[MDOsprey] Upland Sandpipers in Frederick County - 7/18

Gregory B Miller (gregorym@erols.com)
Sun, 18 Jul 1999 20:59:05 -0400


Howdy All!

I did some odds & ends birding today to unwind from yesterday's 24-hr
Birding Ordeal with the other gonzo July Birding Thrill-seekers,
Marshall Iliff & Todd Day.

We had 3 Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows on Rumbly Rd near Irish Grove
(there were probably many more--we didn't even venture out of the truck
today to brave the biting flies).  We ran out of daylight yesterday
before we found these little gems...

After leaving the other two, I stopped by Oland Rd again at the usually
successful Dickcissel site, incredulous that we had missed it
yesterday.  Well, I spent 10 minutes today casually searching without
success as well from 3:30-3:40pm.  Many of the surrounding fields have
been cut.  I assume the birds have probably found other nearby habitat
as opposed to heading South (although I could be wrong on this guess).

I stopped by the Frederick County Municipal Airport just East of town
off I-70 to look for Upland Sandpipers.  Sure enough, I found 3 birds in
the short grass at the North end of the runways.  We did not find them
anywhere else in Maryland yesterday. (there were probably droves of them
in hiding, laughing at us fools yesterday...<yeah, sarcasm
intended--grin>)
-- 
Greg Miller
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Home-	gregorym@erols.com
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