With the lacrosse season now being over, I decided to do a little chasing this afternoon. I hit Fort McHenry right after school and then headed to NE Frederick county for try for shorebirds and the Dickcissal Bob Ringler reported yesterday.
The Western Kingbird was at its usual perch singing away. After I left and came back, it had hopped down to the fence and provided for great views. It then bolted off the fence, leaving me thinking I had scared him. This was not the case, however. I put my bins on him in flight and watched him chase down a dragonfly all the way into the fort and back out, eventually catching it and eating it on top of the fort wall. I bid him farewell and went on my way.
I arrived at the Shoemaker Rd location and was greeted by not just one, but TWO singing Dickcissals! I actually got to see them for my first time. I have had them as flyovers at Bayside Campground on Assateague and heard several singing from distant, concealed locations last year in Frederick? county. These birds were just feet off the road singing from medium to low perches. They were spaced about 150 feet apart.
I then headed over to Harney Pond and had the following:
Semipalmated Plover 18
Killdeer 1
Least Sandpiper 130
Greater Yellowlegs 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 13
Solitary Sandpiper 14
Some pictures from today:
http://home.comcast.net/~mbird023/WeKi1.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~mbird023/WeKi2.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~mbird023/Dick1.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~mbird023/Dick2.jpg
Mike Burchett
Churchville, MD
Harford Co. |