Atlased in Worcester County from noon Thursday (4/6) through noon Saturday
(4/8). As in the trip last week, mainly worked areas of the Pocomoke State
Forest and Nassawango Creek area, north of the Pocomoke River. Was able to
upgrade Great Horned and Barred Owls is several blocks, got first
confirmations of the year (both Carolina Chickadee and Pine Warbler nest
building), but tough to add species or upgrades this early in the season.
Real highlight is enjoying the early returning summer residents and trying
for good arrival dates. As previously reported (number recorded each day in
parentheses), Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (13, 14, 13), Yellow-throated Warbler
(5, 18, 19) and Louisiana Waterthrush (3, 4, 6) present in good numbers.
Did not find any new migrants on Thursday, added two species on Friday.
Then there must have been a good flight Friday night, as on Saturday many
new birds (particularly Ovenbirds) had arrived in good numbers.
New species from last week:
Whip-poor-will
04/08 - 4 inds. at 3 locations, along Mt. Olive Road and Forrest Lane. Ties
third earliest record for Worcester, prior records:
WPWI 04/04/1955 1 PSWAMP/N, (Terborgh, J. W.) (CSR)
WPWI 04/04/2004 1 B/WG/SE/03, (MLH) (BBA2 Unpub. Obs.) 0604:0609.
WPWI 04/08/2005 1 B/DC/NE/04, (MLH) (BBA2 Unpub. Obs.) 0610:0624.
White-eyed Vireo
04/08 - 1 at Milburn Branch at Nassawango Road. Ties fifth earliest record
for Worcester, prior records:
WEVI 03/26/1998 1 FLEMRDDIVC, FN "record early arrival for MD". MB "very
early". MB and FN "Dividing Creek, WC". (MLH) (MB 55:29 FN 52:314 Unpub.
Obs.) Photos. FN "though overwintering would seem possible there".
0755:0818.
WEVI 04/02/1977 1 MASSEYXING, MB & AB "state arrival record by 6 days".
AB "WC". (Vaughn, C. R.) (MB 33:124 AB 31:986)
WEVI 04/06/1991 1 NASS, "early". (Garland, M.) (MB 47:123)
WEVI 04/06/1991 1 SHADLSP, "early". (Garland, M.) (MB 47:123)
WEVI 04/08/2005 1 B/DC/NE/07, (MLH) (BBA2 Unpub. Obs.) 0857:0907.
Prairie Warbler
04/08 - 1 signing (seen also) along Corner House Road, about 1/2 mile north
of Scotty Road. Large regenerating cut-over area that is very good for this
species. Record arrival date for Worcester County by 5 days. Prior records
from 04/15 and earlier:
PRAW 04/13/1982 1 WC, ADT. (Unknown) (MB 38:92)
PRAW 04/13/1986 1 PSFOREST, "very early". (Ringler, R. F.) (MB 42:77)
"heard".
PRAW 04/15/1994 5 PSFOREST/N, MB arrivals.
12-Millville-Furnance-Millville-Sand-Red H- (MLH) (MB 51:119 Unpub. Obs.)
Creek-Nass-River-346-McMaster Rds. 0915:1225.
Black-and-white Warbler
04/07 - 5 inds. scattered throughout Pocomoke SF.
04/08 - 4 inds. "
Many records prior to these dates, I've listed the 04/06 and earlier records
below for interest, the 1972 records will be tough to beat:
BAWW 03/18/1972 1 PSFOREST/S, ADT. MB "State record arrival", AN "early".
(Rowlett, R. A.) (MB 28:107, 115 AN 27:192)
BAWW 04/01/1948 6 PSWAMP/N, (Robbins, C. S., Stewart, R. E.) (CSR)
BAWW 04/02/1994 1 BLADESRD, MB "early". (MLH, O'Brien, M.) (MB 51:120
Unpub. Obs.) 0715:0840.
BAWW 04/03/1938 2 NEWARK, A38 "earliest". PCF "arrival". (Ammann, G. A.)
(PCF Ammann 1938)
BAWW 04/04/1955 4 PSWAMP, AN date, 04/05/1955, in error. CSR/AN
"Pocomoke". (Terborgh, J. W.) AN cite no obs. (CSR AN 11:34)
BAWW 04/04/1982 1 WC, ADT. (Unknown) (MB 38:91)
BAWW 04/04/2004 2 B/DC/CE/MI, Old Beech Rd just N of 23. (MLH) (BBA2
Unpub. Obs.) Photos. 1015:1045.
