Visited a few northeastern Montgomery County and southern Howard county
sites yesterday.
Along Rt. 216 in Howard I found one flock of the Bobolinks reported by Jim
Wilkinson. They were across from the pond which continued to have Dunlin,
Solitary, Semipalmated and Least Sandpipers and a lone Mute Swan.
At Tridelphia Lake there were several Indigo Buntings, Orchard Orioles, Scarlet
Tanagers, Prairie Warblers, Ovenbirds and Northern Parula. A chat skulked
about near the playground and as I tried to pish it out in the open I attracted
a Black-billed Cuckoo. The cuckoo remained motionless for several minutes
providing excellent views. On the drive out along Tridelphia Lake Road I heard
a bobolink from the field to the left of the new house. It didn’t pop up in the
short time I waited for it.
The call of a Prothonotary Warbler coming from nearby Layhill Park enticed me
out of my yard mid-day. In the park I had a Warbling Vireo, Indigo Bunting,
Northern Orioles, a Louisiana Waterthrush, and an Acadian Flycatcher on its
nest.
At dusk I went to Blue Mash. Water was too high for shorebirds but the
songbirds were certainly singing. Wood Thrushes, Willow Flycatchers, Indigo
Buntings, Orchard Orioles, countless Yellow Warblers, a cooperative Yellow-
breasted Chat and a flyover Common Nighthawk were the highlights.
OFF TOPIC …
Entering my lists from the weekend and recent trips to SE Arizona and Seattle
I realized that I came within one bird of seeing 500 in a 365 day period. From
May 20, 2007 to May 18, 2008 I found 499 birds. If I had spent yesterday
searching the area for a one of my area misses in that time period (King Rail,
Barn Owl, or Black Tern) or ventured afar to try for a Swainson’s Warbler,
Alder Flycatcher or the DE Wood Sandpiper, I might have reached a big
milestone. I could still make it to 500 from May 23, 2007 – May 21, 2008 if I
find the WW2 Memorial Clay-colored Sparrow and a Sora to offset ones I saw
in May 2007, and add one of the others. Not likely. Still the best one-year
period I've had. |