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Subject:

Hughes Hollow/McKee Beshers WLMA, Mont. Co., 4/11 -- White-eyed Vireo, Green Heron, Palm Warlber

From:

Jim and Ann Nelson

Reply-To:

Jim and Ann Nelson

Date:

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:55:48 -0400

I had a productive Friday morning at Hughes Hollow/McKee Beshers WLMA with 45 species.  As I think someone reported a few days ago, they have done extensive brush clearance along the levees around the impoundments.  This opens up the view, but reduces close-by habitat for skulkers.  They also appear to be drawing down the water in the impoundments.  

Perhaps as a result, there were no ducks on the large impoundment (a few American Coot and Canada Goose, including goslings, were on it).  I flushed 3 Blue-winged Teal from the back impoundment, along with the usual Mallard and Wood Duck. I had two, first-of-year Green Herons at the impoundments.  

Land birding was good around the impoundments and on my extensive hike back into the many fields between the impoundments and the C&O Canal.  Highlights included a first-of-year White-eyed Vireo singing lustily on the trail beyond the impoundments (on the left side just beyond the grove of pine trees -- the bird seemed to like this spot because it was in the same place still singing two hours later when I returned from the fields), lots of yellow Palm Warblers, Field Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Eastern Towhee, several singing Brown Thrashers on territory, and Hermit Thrush.  I also managed to see one Wild Turkey before it saw me.

A complete list follows from my eBird report.

Beyond birds, numbers of butterflies and dragonflies were significant.  Also, I had wonderful views of what I believe were mating toads (two pairs each with one riding on the other's back as they headed for muddy puddles).  I need to look at my pictures and relevant field guides to figure out what species they are.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, MD

Location:     Hughes Hollow - McKee Beshers WLMA
Observation date:     4/11/08
Notes:     Canada Goose count included 6 very young goslings.
Number of species:     45

Canada Goose     16
Wood Duck     9
Mallard     5
Blue-winged Teal     3
Wild Turkey     1
Great Blue Heron     6
Green Heron     2
Turkey Vulture     3
Osprey     2
Cooper's Hawk     1
Red-shouldered Hawk     4
Red-tailed Hawk     2
American Coot     4
Mourning Dove     6
Red-bellied Woodpecker     9
Downy Woodpecker     7
Downy/Hairy Woodpecker     1
Northern Flicker     5
Eastern Phoebe     1
White-eyed Vireo     1
Blue Jay     18
American Crow     1
Fish Crow     12
Tree Swallow     25
Carolina Chickadee     29
Tufted Titmouse     16
White-breasted Nuthatch     6
Carolina Wren     8
Ruby-crowned Kinglet     2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher     5
Hermit Thrush     2
Brown Thrasher     3
European Starling     7
Palm Warbler (Yellow)     8
Eastern Towhee     5
Field Sparrow     2
Song Sparrow     18
Swamp Sparrow     3
White-throated Sparrow     49
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)     6
Northern Cardinal     39
Red-winged Blackbird     44
Common Grackle     26
Brown-headed Cowbird     8
American Goldfinch     7

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)