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