Hi All,
We met 12 birders at the Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge (NWR)
Lodge this morning and had a very pleasant spring outing. We birded the
short Marsh Overlook Trail behind the Lodge and the Duck Inn Trail.
After the trip Nancy and I checked Bogle's Wharf on the NWR, and took a
look at the drying HQ pond at Chesapeake Farms on our way home.
We heard or saw 50 species on the walk. At the Lodge we heard a PILEATED
WOODPECKER (rare on E. Neck I.). We heard and briefly saw singing Pine
Warblers and a Common Yellowthroat, a Common Loon flew overhead (and
another was on Chester River Sound off the marsh), 5 WHITE-WINGED
SCOTERS flew north over the Sound, there was a Greater Yellowlegs on the
salt pan, and there were several Swamp Sparrows in the marsh.
At Duck Inn Trail we found more singing Pine Warblers, and many
yellowthroats with males chasing each other across the path. The young
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER that wintered along the trail has molted and is
looking very handsome. A pair of gnatcatchers was "speeing" in a sweet
gum stand. We saw Bald Eagles in flight, six Common Loons on the Chester
River (and another in flight), and 10 Bufflehead, 2 Lesser Scaup, a
distant Long-tailed Duck also on the river. Three black ducks flew out
of the marsh, and two Purple Martins circled high overhead. Butterflies
included many zebra swallowtails, a female falcate orangetip, a Henry's
elfin, and spring azure.
After the trip Nancy and I located a pair of LEAST TERNS on the west
dock at Bogle's Wharf (we later saw another flying over the mouth of
Church Creek at E. Neck Narrows) tying our earliest local record (from
2003). There were eight more loons offshore in the river, and Durdin
Cove held 2 Greater Scaup and 40 Ruddy Ducks.
At Chesapeake Farms there were 62 Green-winged Teal, a drake BLUE-WINGED
TEAL, 28 Northern Shovelers, 26 Lesser Yellowlegs, 9 Greater Yellowlegs,
a rough-winged swallow, and 12 White-crowned Sparrows (with many
bursting into song). Such a pleasant spring morning.
Good birding,
Walter Ellison & Nancy Martin
23460 Clarissa Rd
Chestertown, MD 21620
phone: 410-778-9568
e-mail: rossgull(AT)baybroadband.net
Observing Nature is like unwrapping a big pile of presents every time you take a walk. |