Hi All,

Ed Boyd, Jim Stasz, and I headed west this weekend. Our targets were Northern Shrike and winter finches. Jim was hoping to pick up enough birds to aid in his bid to set a new January record. I hoped to pick up a few more birds in Garrett County, to get ahead of the competition(Hafner, Hubick, Hubbell, Brighton, and I are within 10 birds of each other). After the guys picked me up we hit up a traditional dinner in Hagerstown, Mexican Food at El Paso on Rt 40. Upon arriving at our hotel in Frostburg we found George Jett's car in the parking lot. Ed suggested such things as putting his car up on blocks and penny jamming his hotel room door, but it was late and we crashed for the night. 

Saturday morning found the four of us at Terminus in Cumberland. Target bird was White-fronted Goose which George needed to photograph for his Maryland Photo Big Year, and we all needed for a county bird. I spotted two white birds down river which turned out to be Snow Geese, a very good find for the county. We were starting to give up hope on the White-front until Jim flushed it out of the mouth of the creek down river. The three unusual geese joined each other in the river and George got his picture. Also present was a drake Canvasback, another tough find in the county, other birds included Hooded Mergansers, Bufflehead, Coot, and an adult Ring-billed Gull. On the way back to the cars we were joined by Ray Kiddy, he continued with us through New Germany State Park.

We headed to Old Legislative Road to try for the previously reported Northern Shrike. No Luck.

From there we headed into Garrett County via Russell Rd., were we had great looks at a dark morph and a light morph Rough-legged Hawk, a male Harrier, and two Red-tailed Hawks. Also present was a Northern Mockingbird. Next stop was along Westernport Road. Sapsucker was mentioned in conversation, no sooner did I say it would be a county bird, one flew in. A tough find in winter in Garrett. We headed to New Germany State Park in hopes of winter finches, no luck. I spotted some fresh grouse tracks, we followed them into a spruce grove and managed to flush a bird high in a tree. Shortly after Ed found another grouse nibbling on a fern on the lake edge. With no of sign of Evening Grosbeaks, Ray headed back east. We headed to Deep Creek Lake(frozen), after stops at the Discovery Center and another feeder stop George headed east to continue his photo big year quest. Some how Jim spotted a Barred Owl along Cranesville Road, from the back seat and not on his side of the car. After a few photos we headed on to Broadford Lake, it was frozen. Nearby feeders produced a White-throated Sparrow and a Carolina Wren, not great birds but they can be tough in the winter or in the case of the wren can be largely absent after cold winters. Heading east I spotted another Barred Owl by the road along Rt. 135, it was so close to the road and confiding, we managed to get great photos. We ended the day with 2 Wild Turkey on Russell Rd., and one Short-eared Owl and another Rough-legged Hawk along Aaron Run Road. Oh, and of course we wrapped things up with another Mexican dinner at El Canelo in downtown Frostburg. 

Sunday morning we were back at Terminus in Cumberland. New additions were a Ruddy Duck, a Pied-billed Grebe, and a Muscovy Duck. We didn't see the Snow Geese, and we did not walk down far enough to search the goose flock for the White-fronted Goose. Arrival at North Branch couldn't have been more timely since Ray Kiddy was just getting ready to walk the fields. At first it seemed pretty dead, including the half eaten mouse along the trail. Jim informed us that when food is plentiful, raptors will often eat little more than the head of its prey. While working a mixed flock of birds along the river some chickadees came in. I spotted what appeared to be a CAROLINA CHICKADEE, the other guys got on it, we watched it at close range and in proximity to Black-capped Chickadees. We ruled out a hybrid since the bird had no Black-capped traits, it was smaller, clean bib, short tail, no white in the wing coverts, very little white on edges of the primary feathers, along with more subtle color and pattern differences, and it was calling Carolina. WOW! A county bird for Ray in his home county, only Jim's third record, and probably the farthest western record for Maryland. Other birds in the area included a Red-shouldered Hawk, a Fish Crow, a couple Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 2 Myrtle Warblers, Swamp, Song, Field, American Tree, White-crowned, and White-throated Sparrows. About the only other thing of note was at least a dozen Hermit Thrush at the corner of Brice Hollow and Williams Roads. The lake at Rocky Gap was beginning to thaw but there were no water birds. At the Aviary the bird feeder was empty, but we talked to one of the caretakers. While it is sad in some ways that the birds have to live in cages due to injuries, they are important ambassadors to school kids and the general public. It also gives us as birders the opportunity to see owls at close range, I can't help but spend time looking at them every time I visit. Our last stop was a Big Pool in Washington County which was mostly frozen but had a few Ring-necked, Ruddy, Black Ducks and a Chinese Goose.

While we found no winter finches or shrikes, winter birding in the mountains can be slow, but it can also be very rewarding. It amazing to me how species that are more common to the east can be difficult to find or totally nonexistent in Garrett County, but even more so how they can survive and find food in the higher elevations, colder temperatures, and more snow. I would highly recommend a winter trip west if you haven't done it before.

Good Birding,

Hans


Hans Holbrook

Hagerstown, MD

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