-----Original Message-----
From: Delaware Birding [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Glen
Lovelace, III
Sent: Monday, January 15, 2007 10:12 PM
To: 
Subject: [de-birds] Weekend at Oak Grove


Hello All,
    2007 is off to a very good start here at Oak Grove.  Since I have not
made a post in a while, I will get up to date before getting to this
weekends birds.

1/1 - After giving up on the Milford CBC as a total washout, I briefly
checked the fields on Oak Grove Rd (MD).  Ring-billed, Herring and Greater
Black-back present with the 93 Herring being a new high count.

1/3 - took an extra day off to chase the Somerset Co. Tropical Kingbird
(successfully).  On the way, there was a flock of 10k Snow Geese on N. Oak
Grove Rd (DE) south of Oak Grove.  In a half hour of searching, I could not
pick out anything unusual.  Late in the afternoon, I went over to Oak Grove
Rd (MD) and found Kestrel, a male Harrier and 7 Mallard (a good January bird
here).  Tori identifies Snow Geese on her own.

1/6 - high of 71 degrees, so I went out at dusk to listen for Woodcock on
the cutoff woods adjacent to the farm (MD).  One Woodcock twittered by,
never to return.  Also heard a Snipe call from the puddle over in the
cutoff, heard Fox Sparrow, Towhee.  First Jan. record for Woodcock and
second for Snipe.  Heard Spring Peepers; had to kill a wasp that got in the
house.

1/7 - 35 species on the first full outing of the year.  875 Tundra Swan in
the field on the NW corner of N. Oak Grove and Kinder Rd (MD).  On the DE
side of N. Oak Grove, there is a tremendous flock of Snow Geese that I
estimate at 30k.  Problem is that most of them are too far out in the field
to scrutinize.  Among the closest, I can find nothing unusual.  Kind of
surprised and disappointed that with that many geese, I cannot find any
goodies.  My consolation prize is a flock of 10 Eastern Meadowlark that fly
across the scope view while staring at geese.  Excellent since I had
Meadowlark only once last year (they seem to have declined greatly in this
area) and those made me wait until November.  Beyond that, songbirds were
extremely slow though I did find a Swamp Sp and flyover pipit.

1/13 - a Chipping Sparrow appears at the feeder (second Jan. record) (DE)
and a western Palm Warbler seen while taking a walk with Tori (MD).  The
Swan flock has re-located to Wild Turkey Rd and numbered about 1300.

1/14 - After sleeping in and then feeder watching, I got a very late start
(9:15), but it did not seem to matter.  First thing out the door, I see a GB
Heron leave the ditch on the farm (another good Jan. bird here), relocate
the Palm Warbler in my stick pile and find 13 Chipping Sparrows foraging on
top of the septic mound.  On Horseshoe Rd at the stream crossing (DE), a
mixed flock includes Winter Wren, a Phoebe, 6 Bluebirds and a Screech Owl
responds to the tape.  On N. Oak Grove south of Oak Grove, I spot a Merlin
on the irrigation.  There was one here in late Nov./early Dec., so I wonder
if it is spending the winter.  I also come up with 2 Black Vulture (now in
danger of being redundant, a good January bird) and later add 6 to make a
high count of 8.
    Moving on to Oak Grove Rd (MD), 2 Mallards continue at the little pond.
The grassy field opposite the pond has harbored Savannah Sparrow all season,
as many as 20, but only 1 today.  Even better are 4 VESPER Sparrows that
emerge and sit up in the trees for scope views.  These are a first January
(and for that matter, winter) record of Vespers here, though I did have some
further down the road on the Dorchester side of MD 577 a couple years ago.
    At this point, I had about 40 species and the makings of a very nice
January list.  At the west end of Kinder Rd, I encountered an excellent
mixed flock, adding Hermit Thrush, RBWO, HAWO, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker,
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (another first January record), Brown Creeper and Swamp
Sp. to the list.  My best January day is 46 species and that was on its way
to falling.  Auspiciously, #47 was Pigeon.
    In the evening, I did a dusk watch on Oak Grove Rd from 4:45-5:45 PM.
Opposite the abandoned yellow house is a large grassy area courtesy of the
June floods that is now flooded again.  I have had visions of it producing
Virginia Rail or Short-eared Owl.  No such luck.  A steady stream of swans
leaving the area heading SW and not much else except 3 Killdeer that begin
calling about 5:30.  I end the day with 51 species and miss Snow Goose.
    Heard swans flying over at 11 PM.
    More January firsts - a Fowler's Toad seen and one of the neighbors
mowing their grass.  I don't care what the weather is doing, I refuse to mow
grass in the winter.

1/15 - I went to check out the swans on Wild Turkey Rd between 3:45 and 4:45
PM.  Today's count is 2400 (new high count).  A small flock of Snow Geese
has joined them.  It grows to approx. 4000 and gets stirred up periodically
by an eagle cruising the area.  I am finally able to pick out a Cackling
Goose.  Also a stream of approx. 750 Ringers (and 1 Herring) going by from E
to W.  All these nice things are disturbed when some yahoo in a pickup truck
(DE plates FT2537) arrives, drives into the field and begins honking.  When
that is ineffective, they drive through the flock of swans to flush most of
them.  Presumably this was the farmer and effort was to keep them from
eating the winter wheat.  But since they have been here many days prior and
they did not bother to flush all of them, it just seems like pure harassment
of wildlife.  All of the skittish geese depart, some of the swan and the
rest of the swan relocate to corn stubble portions of the field.  There will
be a call to Fish & Wildlife tomorrow.

Numbers - My previous best species total at the end of January is 55, end
February is 64.  The typical end of February goal is for 60 species.  I
consider that a good total before some of the early migrants return.  This
year, in two weeks, I stand at 63 species.  Wow!

Good Birding,
Glen Lovelace III
Seaford, DE