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Subject:

Lapalnd Longspur Carroll County, Vesper in Frederick.

From:

Ed Boyd

Reply-To:

Ed Boyd

Date:

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 08:44:36 -0500

When I started this line regarding the Flamingo and Anhinga Trails, it 
was a joke in answer to Nancy Magnusson's request for a location that 
wasn't snowed in for birding. Since both of these are far from Maryland 
and have no relevance to MDOSPREY, I think we should move on in regards 
to these subjects.

Yesterday morning I drove some of the roads in western Carroll County 
and northeastern Frederick County. On Ebert Rd. below Middleburg Rd. at 
a dairy farm operation I had a single Lapland Longspur in a flock of 
Horned Larks roaming the open grounds around the barns.

I then drove north into the portion of Frederick County NE of 
Emmitsburg. Near the Mason/Dixon farm on Bullfrog Rd., I flushed a 
Vesper Sparrow from the side of the road just north of the PA line and 
it circled back behind me. The open portion of the road was narrow and I 
was heading to the intersection with Mason Dixon Rd. to turn around. As 
I drove back down Buillfrog, the sparrow flew back along the road in 
front of me into Maryland. It would land about 100 yards in front of the 
car and allow an approach to about 30 yards before flushing again.

While doing some snow clearing around the house in the afternoon, I had 
a flock of about 18 Cedar Waxwings in my back yard. I didn't have 
waxwings anywhere in the state last year until May, although my work 
schedule usually limits my time getting out and about.

I noticed a week ago that American Robins seem to have made their spring 
dispersal early this year. They don't usually do this in my area until 
the last week of February or early March. There have been dozens around 
the area since the first big snow over a week ago and I fear that their 
ability to find food is very limited. I don't know if the snow pushed 
them out of their usual winter haunts early or if this was truly their 
spring movement. Hopefully the melting that has taken place since the 
last storm will continue enough to open feeding areas up for them.

Ed Boyd
Westminster, MD

Leslie Starr wrote:
> As of a few weeks ago, the Anhinga Trail was nearly inaccessible due to the 
>  stench of cold-killed rotting fish. The dead Black Vulture hanging over 
> the  parking lot to deter its colleagues from eating car parts was not 
> noticeably  aromatic, however.
>  
> Leslie Starr
> Baltimore
>