Hi Folks,
Enroute to my parent's 60th wedding anniversary celebration in Indianapolis,
Elaine and I stopped for a bit of birding in western Maryland on our way
west, and did the same on the return. Highlights were a small "flock" of
VESPER SPARROWs and RUSTY BLACKBIRD in Allegany Co., RUFFED GROUSE in
Garrett, a few shorebirds and some lingering waterfowl. Here's a rundown:
Sat., 31 March
Kirchner's Pond, Frederick Co.:
N. Shoveler--pair
Canvasback--1
L. Scaup--pair
Ruddy Duck--20
Am. Coot--15
Rocky Gap St. Pk, Allegany Co.:
N. Shoveler--at least two in a flock of a dozen or so dabblers that flushed
(from nearby boaters?) as we got out of the car; sadly, only the shovelers
could be ID'd, and the flock was not relocated
Ring-necked Duck--1 male
Bufflehead--1 male
Common Merganser--8
Common Loon--1
PB Grebe--1
swallows--several dozen; I could only ID Tree Swallow
Piney Reservoir, Garrett Co.:
Wood Duck--1 male
N. Pintail--pair
Blue-winged Teal--pair
Lesser Scaup--20
PB Grebe--2
Osprey--pair (have been around for years, but still no evidence of nesting)
Am. Coot--1
Little Meadow Lake, Garrett Co.:
L. Scaup--2 pairs
Greater Yellowlegs--1
small pond on McAndrews Hill Rd., Garrett Co.:
Ruddy Duck--pair
Jennings Randolph Reservoir, Garrett Co.
Bald Eagle--1 adult flying over
not a single duck
Norris Welch Rd., Garrett Co. (there were no waterbirds at the WWTP):
W. Snipe--4
Am. Kestrel--1
E. Meadowlark--several singing
Deep Creek Lake, Garrett Co.:
Bonaparte's Gull--7
Wed., 4 April
Piney Res., Garrett Co.:
L. Scaup--3 (1m 2f)
Co. Loon--1
PB Grebe--2
DC Cormorant--3
Osprey--4 (or 5); must come from outlying areas to feed here
RB Gull--2
RUFFED GROUSE--1 pale brown bird ambled from the roadside up into the woods,
on main road just south of reservoir; this was at 3:45 p.m., an unusual time
of day for this bird to be on the main road
Pinto Marsh, Allegany Co. at dusk (there was nothing at Pinto Pond):
Am. Woodcock--2 or 3 peenting; one short flight seen but the virulent wind
precluded the possibility of any displays
Thursday, 5 April
Mexico Farms Rd., Allegany Co., in field next to mail box #10814:
VESPER SPARROW--8
E. Meadowlark--2
North Branch, Allegany Co.:
Wood Duck--pair
Bonaparte's Gull--1 flyover
E. Meadowlark--several singing
RUSTY BLACKBIRD--pair
Rocky Gap St. Pk, Allegany Co.:
Red-breasted Merganser--6
Common Loon--3
PB Grebe--1
Common Raven--1
Brown Thrasher--1
hundreds of swallows, but the blustery wind sapped any interest I had in
sorting through them--only Trees were ID'd
Washington Co.:
Common Loon--2 flyovers near Big Pool
Wild Turkey--1 standing along south side of I-70, just west of I-81
Regards to all--
Stan Arnold
Glen Burnie
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