Highlights of some casual Calvert birding today (4/20/04):

Areas visited: Huntingtown (Bowie Shop Road), Prince Frederick (Leitches
Wharf Road),Battle Creek Cypress Swamp, North Beach, and Hall Creek NRMA in
Dunkirk.

10 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
5 Horned Lark (mating display)
3 Barn Swallow
  1Red-headed Woodpecker
2 Eastern Kingbird
1 American Kestrel
5 Wood Thrush

Warblers:

2 Prothonotary (Battle Creek Cypress Swamp)
1 Palm (Western) also heard some but didn't see
7 Northern Parula
5 Ovenbird
3 Yellow-throated
1 Yellow-rumped
1 Black-and-White
3 Common Yellowthroat
1 Louisiana Waterthrush
7 Pine
1 Prairie
1 American Redstart

North Beach:

1 Red-throated Loon
1 Common Loon
8 Blue-winged Teal
2 Green-winged Teal
4 Dunlin
2 Killdeer
6 Greater Yellowlegs
5 Purple Martin
1 Northern Rough-winged Swallow

When I got home, I found a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird at one of the
feeders. Average date of arrival at my feeders based in 15 year records is
4/21.

Butterfly report: mostly the usual species but at the end of Leitches Wharf
Road in Prince Frederick there were Juniper Hairstreaks at the top of some
of the Red Cedars near the water. Gave me quite a case of warbler neck!


Arlene Ripley
Calvert County, MD

http://nestbox.com

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