I will do that. I took notes in the field in
preparation for the submission. Thanks for the
reminder.
Scott
--- "George M. Jett" <> wrote:
> Scott
>
> Pacific Loon is a reviewable bird in Maryland. You
> should send your
> write-up, photos, or anything else to Phil Davis,
> the MDDC Records Committee
> Secretary. Phil's email is Cc'd for your
> convenience.
>
> George
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Scott Baron" <>
> To: <>
> Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2007 11:41 PM
> Subject: [MDOSPREY] Garrett County, April 13 and 14
> - Pacific Loon, American
> Bittern
>
>
> > Hello, birders.
> >
> > I spent time in far western MD and nearby WV on
> Friday
> > and Saturday to help perform some habitat
> restoration
> > for a nature preserve. While this was sort of a
> work
> > trip, I still got some birding in when I could.
> We
> > managed to find some great birds despite not
> spending
> > a whole lot of time actively birding. Best bird
> was a
> > well observed PACIFIC LOON, next best an AMERICAN
> > BITTERN.
> >
> > After going to Monongehela NF in West Virginia,
> where
> > it was snowing and very cold, we went to
> Herrington
> > Manor SP and Swallow Falls SP. We stayed in
> cabins at
> > HMSP but took a short hike at SFSP. This was on
> > Friday. Saturday was mostly spent at Cranesville
> > Swamp, which is on the WV/MD line.
> >
> > The weather was cold, with snow both days. I
> never
> > saw our car thermometer go above 44F in the
> county.
> >
> > On Friday, some quick birding in the late
> afternoon
> > near the cabin produced birds such as a gorgeous
> adult
> > male PURPLE FINCH and CHIPPING SPARROWS. A flock
> of
> > AM. ROBINS were around both days.
> >
> > A late afternoon visit to SWALLOW FALLS SP was
> very
> > pleasant. It's a beautiful place. The birds were
> > mostly quiet but we did see a 1st spring male
> PURPLE
> > FINCH singing from the top of a tree near the
> parking
> > lot. A RAVEN and both species of VULTURES soared
> > overhead.
> >
> > On the way back to the cabins from Swallow Falls,
> one
> > of my co-workers, Andy, exclaimed that he thought
> he
> > saw an American Bittern or an perhaps an imm.
> > night-heron out the car window near the road. So
> we
> > turned around and drove back. Yep, an AMERICAN
> > BITTERN stalked the edge of a small wetland next
> to a
> > dirt parking lot. This area in between the two
> state
> > parks is part of the Garrett State Forest. When
> we
> > stopped the vehicle the bird pointed it's head up
> as
> > they are apt to do when they are trying to blend
> in to
> > their surroundings. It then walked further into
> the
> > wetland, feeding. Another co-worker, Gabe,
> snapped a
> > few photos before his camera's battery died. The
> bird
> > later flew across the road into a bigger wetland.
> I
> > assume this is a rare bird for the area.
> >
> > A co-worker and I woke up early the next morning
> to
> > get in some birding before breakfast. We had
> talked
> > about going to the lake so we headed straight
> there.
> > As we approached the lake shore, we almost
> immediately
> > spotted a beautiful PACIFIC LOON toward the other
> side
> > of the lake. My co-worker hadn't seen one before,
> I
> > have limited experience with this species. This
> bird
> > sported a beautiful silvery crown and nape, which
> > seemed to blend into a black throat. The back was
> > dark with white markings. The bill was clearly
> not
> > the big dagger shaped bill of the Common, nor the
> > slim, upturned bill of the Red-throated. Rather,
> it
> > was thicker than a Red-throateds and straight. It
> > seemed fairly short to me, shorter than what an
> Artic
> > Loon's bill is supposed to look like. The bird's
> > breast was white. The loon called twice. My
> > co-worker aptly described it as a short trumpet.
> We
> > watched this western vagrant for about 5 minutes
> > before it took off. It slowly circled the lake a
> few
> > times, going higher and higher. I stopped
> watching
> > the bird to sketch it. When I looked again I
> couldn't
> > find it. I assume that it headed north? I feel
> > pretty confident of the ID. According to Sibley,
> if
> > the bird was an Artic it should have shown a
> larger
> > bill and the stripes on the side of the neck would
> > have been obvious. Artics are extremely rare in
> the
> > East anyway. I wonder where this bird spent the
> > winter?
> >
> > Also on the lake: 5 BUFFLEHEAD (2m, 3f), 5 female
> > RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, 8 CANADA GEESE (4 pair, 1
> on
> > nest), 1 pair of WOOD DUCKS and a COMMON LOON in
> > alternate (breeding) plumage. The area in between
> the
> > lake and the cabin held migrating NORTHERN FLICKER
> (4
> > in one tree), SONG and CHIPPING SPARROW, TOWHEE
> and
> > JUNCO, 3 PURPLE FINCH, 1 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH and
> > other birds. Two OSPREY flew over the lake. One
> flew
> > over the park yesterday. The only warbler we had
> all
> > weekend was a LA. WATERTHRUSH which we heard sing
> once
> > this morning. A couple of RUFFED GROUSE drummed
> near
> > the lake. Andy spotted a GREAT EGRET flying
> overhead,
> > I guess they are rare out here in April?
> >
> > Cranesville Swamp was mostly dead. We didn't
> spend
> > much time on the trails, rather we were mostly a 1
> > mile down the road at another part of the
> preserve.
> >
> > FYI, in West Virginia I saw a few Red Crossbills
> and a
> > late Fox Sparrow.
> >
> > I had a great couple of days. I am anxious to get
> out
> > there again in the spring or summer.
> >
> > Scott Baron
> > Fairfax, Va.
> >
> >
> > __________________________________________________
> > Do You Yahoo!?
> > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam
> protection around
> > http://mail.yahoo.com
> >
>
>
>
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com |