[MDOsprey] W Md birding
Steve Sanford (tanager@bcpl.net)
Sun, 23 May 1999 21:44:56 -0400
Sorry this report is a week late, but most of our sightings, and more,
should be around for a month or more. That's the glory of Western
Maryland.
On the weekend of 5/15-5/16, Simon and Cecelia Calle, Gail Frantz, Pete
Webb (5/15 only), and I did a weekend trip to Western Maryland. It was a
very pleasant weekend - good company, good birds, and good weather.
Simon and Cecelia had never birded Western Maryland, so it was a special
treat for them.
We concentrated on Allegany, and eastern Garrett Counties, especially in
light of Ellen Paul's report that Maple Glade Rd is now the temporary
main entrance to Swallow Falls St Pk. We got 102 species and 22 warbler
species for the weekend. We had relatively few migrants, except of
course that many of the residents out there are wonderful "migrants" for
us easterners, such as Black-throated Green, Black-throated Blue
Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Canada Warbler, Golden-winged Warbler,
Chestnut-sided Warbler, Blue-headed Vireo, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
Hey, that's why we go there, isn't it! (Sadly and surprisingly, though,
we missed the normal Blackburnian Warblers altogether.)
In Allegany Co., my old favorite Old Williams Rd-Breakneck Rd route was
a little skimpy on Golden-winged Warblers, but we did get one -
fleetingly heard and seen - plus lots of Chats and Orioles, mainly
Baltimore, and a Wild Turkey, a life-bird for Simon and Cecelia.
One of our best stops was along Dan's Rock Road (5/16), about a mile or
two above the last houses on the lower part of the road. We stopped
because we heard a close Cerulean Warbler. We got excellent looks at it.
While we were admiring it, along came a singing Golden-winged Warbler,
which also gave us some first-class looks. These were the good
life-sightings that Simon and Cecelia wanted to get. (Dan's Rock Rd goes
east out of the north side of the town of Midland along Rt 36 south of
Frostburg. There are now some state signs about the new official Dan's
Rock viewpoint [not to be confused with Dan's Rock State Park] which
make this obscure, birdy road a little easier to find than it used to
be. Over the years, it seems to be the best area in my experience for
Golden-winged Warblers.)
On 5/16 we spent some time on Blue Lick Rd, which follows a delightful
little hemlock-forested stream east of Lower New Germany Rd about 2
miles south of I-68 (with only one vehicle coming by in an hour). It had
lots of Canada, Magnolia, and Black-throated Green Warblers, and a
beautiful Rose-breasted Grosbeak, but the highlight was a pair of
Blue-headed Vireos at a nest. This nest was hanging off the lowest
branch of a hemlock (?) tree at eye-level about 10-20 feet NE of where
the stream crosses the road. I say this in case anyone wants to check it
out for Mountain vs. Interior (name?) Blue-headed Vireo. I don't have
the details of the distinction committed to memory. I could only
remember it had something to do with the back-color, etc. The back was
more green than gray to my eye, but ... obviously I should have taken
more careful notes, but … this was for fun, not science.
We had 2 dueling, "che-bek" -ing Least Flycatchers - lifers again for
Simon and Cecelia - where Westernport Rd crosses a creek at Pea Ridge
Spur (name ??). We did not get any Alder or Willow Flycatchers at Finzel
or Wolf Swamp (Twin Churches Rd). Speaking of misses, there were no
Bobolinks at Porter Cemetery Rd (NE of Frostburg) where I usually expect
them. Maybe it was too early? We did have a few on Dan's Rock Rd.
Incidentally, on the way home we were pretty pleased with the new
Mexican restaurant next to the Burger King about a half mile south of
I-70 on Rt 85 - inexpensive, fast, and good.
Steve Sanford
Tanager@bcpl.net
Randallstown (Balto Co) MD