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From: MDOSPREY automatic digest s




----- Original Message ----
From: MDOSPREY automatic digest system <>
To: 
Sent: Sunday, August 10, 2008 11:00:15 PM
Subject: MDOSPREY Digest - 9 Aug 2008 to 10 Aug 2008 (#2008-224)

There are 7 messages totalling 398 lines in this issue.

Topics of the day:

  1. Hummingbirds vs. House Wrens & English sparrows
  2. Mourning Dove Behavior
  3. Hagerstown Black-crowned Night-heron, 8/10
  4. Swallows, Hummingbirds Sykesville
  5. Hart-Miller Island, 08/09/08
  6. Northern Specialties - New Germany State Park, Garrett Co.
  7. Piscataway Creek (PG); Swan Creek (AA); Yard Stuff

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Date:    Sun, 10 Aug 2008 14:07:48 -0400
From:    Mary LaMarca <>
Subject: Hummingbirds vs. House Wrens & English sparrows

I've observed two different inter-species interactions in my hummingbird =
watching that seem strange.

First, I have several lively House Wrens active in my yard. One morning, =
as they appeared to be foraging in our azaleas and dogwood, making their =
rattling buzz calls back and forth, a female hummer started to dive at th=
em aggressively. She made several passes, then flew away. I've seen no ev=
idence of a hummer nest anywhere nearby, so her behavior is a mystery...

Second, we have a large pop. of English sparrows in our neighborhood, unf=
ortunately. On several occasions, I have seen 1-3 of them fly at a hummer=
nectaring at my feeder or my near-by native honeysuckle and drive it awa=
y. Since the sparrows don't eat nectar, why would they be aggressive towa=
rds hummers?

Mary LaMarca
Silver Spring, MD 

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Date:    Sun, 10 Aug 2008 14:51:40 -0500
From:    Elise Kreiss <>
Subject: Mourning Dove Behavior

Lots of Mourning Doves at the feeders, but hadn't seen the following before 
yesterday.

Was watching two adult Mourning Doves on a tree limb. The female was 
crouched and fluttering her wings; sometimes taking short jabs at the male, 
who didn't seem to react. Suddenly, their necks began snaking around to the 
right & the left of one another; they appeared to be making short, preening 
motions around each other's heads and necks. Then, their beaks linked 
together and heads shook vigorously up and down several times. There was a 
brief pause, and the male mounted the female. They stayed on the branch 
together for a bit after that.

Found the section on allopreening & billing in Birds of North American 
on-line as Mourning Dove courtship behavior.

Elise Kreiss

Baltimore, MD

------------------------------

Date:    Sun, 10 Aug 2008 16:48:13 -0400
From:    John Hubbell <>
Subject: Hagerstown Black-crowned Night-heron, 8/10

The Black-crowned Night-heron in Hagerstown reported by Jim Green a few d=
ays ago was still present this morning.  I was standing on the bridge ove=
r the creek just west of the intersection of Centre Blvd and Garland Groh=
Blvd when I found the bird.  It was roosting in one of the trees nearest=
to the road.=20

You can park nearby either in the shopping center or on the first cross s=
treet in the Hager's Crossing development.

John Hubbell
Washington DC

------------------------------

Date:    Sun, 10 Aug 2008 19:59:07 -0400
From:    Felicia Lovelett <>
Subject: Swallows, Hummingbirds Sykesville

The hummingbird numbers visiting my feeders have increased in past ten days.
They consume nearly a liter of nectar every day in five feeders.

Most of the summer resident male hummingbirds have left. The birds visiting
the feeders are mostly (probable migrant) molting juveniles and females.

This evening around 5:30 PM, I saw a group of unfamiliar swallows: 6 PURPLE
MARTINS and 6 CLIFF SWALLOWS. They foraged over the pastures and scrubland
for nearly an hour before flying off to the southeast.

I haven't seen any Cliff Swallows here for about two weeks. On Thursday, a
single bird flying with the Barn Swallows  landed on my roof and spent a few
minutes picking at the shingles. I have only seen one Purple Martin here in
three years.

My Barn Swallow colony is beginning to thin out. On Thursday I counted 32
(total colony 40-50) perched on a rafter in the upper level of the bank
barn. Today there were only about 15-20 birds. There are still two nests
with unfledged young. It will be so very quiet here when they leave.

