[MDOsprey] N. Shrike nr Emmitsburg, Frederick, and other sightings from western
Miliff@aol.com
Sun, 12 Dec 1999 23:27:01 EST
MDOsprey,
Jim Stasz and I had a good weekend of birding after kicking it off with the
Howard Dickcissel. Highlights are detailed below.
SATURDAY, 11 DECEMBER
*** 1 adult Northern Shrike, Saturday, 11 December, about 24 mi south of
Emmitsburg, Frederick County. Seen perched in hedgerow in large fallow field
at about 4:10-4:20 p.m.. Eventually gave chase to sparrows and caught one,
barely allowing me a chance to snap one photo before flying off (with sparrow
in bill) over rise and out of sight. We did not relocate it but did not look
on Sunday. The location was the intersection of Orndorff and Old Frederick
Rds.
Directions are: DeLorme map 72 b3. From Frederick take Rte. 15 N past
Thurmont several (4?) mi further to Orndorff Rd. which heads out to the east.
Follow Orndorff for about 2 mi to the "T" intersection with old Frederick
Rd.. The bird was hunting the field directly in front of you and could be
anywhere in the area as shrikes have very large winter territories. The area
it was first observed was along the fencerow in that field about .2 mi north
along Old Frederick Rd. but when it departed it flew directly towards the
intersection.
*** Short-eared Owls. At least one Short-eared Owl was seen at the above
intersection (Orndorff & Old Frederick Rds.) while two more were seen over
the fallow field on the northwest side of the Motters Station/Old Frederick
Rd. intersection about 1 mi (and 1 "block") north of the Northern Shrike
location listed above. Time for both sightings was about 5:05.
SUNDAY, 12 DECEMBER
** 1 Eastern Phoebe (late), 4 YB Sapsuckers, 8 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 8 Fox
Sparrows, 30+ Hermit Thrushes, and lots of other good counts at very birdy
Blair's Valley Lake
** 1 male Pintail w/ 3-4 Mallards along Conococheague Creek off Cresspond Rd.
just west of Hagerstown, Washington County.
** 1 hatch-year Merlin near Antietam Battlefield (late for western MD!).
** and best of all, 2 Northern Saw-whet Owls responding VIGOROUSLY to a tape
at about 5:20 a.m.. Habitat was a large expanse of brushy cover and
hedgerows, surrounded by pine groves and even small patches of deciduous
forest (i.e., a little bit of everything!). Response time was about 2
minutes after we started the tape. Two main call types were given. Short,
high barks, often doubled, were the most common and reminded me vaguely of an
owl's version of a Winter Wrens doubled note. The second call time was a
prolonged raspy, rising, mew call, but this was only given about 7 times.
Finally, I heard some almost insect like twittering, muted, from an owl
perched close to the tape. Interesting stuff. I was pleased to get one of
the little guys in the light at one point, but Jim missed out. Those of you
gearing up for area CBCs might consider making a Saw-whet Owl tape for your
owling sessions. Our tape was nothing fancy, a continuous tape of the
typical "toot toot toot toot" song.
Alas, no Rough-legged Hawks, Harris's Sparrows, Snowy Owls (one was just
found in FLORIDA), crossbills, redpolls, or other unmentioned goodies were
found. I would have preferred a Northern Shrike in Washington County over
the Frederick one (since I saw the Lilypons bird 1990-1991) but Jim was happy
with the turnout, needing the Frederick one but not one in Washington. To be
honest, I wasn't really that disappointed myself!
Those winter birds are out there folks! Best of luck in finding them and I
hope some others are able to relocate the shrike.
Best,
Marshall Iliff
miliff@aol.com
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Marshall J. Iliff
Annapolis, MD
miliff@aol.com
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