Hi Everyone,
I birded the marshes of the lower Eastern Shore yesterday (7/20), focusing on Rumbly Point, Deal Island, Ellis Bay, and the Nanticoke River. The heat and humidity were formidable with my Jeep's broken A/C, but the payoff was fair enough. Best bird of the day was an adult WESTERN SANDPIPER at Rumbly Point that Ron Gutberlet and Co. found on Saturday. Here are abridged lists from the day.
Rte 50 Borrow Pit, Wicomico Co.
Notes: There are now only a couple tiny puddles. Without rain, it's not looking promising for shorebirds at the moment.
Canada Goose--6
Killdeer--4
Eastern Kingbird--1
Field Sparrow--1
Blue Grosbeak--1
Indigo Bunting--1
Petes Hill Road, Somerset Co.
Laughing Gull--2
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER--1
Eastern Wood-Pewee--1
Acadian Flycatcher--1
White-eyed Vireo--2
Blue Jay--2
Purple Martin--4
Barn Swallow--3
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--1
American Robin--1
LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH--1; possible migrant; feeding in the road in a dry pine woods, but not TOO far (1/2 mile?) from creeks where they nest (Classic example of the difficulty in confirming early migrants)
Common Yellowthroat--4
Yellow-breasted Chat--1
Eastern Towhee--2
Chipping Sparrow--2
Field Sparrow--2
Indigo Bunting--7
Non-avian: Common Wood-Nymph
Dublin Road, Somerset Co.
Wild Turkey--3
Ruby-throated Hummingbird--2
Tree Swallow--2
Barn Swallow--8
Chipping Sparrow--2
Blue Grosbeak--1
Indigo Bunting--10
Non-avian: Bullfrog, Eastern Painted Turtle, Red-spotted Admiral.
Perryhawkin Road, Somerset Co.
Pileated Woodpecker--1
Eastern Wood-Pewee--1
Red-eyed Vireo--1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--1
Wood Thrush--1
Common Yellowthroat--1
Scarlet Tanager--1
Blue Grosbeak--1
Indigo Bunting--1
Pocomoke SF--Fleming Mill, Somerset Co. side
Yellow-billed Cuckoo--1
Hairy Woodpecker--1
Red-eyed Vireo--1
White-breasted Nuthatch--2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--3; two fledged young
Prothonotary Warbler--3; one fledged young
Indigo Bunting--1
Revells Neck Road, Somerset Co.
Northern Bobwhite--1
Eastern Kingbird--1
GRASSHOPPER SPARROW--2; strangely scarce bird in the county
Blue Grosbeak--1
Indigo Bunting--2
Rumbly Point, Somerset Co.
Great Blue Heron--1
Great Egret--2
Snowy Egret--2
Green Heron--2
Osprey--1
Clapper Rail--1
Willet--3; two Eastern, one probable Western (need to check photos)
Lesser Yellowlegs--1
Semipalmated Sandpiper--2
WESTERN SANDPIPER--1 molting adult; found Saturday by Ron Gutberlet
Least Sandpiper--95
Laughing Gull--4 adults
Herring Gull (American)--2 adults
Forster's Tern--1
Barn Swallow--3
Marsh Wren--14
Common Yellowthroat--2
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow--2
Seaside Sparrow--9
Song Sparrow--2
Eastern Meadowlark--1
Non-avian: Four-spotted Pennants
Deal Island--Green Dumpster Rd, Somerset Co.
Great Egret--5
Snowy Egret--13
Little Blue Heron--3 imm.
Tricolored Heron--1 juvenile
Glossy Ibis--1
Osprey--1
Laughing Gull--2
Herring Gull (American)--1
Barn Swallow--2
Marsh Wren--5
Gray Catbird--1
Common Yellowthroat--2
Seaside Sparrow--1
Messick Road Pond, Somerset Co.
Canada Goose--145
Mallard--3
Great Egret--1
Killdeer--4
Laughing Gull--4
Eastern Kingbird--2
Barn Swallow--4
Common Grackle (Purple)--1
Deal Island--Riley Roberts Rd, Somerset Co.
Canada Goose--23
Mute Swan--3
Great Blue Heron--2
Great Egret--9
Snowy Egret--34
Little Blue Heron--3
Clapper Rail--5; vocal; caught a glimpse at one juvenile
Willet (Eastern)--3; distant adult appeared to be watching over two very young birds
Least Sandpiper--4
Laughing Gull--15
Herring Gull (American)--21
Eastern Kingbird--1
Fish Crow--2
Purple Martin--2
Marsh Wren--5
Common Yellowthroat--2
Song Sparrow--3
Boat-tailed Grackle--4 females
Orchard Oriole--2; pair
Muddy Hole Road, Ellis Bay WMA, Somerset Co.
Notes: Muddy Hole Road has been regraded and is currently much more navigable than historically. The perpendicular road to the small boat launch is still in poor condition, especially if it were muddy.
Wild Turkey--1
Osprey--1
Purple Martin--1
House Wren--2
Marsh Wren--2
Common Yellowthroat--4
Blue Grosbeak--1
Indigo Bunting--1
Non-avian: Common Muskrat
Roaring Point, Wicomico Co.
Laughing Gull--4
Herring Gull (American)--7
Royal Tern--9 adults
Fish Crow--6
Tyaskin Park, Wicomico Co.
Osprey--2
Laughing Gull--64 adults
Ring-billed Gull--3 adults
Rte 50--Near Wye Mills Road, QA Co.
Peregrine Falcon--unexpected flyby
I'll post some new photos later tonight; there are already a couple pages of updates since my last MDOsprey post.
Good birding!
Bill
Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland
http://www.billhubick.com |