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Subject:

Washington Co. 01/13/08

From:

Hans Holbrook

Reply-To:

Hans Holbrook

Date:

Sun, 13 Jan 2008 22:58:29 +0000

Met up with Jim Stasz and Ed Boyd this morning and headed to the area where the Sandhill Cranes have been seen. No luck, but Jim spotted a male BLUE-WINGED TEAL(!), a good winter find on the coastal plain. There were also two Rusty Blackbirds in the area, and a large flock along the Conococheaugue Creek. Blairs Valley to the west hosted 2 GRAY CATBIRDS, more than a dozen Hermit Thrush and likewise Purple Finches. At Big Pool there was a Swamp Sparrow and 2 Common Goldeneye along with the more expected waterfowl.

Late in the day we went to Bev Abeles place to look for the cranes. No luck, although they could still be in the area. Bev was kind enough to give us some photos of the birds, all five are adults. If anyone plans to look for the birds, please contact her first. Blue Heron Lane is private and some of the neighbors would likely be less than thrilled to have unexpected visitors wondering around their properties and drive ways. As Phil mentioned the sightings have been a week apart. I have made several visits to the area and the surrounding fields in the last week and have been unable to find the birds. If they are the birds that were seen in West Virginia and Virginia, they certainly move around and could be in Pennsylvania by now.

As for the Loggerhead Shrike at Antietam Battlefield, I looked last weekend and we looked yesterday, no luck. There is a lot of area out of sight from Smoketown Road and it is mostly private farmland. I am guessing the bird is still around there somewhere, but it isn't regular along the road(at least during the more than 10 hours I have spent there since finding it).

Anyway, good birding!


Hans Holbrook

Hagerstown, MD

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