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Subject:

1st Garrett County Atlasing Trip

From:

Elise Kreiss

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Date:

Sun, 1 May 2005 21:31:24 EDT

Paul and I enjoyed our first weekend atlasing in Garrett County, 
despite the wet Saturday.  We've taken the Grantsville SW block.  We
have some of Savage River State Forest (Negro Mountain) in our block.  
Main roads that we birded are Amish Road, Bittinger, Durst and Dung Hill. 

The population of birds was quite different than our Baltimore City/
Baltimore County Blocks.  With a day and a half of birding, we were 
unable to locate a single House Sparrow in our block.  Field Sparrows 
were numerous and very vocal in all four quarters.  Blue-headed Vireos 
were also frequently encountered.  Am having really good exposure 
to their song for the first time.  Most of the warblers we encountered 
were not in the safe dates, but every one is a possible for Garrett County:  
NASHVILLE WARBLER, YELLOW WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED 
BLUE WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, PINE WARBLER, 
BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, OVENBIRD, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH.  

Other birds we saw and may have a chance to confirm include:  RUFFED GROUSE, 
KILLDEER, COMMON RAVEN, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, 
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, HERMIT THRUSH and DARK-EYED JUNCO.

The rufous morph Ruffed Grouse was a life bird for both of us.   Paul braked 
for 
it as it delicately crossed the road.  It showed off its tail band flying 
into a leafless 
tree; and was not nearly as well hidden as it might have been had we not 
known it 
was there.   It was thrill, too, hearing the call of a Hermit Thrush in the 
forest.  


Elise Kreiss
Baltimore City