Felicia Lovelett

Swallows' Nest
Sykesville, MD

------------------------------

Date:    Sun, 10 Aug 2008 17:18:22 -0700
From:    Kevin Graff <>
Subject: Hart-Miller Island, 08/09/08

Observations at Hart-Miller Island
August 9, 2008
0705 - 1655
Weather: AM: Sunny, 62 degrees, WNW 8 K; PM: PC, 82 degrees, NNW 7 K
Observers:  Don Burggraf, Kevin Graff, Joe Hanfman, Brad Lanning, Taylor
            McLean, Fred Shaffer

*SPECIES OF NOTE

Canada Goose - 33
Wood Duck - 31
Gadwall - 2
American Black Duck - 12
Mallard - 92
Northern Shoveler - 1 (female)
Northern Pintail - 1 
Green-winged Teal - 7 
Lesser Scaup - 1 (female)
Ruddy Duck - 8
Pied-billed Grebe - 38
Double-crested Cormorant - 48
Least Bittern - 1
Great Blue Heron - 31
Great Egret - 28
Snowy Egret - 7
Little Blue Heron - 4 (1 adult, 3 immature)
Green Heron - 1 
Black-crowned Night-Heron - 1 (juvenile) 
Glossy Ibis - 10
Osprey - 13
Bald Eagle - 1 (imm.)
*MERLIN - 1 (female/immature) 
Peregrine Falcon - 1
American Coot - 4
*BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER - 3 
*SEMIPALMATED PLOVER - 11
Killdeer - 10
*AMERICAN AVOCET - 17 
*SPOTTED SANDPIPER - 5
*GREATER YELLOWLEGS - 8
*LESSER YELLOWLEGS - 86
*SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER - 1538
*WESTERN SANDPIPER - 3
*LEAST SANDPIPER - 109
*WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER - 1
unidentified peep sp. - 72
*PECTORAL SANDPIPER - 1
*STILT SANDPIPER - 12
*SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER - 6
Laughing Gull - 117
*FRANKLIN'S GULL - 1 (1st-summer, South Cell w/ imm Laughing Gull) 
Ring-billed Gull - 319
Herring Gull - 26
Great Black-backed Gull - 387
Least Tern - 2
*GULL-BILLED TERN - 1
Caspian Tern - 259
*BLACK TERN - 1 
Forster's Tern - 12
*ROYAL TERN - 1 
large Sterna tern sp. - 1 (flew ahead of Gull-billed Tern)
Mourning Dove - 14
Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 2 
Chimney Swift - 3
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 14 (few at nectar plants, rest head SW)
Downy Woodpecker - 2
Eastern Wood-Pewee - 1
Willow Flycatcher - 1
Eastern Kingbird - 7
Tree Swallow - 3 
Bank Swallow - 4 
Barn Swallow - 156
Carolina Chickadee - 1
Carolina Wren - 2
Marsh Wren - 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 2
Gray Catbird - 6
Northern Mockingbird - 2 
European Starling - 152
Yellow Warbler - 3
Common Yellowthroat - 6
Eastern Towhee - 1
Song Sparrow - 17
Swamp Sparrow - 5
Northern Cardinal - 3
Blue Grosbeak - 3 (male, 2 juvenile)
Indigo Bunting - 1 
*BOBOLINK - 3
Red-winged Blackbird - 229
House Finch - 12
American Goldfinch - 13
SPECIES: 80
TOTAL BIRDS: 4056

MAMMALS
Red Fox - 1 

BUTTERFLIES
Pipevine Swallowtail - 1
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail - 4
Black Swallowtail - 17
Cabbage White - 32
Orange Sulphur - 22
Cloudless Sulphur - 3
Gray Hairstreak - 3
Eastern Tailed Blue - 14
Summer Azure - 1
Pearl Crescent - 2
Common Buckeye - 2
Monarch - 69 (1 caterpillar) 
Red-spotted Purple - 1
Silver-spotted Skipper - 1
Horace's Duskywing - 1
Common Sootywing - 1
Least Skipper - 2

DRAGONFLIES 
Common Green Darner - 3
Needham's Skimmer - 8
Eastern Pondhawk - 6
Blue Dasher - 1
Black Saddlebags - 8
Halloween Pennant - 1

DAMSELFLIES
Familiar Bluet - 2
Rambur's Forktail - 1

MISCELLANEOUS INSECTS
Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle - 1
Cont. Lady Beetle - 2
Red Velvet Ant - 1
Large Milkweed Bug - 3


  Kevin Graff
  West Ocean City, MD
  





      

------------------------------

Date:    Sun, 10 Aug 2008 20:18:59 -0400
From:    David Yeany II <>
Subject: Northern Specialties - New Germany State Park, Garrett Co.

While out and about at New Germany State Park in Garrett county, I was
able to see a number of more often associated with more northern
coniferous habitats.  Along the Nemacolin Trail I was able to pish in
a male MAGNOLIA WARBLER and a male BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARLBER.  Along
with them came a single ACADIAN FLYCATCHER. Near the Nature Center, I
heard both BLUE-HEADED VIREO and RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH. Strolling
along the White Trail leading from behind the Nature Center, I was
pleased to find a number of Black-capped Chickadees still feeding
young, several young GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS and at least one adult,
and 5 HERMIT THRUSHES, at least 3 of which were juveniles. In this
same mixed patch of Red Spruce, Balsam Fir, Eastern Hemlock, and
(presumably) European Larch were 2 young BLACK-THROATED GREEN
WARBLERS, one RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, and a single WHITE-BREASTED
NUTHATCH. Other birds around included Chipping Sparrows, Cedar
Waxwings, American Robins, American Crows, and at least one Song
Sparrow. All together, it was a wonderfully pleasant, and strangely
autumn-like afternoon!

