[MDOsprey] July Big Day
Miliff@aol.com
Mon, 19 Jul 1999 23:58:40 EDT
Hello all,
Below are the results of a July Big Day attempted Saturday, July 17, by
myself, Greg Miller, and Todd Day. Hot and humid, we fortunately spent the
worst part of the day in air condtioning and birded primarily only in the
more pleasant morning and evening. I'd call the day a success, and we picked
up some decent birds considering the late date. Still, there were a lot of
misses and there is certainly room for improvement. 190 might be
possible....
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The Route generally began at Lilipons then flew out to Cumberland and
on to Garrett County (Mosser Rd. and Cherry Creek Glades and Combination Rd.
for Henslow's Sparrow). By dawn we were at Roth Rock Rd. (Mourning Warbler
and junco), proceeded through Pleasant Valley, down Snaggy Mountain Rd., to
Cranesville Swamp, down Maple Glade Rd. to Swallow Falls, up to New Germany
SP, then Little Meadow Lake, and Finzel Swamp. We left Garrett County at
10:30 a.m., stopped quickly for a run down to the river in Hancock from 11:15
to noon, and a run down to Lilipons at 1:15-1:45. Then, as quickly as we
could we squeezed in Tanyard (moorhen), Hurlock (swan, Snow Goose,
shorebirds) before bolting to Ocean City (OC). 45 minutes later we started a
meandering route through the Pocomoke and Nassawango drainages. We finally
made it to Deal Island a bit too late at 8:15, but stll with enough light to
pick up a few more key species. For the p.m. hours we tried for
Whip-poor-wills and Chucks without success, finally finishing at Elliot
Island where we added Barn Owl and Least Bittern. Most frustrating bird of
the day was the Common Raven we saw flying just over the MD line in West
Virginia.
There were no real surprises - Whimbrel, Mourning Warbler, American
Bittern, Sharp- shinned Hawk, and American Coot were good to pick up. Bird
song essentially ended by 9:00 which cost us Cerulean Warbler and a few
others. It was generally quiet, but most breeders were still making some
noise near dawn. Washington County was miserable at 11:00, but we managed to
dig out Blue-winged Warbler and Worm-eaters, if not Warbling Vireo and
Baltimore Oriole. Trying for the Dickcissels at Frederick was costly and we
were generally running quite slowly and about an hour behind schedule by the
time we hit the Bay Bridge. We managed to get most all of our Ocean City
stuff and even got all of our Pocomoke drainage stuff (except Ovenbird and
Kentucky Warbler). We ended up getting to Deal Island late though and thus
missed Sharp-tailed Sparrow (might also have gotten a few more shorebirds,
Blue-winged Teal, or perhaps something else).
Below is a complete species list with some notes on approximate
numbers and locations.
Best,
Marshall Iliff
miliff@aol.com
Brown Pelican (15) - Skimmer Island -
Double-crested Cormorant (30) - Skimmer Island
AMERICAN BITTERN (1) - Todd Day only, at Deal
Least Bittern (1) - Elliot Island
Great Blue Heron (15)
Great Egret (200) - large concentration at Deal
Snowy Egret (100) - Ocean City area (30), rest at Deal
Little Blue Heron (25) - Ocean City area
Cattle Egret (8) - Skimmer Island
Green Heron (10) - first one in Oakland
Black-crowned Night-Heron (20) - 1 ad. on AA Co. side of Bay Bridge, also OC,
Deal
Glossy Ibis (20) - West OC Pond
Black Vulture (3+) - Kent Is.
Turkey Vulture (200+)
Snow Goose (1 ad. white) - Hurlock STP
Canada Goose - (400+)
Mute Swan (5) - Kent Island
Tundra Swan (1 ad.) - Hurlock STP
Wood Duck (50)
Gadwall (15) - Deal
American Black Duck (10) - Deal
Mallard (200)
Ruddy Duck (8) - Hurlock STP
Osprey (30)
Bald Eagle (1 imm.) - Deal
Northern Harrier (2) - Deal
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK (1 ad.) - New Germany SP
Red-shouldered Hawk (1 ad.) - New Germany Rd.
Broad-winged Hawk (1 juv., 1 ad.) - juv. in Hancock, ad. in Hagerstown
Red-tailed Hawk (25)
American Kestrel (8) - Garrett and Allegany Counties
Peregrine Falcon (2) - Bay Bridge and Deal (juv. male?)
