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Subject:

Re: Garrett Co. 17-18 April (and some Wash. Co. sightings)

From:

"David F. Brinker"

Reply-To:

Maryland Birds & Birding

Date:

Tue, 20 Apr 2004 08:46:30 -0400

Stan,

Did you carefully check the rock faces in the old quarry for a Raven
nest?  I have found several Raven nests on old quarry faces, some not
very tall and some totally under forest canopy.  If you find a nest
there I would appreciate it if you would let me know about it,  I keep
an inventory of Raven nest sites because they are of conservation
interest to the Natural Heritage Program.

Best regards - Dave.

Stan Arnold wrote:

>Hi Folks,
>
>Charlie Kucera and I spent the better part of the weekend out in Garrett
>county, doing some atlasing in the eastern part of the county south of I-68.
>The area in focus was along the Avilton-Lonaconing (A-L) Rd., from the old
>Frostburg Rd. south past Swamp Rd. to the Allegany Co. line, and also the
>southern mile of Pea Ridge Rd., then east along Lancaster Rd. to where it
>meets the A-L Rd.  There were two areas of particular interest:  the
>entrance to Little Brown Lake (LBL), across from the Bedrock quarry on A-L
>Rd., and the state forest trail that begins behind the George's Creek
>Brethren Church ("Church Trail"), on A-L Rd. just south of  Swamp Rd.  The
>former is a desolate looking area on the top of Four-mile Ridge that looks
>rather like a moon scape, but for some reason attracts a lot of birds.  The
>other area is excellent, later in the year, for a large variety of warblers,
>and where Golden-winged was confirmed last summer.  These two areas are
>mentioned as locations in the following list of birds seen during the
>weekend.  The sightings:
>
>CANADA GOOSE--one on island of Little Brown Lake, 4/17, with neck flattened
>on ground.  This really looked like a hen on a nest, literally maintaining a
>low profile.
>COMMON MERGANSER--female, Little Brown Lake, 4/17
>OSPREY--pair at Little Brown Lake, 4/17
>BROAD-WINGED HAWK--the most commonly seen raptor; many circling overhead in
>various locations
>WILD TURKEY--two toms and four hens in a group near the LBL entrance on
>4/17.  Charlie and I watched one of the males in full display, fending off
>his male rival.  Great show.  Other turkeys were heard along the Church
>Trail early on 4/18.
>RUFFED GROUSE--one seen on the A-L Rd. about 1/4 mile north of Swamp Rd. at
>dusk on 4/17 (near where I had a hen and chicks last June); another flushed
>from the Church Trail early on 4/18.
>SPOTTED SANDPIPER--one at Little Brown Lake, 4/17
>AMERICAN WOODCOCK--a few peenting along A-L Rd., about 1/2 mile south of
>Swamp Rd., in a depression near some houses, evening of 4/16; also one
>peenting at LBL entrance, evening of 4/17
>BARRED OWL--pair calling at north end of Little Brown Lake, 4/17; one
>calling near the LBL entrance, 4/18; and one calling along Church Trail,
>4/18
>COMMON RAVEN--seen on many occasions overhead near the LBL entrance
>FIELD SPARROW--provided the most common song along the Church Trail, 4/18
>SAVANNAH SPARROW--singing along Pea Ridge Rd., 4/17
>VESPER SPARROW--a few singing along Lancaster Rd., 4/17
>FOX SPARROW--one in woods, north end of Little Brown Lake, 4/17
>DARK-EYED JUNCO--one singing at quarry above Little Brown Lake, 4/18.  The
>elevation here is about 3000 feet, and I suspect they nest in the area.
>PURPLE FINCH--a pair seen, and several others singing in the pines along the
>Church Trail.  If anyone gets to this area in the next few weeks, I'd like
>to know if they are still singing, since they probably nest here.
>
>Recent arrivals seen while hiking in the area include BLUE-HEADED VIREO,
>TREE SWALLOW, BARN SWALLOW, BLUE-GRAY GNATCTCHER, and BLACK-THROATED GREEN
>WARBLER.  The Yellow-rumped Warblers are looking resplendent in their
>breeding plumage.  A White-throated Sparrow was (finally) a county close-out
>for me.
>
>On my way home from Garrett, I stopped at my blocks in Washington Co., north
>of Smithsburg (NE of Hagerstown) and found a RUSTY BLACKBIRD where Poplar
>Grove Rd. crosses the Little Antietam Creek (a terrific watering hole for
>birds in an otherwise pretty unexciting, agricultural countryside), and a
>WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW on Newcomer Rd.  I did not see the Blue-winged Teal
>reported by Dave Perry along Watery Lane, but did see one of the not-so-wild
>turkeys there, along with the dozen or so Muscovy Ducks.
>
>Stan Arnold
>Glen Burnie
>
>
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