Hi Everyone,

I spent Sunday (9/13) in search of elusive Somerset County migrants with Tom Feild, John Hubbell, and Mike Walsh. Despite hosting much of the finest habitat in the state, Somerset County remains amazingly under-birded, and migrant songbirds are notably thin on most county listers' lists. With ideal timing and conditions, my county listing nemesis, John "The Machine" Hubbell, and I decided to launch an all-day assault on migrant-stingy Somerset. Would the bird gods smile upon us?

First, what is all this about nemeses and yesterday's reference to "Hitting Hafner Where it Hurts"? The tremendous benefits of county listing could just about be squeezed into a 400-page handbook, but some deserve mentioning even in such an abridged context. County listing encourages one to explore the wild back roads of every corner of your state. It teaches bird distribution at increasingly fine levels of detail, so that you know where Fish Crows and Horned Larks are rarities. You have reasons to high-five over Northern Mockingbirds and to visit beautiful areas at all times of the year. You get to put tons of 1's into spreadsheets. You hone your habitat sense so that you can spot fields that you know will host American Tree Sparrows or a marsh to try for Sedge Wren. One must also learn seasonal timing, as you don't want to drive the 16 hours to Eastern Neck only to realize you're a week too early or two weeks too late. And of course tuning into the
 seasons brings its own endless fascination and satisfaction. I have no doubt that this addiction is among the fastest roads to growing as a naturalist. It's not the only one, of course, but it's my favorite!

But among county listing's endless benefits is a detail that may not jump out to the uninitiated. A natural human need for competition arises in any such area of study, and that gives way to its glorious by-product: trash-talking. Yes, county listing is sure to lead to some of the most horrible, merciless, hilarious trash-talking. 

Unless you are the unassailable Champion of Maryland County Listing, Jim Stasz, you should have a nemesis. A nemesis should have similar lists and activity levels, as this will lead to the bloodiest battle. Fierce competition will drive both parties to work harder, and hard-won victories mean more when you are crushing your opponent. Of course, few other violent sports have an etiquette that requires immediately sharing your every advantage. Even though you made 16 trips to that check that spot, you must tell your nemesis where you found that coveted local breeder. 

But fear not! Your weapons are your words, and you can call them a "Jackal" and even attack their other sightings as suspicious. When John Hubbell chases my birds, I tell him that I'm glad he found them, but that now he has to tell everyone that I found them for him. (Let's not talk about the half-day in July I spent two hours behind him stealing county birds.) Yes, finding and battling a nemesis is important in county listing, but it's important to NOT limit yourself to JUST your nemesis. Targets abound! You should be mean to all other county listers, rolling your eyes at every opportunity, scrutinizing lists, and pointing out self-found birds that they need. 

County listers should exploit every weakness and vulnerability, particularly when an opponent plans a vacation in May or decides to do something pathetic like sleep in. You should mercilessly tease anyone newer to Maryland listing than you. For example, a side goal of mine is to make Ron Gutberlet cry at least once per weekend. And if your opponents are senior, you should seek out gaps in their armor and hit them where they are weakest. 

It so happens that one of Maryland's top listers is temporarily living in Florida. As one of only four current members in the coveted 5,000 Total Ticks club (soon to be a couple more), Matt Hafner needs no introduction in Maryland listing circles. His Eastern Shore lists are ridiculous, almost demoralizing. Except one. For some reason, the migrant warblers and vireos of Somerset County have no love for poor Matt. And so, knowing that we possessed a minor lead on Matt in an Eastern Shore county was satisfying for me and John. But why stop there? Why not exploit this chink in Matt's armor even further? And THAT is why John and I found ourselves standing in a parking lot in Princess Anne at 4:30 in the morning - to harass a rival who would soon be waking up to count Green Anoles from a golf cart in Florida. Night migrant thrushes would be Step 1 in gathering a 10+ bird lead on Matt in Somerset Co. Sorry, Matt... but not really. We just want you to move back.

Here are the abridged lists from Sunday, 9/13:

Pocomoke City--Walmart Parking Lot (Night Listening), Worcester Co.
* Bug noise was mild. Traffic noise was mild. 

