Brewer's Blackbird at Havre de Grace

rick (rblom@blazie.com)
Sat, 10 Oct 1998 06:13:25 -0400 

Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus at Havre de Grace

        On Friday, October 10, 1998, I saw an adult male Brewer's Blackbird
at the marina at Havre de Grace, Harford County, Maryland. The bird was
seen at distances of 100 feet to 200 yards for about fifteen minutes spread
over an hour and a half. It was first seen about 9:15 a.m. I was using a
Swarovski AT-80 scope with a 20-60 zoom eyepiece and Swarovski 10X42
binoculars. The sky was overcast and light was neutral. There was
intermittent light rain but the observations were made during periods when
it was not raining.
        When I first found the bird it was because I recognized the
persistent call as naggingly familiar, although I was unable to place it.
The call was a single-noted, high-pitched, loud shree, sometimes seeming
like two notes, the first very short. As soon as I saw the bird I realized
what it was, having lived with that note and hundreds of birds on a daily
basis when I was in California for two years over a decade ago. The bird
was calling from the top of a large deciduous tree on the hill behind the
parking lot and when I located the sound and the bird, I was able to watch
it for several minutes through the scope, nearly filling the frame with the
bird at 40 power. It was accompanied by two European Starlings Sturnus
vulgaris. After a time it flew to a tree at the other end of the small park
above the marina and continued calling as I watched it. I walked closer and
saw it fly to the ground near the entrance to the Promenade, the boardwalk
that goes from the marina to the lighthouse. It was only on the ground for
a minute and flew again to a large tree. All the time it was in the trees
it was calling, but it was silent on the ground. It flew back and forth
across the park for the next twenty minutes before going to the ground near
the playground, where I saw it for about five minutes at distances of less
than 100 feet. When I left it was in a tree near the promenade.

DESCRIPTION
        A small blackbird, barely larger than a European Starling, the only
bird direct comparison with was possible. The body appeared black except in
close observation, when a slight greenish tinge was apparent. The head and
nape were glossed strongly with purple, contrasting with the body and
obvious in almost all viewing conditions. The bill was black, not as thick
or long as the bill of a grackle, and spike-like. The eye was pale yellow.
The tail was blackish, not particularly long, and appeared square.
        I eliminated Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus on the lack
of red on the wings and the gloss of the head and body. I eliminated Common
Grackle Quicalus quiscula on the basis of call, size, and the short tail. I
eliminated Rusty Blackbird E. carolinensis on the basis of call, the purple
gloss on the head and the green gloss on the body. I have seen Brewer's
Blackbird on at least four occasions in Maryland, and by the tens of
thousands in the West and Midwest, most recently this summer.

        This is the second record of Brewer's Blackbird in Harford County.
Les Eastman found several at Aberdeen proving Ground a few years ago, which
were seen by at least one other observer. Dave Webb informs me that there
may be other reports as well.



"Everywhere I go I'm asked if the university stifles writers. My opinion is
that they don't stifle enough of them. There's many a bestseller that could
have been prevented by a good teacher."  Flannery O'Connor

Rick Blom
rblom@blazie.com
4318 Cowan Place
Belcamp, Maryland 21017
(410)575-6086