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Subject:

Western Maryland - 6/29 to 7/2

From:

Elaine Hendricks

Reply-To:

Elaine Hendricks

Date:

Tue, 3 Jul 2007 04:22:21 -0500

I spent Friday through Monday in western Maryland (and 
Pennsylvania) visiting family, doing an atlas miniroute, and 
birding (of course).  On the way out of town early Friday 
afternoon I stopped again at the Ballenger Creek Pike site 
in Frederick County and finally found the DICKCISSEL, 
posing nicely and singing his heart out in the big dead tree.
I also heard GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS in the fields on 
the east side of the road, doing their tinkley, music-box song.  
The Alder Flycatcher was a no-show, however.

On Saturday morning, I went to Mt. Nebo WMA in Garrett County. 
In a little less than two hours (all the time I could spend there), 
I found 30 species, including the following:

LEAST FLYCATCHER - along the entrance road
Great Crested Flycatcher
Red-eyed Vireo
Black-capped Chickadee
Veery - many singing and calling
Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Chestnut-sided Warbler - feeding young
Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-and-White Warbler 
Common Yellowthroat - with young
Ovenbird
Scarlet Tanager
Eastern Towhee - many
Field Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow

On Sunday morning, after doing the miniroute in southwestern 
Allegany County (which was uneventful, except perhaps for a single 
male PURPLE FINCH on a feeder in the front yard of a house), I went 
up to the Old Legislative Road site south of Frostburg.  In the fields 
on the EAST side of the road, I heard 3 or 4 male HENSLOW'S 
SPARROWS (doing their hiccuping), along with numerous 
Grasshopper, Song, and Field Sparrows.  I also saw 2 EASTERN 
MEADOWLARKS, a Yellowthroat, and a Yellow-breasted Chat.  
In the fields on the WEST side of the road, I found 2 more singing 
HENSLOW'S (in the same area where I heard 3 back at the end 
of April).  I also had a fly-by Northern Flicker.

On Sunday afternoon, my family and I went over to Cranesville 
Swamp, which was not very birdy (except for a few singing 
Yellowthroats and Chestnut-sided Warblers).  The avian highlight 
of this outing was a group of four WILD TURKEYS crossing 
Cranesville Road.  The rear was brought up by the biggest tom 
I have ever seen - everyone was VERY impressed.  In the swamp 
I was very disappointed that I couldn't find any Sundew or Pitcher 
Plants to show my grandson.  The last time I was there (probably 
more than ten years ago), there were so many of them.  Does anyone 
know what's become of them?

On Monday morning I did a little birding around the neighborhood 
near Deep Creek Lake where my son and daughter-in-law have a 
house.  I found a Field Sparrow in what seemed like an unlikely 
place to me (in a rather narrow power line cut) and am pretty sure 
that I heard a WARBLING VIREO, as well as a YELLOW-BILLED 
CUCKOO.  The best bird, however, was a male ROSE-BREASTED 
GROSBEAK, singing at the very top of a dead tree, with his breast 
toward the rising sun.

Later on Monday we went up to the Casselman River bridge in 
Grantsville for a picnic lunch.  There I had my only NORTHERN 
PARULA of the weekend, singing in the spruce trees by the river, 
and an EASTERN PHOEBE (just where you'd expect one).

It was a great weekend (it would have been perfect if I'd been able 
to track down a Golden-winged Warbler - oh, well: one of these 
days, I hope).  Now I'm looking forward to catching up on my 
MDOSPREY messages!


Elaine Hendricks
Greenbelt, MD  (PG County)



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