[MDOsprey] Harford Birds Roundup
rick (rblom@blazie.com)
Tue, 23 Nov 1999 07:30:15 -0500
Sunday (Nov. 21), Brian Monk and I had a RUSTY BLACKBIRD at the
horse pond on APG, year bird number 247 for me. While looking at it we saw
a female cowbird that seemed to show characters associated with Shiny
Cowbird. I think whis is one of the real tough ID problems and after a
couple of days of research and looking at video, we are convinced the bird
was a Brown-headed.
We had spent the morning working the pines around Magnolia Avenue
on the base and had more than 15 HERMIT THRUHES, a dozen FOX SPARROWS
(several singing!), two small flocks of PINE SISKINS, and hundreds of
robins and juncos. The real highlight was an apparent nigerscens SWAMP
SPARROW. I am aware of no winter records of this race in Maryland.
Identification of subspecies in the field is often dicey, but this bird
looked like a juvenile/first winter and was so dark both above and below
that it resembled a Seaside Sparrow. The black streaks on the back were so
wide and diffuse that it was hard to see any chestnut at all. The chip
note, recognizably Swamp Sparrow, sounded slightly less sharp and slightly
longer than that of interior birds.
The number of scaup at Hoadley Road remains at 15,000 - 25,000,
depending on the day and the time. A few Ring-necked Ducks and Ruddies are
also with the flock.
The PACIFIC LOON continues off of the mouth of Broad Creek. I have
heard of reprots from both Sunday and Monday, and the bird is being seen
close to the Cecil County side frequently, allowling close study and more
photographs and videotape to be taken. On Monday, Michael O'Brien and
several other people had excellent views and they have identified the bird
as being in first winter/juvenile plumage. That ruins my theory that it is
the same bird as two years ago, which seemed more likely than that two
Pacific Loons found their way to the same spot.
A tour of northwestern Harford on Friday turned up no birds of note
except my first AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS of the fall.
On Thursday or Friday (I forgot which), Brian Monk had a bird that
looks like a PINK-SIDED JUNCO at the intersection of Blad Friar Road (the
loon spot) and Pilottowt Road. The bird was in the big weedy area at the
junction of the two roads. IT was described as having a palish gray head
with a slightly dark mask, no brown anywhere, and quite extensively pink
sides. A similar bird is currently being seen around the hawkwatch at
Kiptopeke. Anyone going for the loon should stop and try for this bird.
Rick
The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken
seriously.
-- Hubert H. Humphrey
Rick Blom
rblom@blazie.com
4318 Cowan Place
Belcamp, Maryland 21017
(410)575-6086