Hi all,

Since I didn't have to work today, and feeling
somewhat settled in finally, I decided that I needed
to get out and do some birding after being cooped up
since about mid-August due to work and the impending
move to this area.

That being said, I was looking at the map and I saw
that I am close to Loch Raven reservoir.  So, I decide
I would go there this afternoon.

When I left around 3:40, it was overcast.  When I
returned home around 6, it was sunny out.  I left the
house and went up Warren Road.  I crossed the bridge
and stopped at the first pull off stop that I came
upon.

I got out of my car and crossed the road and went into
the woods.  I followed a path that went to the west
and it didn't seem too promising until I got closer to
the water.  As I approached the water, I heard the
scolding of what sounded like a wren.  I looked to my
right and in the vine winding around a tree, I heard
and then saw, a CAROLINA WREN.  In a moment, he was
joined by a second Carolina Wren.  

I continued going along the path toward the water.  I
saw a pair of RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS off to my left
just before I hit the trail's end.  I made my way down
the trail to the water, with the bridge off to my
left.  I flushed a KILLDEER and a BELTED KINGFISHER
flew over the "lake".  Off in the distance were
several CANADA GESSE, and a pair of GREAT BLUE HERONS
were playing air tag.  On the island were a pair of
KILLDEER and there was also a feeding ROCK PIGEON.

Off in the distance, as I stood on the shore, I heard
the caws of an AMERICAN CROW and the screech of a BLUE
JAY.  I also heard the RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS and as
I looked under the bridge to the south, I saw another
GREAT BLUE HERON.

As I turned to head back up the path, I saw a bluish
bird fly across the water and land in a tree in front
of me.  I watched where he landed, but as I made it up
the hill and onto the path, I lost him.  As it made my
way east on the trail, I saw movement in a tree to my
right, and I got my binocs up and saw a nice male
BLUE-HEADED VIREO.  I made my along the path back to
the path that would take me back to my car, but I
heard birds to the left and straight ahead.  So I
headed east along another trail and wound up down near
the water.  Here I saw a mother and father NORTHERN
CARDINAL, a female BLUE-HEADED VIREO (at fist I
thought it was a Warbling Vireo until I got a better
look at its spectacle).  

I also heard and spotted a CAROLINA CHICKADEE, and
where the are chickadees, there are other birds.  I
saw movement in a nearby tree and on the ground, and I
saw a bird flitting around.  It was bluish and
appeared to have some black underneath.  I thought to
myself, "is that a black-throated blue?"  and sure
enough, seconds later I got a super look at a
BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER.  On the ground nearby, I
had another Carolina Wren.  I heard more Crows and
another Red-Bellied Woodpecker.  

I then made my way back to the main trail that led
back to Warren Rd.  I paused for more bird commotion
in the trees, and I binoced a bird to my right.  He
was sitting on a branch with his back to me, and as I
focused, he turned around and looked at me as if to
say, "I haven't seen you in a LONG time!"  It was a
TUFTED TITMOUSE, and I was so excited, I almost
couldn't stand it.

This time, I was determined to cross the road, and I
made it.  I stopped at my car, but of course, I didn't
grab my scope (I would regret it in 5 minutes...).  I
made my way into the woods, and down the hill, with
the bridge on Warren Rd. to my right.  I walked a ways
and went down to the beach.  A Kingfisher flew past me
and landed in a tree, cackling at me.  I also got to
see an OSPREY dive into the water and catch a fish.  

Across the way (it looked like it was sitting on a
nest) a GREAT BLUE HERON sat, and behind him were
several shorebirds (this was why I needed a scope). 
In order to ID them, I'd need a scope, which was in
the car.  So, I made my way back to the car, got the
scope, then follwed the trail until I was across from
the GBH.  I saw two birds, which were about up to the
waist on the GBH in height, with long black bills and
orangish-yellow legs.  One had a problem with his left
leg, which he held up out of the water, and he was
hopping around on his right.  I decided, due to their
coloring, bill color/length, size and leg coloring,
that they were in the Willet/Yellowlegs/Godwit
ballpark.  I ruled out Willet because of leg color and
overall appearance, as well as the way the white from
his breast "curled" up into his back (to see what I
mean, look at the fall juvenile GY on p. 175 of
Kaufmann).  I also ruled out possible Godwit due to
its "skinny" appearance.  Thus, this meant that they
were in all likelihood GREATER YELLOWLEGS.  To their
south was a group of eight smaller birds, ahich looked
similar to these two goofs, in that they were the same
general appearance, had shorter black bills, and
yellow-orange legs.  Their bills were too long to be
anything other than LESSER YELLOWLEGS (I also call
them this because LESSER YELLOWLEGS have a tendency to
be found in small flocks according to Kaufmann p.
174).

After this, I decided to call it a day.  On the way
back to the car, I heard a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH.

Here's my list for the day (year birds in CAPITALS):
CAROLINA WREN
RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER
Belted Kingfisher
Killdeer
American Crow
Canada Goose
Northern Cardinal
Rock Pigeon
Great Blue Heron
Blue Jay
BLUE-HEADED VIREO
CAROLINA CHICKADEE
BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER
TUFTED TITMOUSE
Osprey
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Red-breasted Nuthatch

18 species in about two hours.  It's not Texas, but
it's not bad.  No lifers, but six year birds, and one
I was dying to see since I got to Maryland.

Good birding,
Richard




		
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