Hi Everyone,

After cleaning up and departing Irish Grove on Sunday, a group of us worked woodland habitats in Somerset, Worcester, and Wicomico Counties. As always, Sen~or Stasz improvised an ideal route along the back roads of the lower Shore. The crew started as me, Jim Stasz, Ed Boyd, Jim Brighton, Mike Burchett, Betsy Bangert, John Hubbell, Tom Feild, and Geraldine King. Hans Holbrook cruised solo for most of the day, but we ran into him 3-4 times. It was a beautiful day and bird activity was excellent. Highlights were a BROAD-WINGED HAWK in Worcester Co. (some people had one/it in Somerset as well), several BLUE-WINGED WARBLERs and BLUE-HEADED VIREOs, and great diversity of birds, bugs, and herps.

Irish Grove Sanctuary, Somerset Co.

Bald Eagle--2
Willet (Eastern)--2
Laughing Gull--2
House Wren--1; singing
Chipping Sparrow--1
Blue Grosbeak--1
Orchard Oriole--4; one singing from an exposed perch at Irish Grove; a few more along the road as we departed

Arden Station Road, Somerset Co.

The amount of pollen on the lower Shore was truly impressive. We and everything we brought with us was quickly covered by yellow-green pollen.

Laughing Gull--3
Red-eyed Vireo--3
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--3
Eastern Bluebird--1
Pine Warbler--1
Worm-eating Warbler--1
Ovenbird--3
Louisiana Waterthrush--1
Common Yellowthroat--1
White-throated Sparrow--5
Brown-headed Cowbird--2

Charlie Boston Road, Somerset Co.

Eastern Screech-Owl--1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird--1
Pileated Woodpecker--1
Great Crested Flycatcher--1
White-eyed Vireo--1
BLUE-HEADED VIREO--1
Red-eyed Vireo--2
Wood Thrush--2
BLUE-WINGED WARBLER--1; uncommon migrant; county bird for most of us; first of the year for most if not all of us
Northern Parula--3
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--11
Yellow-throated Warbler--1
Black-and-white Warbler--2
Worm-eating Warbler--1
Ovenbird--3
Louisiana Waterthrush--2
Summer Tanager--1
White-throated Sparrow--1
Brown-headed Cowbird--8
Non-avian: Falcate Orangetip

Whitesburg Road--Miller Branch, Somerset Co.

BROAD-WINGED HAWK--1; very tough to find on the Eastern Shore; a county bird for most of us; only my second sighting on the Shore
Northern Parula--2
Black-and-white Warbler--2
Prothonotary Warbler--1
Kentucky Warbler--1

Pocomoke SF--Fleming Mill Road, Worcester Co.

Barred Owl--3
BLUE-WINGED WARBLER--1
Prothonotary Warbler--1
Louisiana Waterthrush--1
Summer Tanager--1

Pocomoke SF--Fleming Mill Road, Somerset Co.

Barred Owl--3
Great Crested Flycatcher--1
BLUE-HEADED VIREO--1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--5
BLUE-WINGED WARBLER--1
Northern Parula--2
Black-and-white Warbler--1
Prothonotary Warbler--3
Summer Tanager--2
White-throated Sparrow--2
Orchard Oriole--4; singing from edge habitat on west end of the woodland area

Five Bridges Road (Worcester)

Yellow-throated Vireo--1
Kentucky Warbler--1

Five Bridges Road, Somerset Co.

Chimney Swift--1
Great Crested Flycatcher--1
YELLOW-THROATED VIREO--1; first of the year for most of us; county bird for me
Red-eyed Vireo--1
White-breasted Nuthatch--1; Ed's county bird. We all cheered as the bird flew over the river from Worcester to Somerset Co. A classic county listing moment ;)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--1
Wood Thrush--1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--3
Prothonotary Warbler--2
White-throated Sparrow--1
Orchard Oriole--1
Non-avian: A tiny Common Snapping Turtle, Springtime Darners (2).

Petes Hill Road, Somerset Co.

Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)--1
Pileated Woodpecker--1
Great Crested Flycatcher--3
BLUE-WINGED WARBLER--1
Prairie Warbler--11
Black-and-white Warbler--2
Worm-eating Warbler--5
Ovenbird--2
Kentucky Warbler--1
Common Yellowthroat--3
Eastern Towhee--2
Blue Grosbeak--1

Pusey Branch Swamp, Worcester Co.
(Jim Stasz and Ed Boyd headed homeward from here.)

