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Subject:

LITTLE BLUE HERON, College Park

From:

"Derek C. Richardson"

Reply-To:

Derek C. Richardson

Date:

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 11:31:01 -0400

The one thing I regret about moving out of College Park, MD 
(PG County) is that I don't get to bird the Paint Branch 
Stream Valley Park trail very often anymore.  (The trail 
starts at Cherry Hill Rd in the north, runs past the 
University of Maryland, and ends up at Lake Artemesia).

Well, today I reminded myself why it's such a great place to 
bird: 51 species in 2h15m, including my first-ever (for the 
trail) LITTLE BLUE HERON (adult), perched on a snag in the 
big swamp across from the golf course.  Many FOY species for 
me (because, embarassingly, I haven't been out much).  Of 
those, the highlights were GREEN HERON (also at the swamp), 
CHIMNEY SWIFT, PURPLE MARTIN (at the pond next to the golf 
course entrance), RUSTY BLACKBIRD (right where Ryan Farrell 
said it would be: in the vicinity of the muddy fields just 
north of the swamp), and ORCHARD ORIOLE (a male singing in 
plain view at the swamp).  Warblers: YELLOW WARBLER (2 males 
singing), YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, OVENBIRD, and COMMON 
YELLOWTHROAT.  The full eBird report follows.

Location name:  	Paint Branch Stream Valley Park
Observation type: 	Traveling Count
Observation date: 	4/26/08
Distance covered: 	2.0 mile(s)
Start time: 		8:20 AM
Duration:	 	2 hour(s) 15 minute(s)
Number of people: 	1

Comments: 	My first time on the trail in ages, and what 
amazing birding it was! Mostly sunny, calm. I started where 
the trail intersects Metzerott Rd, headed north past the 
golf course and swamp to the first bridge north of both, 
then back to Metzerott and on to the university (for 
Maryland Day). Top highlight: adult Little Blue Heron, 
perched on the snags in the large swamp by the golf course. 
Many FOY birds for me. 1 Killdeer and the sandpiper were in 
the muddy field north of the swamp. The Hairy and Pileated 
were both at the swamp. The Purple Martins were at the large 
pond at the golf course entrance. The House Wren was near 
one of the Yellow Warblers, near the small trees east of the 
trail, south of the swamp. The other Yellow Warbler was in 
the big oak tree across from the muddy field just north of 
the swamp, which is also in the vicinity of where I saw the 
Rusty Blackbird singing. A little further along (north) I 
saw the Ovenbird in the underbrush beside the trail 
(silent). The oriole was singing in plain view at the swamp. 
May have heard Great Crested Flycatcher. Also saw 2 
White-tailed Deer and 2 Eastern Cottontails.

Canada Goose  		25
Mallard 		5
Great Blue Heron 	1
Little Blue Heron 	1
Green Heron 		1
Turkey Vulture 		1
Red-tailed Hawk 	1
Killdeer 		2
Solitary Sandpiper 	1
Mourning Dove 		5
Chimney Swift 		2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 	2
Downy Woodpecker 	3
Hairy Woodpecker 	1
Northern Flicker 	3
Pileated Woodpecker 	1
Eastern Phoebe 		3
White-eyed Vireo 	2
Red-eyed Vireo 		1
Blue Jay 		5
American Crow 		1
Fish Crow 		2
Purple Martin 		2
Barn Swallow 		2
Carolina Chickadee 	5
Tufted Titmouse 	3
Carolina Wren 		10
House Wren 		1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 	10
American Robin 		15
Northern Mockingbird 	2
European Starling 	25
Yellow Warbler 		2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 	5
Ovenbird 		1
Common Yellowthroat 	3
Eastern Towhee 		1
Chipping Sparrow 	1
Field Sparrow 		1
Song Sparrow 		5
White-throated Sparrow 	20
Northern Cardinal 	15
Red-winged Blackbird 	10
Rusty Blackbird 	1
Common Grackle 		25
Brown-headed Cowbird 	1
Orchard Oriole 		1
American Goldfinch 	10
House Sparrow 		5

D

-- 
Derek C. Richardson, Laurel, PG County, MD
http://www.astro.umd.edu/~dcr/Archives/Photos/birds.html