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Re: NE Frederick County Dickcissels

From:

Gerald & Laura Tarbell

Reply-To:

Gerald & Laura Tarbell

Date:

Wed, 1 Jul 2009 11:39:31 -0400

I was also enticed by the reports of grassland sp. in N. Frederick and
Carroll Counties. Somehow I missed the Keysville/Creamery Rd location, but I
did very well along Sixes Bridge Road - there are at least a half dozen
DICKCISSELS in the area and many GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS. I found a pair of
BOBOLINKS and possibly a different male (hard to tell - they fly around a
lot). MEADOWLARKS are there. Saw a KESTREL up the road.

    Along the Harney/Bull Frog Roads I did not find any Dickcissels but did
locate a singing SAVANNAH SPARROW and another MEADOWLARK. However a lot of
the hay has been recently mowed in this are and it may have claimed the
habitat for the Dickcissels. On the contrary, the hay where I found them on
Sixes Bridge is 3-4' high and looking great for them. There is one field
across the road that has 4 lots carved up for sale. On the side where I
found the bulk of the grassland birds, they have mowed a strip back there at
the end closest to Sixes Road and they have planted a long row of small oaks
along the road. Right now the Dicksissels are using them as singing perches.
Needless to say that's where I got some great looks.

A few years ago we had Doug Gill as a speaker at the convention. I can still
hear him saying, "Build it and they will come." For the moment anyway, the
grasslands are built.

    Jerry Tarbell
    Grasslanded in Carroll County