Hi Everyone,

I spent the weekend birding from Harford Co. to Talbot Co. with Tom Feild and John Hubbell. We started Saturday before dawn at Swan Harbor, then worked the Susquehanna River, Elkton Marsh, and various points in southern Cecil. Standing out among highlights was an UPLAND SANDPIPER on Short Cut Road in Cecil Co., as well as hitting gold despite poor weather while looking for WHIP-POOR-WILLs at Elk Neck SF. On Sunday, we began the day checking the excellent woods on Bear Pond Road and Anderson Corner in northern QA Co. We had a number of great warblers, including a singing HOODED WARBLER, which is well outside of the known Eastern Shore breeding range. A Hooded Warbler was detected here in safe dates during the BBA (X/possible) and then found last year by John Hubbell. Although we didn't get a look, the song was clear and unmistakable. We then worked north into Millington WMA in Kent Co., where we were joined for a couple hours by Jim Brighton. After a run
 to Ted Harvey to look for the White-winged Tern (no luck), we birded Caroline and Talbot Counties. Below are abridged lists from the full eBird entries.

SATURDAY, 4/26

Pre-dawn and dawn at Swan Harbor Farm Park, Harford Co.

Wood Duck--4
American Wigeon--1
Green-winged Teal--6
Pied-billed Grebe--1; singing as though on territory; has bred here before
Virginia Rail--1
Sora--3
Killdeer--4
Solitary Sandpiper--1
Greater Yellowlegs--6
Lesser Yellowlegs--2
Least Sandpiper--6
Dunlin--1
Wilson's Snipe--12
Ring-billed Gull--7
Herring Gull (American)--1
Eastern Phoebe--1
Red-eyed Vireo--1
Horned Lark--20; singing all over the fields, including before sunrise
House Wren--1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--3
Wood Thrush--2
Brown Thrasher--1
Northern Parula--1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--4
Black-and-white Warbler--1
Ovenbird--1
Common Yellowthroat--3
Field Sparrow--1
Savannah Sparrow--12
Swamp Sparrow--8
White-throated Sparrow--6

Just north of Lapidum, Harford Co.

Worm-eating Warbler--1
Ovenbird--1

Deer Creek off the Susquehanna River, Harford Co.

Warbling Vireo--4
Northern Parula--9
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--1
Black-throated Green Warbler--1
Yellow-throated Warbler (albilora)--3
Prairie Warbler--1; further north, along Intersection with Shuresville Rd.
Prothonotary Warbler--2

Conowingo Dam, Harford Co.

Caspian Tern--1
Warbling Vireo--1
House Wren--1
Yellow Warbler--1
Orchard Oriole--1

Conowingo Dam, Cecil Co.

Great Blue Heron--11
DC Cormorant--735
Osprey--3
Bald Eagle--11
Ring-billed Gull--50
Herring Gull (American)--100
Great Black-backed Gull--90
Caspian Tern--1

Rte. 222 between Conowingo Dam and Octoraro Creek, Cecil Co.

Eastern Phoebe--2
White-eyed Vireo--1
Warbling Vireo--2
Northern Rough-winged Swallow--1 along the creek
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--1
Gray Catbird--1
Northern Parula--3
Yellow-throated Warbler (albilora)--1; Singing west of Rte. 222 and north of Octoraro Creek
Prothonotary Warbler--1; same
Ovenbird--1
Louisiana Waterthrush--2
Common Yellowthroat--1
Scarlet Tanager--1
White-throated Sparrow--3
Indigo Bunting--1

Bald Friar Rd, Cecil Co.

Common Merganser--1 hen; appeared injured
Double-crested Cormorant--18
White-eyed Vireo--2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--1
Ovenbird--1
Louisiana Waterthrush--1
Common Yellowthroat--1
Indigo Bunting--1
Orchard Oriole--2
Non-avian: Eastern Tailed Blues (~10; FOY), Pearl Crescent (5; FOY), Silver-sided Skipper (2; FOY), Spicebush Swallowtail (1; FOY); Zebra Swallowtail (1), Tiger Swallowtail (1).

Elkton Marsh, Cecil Co.

Mute Swan--1
Pied-billed Grebe--1
Double-crested Cormorant--2
Greater Yellowlegs--6
Lesser Yellowlegs--1
Wilson's Snipe--1 (return trip at dusk)
White-eyed Vireo--2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--2
Brown Thrasher--1
Yellow Warbler--2
Prairie Warbler--1
Common Yellowthroat--3
Savannah Sparrow (Eastern)--2
Orchard Oriole--1
Baltimore Oriole--1

Williams Road, Cecil Co.

Cattle Egret--1

Bethel WMA, Cecil Co.

Great Egret--2
Cattle Egret--28; feeding with the Glossy Ibis flock in the farm fields just east of Bethel. I've had this flock here before
Glossy Ibis--22; Feeding with the Cattle Egret flock in the farm fields east of Bethel
Sora--1
American Coot--8
Ruby-throated Hummingbird--1
Eastern Kingbird--1
Gray Catbird--1
Brown Thrasher--1
Yellow Warbler--1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--2
Field Sparrow--4
Orchard Oriole--2
Baltimore Oriole--1
Non-avian: Garter Snake, Falcate Orangetips (2 males)

Court House Point, Cecil Co.

Mute Swan--1
Wood Duck--2
Green-winged Teal--6
Lesser Scaup--1 lingering drake
Great Egret--1
American Coot--3
White-eyed Vireo--1
Common Yellowthroat--1

Short Cut Road, Cecil Co.

