21 June 2005

I spent three hours atlasing this first morning of summer. I found
myself at the end of a road, listening to an odd Orchard Oriole song 
and trying to find the bird to make sure that's what it was.  I stopped
here because of the large field -- I hadn't realized this much habitat 
was left in this part of the county and I was optimistically hoping for
a Field Sparrow.  I search the large Sycamore for the oriole eventually
finding it and a silent female.  Along the way I find silent Waxwing
and Kingbird in the tree.  Then I realize I'm hearing Field Sparrows
singing in the background.  Wow, this is a good stop.  I find one of the
Field Sparrows perched in a nearby bush then hear a familiar song that's
so out of place in this part of the county it had to sing a couple more
times before I realize it's an Eastern Meadowlark.  That's a bird no
longer on my well-it-COULD-happen list.

I see no "No Trespassing" signs so I decide to chance the ticks and walk
around a little.  A group of trees half-way across the field are swarming
with Indigo Buntings and a silent Song Sparrow with a bill full of dry
grass.  What a lovely place.  Behind the trees is a small pond with four
species of swallows, two species of herons, Mallard, Geese and a Killdeer.
How much better can this get?  I see a dense growth of saplings beyond the
pond; can I hope for White-eyed Vireo and maybe a Prairie Warbler?  I don't
have either in this block yet.  I cross the field finding neither target 
bird but while walking back toward the pond, a Chat sounds off in the 
distance.  The walk is through thick, waist-high grasses which are pretty 
devoid of birds and thankfully no ticks.  A Red-tailed Hawk screams from 
overhead.  I get to an area of thinner, shorter growth with last-year's
dried weed stocks and suddenly I'm surrounded by Yellowthroats.  I figure 
there's four pair, one feeding young.

I set off in yet another direction but stop when a bird flies by
carrying food.  It lands in one of the trees near the pond.  I think 
it's an oriole but all I got was a silhouette.  That should be an easy 
confirmation but instead of trekking off after it, I decide it's easier 
to wait for the bird to make another pass by me.  While standing there, 
I find a few more Kingbirds, a pair of Blue Grosbeaks and then I hear 
it -- Grasshopper Sparrow!  The best bird of the day.  The immature male 
Orchard Oriole makes a few more passes carrying food.  I think there are 
two sparrows singing.  I locate one perched on a twig.  It throws it 
head back and with it's bill wide opened, looks like a mute opera singer.

This place seems to good to be true.  I walk up a small hill and see
even more fields beyond.  There, running across the far side of those
fields is a bulldozer.

Perhaps Fairview Estates will have a Meadowlark Lane.

Dave
-- 
David Mozurkewich
Seabrook, PG, MD