En route to visiting my mother in Delaware, I had some time to try
for the nice birds being reported from Queen Anne's County. I saw
the previously reported Northern Phalaropes at the Central Sod
Farm on John Brown Road Saturday afternoon around 4 PM. I believe
only two were previously reported, but there were three together
in the large pool of water that parallels the road to the south
and is in front of the irrigation pipe. Be aware that these are
birds in juvenile plumage, so they are darker and browner compared
to adults in basic plumage. There was also a Buff-breasted
Sandpiper in the same pool (initially spotted by another birder).
nfortunately, all the birds were flushed from the pool while we
were watching them.
When I returned to the area on Sunday, neither the phalaropes nor
the Buff-breasted Sandpiper had been seen that day. However, as
was previously reported, several American Golden-Plovers were
present. I saw five in the grassy area on the south side of the
road, and others reported them in the plowed field north of the
road. There were also good numbers of Pectoral Sandpiper (about
15), Least Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Killdeer, and both
Yellowlegs.
I also saw the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Sunday around 1:30 PM. It
was on a utility line just south of the house with the red Camaro,
opposite the road from a line of trees.
Good birding!
Jim Moore
Rockville, Maryland |