Grantsville SW Block

Over the weekend Paul and I made our 3rd atlasing trip to the 
Grantsville SW Block.  Some non-birding excitement was created 
when we heard a large animal working its way noisily through the 
brush towards us making deep snuffling noises.  I would have loved 
to have added bear to my life list, but common sense prevailed, and 
we went back to the main road.   

We revisited the entrance to Savage State Park from Amish Road 
around the edge of a logged-over area to check on the Chestnut-sided 
Warblers we found there last time.  There continued to be a number 
of them.  We estimate seeing a dozen in this area, although it is hard 
to tell.  They could be heard or seen fairly continuously.   It was here 
we also heard a Black-billed Cuckoo, and in the pauses between its call, 
a response - same notes, same cadence, but with the high, thin, voice
of a Blue Jay.               

We found a field within our block with Bobolinks; and even better, 
it was also found to have Grasshopper Sparrows.   We identified 
the first Grasshopper Sparrow setting up territory in the middle 
of Bill Beitzel road.  We scoped another one on a mailbox.  
The droppings down the sides seemed to indicate a favorite 
perch; and we found what might have been the same bird on the 
mailbox the next day.   

It was a particular treat to locate Juncos singing from the tops of trees.   
All the birds below were seen in the Grantsville SW Block except for 
the ones in brackets, which were seen elsewhere near by in Garrett 
County.  

June 11, 12 and 13

Wood Duck
Turkey Vulture
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Wild Turkey
[Kildeer]
Rock Dove
Mourning Dove
Black-billed Cuckoo
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Barred Owl
[Chimney Swift]
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Acadian Flycatcher
Alder Flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great-crested Flycatcher
Barn Swallow
Blue Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Eastern Blue Bird
Veery 
Hermit Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Cedar Waxwing
European Starling
White-eyed
Blue-headed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
[Northern Parula]
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Ovenbird
Louisiana Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Blue Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Bobolink
Red-wing Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

Elise Kreiss