Today was our annual southern Maryland jaunt, starting with Flag Ponds Nature Center, which sits off Rte. 4, south of Prince Frederick. 

When you make the left onto the access road (assuming you are traveling south), there is a very short dead-end to your left and we find it worthwhile to park there, ignore the many no-trespassing signs, and bird under and around the power lines. The park itself doesn't open until 9, and as it is mostly tall secondary growth forest, it is rather dark in there early in the morning. Whereas the power line right-of-way is quite wide and open so it is much brighter.

Today started with a state trooper parked just in front of the no-trespassing signs, but she didn't even glance at us when we parked and started to bird from the road. After she drove off, we moved around to the other side and were rewarded with a lot of bird song. Among the goodies were a Prairie Warbler that had discovered that the towers make excellent singing perches, a Yellow-breasted Chat (FOY) out in the open, grunting and hooting for all he was worth, numerous Indigo Buntings, Blue Grosbeaks, a couple of Black-throated Blue Warblers, several Red-eyed Vireos, and about a zillion Gray Catbirds. Today was definitely catbird day! I could only imagine what a great place this would be for Dickcissels, Eastern Meadowlarks, and Grasshopper Sparrows if they'd let the grass grow. If you go, be sure to bird around the large pits as the birds seem to congregate around them for some reason. Though birding the treeline is good too. Just not as easy to see the birds.

So Flag Pond. Well, last year, we drove up to the gate quite early only to find it closed. However, the park ranger told us that we could walk in and bird but at our own risk, and warned us that the major problem was drinkers and druggies. My experience is that those kinds aren't around, or are passed out, long before 6:30 a.m., but you never know. In any case, you can't park a car in front of the entrance gate, so you would need to leave your car out on that access road and walk in, then later go back for your car. At least on cool gray days like today where the birds were active until at least noon, not necessary. We drove in (the exit gate was open, no tire-piercers) at 8 and went to the parking lot where a park worker told us we had to leave. After a bit of conversation, and more with the woman who staffs the entrance booth, they allowed us to stay. It seemed that their main concern was that we pay the $6.00 per car entry fee, which of course we intended to do. So we birded around the parking lot and the entrance gate (which always has good birding - today we had a Veery (not singing), American Redstart, Magnolia, Worm-eating, two Yellow-throated), eventually paid the fee, and then headed out on the northridge trail. We immediately found a splendid Hooded Warbler and a Great-crested Flycatcher, and along the trail we found more Yellow-throated, more Worm-eating, two Ovenbirds (not singing), another Veery (not singing), quite a few Common Yellow-throats). Numerous Acadian Fycatchers and a few Phoebes. Taking the trail down to the water, which ends up on a boardwalk that traverses Duncan's Pond, we found a Summer Tanager, American Redstart, Pine Warbler, and a fierce looking Belted Kingfisher. Lots of Northern Parulas and a few Blue-gray Gnatcatchers. The pond itself was quiet - one Osprey, one Little Green Heron. 

We also stopped at Battle Creek Cypress Swamp where the parking lot and trail/boardwalk were very birdy but nothing new for the day except a Louisiana Waterthrush, a Prothonotary, and a Black-and-White. 

We had planned to finish the day at Jug Bay, but decided that six hours was a good day so we headed home after a stop for lunch at a wonderful, locally owned little place called Dream Weaver, in a somewhat run-down looking strip shopping center on the east side of the road. Excellent food, good prices, very pretty, and absolutely spotless. 


Ellen Paul
Tim Boucher
Chevy Chase