Hi Folks,

I just returned from a day and a half of atlasing two blocks in the St.
Michaels area of Talbot Co., and the theme of the visit was that bobwhites
were everywhere.  I have never had this experience in Maryland, so went back
into my database to see how many sightings I've had of this bird during my
eight-year tenure in this state.  Turned up about 50 records in about 12
counties, all of individual birds, or small coveys, but never more than one
sighting per day.  Yesterday (Sun., 6/20), as I scoured the St. Michael's SW
and SE atlas blocks, I heard bobwhites singing in NINE different locations
within the two blocks.  Time of day was irrelevant--they were singing at
noon, 2, 4, and 6 p.m.  When I returned to an area previously covered, they
were still singing.  Was it the exceptionally beautiful weather, or could I
expect this on any other day, I wondered.

Early this morning, I spent two hours hiking from the Clinton Bradley park
in St. Michaels west along Mt. Pleasant Rd., with some side-trips onto
Dawson and Church Neck Roads.  During this outing, I counted 14 bobwhites
singing, with as many as four heard at a given time.  Makes it seem like the
bobwhite is somehow tied to the cicada-cycle, or maybe this location is just
that good for these birds.

On a separate note, I had an enjoyable time last night picking up screech
owls for the above mentioned blocks.  Having been up since 3:30 a.m., I was
dead beat tired at 8:20 p.m. when I parked the car near the elbow at the
west end of Miles River Rd., northeast and across the water from the town of
Newcomb, Talbot Co.  The sun was still up, but it was relatively dark in the
thick surrounding woods.  I was expecting to wait another hour before I
would get any screech owl response, but I went ahead and got my tape ready
by running a 10-second clip of the owl whinnies.  Within seconds, I had two
little owls fly over my head, and perch side-by-side in plain sight across
the road.  A third owl trilled in the distance.  Hmmmm, I thought, three
owls can be really good for the atlas.  One of the visible pair flew up to a
higher perch, and I studied it in the as-yet ample light.  It was an adult
red-phased bird.  Then I lowered my binoculars to the other visible owl.  It
was a fuzzy, gray, downy, puffball with two big eyes.  It fidgeted back and
forth as it shifted its weight from foot to foot, like some animated
caricature.  It was SO CUTE!  I was thrilled.  I watched for as long as I
thought I could stay awake, but knew it was time to take advantage of the
ease of the find by getting to the other block and trying there.  So, off I
went to St. Michaels, where I was able to tally a screecher for the other
block, and off to bed by 10 p.m.  TA DA!  Yes, it was a happy Father's Day.

Other sightings made during the 30-hour visit to St. Michaels included two
SNOWY EGRETs on Oak Creek at Newcomb, a GREAT EGRET off of Drum Point Rd.,
an adult BALD EAGLE flying along Solitude Rd., a LEAST TERN diving in Oak
Creek, YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOOs calling along Dawson Rd. and Miles River Rd., a
PILEATED WOODPECKER flying over Clinton Bradley Park in St. Michaels (a good
sighting for this area), YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, singing near Solitude Rd.,
SUMMER TANAGERs on Shipshead Creek Rd. and Pea Neck Rd. and BLUE GROSBEAKs
among the many singing Field Sparrows along Mt. Pleasant and Church Neck
Roads.

Another highly fulfilling atlas adventure.

Stan Arnold
Glen Burnie