-- 
David Yeany II
Graduate Assistant
207 Compton Science Center
Department of Biology
Frostburg State University
Frostburg, MD 21532
Office: 301-687-7080

------------------------------

Date:    Sun, 10 Aug 2008 21:43:49 -0700
From:    Stan Arnold <>
Subject: Piscataway Creek (PG); Swan Creek (AA); Yard Stuff

Hi Folks,

I'm trying to make the most of my last few days of freedom before teachers 
return to work one week from tomorrow.  Yesterday Elaine and I kayaked 
Piscataway Creek in Prince Georges Co. and today I joined Matt Grey for a 
survey of the Swan Creek Dredged Material Facility in Anne Arundel Co.  Here 
is a rundown.

PISCATAWAY CREEK, PG Co., 9 Aug

In an effort to visit as many of Maryland's water ways as possible before 
the end of summer, Elaine and I launched our kayak at the end of Wharf Rd. 
near the National Colonial Farm early yesterday morning, and spent over 
three hours exploring historic Piscataway Creek, where Elaine's ancestors 
maneuvered their barques nearly 350 years ago.  While we didn't find any of 
the waders or shorebirds that we had hoped for, we did enjoy some quite 
spectacular weather, and nice scenery while out on the water.  After putting 
in at Wharf Rd., we paddled west out to the Potomac River, stopping at Fort 
Washington where we stretched our legs, and then paddled back up Piscatawy 
Creek until it became a fairly small channel.  We were there at low tide, 
and there was an awful lot of vegetation in the water that we either had to 
go around, or else plow through.  Nevertheless, it was a marvelous day to be 
out there, and these are the highlights of our findings:

Am. Black Duck--1
Great Egret--3
Red-shouldered Hawk--2
Spotted Sandpiper--2
Forster's Tern--34 (more than half on pilings at the marina on the n. side 
of creek)
Barred Owl--4 (I was able to get a pair going on each side of the creek)
Warbling Vireo--1 singing! at Ft. Washington; excellent look as well
Rough-winged Swallow--1
Bank Swallow--1
Prothonotary Warbler--3 gorgeous individuals, like golden orbs on the 
driftwood at the n. edge of creek

SWAN CREEK, AA Co., 10 Aug

This morning Matt Grey and I had an excellent visit to the Swan Creek 
facility at the end of Kembo Rd. in northern AA Co. (limited access).  Being 
a Sunday, we didn't have workers to contend with, and were able to get down 
near water's edge and identify the peeps that eluded identification during 
our last visit.  Here are the highlights of our two-hour survey (6:30 - 8:30 
a.m.):

Mute Swan--2
Ruddy Duck--1
Snowy Egret--3
Little Blue Heron--9 (2 adults, 4 calico, 3 white imms)
Black-crowned Night Heron--2 adults
Glossy Ibis--1 flyover
Semi Plover--12
Spotted Sandpiper--2
Lesser Legs--3
Semi Sandpiper--46
Least Sandpiper--2
Caspian Tern--9
Red-eyed Vireo--4 together in a set of dead snags
Bank Swallow--1
Marsh Wren--1 singing
Yellow Warbler--2 seen
Prairie Warbler--1 (Matt only)
Scarlet Tanager--1 juv
Blue Grosbeak--family of four

YARD HAPPENINGS

Migration has just begun in our yard during the past few days.  On Friday, 8 
Aug we had an OSPREY wafting over the neighborhood, our first in many weeks. 
That same morning Elaine found our first migrant warbler of the season when 
she viewed a yellow and gray female or imm AMERICAN REDSTART.  On Sat., 9 
Aug I was able to scope a very high flying raptor from the front yard, and 
it turned out to be our first RED-TAILED HAWK since May.  While watching the 
hawk in the scope, an equally distant PURPLE MARTIN flitted around the hawk 
in the same view.  This afternoon (10 Aug), we saw our first adult COOPER'S 
HAWK of the season, on the ground in the back yard, then watched it carry 
away one of our Mourning Doves.

Hopefully no one was caught in the Bay Bridge traffic following this 
morning's tragic accident when a truck plunged into the bay.  Those of us 
who are going to Poplar Island tomorrow are hoping that all the travel lanes 
will be re-opened by early morning.

Best to all,

Stan Arnold
Ferndale (AA Co.)


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End of MDOSPREY Digest - 9 Aug 2008 to 10 Aug 2008 (#2008-224)
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