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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