BAWW 04/05/1959 1 PSWAMPWILL, (Unknown) (AN 14:202)
BAWW 04/05/1993 2 PSFOREST, First arrival. (O'Brien, M.) (MB 51:18)
BAWW 04/05/1998 1 BLADESRD, ad. m. (MLH) (Unpub. Obs.) "singing".
0700:0815.
BAWW 04/06/1963 8 PSWAMP, (Unknown) (MB 19:68)
Ovenbird
04/08 - 12 inds. at 10 stops scattered throughout Pocomoke SF.
Interestingly enough, the exact same date a large number of Ovenbirds (17)
arrived in the area. Ties fourth earliest arrival record. Records on or
before 04/08 listed below:
OVEN 04/05/1993 1 PSFOREST, First arrival, "early". (O'Brien, M.) (MB
51:19)
OVEN 04/06/1991 1 WHITONXING, MB "first". AB "early". (Pitney, E. L., et
al.) AB cites ELP. (MB 47:124 AB 45:429)
OVEN 04/07/1998 1 WHITONXING, (MLH) (Unpub. Obs.) Heard once, some doubt
re. id. 1137:1200.
OVEN 04/08/1995 1 GIRDLETREE, "early". (Broderick, C., Broderick, D.) (MB
52:90)
OVEN 04/08/2005 1 B/DC/CE/13, (MLH) (BBA2 Unpub. Obs.) 0631:0649.
OVEN 04/08/2005 1 B/DC/CE/22, (MLH) (BBA2 Unpub. Obs.) 0823:0828.
OVEN 04/08/2005 1 B/DC/CE/23, (MLH) (BBA2 Unpub. Obs.) 0818:0822.
OVEN 04/08/2005 1 B/DC/CE/28, (MLH) (BBA2 Unpub. Obs.) 0655:0701.
OVEN 04/08/2005 3 B/DC/CE/MI, PSF, E and N of B/DC/CE/28, near Pusey
Branch. (MLH) (BBA2 Unpub. Obs.) 0705:0755.
OVEN 04/08/2005 1 B/DC/NE/18, (MLH) (BBA2 Unpub. Obs.) 0837:0842.
OVEN 04/08/2005 1 B/DC/NE/MI, Whitesburg Rd. (MLH) (BBA2 Unpub. Obs.)
OVEN 04/08/2005 7 B/SA/SE/MI, PSF tract E of Rt. 12. (MLH) (BBA2 Unpub.
Obs.) 1000:1042.
Common Yellowthroat
04/07 - 1 ind. at Nassawango Creek at Mt. Olive Road.
04/08 - 7 inds. scattered throughout Pocomoke SF.
Record on 04/07 ties forth earliest spring arrival date for Worcester; had 5
on 04/08 last year. I've always found it interesting that although this
species winters in very small numbers in the county, it is not a
particularly early migrant (like the gnatcatcher et al.). Records of
probable spring arrivals beginning in late-March listed below:
COYE 03/25/1991 1 AI/NE, (MLH) (MB 47:125 Unpub. Obs.) MB "may have been
an early migrant".
COYE 04/05/1993 1 PSFOREST, First arrival. (O'Brien, M.) (MB 51:19)
COYE 04/06/1991 1 AI/LL, (MLH) (Unpub. Obs.)
COYE 04/07/1991 2 AI/PT, (MLH) (Unpub. Obs.)
COYE 04/08/2005 1 B/DC/CE/22, (MLH) (BBA2 Unpub. Obs.) 0823:0828.
COYE 04/08/2005 1 B/DC/CE/23, (MLH) (BBA2 Unpub. Obs.) 0818:0822.
COYE 04/08/2005 1 B/DC/CE/24, (MLH) (BBA2 Unpub. Obs.) 0806:0815.
COYE 04/08/2005 1 B/DC/NE/07, (MLH) (BBA2 Unpub. Obs.) 0857:0907.
COYE 04/08/2005 1 B/SA/SE/MI, PSF tract E of Rt. 12. (MLH) (BBA2 Unpub.
Obs.) 1000:1042.
No Northern Parulas, well there's always next year!
Good birding,
Mark L Hoffman
Sykesville, MD |