American Kestrel--1
UPLAND SANDPIPER--1; studied at length via scope; found while scanning larks and pipits. 
Horned Lark--2
Purple Martin--1
American Pipit--55; looking sharp in their breeding plumage; conservative estimate

Middleneck Road, Cecil Co.

Northern Harrier--2; my county closeout
American Kestrel--2
Horned Lark--32
Tree Swallow--400+; many hunting low over the fields, others hunting in a large, high cloud
Savannah Sparrow--1
Eastern Meadowlark--3

Elk Neck State Forest, 8:30 to 9:30 p.m., light drizzle and windy

Whip-poor-will--2
Ovenbird--1
Non-avian: Spring Peepers, Green Frogs, Pickerel Frogs; Cecropia Moth. 

** We also tried for Whips in Millington WMA (Kent) and a couple roads in northern QA without any luck.

SUNDAY, 4/27

Bear Pond Road, QA Co.

Wild Turkey--4
Great Crested Flycatcher--1
White-eyed Vireo--4
Red-eyed Vireo--1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--5
Blue-winged Warbler--1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--3
Black-throated Green Warbler--1
Black-and-white Warbler--2
Worm-eating Warbler--1
Ovenbird--7
Common Yellowthroat--6
Hooded Warbler--1; heard clearly several times and at close range, but it didn't permit a view. This species was found here (possible code/X) for the BBA, then found again last year by John Hubbell.
White-throated Sparrow--3
Blue Grosbeak--1

Anderson Corner Road, QA Co.

White-eyed Vireo--2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--1
Black-throated Green Warbler--1
Black-and-white Warbler--1
Ovenbird--2
Common Yellowthroat--1

Millington WMA and vicinity, Kent Co.
Hung out with Jim Brighton for a couple hours; ran into Zach and Jared Parks.

Wood Duck--3; one hen seen leaving a cavity in a dead snag
Northern Harrier--1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird--2
Eastern Phoebe--1
Great Crested Flycatcher--2
White-eyed Vireo--3
Yellow-throated Vireo--1; Rte 330/Massey Creek stream crossing
Blue-headed Vireo--1; nominate ssp.; near powerline cut on Walnut Tree Rd
Horned Lark--1; near railroad tracks
Purple Martin--1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--3
Wood Thrush--5
Gray Catbird--1
American Pipit--1; near railroad tracks
Blue-winged Warbler--1; Black Bottom Rd
Nashville Warbler--1; singing near powerline cut on Walnut Tree Rd
Northern Parula--1; Walnut Tree Rd
Yellow Warbler--2; pond on Walnut Tree Rd, Massey Creek Rd
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--8
Prairie Warbler--1; powerline cut on Walnut Tree Rd
Palm Warbler (Yellow)--1; by the pond on Walnut Tree Rd
Black-and-white Warbler--1
Prothonotary Warbler--2; Walnut Tree Rd
Worm-eating Warbler--1; Black Bottom Rd
Ovenbird--6
Northern Waterthrush--1; Black Bottom Rd
Common Yellowthroat--9
Scarlet Tanager--2
Vesper Sparrow--1; Near railroad tracks at the west end of Walnut Tree; they nest near the nursery here
Savannah Sparrow--1
White-throated Sparrow--8
Rusty Blackbird--1; singing at the Big Stone Rd. stream crossing

Blanco Road, QA Co.

Hairy Woodpecker--1
Horned Lark--15
Yellow Warbler--1
Ovenbird--3
Common Yellowthroat--2
Grasshopper Sparrow--1

County Farm Road and vicinity, Caroline Co.

Laughing Gull--8
Barred Owl--2
Eastern Phoebe--1
Great Crested Flycatcher--1
White-eyed Vireo--1
Tree Swallow--60
Barn Swallow--20
House Wren--1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--2
American Pipit--2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--12
Black-and-white Warbler--1
Louisiana Waterthrush--2
Kentucky Warbler--1; beautiful, cooperative individual
Common Yellowthroat--4
Chipping Sparrow--2
Savannah Sparrow (Eastern)--2

Tuckahoe Creek at Rte 328, Caroline/Talbot Co.

Wood Duck--3
Osprey--1
Bald Eagle--1
Killdeer--1
Forster's Tern--1
Hairy Woodpecker--1

King's Creek, Talbot Co.

Red-eyed Vireo--1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--1
Wood Thrush--2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--3
Prothonotary Warbler--1
Common Yellowthroat--1
Indigo Bunting--2

Flooded fields on Kingston Road just northeast of Rte. 331, Talbot Co.

Black-bellied Plover--2
Greater Yellowlegs--16
Lesser Yellowlegs--6
Laughing Gull--800+
Ring-billed Gull--56
Herring Gull (American)--7
Great Black-backed Gull--2

Mullet Branch Road, Talbot Co.

Louisiana Waterthrush--1

Tanyard Marsh, Caroline Co.

Green-winged Teal (American)--9
Virginia Rail--1; called spontaneously while we were scanning
Common Moorhen--2; called spontaneously several times while we were scanning
Greater Yellowlegs--13
Lesser Yellowlegs--22
Least Sandpiper--3
Wilson's Snipe--1
Laughing Gull--40
Bonaparte's Gull--2
Least Tern--1
Forster's Tern--15

Easton WWTP, Talbot Co.

Wood Duck--1
Blue-winged Teal--3
Green-winged Teal (American)--2

Good birding!

Bill

Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland

http://www.billhubick.com