Hi Everyone,
A two-hour late afternoon bay-and-sky watch was highlighted by near-constant tern activity and a late Red-breasted Merganser. Winds were steady from the east. Here's the full list:
Mallard--1
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER--1; hen scoped south of the hawk watch
Double-crested Cormorant--62; roosting on White Rocks, passing by singly and in small flocks, many groups southbound
Great Blue Heron--3
Green Heron--1; visiting the pond
Black-crowned Night-Heron--1 adult; flew in to the north end of the pond
Turkey Vulture--1
Osprey--3
Killdeer--3
Ring-billed Gull--1 first-cycle
Herring Gull--14; mostly flybys, a few went to roost at White Rocks
Great Black-backed Gull--42; seen mostly as individual flybys, then high count taken at White Rocks
Least Tern--7 was the highest count in sight simultaneously. Nearly always two or more in sight, many flying to the west with minnows. The question we're asking here is whether the birds are commuting all the way to the Brandon Woods area or are nesting somewhere closer to the park. It is roughly a 3-mile direct flight to the Brandon Woods colony.
Caspian Tern--1
Common Tern--6; all adults, studied carefully via scope to rule out Arctic (I have to try)
Rock Pigeon--1
Mourning Dove--3
Red-bellied Woodpecker--1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)--1
Great Crested Flycatcher--1
Eastern Kingbird--2
Blue Jay--2
Tree Swallow--2
Tufted Titmouse--1
Carolina Wren--2
Eastern Bluebird--2
American Robin--8
Gray Catbird--2
Northern Mockingbird--4; repertoire of the bird by the pond was highlighted by Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, and Chuck-will's-widow.
European Starling--18
Cedar Waxwing--9; two single birds, then a flock of seven
Eastern Towhee--1
Chipping Sparrow--2
Northern Cardinal--2
Red-winged Blackbird--8
Common Grackle (Purple)--2
Brown-headed Cowbird--1
Orchard Oriole--2 singing
Baltimore Oriole--1 singing
American Goldfinch--3
Non-avian: Orange Sulfurs, Variegated Fritillary, Carolina Saddlebags, Northern Cricket Frogs, Bullfrog, Eastern Painted Turtles, Northern Red-bellied Turtles.
Good birding,
Bill
Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland
http://www.billhubick.com |