Great Crested Flycatcher--2
Blue-headed Vireo--1
Purple Martin--1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--1
Wood Thrush--1
Gray Catbird--1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--1
Yellow-throated Warbler--2
Prairie Warbler--1
Black-and-white Warbler--1
Prothonotary Warbler--2
Louisiana Waterthrush--1
Brown-headed Cowbird--3
Orchard Oriole--1
Non-avian: CARPENTER FROG vocalizing, Cope's Gray Treefrog. 

Millville Road, Worcester Co.

White-eyed Vireo--2
Yellow-throated Vireo--1
Brown-headed Nuthatch--1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--2
Yellow-throated Warbler--2
Prairie Warbler--3
Prothonotary Warbler--1
Louisiana Waterthrush--1
Summer Tanager--1
Chipping Sparrow--3
Non-avian: WORM SNAKE, Lancet Clubtail (1), Fragile Forktail (1), duskywing sp. (2), Stream Cruiser (1), Clouded Sulfur (1).

Colbourne, Worcester Co.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird--1
White-eyed Vireo--1
Yellow-throated Vireo--1
Red-eyed Vireo--1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--2
Northern Parula--1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--1
Yellow-throated Warbler--1
American Redstart--2
Prothonotary Warbler--1
Common Yellowthroat--1
Non-avian: Tom caught a large Black Rat Snake, Five-lined Skink, Cope's Gray Treefrogs calling. Swamp Darner.

Sturges Road/Colbourne Mill Road, Worcester Co.
Ran into Karen and Bill Harris and Amanda Spears. Non-avian: Cope's Gray Treefrog.

Great Crested Flycatcher--1
White-eyed Vireo--2
Yellow-throated Vireo--3
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--1
Northern Parula--2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--2

Yellow-throated Warbler--Photographed an individual that was gathering spider webs from tree trunks as nesting material. While studying it, we noted that it had white lores, which are associated with our western shore, sycamore-loving subspecies, albilora. Review of the photos showed that the bird had an exceptionally large bill, which is shown by the dominica ssp. (especially so on the Delmarva Peninsula). Consensus when I sent around the photos was that it was the exception to the field mark rule--a white-lored, white-chinned dominica. As is nearly always the case, structure trumps plumage. Still, a great learning opportunity and the first of these exceptions I had ever seen. The follow-up question is how many of our lower Eastern Shore YTWAs, known to be different in having exceptionally long bills, look like this one? I'll try to post photos tonight.

American Redstart--3
Worm-eating Warbler--2
Kentucky Warbler--1
Summer Tanager--1

Sturges Road/Colbourne Mill Road, Wicomico Co.

White-eyed Vireo--1
Yellow-throated Vireo--1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--1
Wood Thrush--1
Yellow-throated Warbler--1
Prairie Warbler--2
American Redstart--3
Prothonotary Warbler--2
Ovenbird--2
Louisiana Waterthrush--2
Field Sparrow--1
Non-avian: Possible Broad-headed Skink fled to 20' in a large tree.

Bear Swamp Road, Wicomico Co.

Black Vulture--1
Turkey Vulture--4
Red-shouldered Hawk--1
Pileated Woodpecker--1
Great Crested Flycatcher--2
White-eyed Vireo--1
Yellow-throated Vireo--1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--3
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--1
Yellow-throated Warbler (dominica)--1
Prairie Warbler--1
Black-and-white Warbler--2
Prothonotary Warbler--4
Worm-eating Warbler--3
Ovenbird--3
Louisiana Waterthrush--1
Common Yellowthroat--1
HOODED WARBLER--1; uncommon breeder in Wicomico; my first in the county
Eastern Towhee--2
Brown-headed Cowbird--1
Non-avian: SPOTTED TURTLE (BEAUTIFUL creature found by Hans, a true highlight of the weekend; photographed extensively; my first on the Eastern Shore), CARPENTER FROG calling (our first in Wicomico). Leps: Painted Lady, Falcate Orangetips, Pearl Crescents, Azures. Common Green Darners. Bronze Tiger Beetle.

Twilley's Bridge, Wicomico Co.

Great Crested Flycatcher--2
White-eyed Vireo--1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--3
Wood Thrush--2
Northern Parula--2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--1
Yellow-throated Warbler--3
Prothonotary Warbler--2
Worm-eating Warbler--1
Ovenbird--1
Kentucky Warbler--1
Summer Tanager--1
White-throated Sparrow--1
Non-avian: Another calling CARPENTER FROG, Green Frogs, Cope's Gray Treefrog. Said goodbye to Mike B. and Betsy.

