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Subject:

Garrett Co. Atlasing

From:

Stan Arnold

Reply-To:

Maryland Birds & Birding

Date:

Sun, 11 Jul 2004 22:20:30 -0400

Hi Folks,

I'm just back from my fourth of five atlasing trips out to Garrett Co.--one
per month from April to August.  As with my previous two trips, HENSLOW'S
SPARROW dominates the news, with two new locations found.  Charlie Kucera
and I heard Henslow's for the first time along Frostburg Rd., just down the
hill from Charlie's cabin, and scarcely a three mile drive from I-68.  In
the big hay field directly across the road from the entrance to the Savage
River Lodge, we heard these birds EVERY time we passed by the field, which
is at least six times.  The most we heard during a single pass was five
vocalizations at 7 p.m. last evening (7/10), widely spaced enough to suggest
that we actually heard five distinct birds.  Directions:  From I-68, take
exit 29, and turn south , taking Beall School Rd. until it runs into
Frostburg Rd.  When you come to the Y, bear left, staying on Frostburg Rd.
(the other branch is Old Frostburg Rd. that takes one to the Carey Run MOS
Sanctuary), and look for the Savage River Lodge sign on the right.  This
represents a new quarterblock tic for the Avilton SE block (QB4).

The other previously unreported location where I found Henslow's Sparrow
this morning (7/11) was on Pea Ridge Rd., south of Lancaster Hill Rd., and
about a mile south of the previously publicized Pea Ridge Henslow's
location.  The road makes an elbow turn at the bottom of a hill by a house
and barns, and about 15 yards south of the double silo is where I heard a
vocalization.  This is still in the Avilton SE atlas block (QB2 as with the
other Pea Ridge location), but only about 0.3 mile from my Barton NE atlas
block.  All I can say is "Come on down; The right habitat is waiting for
you!"

While Henslow's Sparrow has traditionally been found in reclaimed strip
mines in this state, they certainly seem to be opting for hay fields in this
neck of the woods.  All four locations where I've found them this year have
been this type of habitat.  Though they don't tend to show themselves much,
they do tend to locate right up next to the road, and I have found their
distinctive "tck-slick" sound hard to miss, particularly in the original Pea
Ridge Rd. stretch that goes south off of Avilton-Loncaconing Rd.  For this
reason, Charlie and I made multiple passes along this stretch (three sets of
three passes each on different days and different times) to see if we could
find a fledgling.  Though we got an excellent 3-4 minute view of an adult
sitting on a milkweed blossom, we were never able to definitely find a
youngster.  However, further down the road just before it makes the bend, I
did get an excellent look at a fledged young GRASSHOPPER SPARROW,
distinctive because the breast had brownish streaks, instead of the buffy
color of the adult.

The stretch of Pea Ridge Rd. just south of Harold Fikes' barn (the barn
whose corner actually touches the road) in the Barton NE block was hopping
yesterday with large numbers of adult and fledgling SAVANNAH SPARROWS,
GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS and BOBOLINKS.  Despite several adults around, I was
not able to confirm Meadowlark.  Kudos to John Hubbel who confirmed this
bird for the next block to the north.

The bulk of the weekend was spent hiking the various forest service trails,
and hiking a small section of the Savage River.  This produced several
confirms, including BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER (FL), MAGNOLIA WARBLER (FY
in one location, FL in another), LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH (FL), and
BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER (FY).  BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER was singing along the
forest trail south of the Georges Creek Brethren Church on
Avilton-Lonaconing Rd., and BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was heard at Charlie's cabin
on Four-mile Ridge both Friday and Saturday, and briefly seen in the front
yard on Saturday afternoon.

Yet another great atlasing experience in a scenic and peaceful part of the
state.

Stan Arnold
Glen Burnie