UPLAND SANDPIPER--99% certainty but with doubt only because this is our first night migrant Uppie claimed. Four-note call with quality reminiscent of Wood Thrush dusk calls. Somewhat softer than daytime Upland calls we've heard (perhaps due to height?). Called twice.
Veery--11
Swainson's Thrush--5
Catharus sp.--2
warbler sp.--10

Princess Anne--District Court Parking Lot (Night Listening), Somerset Co.
* Bugs were very quiet, but traffic noise disturbed 50% of listening. 

Killdeer--1
Veery--2
Swainson's Thrush--4
warbler sp.--5
passerine sp.--1

Old Westover Marion Road, Somerset Co.

COMMON NIGHTHAWK--1; flew across the road in front of us and seen well, but briefly, by headlights

Rumbly Point, Somerest Co.

American Black Duck--15
Green-winged Teal (American)--9
Double-crested Cormorant--1; flew in with an ibis flock, then turned around when they landed in the marsh. Pretty funny.
Great Egret--3
Snowy Egret--21
Glossy Ibis--18
Bald Eagle--1
Northern Harrier--5
Merlin--1; nice views in flight and perched on a post briefly
Greater Yellowlegs--7
Lesser Yellowlegs--15
Laughing Gull--260
Herring Gull (American)--3
Forster's Tern--2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)--1
Great Crested Flycatcher--1
White-eyed Vireo--1
Barn Swallow--1
Marsh Wren--8
Common Yellowthroat--1
SAVANNAH SPARROW (Eastern)--1; first migrant of the season
SALTMARSH SPARROW--6; exquisite views of several individuals as they perched up in low bushes, clearly enjoying the light of the morning sun. My first in September.

Photos:
http://www.billhubick.com/images2/saltmarsh_sparrow_so_md_20090913_01.jpg
http://www.billhubick.com/images2/saltmarsh_sparrow_so_md_20090913_03.jpg
http://www.billhubick.com/images2/saltmarsh_sparrow_so_md_20090913_02.jpg

Seaside Sparrow--5; one sang once; my first in Maryland in September
Bobolink--30
Eastern Meadowlark--2

Irish Grove Sanctuary, Somerset Co.

Canada Goose--10
Great Egret--3
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)--1
Eastern Wood-Pewee--5
LEAST FLYCATCHER--2
Great Crested Flycatcher--3
White-eyed Vireo--4
Red-eyed Vireo--2
Brown-headed Nuthatch--2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--3
Gray Catbird--1
Northern Mockingbird--1
Cedar Waxwing--2
Magnolia Warbler--2
Pine Warbler--7
Black-and-white Warbler--2
American Redstart--1
Northern Waterthrush--1
Common Yellowthroat--7
Summer Tanager--1
Eastern Towhee--3
Chipping Sparrow--4
Blue Grosbeak--3
Indigo Bunting--5
Bobolink--5
Non-avian: OCOLA SKIPPER (apparently the first county record)

Green Road, Somerset Co.

Great Egret--4
Laughing Gull--1
Belted Kingfisher--1
Eastern Wood-Pewee--1
Red-eyed Vireo--1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--1
Eastern Bluebird--2
Northern Parula--2
Magnolia Warbler--1
CAPE MAY WARBLER--1; adult male; uncommon migrant; county bird for all four of us
Pine Warbler--5
Prairie Warbler--1
Black-and-white Warbler--3
American Redstart--1
Indigo Bunting--1

Marumsco Road, Somerset Co.

Virginia Rail--2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)--1
White-eyed Vireo--1
Marsh Wren--1
Common Yellowthroat--4
Bobolink--1

Pocomoke Sound WMA, Back Shelltown Road, Somerset Co.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird--2
Great Crested Flycatcher--1
White-eyed Vireo--5
PHILADELPHIA VIREO--1; particularly brilliant individual. Rarely detected migrant in the county. County bird for all four of us.
Brown-headed Nuthatch--2
House Wren--1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--5
Gray Catbird--3
Yellow-throated Warbler (dominica)--1; long-billed with obvious yellow lores.
Black-and-white Warbler--4
American Redstart--2
Common Yellowthroat--5
Summer Tanager--1
Eastern Towhee--2
Chipping Sparrow--2
Blue Grosbeak--4
Bobolink--7
Baltimore Oriole--1; scarce migrant
American Goldfinch--150; est.; the main field was planted with sunflowers.
Non-avian: SIKA DEER (1 buck nearby), Mud Turtle, Green Treefrog, Common Wood-Nymphs (3).