Old Bradley Road, Wicomico Co.

Yellow-billed Cuckoo--1
Hairy Woodpecker--1
Great Crested Flycatcher--2
White-eyed Vireo--2
Red-eyed Vireo--3
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--13
Yellow-throated Warbler (dominica)--6
Pine Warbler--6
Worm-eating Warbler--3
Ovenbird--3
Summer Tanager--3
Chipping Sparrow--4
Orchard Oriole--1
Non-avian: Black Rat Snake (entering a burrow), Fence Lizard, Cope's Gray Treefrogs. BROWN ELFIN (my first), Falcate Orangetips (3), duskywing sp. (1), Blue Corporals (3), Oblique-lined Tiger Beetles. 

Riverton Road, Wicomico Co.

Wood Duck--2
Osprey--1
Eastern Kingbird--1
Barn Swallow--2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--2
Prairie Warbler--2
Prothonotary Warbler--4
Blue Grosbeak--1
Orchard Oriole--1
Non-avian: PICKEREL FROG (nice spot by Tom), Green Frogs, Cope's Gray Treefrog.

Puckum Road, Dorchester Co.

Laughing Gull--30
Acadian Flycatcher--1
Red-eyed Vireo--5
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--3
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--2
Black-and-white Warbler--2
American Redstart--1
Ovenbird--3
Eastern Towhee--5

North Tara Road, Dorchester Co.

One of the stream crossing was quite flooded. Beside the road we found two bloated dead beavers and a dead gray squirrel. We theorized that someone (official or unofficial) must have trapped the beavers due to the habitat modification. Strange that they were left at the roadside like that, though.

Acadian Flycatcher--1; 'Whit!' calls; heard and then well seen
YELLOW-THROATED VIREO--1; local breeder in the county, my first in Dorchester
BLUE-HEADED VIREO--1; uncommon migrant in the county, my first in Dorchester
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--3
Wood Thrush--1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--5
Prairie Warbler--1
Black-and-white Warbler--1
Worm-eating Warbler--2
Ovenbird--3
SCARLET TANAGER--1; first of the year for all of us
Eastern Towhee--3
Chipping Sparrow--2
Non-avian: Impressive Cope's Gray Treefrog chorus, Green Frogs, Common Green Darners (2), Spicebush Swallowtail (1). 

Dusk watch at Tanyard Marsh, Caroline Co.

Canada Goose--2; two on nests on muskrat lodges
Wood Duck--7
American Black Duck--1
Mallard--1
Green-winged Teal (American)--5
Double-crested Cormorant--37; some on the pound nets to the south; several southbound flocks at dusk
Great Egret--2
Osprey--2
Bald Eagle--1
Common Moorhen--4; heard calling several times; a pair courting and copulating
Semipalmated Plover--7; almost certainly the same 7 as observed on 4/24
Killdeer--1
Greater Yellowlegs--126; many on the marsh, but the vast majority flying over us, heading south at dusk
Lesser Yellowlegs--25; also all southbound at dusk
Wilson's Snipe--1
Laughing Gull--160; many arriving from the north at dusk
Ring-billed Gull--5
Least Tern--5
Purple Martin--11; flew by in one group at dusk
Tree Swallow--85; streamed by in one large group at dusk
Barn Swallow--1
American Pipit--1; flyover, calling
Common Yellowthroat--1
Red-winged Blackbird--90
Common Grackle--16
Non-avian: Common Muskrat.

Cool. I finished notes and reporting before the next weekend. Whew.

Oh, wait... Last couple days.

Rockwood Beach, Pasadena (near Fort Smallwood), 4/27

Chuck-will's-widow--1 calling pre-dawn
Ruby-throated Hummingbird--1 male (2 this morning)
Eastern Kingbird--1
Baltimore Oriole--2 males (continuing through today)

Elkridge Landing Road, Anne Arundel Co., 4/29

Yellow Warbler--Singing on my way in to work; just about everything on this walk is a definite migrant! 

Good birding!

Bill

p.s. I have posted three pages of wildlife photos from a recent trip to Puerto Rico, if interested. (http://www.billhubick.com/new_set.html). I hope to have more updates out there tonight.

Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland

http://www.billhubick.com