WORCESTER COUNTY SECTOR
2009 CRISFIELD , MARYLAND , CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT
Hickory Point, Worcester County , MD. Dec 27, 2009 . Times: 0648-1730; owling 0606-0640. Freshwater open, Pocomoke River open. Observers: 1 in 1 party. Total party-hours 10.7; 8.1 on foot, 2.6 by car. Total party-miles 19.5; 5.2 on foot, 14.3 by car. Owling party-hours 0.6; party-miles 2.1.
All areas in Worcester County , Maryland , including Hickory Point Road and Swamp, adjacent Pocomoke River , and Pocomoke River from Cedar Hall Wharf Road Boat Ramp and adjacent land.
All comments refer to the 16 years (1993-2009, except 1995) for which complete data are currently available for this sector. Species in caps are new to the cumulative. New highs are indicated. (X/16) means the species has been recorded on X of the 16 counts. All species recorded during 16-year period listed.
Snow Goose 1 (5/16); Canada Goose 276 (16/16); Tundra Swan 0 (5/16); Wood Duck 6 (8/16); American Wigeon 0 (2/16); American Black Duck 0 (13/16); Mallard 138 (16/16); Northern Pintail 0 (3/16); Green-winged Teal 0 (6/16); RING-NECKED DUCK 1 (1/16, f. type, flushed from small pond on private property just off Hickory Point Rd.); Bufflehead 0 (1/16); Hooded Merganser 0 (5/16); Red-breasted Merganser 0 (5/16); Ruddy Duck 0 (1/16); Northern Bobwhite 0 (1/16); Pied-billed Grebe 0 (3/16); Double-crested Cormorant 0 (1/16); Great Blue Heron 3 (14/16); CATTLE EGRET 2 (1/16, in sheep pasture along Hickory Point Rd., not directly associate with the animals however, finding bugs in grass, photos at http://www.pbase.com/wcbirding/image/120765660 );
Black Vulture 17 (9/16); Turkey Vulture 146 (15/16); Bald Eagle 12 (16/16); Northern Harrier 2 (15/16); Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 (11/16); Cooper's Hawk 0 (6/16); Red-shouldered Hawk 0 (8/16); Red-tailed Hawk 3 (13/16); GOLDEN EAGLE 1 (1/16, first year, being harassed by American Crows on tree line along Hickory Point Rd., flew, photographed in flight, photos at http://www.pbase.com/wcbirding/image/120765323 ); American Kestrel 0 (6/16); Merlin 0 (2/16); Peregrine Falcon 0 (1/16);
Large rail (sp.) 2 (3/16); Virginia Rail 0 (3/16); Black-bellied Plover 0 (1/16); Killdeer 63 (10/16, new high, prev. high 52, large flock in muddy field along Hickory Point Rd.); Greater Yellowlegs 0 (2/16); DUNLIN 6 (1/16, with large flock of Killdeer in field along Hickory Point Rd.); Wilson's Snipe 5 (11/16); American Woodcock 1 (7/16); Ring-billed Gull 71 (16/16); Herring Gull 4 (14/16); Great Black-backed Gull 0 (8/16);
Mourning Dove 6 (14/16); Eastern Screech-Owl 3 (16/16); Great Horned Owl 6 (13/16); Barred Owl 1 (7/16); Belted Kingfisher 1 (13/16); Red-bellied Woodpecker 8 (16/16); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 3 (13/16); Downy Woodpecker 11 (16/16); Hairy Woodpecker 3 (15/16); Northern Flicker 17 (16/16);
Pileated Woodpecker 6 (15/16);
Eastern Phoebe 6 (8/16, ties prev. high); Blue-headed Vireo 0 (6/16); Blue Jay 2 (9/16); American Crow 36 (16/16); Fish Crow 49 (13/16); Horned Lark 0 (3/16); Carolina Chickadee 32 (16/16); Tufted Titmouse 13 (16/16); Red-breasted Nuthatch 0 (6/16); White-breasted Nuthatch 0 (8/16); Brown-headed Nuthatch 6 (11/16); Brown Creeper 1 (13/16); Carolina Wren 26 (16/16); House Wren 1 (1/16); Winter Wren 2 (16/16); Sedge Wren 0 (1/16); Marsh Wren 0 (1/16); Golden-crowned Kinglet 5 (16/16); Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 (14/16);
Eastern Bluebird 52 (16/16); Hermit Thrush 27 (16/16); American Robin 18 (16/16); Gray Catbird 2 (14/16); Northern Mockingbird 6 (13/16); Brown Thrasher 14 (14/16, new high, prev. high 13); European Starling 37 (15/16); American Pipit 80 (7/16, new high, prev. high 25, in same field as shorebirds); Cedar Waxwing 0 (12/16); Yellow-rumped Warbler 253 (16/16); Pine Warbler 0 (7/16); Palm Warbler (western) 0 (0/16); Palm Warbler (yellow) 0 (0/16); Palm Warbler (total) 0 (1/16);
Eastern Towhee 0 (11/16, missed for first time in last 6 years, can be hard to find here); Chipping Sparrow 9 (13/16); Field Sparrow 2 (7/16); Vesper Sparrow 0 (1/16); Savannah Sparrow 4 (11/16); Fox Sparrow 1 (15/16); Song Sparrow 10 (16/16); Lincoln's Sparrow 0 (1/16); Swamp Sparrow 10 (16/16); White-throated Sparrow 94 (16/16); Dark-eyed Junco 18 (16/16); Northern Cardinal 34 (16/16); Red-winged Blackbird 2811 (16/16); Eastern Meadowlark 1 (7/16); Rusty Blackbird 0 (10/16); Common Grackle 240 (14/16); Brown-headed Cowbird 0 (5/16); Purple Finch 0 (3/16); House Finch 3 (6/16); Pine Siskin 0 (2/16); American Goldfinch 17 (16/16); House Sparrow 0 (2/16);
TOTAL SPECIES 68 (best 70, three times). 4,750 individuals. Cumulative species total 106, 5 species added.
PARTICIPANTS: Mark L. Hoffman (MLH, ).
Commentary: This was one of the best counts here ever. The weather was great (warm all day, very foggy in am). The five new species were amazing. Didn't get into "swamp" (area past parking lot at end of road) until 1448, when things were very quite, hence low counts of Winter Wren and Fox Sparrow.
Good birding,
Mark L. Hoffman |