Wild Turkey (10) - Worcester Co.
Northern Bobwhite (5) - Hurlock (1), Shore Rd. Worcester Co. (4 flushed from
rd.)
Clapper Rail (1) - at Deal, Greg Miller only
Virginia Rail (2) - at Deal, Marshall Iliff only - amazingly none at Elliot
Common Moorhen (1) - Tanyard
AMERICAN COOT (1) - found in waning light at Deal by Todd
Black-bellied Plover (3) - Skimmer Island (1), Eagle's Nest Campground (2)
Semipalmated Plover (1) - Eagle's Nest
Piping Plover (25+) - Eagle's Nest
Killdeer (100+)
American Oystercatcher (50) - Skimmer Island, Eagle's Nest
Black-necked Stilt (3) - Deal (2), Elliot Island (1)
Greater Yellowlegs (1) - Hurlock STP
Lesser Yellowlegs (30) - Hurlock STP (15), West OC Pond (5)
Solitary Sandpiper (1) - Hurlock STP
Willet (50) - OC and Deal
Spotted Sandpiper (10) - Hurlock STP
WHIMBREL (3) - flyovers at Skimmer Island
Ruddy Turnstone (1) - Eagle's Nest
Red Knot (1) - Eagle's Nest
Sanderling (1) - Eagle's Nest
Semipalmated/Western Sandpiper sp. (30) - Eagle's Nest
Least Sandpiper (100) - Hurlock STP, Deal, OC
Short-billed Dowitcher (2) - West OC Pond
Laughing Gull (400)
Ring-billed Gull (2) - Salisbury and OC
Herring Gull (500)
Great Black-backed Gull (300)
Royal Tern (400) - adults and many juveniles at Skimmer Island
Sandwich Tern (1 ad.) - Skimmer Island
Common Tern (50) - Skimmer Island
Forster's Tern (50) - Deal, OC, Hurlock STP
Least Tern (50) - Kent Island, OC
Black Skimmer (100) - Skimmer Island, Eagle's Nest (1)
Rock Dove (150)
Mourning Dove (50)
Black-billed Cuckoo (1) - Mosser Rd., Garrett
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (2) - West Shale Rd. (1), Hancock (1)
Barn Owl (1) - Elliot Island
Eastern Screech-Owl (2) - Lilipons and Sea Tick Rd., Somerset
Great Horned Owl (2) - Smouse Rd., Garrett
Barred Owl (1) - Lilipons
Common Nighthawk (1) - Cumberland by Greg Miller only
Chimney Swift (100+)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (2) - Meadow Mt., Garrett Co. and on rd. in
SomersetBelted Kingfisher (1) - Meadow Lake, Garrett
Red-headed Woodpecker (1 ad.) - Worcester Co. location
Red-bellied Woodpecker (15) - first at Snaggy Mtn. Rd.
Downy Woodpecker (20)
Hairy Woodpecker (3) - Purnell's Crossing Rd., Worcester
Northern (Yellow-shafted) Flicker (3) - Garrett and Worcester (1)
Pileated Woodpecker (1) - Somerset Co.
Eastern Wood-Pewee (15) - Garrett and Worcester
Acadian Flycatcher (10) - Swallow Falls and Nassawango Creek area
Alder Flycatcher (1) - Snaggy Mt. Rd.
Willow Flycatcher (20) - Pleasant Valley, Garrett Co.
Eastern Phoebe (1) - Swallow Falls
Great Crested Flycatcher (2) - Nassawango Creek area
Eastern Kingbird (35)
White-eyed Vireo (4) - Hancock (1) and Nassawango Creek
Yellow-throated Vireo (1) - Furnacetown
Blue-headed Vireo (10) - Swallow Falls
Red-eyed Vireo (35)
Blue Jay (2) - Finzel Swamp
American Crow (200)
Fish Crow (50) - Lilipons, Deal, OC
Horned Lark (1) - Hurlock
Purple Martin (50)
Tree Swallow (10) - Oakland Sewage Plant
N. Rough-winged Swallow (8) - Lilipons
Bank Swallow (25) - Hurlock STP
Cliff Swallow (2) - Oakland STP, Cranesville Swamp (MD and WV)
Barn Swallow (200)
Carolina Chickadee (20) - Hancock and east
Black-capped Chickadee (20) - Garrett
Tufted Titmouse (20)
White-breasted Nuthatch (20) - Garrett, Furnacetown
Brown-headed Nuthatch (2) - Nassawango Creek area
Carolina Wren (15) - Hancock and Nassawango Creek area
House Wren (15) - Garrett and Deal
SEDGE WREN (1) - singing at 4:00 a.m. at Mosser Rd.
