Dave Larkin and I birded two spots in the Perryman area of Harford County
today-the impoundment in Perryman Park and a seasonal pond in a farm field
on Canning House Rd (off Perryman Rd).   Dave pulled the LITTLE STINT out of
a large group of peeps on Canning House Rd. after I left to go to work.  He
is a British birder and knows his European birds.

 

Dave had a completely amazing 19 species for the day; my list was a still
terrific 15 species.  Here is Dave's list, with numbers and locations:

 

    pp= Perryman Park

     chr= Canning house Road

 

 

    Spotted Sandpiper             9                           pp

    Killdeer                                   3
pp & chr

    Black-bellied Plover           8                          pp & chr

    Dunlin                                      6
pp

    Semipalmated  Plover       21                       pp & chr

    Least Sandpiper                   166                      pp & chr

    Solitary Sandpiper               3                          pp

     Greater Yellowlegs             3                          chr

     Lesser Yellowlegs              20                         chr

     Ruff                                           3
chr

     Red Knot                              2                          chr

     Long-billed Dowitcher      1                          chr

     American Golden Plover  2                         chr

     Wilson's Snipe                      1                        chr

     Sanderling                               1                        chr

     Short-billed Dowitcher      3                        chr

     Pectoral Sandpiper              5                         pp & chr

     Little  Stint                               1
chr

     Semipalmated Sandpiper     16                      pp & chr     

 

Among the great birds I saw on this trip were 2 Ruffs (1 female with orange
legs, 1 male with dark legs), 1 Long-billed Dowitcher in breeding plumage, 1
American Golden Plover, and 1 rare-in-Harford-County Sanderling (without a
scope I thought this very light-plumaged bird was a Sanderling or a Piping
Plover; with scope, Dave later confirmed Sanderling).  I saw one bird in the
air that was probably a Red Knot-Dave had a longer, better look.  Birds were
coming and going, so I can't predict what's there this PM.

 

Dave's one word comment on the day:  Unbelievable.

 

If you decide to chase these birds:  Perryman Park is a public place, with a
parking lot that can handle about a dozen cars.  But the best birds were at
Canning House Road, and that's a narrow country road with private property
on either side.  To park on Canning House Road you have to pull onto the
dirt shoulder at least a little ways.  Do not walk into the planted field,
and PLEASE be courteous and neighborly.  We want birders to continue to be
welcome in the Perryman area. 

 

Peter Lev

Towson, MD