Vessey Orchard, Somerset Co.

Bald Eagle--4
Ruby-throated Hummingbird--6--Some molting tail feathers
Eastern Wood-Pewee--1
White-eyed Vireo--5
Red-eyed Vireo--1
Tree Swallow--2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--4
Gray Catbird--1
Northern Mockingbird--5
Yellow Warbler--1
Magnolia Warbler--1
Yellow-throated Warbler--1; this bird seemed to show no white in the lores in the field, as well as a relatively short bill. Reviewing bad photos, it shows a tiny bit of yellow in the lores and a medium length bill.
Black-and-white Warbler--1
American Redstart--4
Northern Waterthrush--1
Summer Tanager--1
Blue Grosbeak--2
Indigo Bunting--1
Bobolink--5

Non-avian: CHECKERED SKIPPER (1; spotted by Tom and apparently a new county record; last county that didn't have a record), Gray Hairstreak (2), Orange Sulfur (30), Black Swallowtail (25), Common Buckeye (5), Silver-spotted Skipper (10), Painted Lady (1; photos), Pearl Crescent (1), Monarch (2), Variegated Fritillary (3), Eastern Tailed Blue (2), Summer Azure (1; Tom), Red-spotted Admiral (2).

Pocomoke SF--Fleming Mill Road, Somerset Co.

Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)--1
Eastern Wood-Pewee--1
Acadian Flycatcher--1; getting late; distinctive, explosive 'whit' notes from a wet area where they breed
Red-eyed Vireo--1
White-breasted Nuthatch--4
Northern Parula--1
Black-and-white Warbler--2
American Redstart--2
Worm-eating Warbler--2
Canada Warbler--1; rarely detected migrant. County bird for all four of us.
Summer Tanager--1
Scarlet Tanager--1

Five Bridges Road, Worcester Co.

Red-shouldered Hawk--1; calling persistently, getting mobbed by American Crows. Non-avian: worn Question Mark

West Post Office Road, east of Princess Anne, Somerset Co.
* Scanning the dead snags for Red-headed Woodpeckers and Olive-sided Flycatchers. 

Wild Turkey--1; just down the road
Red-headed Woodpecker--2
Pileated Woodpecker--2

Deal Island--Riley Roberts Rd, Somerset Co.
* Water levels in impoundments are very high.

Great Egret--5
Clapper Rail--1
Virginia Rail--3; two heard calling; another showed nicely on a muddy edge
SORA--1 adult Sora spotted by Mike. Repeatedly came out on the mud cautiously, posing nicely for close viewing and decent photography. Chased off by a Virginia Rail once. 
Lesser Yellowlegs--2
Caspian Tern--1
Royal Tern--1
Red-eyed Vireo--1
Cedar Waxwing--1
Northern Parula--1
Yellow Warbler--2
Common Yellowthroat--2
Boat-tailed Grackle--1

Messick Road, Somerset Co.

Canada Goose--125
Double-crested Cormorant--65
Osprey--1
Laughing Gull--120
Herring Gull--6
Great Black-backed Gull--1
Caspian Tern--2
Forster's Tern--7
Royal Tern--21

Central Sod Farms--John Brown Rd., QA Co.

Arrived in the late afternoon hoping for the Buff-breasted Sandpiper seen by Stasz and Mikey Lutmerding. Ended the day scanning the tree lines for Common Nighthawks, finding only about 30 bats.

American Golden-Plover--3
Killdeer--120
Lesser Yellowlegs--2
Semipalmated Sandpiper--2
Least Sandpiper--6
Pectoral Sandpiper--4
Horned Lark--5

Happy county listing!

Bill

Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland

http://www.billhubick.com