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Subject:

Lapland Longspurs & White-crowned Sparrows in Ridgely

From:

Carol McCollough

Reply-To:

Carol McCollough

Date:

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:26:38 -0500

Greetings:

Acting on the earlier post about longspurs, I checked Sparks Road and environs near Ridgely at about 1 pm today.  Just after turning west onto Sparks Road from 312 there was a female RING-NECKED PHEASANT eating berries at the edge of the woods on the right.  A few EASTERN MEADOWLARKS, HORNED LARKS, and 1 AMERICAN PIPIT were feeding along the roadsides, but there were no real concentrations of birds until just before the intersection with Stephenson and Dean Roads.  There is a pile of seed spread across the road here (an 18-wheeler is parked in the field to the right), and there was a large flock of HORNED LARKS mixed with many SAVANNAH SPARROWS.  The group would startle every so often, but always returned readily to the seed.  I first spotted 2 LAPLAND LONGSPURS in the cut cornfield to the left.  After several minutes of scoping they flew into the seed patch and hopped right up to my car parked about 30 feet from the seed.  Also, just before Ninetown Road crosses Piney Branch there were 2 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS feeding along the road edge.  They were very aggressive and kept raising their crests as they worked their way past the car.  There were also CHIPPING, SONG, and WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS in this area.  The Songs were bathing in Piney Branch.

The sand roads are still partially covered in packed snow, but are quite passable in low-profile vehicles; my Prius had no problems.

A very pleasant birding excursion, and thanks to all who reported the longspurs (and to whoever scattered the seed!)

Carol McCollough
St. Michaels & Marion Station