This past Saturday, April 24th, Audubon Maryland-DC held its Important Bird
Areas (IBA) Birdathon on the lower eastern shore in an effort to see as many
species as possible while raising funds to support the IBA Program. Our
team, consisting of David Curson, David Ziolkowski, Mikey Lutmerding, and me
set out to beat the ABA reported big day record for Maryland in April which
was 108 and have 24 hours of birding fun while doing it. With great teamwork
and masterful route planning by Mikey, we far surpassed that number and
tallied 143 species. For now, here are some highlights from our big day, but
we will follow-up with a complete report of our first IBA Birdathon. Also,
it is not too late to show your support for Maryland-DC Important Bird Areas
by sponsoring our Birdathon efforts; just follow this link to make a
contribution:
http://mddc.audubon.org/birds-science-education/important-bird-areas/sponsor-our-iba-birdathon-team.


We began at the Irish Grove MOS Sanctuary at midnight.  Our first species
was MARSH WREN singing along Rumbly Point Rd, and after working the marshes
for about 3 hours we had a dozen species. One of the best birds of the day
would come when we returned to the sanctuary house and checked the marshes
behind it. To our delight we heard a loud and clear “kii-kii-drr,
kii-kii-kii-drr” – BLACK RAIL! Our successful night birding continued, as we
headed to Truitt’s Landing and Mount Olive Church Roads tallying 5 rail
species, 3 owl species, and 2 nightjar species. We spent the dawn hours in
the Nassawango area looking for newly arrived migrant and breeding songbirds
in the rich forests there. We added numerous warblers and vireos including
BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER and BLUE-HEADED VIREO. We scored big on Bear
Swamp Rd with a calling RED-HEADED WOODPECKER in a large clearcut. By the
time we left the Nassawango area at 8:05AM we had tallied 75 species.

Our next big finds came at the flooded fields along Route 113 near Timmons
Rd in Worcester County, where Mikey relocated the previously reported male
RUFF and found an AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER. We added common species along the
way to the Ocean City Inlet and Skimmer Island. At the Inlet we had a small
raft of COMMON EIDER, BLACK SCOTER, NORTHERN GANNETT, and several
RED-THROATED LOONS. While scanning Skimmer Island, Dave Z. spotted PURPLE
SANDPIPER and RUDDY TURNSTONE along the rocks on the Ocean City side of the
bay. We had another good find as we spotted a CATTLE EGRET while cruising
around the streets near Hooper’s Crab House. From Eagle’s Nest Campground we
scoped several PIPING PLOVER, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, and SANDERLING on the
mud flats off the north end of Assateague Island. Bayside Development
yielded a single LITTLE BLUE HERON, bringing our total to 123.

However, we feared the law of diminishing returns was starting to take
effect as we dipped on Vesper Sparrow in Galestown, Cliff Swallow at
Marshyhope Creek, Bank Swallow at the Brookview quarry, and found dry fields
and only a few shorebirds at the Shiloh Church turf farm. Nevertheless, we
pressed on to the Hurlock WWTP where we added RUDDY DUCK and SPOTTED
SANDPIPER. At Blackwater NWR, Mikey’s Monster energy drinks helped us catch
a second (or maybe third or fourth) wind, and we tallied four new species:
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, SWAMP SPARROW, LEAST TERN, and EASTERN MEADOWLARK –
pushing us to 135 and giving us hope down the home stretch.

Taking Cross County East toward Elliot Island Rd, we added BROWN-HEADED
NUTHATCH – a bird which had been worrisomely scarce the rest of the day. At
Bestpitch we saw our much-needed BELTED KINGFISHER and we finally got our
EASTERN PHOEBE just after Henry’s Cross Rd on Elliott Island Rd – another
great spot by Mikey.  As we headed down Elliot Island road, we were elated
to find 3 pairs of BLACK-NECKED STILT, and 2 NORTHERN HARRIER. At the end of
Wharf Rd, we scanned Fishing Bay in the waning light hoping for lingering
waterfowl. No new ducks were found, but Mikey did spot 5 BROWN PELICAN on
the horizon. We stopped once more along Elliot Island Rd and scanned the
northern portion of Fishing Bay. Again Mikey pulled through and gave us our
last species of the day, number 143 – a single male LESSER SCAUP among
several rafts of Ruddy Duck.

We all had great birding fun and considered the day an all around success!
Thanks to David Curson for driving all day, a grueling 24 hour task, and to
Mikey and David Ziolkowski for joining our team. Again we will compile a
full report of our IBA Birdathon soon, and if you would still like to make a
donation toward our bird conservation efforts through the IBA Program,
please just follow the link below:
http://mddc.audubon.org/birds-science-education/important-bird-areas/sponsor-our-iba-birdathon-team.


Thanks and good birding!

David


-- 
David Yeany II
IBA Program Coordinator
Audubon MD-DC
2437 Eastern Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21224
Phone: 814-221-4361
Email: