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Subject:

Worcester County-May Count et al.

From:

"Hoffman, Mark"

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Hoffman, Mark

Date:

Mon, 14 May 2007 15:56:42 -0400

As part of the MOS May Count I birded in Worcester late Friday thru
Sunday am.  I haven't done many "big days" down there, but Saturday
turned out to be one of the best birding days I've had, netting 153
species when it was all over.  My (rather poor) comparison was last
year's May Count (that included a fair amount of atlasing on the south
end of Assateague) that totaled 137.  Compared to that effort, I decided
to spend more time in the forest in the am, and do the ponds/OC more
quickly.  I also did the north end of Assateague, as opposed to the
southern end.

Friday, 5/11

The last time I had been down was two weeks ago for the Delmarva Birding
Festival, so I had a little recent info (plus way too much historical
knowledge!).  One uncertainty on a big run is "which ponds to check?".
There are a bunch of them, and it really helps to know which, if any,
have a lingering duck or coot.  I checked the ponds at Rts. 90 & 113
(nothing), the new SHA pond on 113 north of there (2 imm. Tundra Swans
and 1 Am. Coot), the Ocean Pines Ponds (1 Snow Goose), Griffin Rd. (1 Am
Coot) and near Berlin (1 N. Shoveler and 2 Ruddy Ducks).  That gave me
some good info for Sat.

Saturday, 5/12

I set the alarm for 3 am, and was at Truitt's Landing at 4:22.  Although
the weather was fine, I was barely able to eke out 1 Virginia Rail (and
3 chucks). Haven't hear the formerly impossible to miss King Rails since
late-March.  A few night migrants, but no thrushes or anything I could
ID.  Got screech-owl on the way out, then managed to hit a big deer on
Cherrix Rd.  First time for me.  Minimal car damage, but the deer took a
shot in the head (she seemed to lung under my left front tire with her
head).  Poor thing collapsed in road and given the head trauma, I did
the only responsible thing and finished her off with the SUV.  Needless
to say, shook me up for some time.

Time was pressing though, it was getting light and I need to get whip.
Got to one of my best spots on Voting House Rd. and one was still going
strong.  Then over to the Colbourne area, where I worked Struges Rd
(getting Barred Owl after 16 minutes of hooting) as part of the intense
dawn chorus.  Got most of the resident woodland/scrub species over the
next two hours along Struges and Mt. Olive Church Roads.  Surprises
included (in the large cut-over on Mt. Olive, east of Colbourne) a
Solitary Sandpiper in a wet pool in the clear cut (my only one of the
day) and a Savannah Sparrow along the road shoulder here.  The same
Hooded Warbler (hardest resident warbler to fine) was where it had been
two weeks ago on Mt. Olive, just at the first woods edge south of the
county line.  Only migrants were 1 Magnolia Warbler and 1 N. Waterthrush
at Nassawango Creek, although by spring-in-Worcester terms that could
almost be considered a flight.  Gave me some hope for the rest of the
day.

Still missing both chat and black-and-white, I got both at the cutover
on Forest Lane, just north of Voting House.  It was kind of like that
all day, when I had a target I would (usually) get it and often a bonus
bird.  I didn't have any staked-out Red-headed Woodpeckers, but after a
"grassland stop" along Forest Land (just south of the Taylor Gate
Church) I was pulling away when I heard one call.  I saw there was a
batch of dead trees way in the distance, but then I saw the woodpecker
in flight (as if flying out of the grassland area). It flew over an old
barn and landed in a big tree along the road.  Really a clutch moment.
Was able to get Grasshopper Sparrow along the same road (this is where
the Dickcissels nested two years ago), a few Semipalmated Plovers in a
field here as well (often seen large groups of black-bellies in fields
down here in spring).

Still needing some woodland species, I took 354 back to Red House Road
and did a loop of Sand Road, Whitesburg and Old Furnace Roads.  Added
hummingbird, Red-tailed Hawk (missed last year!), phoebe, bluebird, and
thrasher.  Hairy Woodpecker was my problem, but I just wasn't going to
have time. Left the forest at 9:41.  Tried Snow Hill for rough-winged
swallow (nest next to the bridge last year), but no luck. Then Byrd Park
(first House Wren, very local inland here) but no migrants.  Once saw a
singing Cape May at the park in May; hope springs eternal.

Headed down Rt. 12 to do a southern loop. Still needed bobwhite.  Tried
a private wetland area off Rt. 12 that has been reliable in the past for
quail but they weren't singing if there. Wetland too overgrown to tell
if any ducks hiding inside.  On to Vaughn-North where the bonus was a
breeding plumage Pied-billed Grebe in the east end of the south pond.
Could be nesting.  Have been here twice this spring and not seen them
previously.  A walk through the small marsh at Taylor's Landing scored
Seaside Sparrow, but saltmarsh sharp-tailed would prove to be another
nemesis.

Tried Scott's Landing for sparrows, added S-b. Dowitcher, Lesser
Yellowlegs and Semipalmated Sandpiper in an open patch of marsh.  3
Common Loons out in the bay.  Started north, field along Bayside Road
had a small flock of Black-bellied Plovers (and 1 Dunlin).  Dugout farm
pond at Figg's Landing had a single Ruddy Duck.  Got to the Worcester
Landfill at 12:40, much later than last year.  Not much time to check,
got N. Rough-wing Swallow (nest here) right away, and one surprise was a
single imm. Bonaparte's Gull in the back pond.  No shorebird habitat as
a result of all the construction for a new cell.  Figured I'd get Lesser
Black-backed Gull on Assateague...

Ponds near Berlin failed to produce the Ruddy Duck (which was then ok)
or Northern Shoveler, but added Green Heron, Least Terns and Spotted
Sandpiper.  Then to the Rt. 113 pond, and got the 2 Tundra Swans found
yesterday. No coot, but 2 Cattle Egrets were good as this might save me
time in Ocean City (they seemed to be breeding on Heron Island two weeks
ago, but can be hard to see).  Ocean Pines had the usual Snow Goose
(only 1) and the west most Griffin Road Pond still had the lingering
coot.

On to the Ocean City/Inlet, added Surf and Black Scoter (small flock
barely visible south of the south jetty), gannet, turnstone, Purple
Sandpiper, Sanderling and Common Tern.  No loons.  Huge flock of Common
Terns demanded a closer look, and I spotted an all white one (with a
very long tail) sitting in the water.  It got up, black bill, rosy cast
to white underparts, uniformly white mantle, wings (except for the 3
darker outer primaries).  Roseate Tern!  Saw them at OC in 92 and 94,
think I have seen in spring twice since then.  Beautiful bird.
Incredibly long tail streamers seen to quiver in the wind in a sinuous
motion almost independent of the bird itself.  Must press on, however.
Did a quick post to MDOsprey on the tern.

Still needed House Finch, so drove down Talbot Street then under the
Route 50 bridge to the fishing area by 3rd and 4th Streets, as they are
common in downtown OC.  While looking for a finch, I spot a couple
sparrows in the athletic field, 2 Savannahs!  Would have been extra
special had I not see the one in the am.  Nonetheless, I notice a little
lump in the trees lining the east side of the park, and it is a
female-plumaged Rose-breasted Grosbeak.  It looks still exhausted,
eating buds from the leafing out tree, with one-eye half close.  Hope it
makes it to the north country. Maybe I should have spent the whole day
in OC?!?  Too late to revisit that thought, so I leave town to work the
flats.

From Hooper's add Brant, Brown Pelican (1, can be hard to get this
early), Little Blue Heron (nest on Skimmer), Am. Oystercatcher, Lesser
Black-backed Gull and Royal Tern.  West OC Pond yields Black-crowned
Night-Heron (1 just visible), Wood Duck (1 with young, was very worried
about this one, missed in the Nassawango/Pocomoke), Greater Yellowlegs
(was starting to worry about this one as well).  Nice swallow flock here
(more Rough-wings), but no Bank or Cliff (both rare).

Still needing Clapper Rail, I thought I try the new overlook by the
Park-and-Ride lot in West OC.  This marsh always has birds.  A couple
quick blasts of the tape and I had a pair of clappers at my feet.
Better still there was a single Tricolored Heron in the marsh here,
first for the day (missed last year) and a species that can be very
difficult to find when most birds are near their breeding islands.
On to Assateague, I remember there's often a Mute Swan at the Rum Pointe
Golf Course (need to get this one protected), and a quick swing through
produced the needed bird.  Two swan day!  

I had made special arrangements with the National Park Service to allow
me to cover the north end of Assateague, from the State Park to the
Inlet.  Getting the car in 4-whell drive mode and letting air out of the
tires, I started the north end at 5:10 pm, and would end the day here.
Multiple ocean stops yield Red-throated Loon and Piping Plover.  Missed
the Sooty Shearwater that Clive Harris reported.  I stopped to check the
"Fish Crow woods" (the sole group of shrubs with 2 pine trees in the
Ocean City-Southwest atlas block).  A group of shorebirds flushed,
including a calling White-rumped Sandpiper.  Finally got Am. Black Duck.
Saw one Northern Waterthrush in the muddy, swampy thicket, then worked
it hard to see if it held any other migrants, as there are no other
trees for some distance in any direction.  Sure enough, there were 3
Magnolia Warblers and 1 nice adult male Blackpoll (new for day).  Feels
odd watching three Magnolia Warblers (2 adult males) feeding in 8 foot
high bayberries in breeding plumage.

I wanted to more closely check the scoter flock and the inlet, and since
I'd had a Common Eider two weeks ago thought it still possible this
immature male was still around.  I found the scoters originally seen
from the Inlet side (8 surfs and 10 blacks) and sure enough, the imm.
Common Eider was with them.  I scanned the very large flock of immature
gulls feeding on beach just south of the south jetty, and spotted a very
worn first year Iceland Gull amongst them.  Spent a little time to get a
bunch of Iceland photos.  At the time I thought I had 148 species and
needed two more.  Worked the woods at the north end and had a single
male Baltimore Oriole and three fly-over Red-breasted Mergansers!  150!
(though it turns out I miscounted some place and the mergs were my last
bird and #152).  I worked the nice flats on the north end (the "Wilson's
Plover flats" name after the last place I saw a Wilson's in MD, in
August 1992).  As it got dark and fog enveloped the flats, it was
surreal to be surrounded by several hundred Dunlin, dozens of
oystercatchers, Black-bellied Plovers, Willets, dowitchers, etc.
Another Bonaparte's Gull here also.  Couldn't come up with a knot
though, nor a Whimbrel on the beach (seem much more common in the ORV
zone down south).  

It was too late when I got back to try for woodcock and I was very
tired, so I went to my place at Assateague Pointe for a scotch and
left-over chinese.  A great way to end a great day!

Species list:
Snow Goose
Canada Goose
Brant
Mute Swan
Tundra Swan
Wood Duck
American Black Duck
Mallard
Common Eider
Surf Scoter
Black Scoter
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Wild Turkey
Red-throated Loon
Common Loon
Pied-billed Grebe
Northern Gannet
Brown Pelican
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron
Cattle Egret
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Glossy Ibis
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Clapper Rail
Virginia Rail
American Coot
Black-bellied Plover
Semiplamated Plover
Piping Plover
Killdeer
American Oystercatcher
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Solitary Sandpiper
Willet
Spotted Sandpiper
Ruddy Turnstone
Sanderling
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper
Purple Sandpiper
Dunlin
Short-billed Dowitcher
Laughing Gull
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Royal Tern
Roseate Tern
Common Tern
Forster's Tern
Least Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Eastern Screech-Owl
Barred Owl
Chuck-will's-widow
Whip-poor-will
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker 
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Acadian Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Barn Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Pine Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-and-White Warbler
American Redstart
Prothonotary Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush
Kentucky Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Summer Tanager
Scarlet Tanager
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
Seaside Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Blue Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Common Grackle
Boat-tailed Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

Misses: Northern Bobwhite, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Whimbrel, Red
Knot, American Woodcock, Black Skimmer, Great Horned Owl, Hairy
Woodpecker, Cedar Waxwing, Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow

Bonus Birds: Tundra Swan, Common Eider, Iceland Gull, Roseate Tern

Sunday, 5/13

Very cold and rainy, worked the Inlet from 7:45 to 9:30.  Tern flock was
much reduced, but did have two Roseate Terns.  Unfortunately was unable
to get pictures of them in the brutal conditions.

Checked 100 St. for migrants, and had a nice little group, 2 Red-eyed
Vireos (don't nest here), 1 singing Northern Parula, 1 Am. Redstart, 1
Ovenbird, 3 Baltimore Orioles and 2 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks.


Mark Hoffman
Sykesville, MD