scarpulla
Hey, if you are going to wish, wish BIG!!!
20. BLACK-TAILED GODWIT; Deal Is; Somerset Co., M Iliff
Casual/accidental in North America. PA, DE, and NC have all had them.
21. IVORY GULL, Conowingo Dam, Harford Co., Rick Blom
We think a Smithsonian Institution specimen was taken from the Potomac
River in the 1800, but we lack conclusive proof to link the evidence.
Massachusetts has had one and there is a sight report from North Carolina.
22. LARGE-BILLED TERN, Skimmer Island (4th Street Flats), Ocean City,
Worcester Co., Ottavio Janni
This South American species is accidental in Bermuda. Questionable sight
reports have been filed from Illinois and Ohio.
23. LONG-BILLED MURRELET, Rocky Gap State Park, Allegany Co., Jim Stasz
This species was recently split from the Marbled Murrelet. Accidental
inland in North America. PA has a record.
24. NORTHERN HAWK OWL, Liberty Reservoir, Carroll Co., Ed Boyd
PA and NJ have had them. Why not us?
25. BOREAL OWL, Cranesville Swamp, Garrett Co., Kevin Dodge
Again, have been found in PA and NJ.
26. ANTILLEAN NIGHTHAWK, Assateague Is, Worcester Co., Mark Hoffman
This Florida breeder has been reported in North Carolina.
27. VAUX’S SWIFT, Patuxent NAS, St. Mary’s Co., Kyle Rambo
California has Chimney Swifts, now. A trade seems fair.
28. XANTUS’ HUMMINGBIRD, Laurel, Prince George’s Co., Jay Sheppard
Recent records from many varied places in North America (MI, Victoria,
BC). Why not?
29. LEWIS’S WOODPECKER, Piney Run, Carroll Co., Bob Ringler
Many records in the East, including Lucketts, VA.
30. VARIEGATED FLYCATCHER, Patuxent WRC, North Tract, Anne Arundel Co.,
Rod Burley
If MD can get a Fork-tailed Flycatcher, there’s no reason why we can’t
have one of these “wrong-way” migrants.
31. VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW, Assateague Is, Worcester Co., Paul O’Brien
One was at Cape May last fall. It probably flew through Maryland.
32. EURASIAN JACKDAW, Hagerstown State Prison, Washington Co., Dave Harvey
A colony of probably vagrants breed at the Lewistown, PA Penitentiary for
several years. It probably reminded them of a European castle.
33. KIRTLAND’S WARBLER; C&O Canal, Montgomery Co., Dalcio Dacol
Recorded in western PA in migration. Sight records from WV and VA.
34. PAINTED REDSTART, Town Hill, Allegany Co., Jim Paulus
Accidental in the Northeast.
35. GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW, Rockburn Branch Park, Howard Co., Bonnie Ott
Casual in the east.
36. EURASIAN TREE-SPARROW, Cumberland, Allegany Co., Ray Kiddy
This St., Louis, MO introduced species has slowly spread some and worked
its way west, a bit. There’s a record from Western Kentucky. One of these
days ....
Phil
At 02:34 PM 06/12/1998 -0400, you wrote:
>Hi all,
>
>I can't resist throwing in my two bits on Rick's TOP TEN LIST. With a few
>obvious exceptions, my list came out quite different, but that's the fn of
>this sort of thing I think. I'll let loose with my own here, ranked from
most
>likely to least.
>
>1. EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE (no argument on that one!)
>2. SHINY COWBIRD (same story)
>3. SAY'S PHOEBE (records from almost EVERY other eastern state, including
that
>PA bird this past winter)
>4. GARGANEY (records from around the country in April/May - _probably_ wild.
>At least a few VA reports and the recent Brigantine bird)
>5. TOWNSEND'S WARBLER (annual on the East Coast in late fall, look for this
>one at Assteague in, say, November or feeders anywhere thereafter)
>6. SLATY-BACKED GULL (Maryland has some good landfills...)
>7. BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD (yeah Gary!)
>8. GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE (Old report with no data, used to be more frequent in
>the East but still possible)
>9. WHITE-TAILED TROPICBIRD (with some El Nino hurricanes or a few more late
>August pelagic trips)
>10. LITTLE EGRET (We are overlooking some for sure)
>
>I want to go on...Western Meadowlark would certainly come next (if not
>earlier) and the shorebird possibilities go on and on. Ditto on seabirds.
>And if we could only figure out where those swallows go after they leave Cape
>May...
>
>Best,
>
>Marshall Iliff
>miliff@aol.com
>
>
>In a message dated 98-06-11 04:44:21 EDT, you write:
>
><< For almost a decade a few of us have played the game of predicting
> the next ten birds that will show up in Maryland. This year, rather than
> call a dozen people and ask them for their lists, I am posting mine on
> Osprey in the hope that many of them will follow suit.
> The following list does not include all the birds that are
> legitimate candidates to be found. If there were regular pelagic trips
> running out of Maryland, and if Gary Griffith's hummingbird network could
> be extended to the entire state, it would be possible to make a reasonable
> list made up of only seabirds and hummingbirds. If the Hart-Miller
> impoundment was in coastal Worcester County it would be possible to make a
> list of almost nothing but shorebirds. To some extent, this list reflects
> not only patterns of bird vagrancy, but birder behavior.
> I have tried to leave off all birds that have been reported but
> not
> ruled on by the MOSRC. It is possible that some of the birds may not be
> accepted, in which case they would be worthy additions. The list:
>
> EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE [any day now]
> WESTERN MEADOWLARK [there is probably one every year]
> SHINY COWBIRD [not that I'm thrilled about it...]
> BROWN BOOBY [will be found sitting on the 4th Street flats someday]
> REDDISH EGRET [if more people birded Ocean City...]
> SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER [a Hart-Miller bird]
> BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD [keep those reports coming Gary]
> BELL'S VIREO [overdue]
> GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE [probably overdue]
> BAND-TAILED PIGEON [there are about 50 records east of the Mississippi and
> the one quirky prediction I indulge myself in
> every year]
>
> Rick
>
> "Lack of education is an extraordinary handicap when one is being
> offensive." Josephine Tey
>
> Rick Blom
> rblom@blazie.com
> Bel Air, Maryland
>
>
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Phil Davis
home: PDavis@ix.netcom.com Davidsonville, Maryland USA
work: PDavis@OAO.com Greenbelt, Maryland USA
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