Marsh Wren (10) - Deal and near Elliot
Golden-crowned Kinglet (5) - Swallow Falls
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (20)
Eastern Bluebird (20)
Veery (20) - Garrett
Hermit Thrush (20) - Maple Glade Rd. Rd. and West Shale Rd. (10)
Wood Thrush (20) - Garrett and Nassawango Creek
American Robin (250)
Gray Catbird (100) - Garrett and Deal
Northern Mockingbird (50)
Brown Thrasher (2) - Finzel Swamp
European Starling (1000)
Cedar Waxwing (100) - Garrett County
Blue-winged Warbler (1 male) - Hancock
Northern Parula (2) - Swallow Falls
Yellow Warbler (1) - Oakland STP
Chestnut-sided Warbler (30)
Magnolia Warbler (20)
Black-throated Blue Warbler (5) - Roth Rock Rd. (1 fem.), Maple Glade Rd.
Black-throated Green Warbler (25)
Blackburnian Warbler (4) - Swallow Falls
Yellow-throated Warbler (1) - Purnell Crossing Rd.
Pine Warbler (2) - Nassawango Creek
Prairie Warbler (5) - Hancock and Nassawango Creek
Black-and-white Warbler (2) - Maple Glade Rd. (1) and Nassawango Creek
American Redstart (4) - Maple Glade Rd. (2) and Purnell Crossing Rd.
Prothonotary Warbler (2) - Purnell Crossing and Furnacetown
Worm-eating Warbler (2) - Hancock
Louisiana Waterthrush (1) - Nassawango Creek
MOURNING WARBLER (1) - Roth Rock Rd.
Common Yellowthroat (40)
Hooded Warbler (1) - Roth Rock Rd.
Canada Warbler (1) - Snaggy Mt. Rd.
Yellow-breasted Chat (5) - Worcester and Somerset
Summer Tanager (1) - Nassawango Creek
Scarlet Tanager (20) - Garrett and Worcester
Eastern Towhee (50)
Chipping Sparrow (80)
Field Sparrow (10) - Garrett and Worcester
Savannah Sparrow (40) - Pleasant Valley
Grasshopper Sparrow (20) - Garrett and OC Airport (3)
Henslow's Sparrow (2) - Combination Rd. (1) and near Oakland (1)
Seaside Sparrow (20) - Deal
Song Sparrow (60)
Swamp Sparrow (5) - Snaggy Mt. Rd.
Dark-eyed Junco (2) - Roth Rock Rd.
Northern Cardinal (40)
Blue Grosbeak (10) - Hurlock and Nassawango Creek
Indigo Bunting (40)
Bobolink (1 male) - Cranesville Swamp
Red-winged Blackbird (500)
Eastern Meadowlark (25)
Common Grackle (500)
Boat-tailed Grackle (4) - OC
Brown-headed Cowbird (100)
Orchard Oriole (1) - Little Pool, Washington County
Purple Finch (4) - Snaggy Mt. Rd.
House Finch (10) - Cranesville Swamp, Marshall Iliff and Todd Day only
Pine Siskin (2) - Snaggy Mt. Rd.
American Goldfinch (30)
House Sparrow (150)
MISSES:
Eastern Shore - Pied-billed Grebe, TRICOLORED HERON, Western Sandpiper, Stilt
Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Upland Sandpiper, Whip-poor-will,
Chuck-wills-widow, Black Rail, King Rail, SALTMARSH SHARP-TAILED SPARROW,
Blue-winged Teal
Garrett County - OVENBIRD, Golden-winged Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Vesper
Sparrow, Common Raven, Winter Wren, Cooper's Hawk, Northern Waterthrush,
Least Flycatcher
Washington County - BALTIMORE ORIOLE, Kentucky Warbler, Warbling Vireo