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Subject:

Blue Mash, Saturday Oct. 10

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Rick Sussman

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Sat, 10 Oct 2009 15:11:37 -0400

Hi all,

?I led a small group from The Backyard Naturalist (celebrating their 20th anniversary next weekend!!) in Olney on a birdwalk to Blue Mash this morning, from 8 till about 12:00. Weather was as Gail indicated in her post, rather windy and with showers to heavier rain towards the end, but with periods of just wind, which kept bird activity low. None-the-less, we ended the walk with a mixed bag of about 45 species, as well as 2 new species for my Blue Mash list.



Birds of note were a rather late Great Egret which flew into the small pond while we stood looking for sparrows, a pair of NORTHERN SHOVELERS, as well as Mallards and Green-winged Teal on the big pond (much obstructed views because of the willows), sparrows, including LINCOLN'S, Swamp, Song, Savannah, Field, White-throated and E. Towhee, warblers including Nashville, Yellow-rumped, Palm, Black-throated Green, and Magnolia and a possible Blackpoll which flitted off before I could make a certain ID.? 



Also seen were Gray Catbird, 5 woodpecker species including Sapsucker(s), E. Phoebe, excellent studies of both vulture species both flying and perched, Northern harriers, Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks, Red-shouldered Hawk, and a pair of flying Falcon sp. which eluded positive ID.



The 2 new species for my Blue Mash list were the N. Shovelers, and a young Striped Skunk, which was walking along the main trail and may have walked over the foot of one person. I was walking through one of the sloughs, trying to scare up sparrows as the rest of the group walked the trail and they noticed the small skunk walking along towards them. When I finally came up out of the ditch I saw its tail and rear end waddling off into the weeds next to the trail. It seemed very unaware or unconcerned of our presence, not shy, but not really caring either. Very neat! 



Have a great weekend, enjoy the Big Sits tomorrow. 
Rick Sussman

Woodbine,MD