Hi Everyone,
Yesterday's birding began at dawn, shivering in the wind and snow flurries at Finzel Swamp in eastern Garrett County. You've got to love spring in the mountains! A gathering of the mildly insane stood in a circle, shivering, enjoying a unique spring chorus. The pathetic cadence of half-frozen Virginia Rails and Spring Peepers was humorous and greatly entertaining. Rusty Blackbirds sang from nearby treetops and Swamp Sparrows trilled all around us. I was in the good company of Jim Brighton, Danny Bystrak, J.B. Churchill, Hans Holbrook, Jo Anna Leachman, and Mikey Lutmerding. Over the next 12 hours, Jim and Hans and I would watch spring unfold in fast forward, stop by stop, heading east along the C&O Canal.
Below are lists with many of the most common species omitted.
Finzel Swamp, Garrett Co.
Wood Duck--1
Common Merganser--3 flybys
Virginia Rail--2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)--4
Pileated Woodpecker--1
Eastern Phoebe--1
Black-capped Chickadee--1
MARSH WREN--1 singing near the parking; north side of the trail
Ruby-crowned Kinglet--2
Song Sparrow--3
Swamp Sparrow--8
Rusty Blackbird--2; singing; yep, everything is in eBird already ;)
Piney Reservoir, Garrett Co.
(Hoping for Fish Crow [extremely rare in Garrett] and Bonaparte's Gulls, but no luck.)
Canada Goose--1
Tundra Swan--1; continues
Wood Duck--1
Mallard--3
Lesser Scaup--4
Common Merganser--4; almost certainly including the three from Finzel
Common Loon--3; two in breeding plumage and one still in full non-breeding plumage
Pied-billed Grebe--3
Double-crested Cormorant--11
Great Blue Heron--1
Osprey--3
Tree Swallow--15
Northern Rough-winged Swallow--2
Barn Swallow--1
Eastern Towhee--2
Song Sparrow--2
Little Meadows Lake, Garrett Co.
(Parted ways with Mikey, Jo Anna, and Danny)
American Wigeon--2
Canvasback--2
Ring-necked Duck--8
Lesser Scaup--3
Greater Scaup--1 hen spotted by Danny
Bufflehead--3
Ruddy Duck--6
Double-crested Cormorant--1
American Coot--4
Belted Kingfisher--1
White-throated Sparrow--1; unusual location; probable migrant
Cumberland---Terminus, Allegany Co.
Bufflehead--1
Red-breasted Merganser--1 hen
Pied-billed Grebe--1
Sharp-shinned Hawk--1
Fish Crow--2
Tree Swallow--10
Northern Rough-winged Swallow--50
Barn Swallow--20
North Branch--PPG Ponds, Allegany Co.
Canada Goose--13
American Kestrel--1
Killdeer--9
SPOTTED SANDPIPER--1
LESSER YELLOWLEGS--1
PECTORAL SANDPIPER--1
DUNLIN--1
Eastern Phoebe--1
C&O Canal--Spring Gap, Allegany Co.
(J.B. showed us this great spot for Yellow-throated Warbler; parted ways with J.B.)
Eastern Phoebe--1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow--1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--2
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER (albilora)--2
BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER--1
Louisiana Waterthrush--1
Williams Road, Allegany Co.
Wild Turkey--1
Killdeer--2
Eastern Bluebird--1
Eastern Meadowlark--5
Breakneck Road NE, Allegany Co.
American Kestrel--1
Barn Swallow--1
Hermit Thrush--1
Eastern Meadowlark--3
Rocky Gap SP, Allegany Co.
(Very impressive numbers of swallows, but no Purple Martins. Allegany seems to be by far the hardest county for Purple Martins, where as far I know they occur only as passage migrants.)
Greater/Lesser Scaup--2
Red-tailed Hawk--1
Killdeer--2
Tree Swallow--400
Northern Rough-winged Swallow--20
Barn Swallow--75
Eastern Bluebird--1
Chipping Sparrow--3
Common Grackle (Purple)--16
Brown-headed Cowbird--8
Little Orleans, Allegany Co.
COMMON MERGANSER--1 hen; flew out of the creek, squawking as she passed me. Possible breeder; Matt Hafner told me they nested here last year.
Broad-winged Hawk--2; calling nearby
Eastern Phoebe--1
Common Raven--1
Black-capped Chickadee--1 (no sign of Carolinas during this visit)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet--2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--7
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER (albilora)--2
Louisiana Waterthrush--1
Eastern Towhee--1
Field Sparrow--1; migrant
White-throated Sparrow--4
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)--1
Purple Finch--5; singing from the treetops
C&O Canal--Woodmont, Washington Co.
BLUE-HEADED VIREO--1
Fish Crow--1
Louisiana Waterthrush--2
Little Pool, Washington Co.
Lesser Scaup--4
Tree Swallow--20
Northern Rough-winged Swallow--10
Ruby-crowned Kinglet--1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--2
NORTHERN PARULA--1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--6
White-throated Sparrow--3
Non-avian: Eastern Painted Turtle feeding on amphibian egg mass in the canal
Park Head Road, Washington Co.
Ring-necked Duck--2
Pied-billed Grebe--1
Herps: Pickerel Frogs, American Toads, and Spring Peepers calling.
Big Pool, Washington Co.
Canada Goose--14
BLUE-WINGED TEAL--1
Green-winged Teal (American)--2
Greater/Lesser Scaup--4
Common Merganser--2
Ruddy Duck--15
COMMON LOON--1; breeding plumage; a tough bird in the county; only Hans's third in the county and a first for me and Jim
Red-shouldered Hawk--1
American Coot--5
Killdeer--2
Fish Crow--1
Tree Swallow--20
Northern Rough-winged Swallow--5
Ruby-crowned Kinglet--1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--2
White-throated Sparrow--2
Boyd Rd x Orebank Rd, Washington Co.
Broad-winged Hawk--1
Eastern Meadowlark--2
Blairs Valley, Washington Co.
GREEN HERON--1
Red-tailed Hawk (Eastern)--1
Belted Kingfisher--1
Tree Swallow--10
Barn Swallow--1
Brown Thrasher--1
White-throated Sparrow--3
Williamsport Clearspring Road (Rte. 68), Washington Co.
Northern Harrier--1 adult male
Williamsport, Washington Co.
Double-crested Cormorant--1
Osprey--1
Bald Eagle--1
Ring-billed Gull--11
Fish Crow--2
Tree Swallow--10
Northern Rough-winged Swallow--5
Beaver Creek, Washington Co.
Canada Goose--10
SOLITARY SANDPIPER--2
Belted Kingfisher--1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)--1
Flooded field on Rte. 66 south of Smithsburg, Washington Co.
Canada Goose--1
Red-tailed Hawk (Eastern)--1; on nest
Killdeer--2
WILSON'S SNIPE--3 (tough in Washington)
Cave Hill Road, Washington Co. (east of Old Forge Road)
Horned Lark--6
American Pipit--15
((Matt Hafner reminded me that my 4/12 bird in Montgomery Co. was not late--conceded!))
VESPER SPARROW--2; 1 singing from telephone wire, another singing nearby
Eastern Meadowlark--1
Have a great week!
Bill
Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland
http://www.billhubick.com |