Hi Everyone,

I joined Jim Brighton, John Hubbell, and Dan Small in an impromptu Big Day in Worcester County on Saturday (5/15). Ed Carlson caught up with us and joined us for much of the day as well. There's no doubt that we picked a perfect day to do it! The strange weather produced a noteworthy fallout of migrants on Assateague, and we ended the day with 167 or so species, 28 species of warbler, and 20 species of shorebird. To ensure I get this out tonight, here are just the highlights:

- Night stuff - Reasonable success, including three owls, Whip-poor-will, Chuck-will's-widow, Least Bittern, King, Clapper, Virginia, and Common Moorhen. Night flight was steady despite the wind, but held no thrushes.

- Dawn. Breeders were singing up a storm. Red-headed Woodpecker (and bonus Hairy Woodpecker, notorious Big Day nemesis) at second-growth area on Mt. Olive Church Road just east of Sturges Road.

- BAYSIDE FALLOUT. We stepped out of the car and immediately noted the large number of flyover warblers. The best part about doing spring morning flight, when there is one, is that the flyovers are WAY easier to work with than in fall. This was easily the most enjoyable couple hours of birding we'd seen in the state. Here's the migrant list from Bayside. Note the high numbers for several species, as well as the number of rare-on-Assateague species such as Summer Tanager and Hooded Warbler. The 19 BLACKBURNIANs and seven adult male BAY-BREASTED were excellent. Our only complaint is that the GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER posed only long enough for Jim Brighton to get a good look. All counts are certainly lower than actual numbers due to obvious detection challenges.

Double-crested Cormorant--13
Snowy Egret--3
Tricolored Heron--1
Glossy Ibis--3
Bald Eagle--1
Black-bellied Plover--1
Semipalmated Plover--3
Least Sandpiper--1
Short-billed Dowitcher--18
Laughing Gull--20
Herring Gull (American)--10
Great Black-backed Gull--2
Royal Tern--1
Mourning Dove--1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird--1
Eastern Wood-Pewee--3
Great Crested Flycatcher--1
Eastern Kingbird--15
Blue-headed Vireo--1. Great spot by Dan Small. Another sighting in the campground nearby soon afterward.
Red-eyed Vireo--3
Fish Crow--2
Barn Swallow--2
Carolina Wren--2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--1
American Robin--5
Gray Catbird--4
Brown Thrasher--1
Cedar Waxwing--54
Golden-winged Warbler--1; Jim only
Northern Parula--9
Yellow Warbler--3
Chestnut-sided Warbler--2
Magnolia Warbler--125
Black-throated Blue Warbler--4
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--9
Black-throated Green Warbler--13
Blackburnian Warbler--19
Bay-breasted Warbler--7. All adult males.
Blackpoll Warbler--43
Black-and-white Warbler--2
American Redstart--39
Ovenbird--1 (singing)
Northern Waterthrush--1
Common Yellowthroat--3
Hooded Warbler--2
Wilson's Warbler--2
Canada Warbler--1
Yellow-breasted Chat--1
warbler sp.--200
Summer Tanager--1 (another in the campground)
Scarlet Tanager--5
Eastern Towhee--2
Northern Cardinal--2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak--12
Blue Grosbeak--14
Indigo Bunting--7
Common Grackle--1
Boat-tailed Grackle--4
Orchard Oriole--2
Baltimore Oriole--43
House Finch--1

- Life of the Forest Trail held small numbers of most species, including Bay-breasted, Wilson's, and Blackburnian. 

- Dan picked out a breeding plumage HORNED GREBE at South Point.

- WHITE IBIS at Bayside Development Pond (canoe launch area). As soon as I set my scope on the marshes, I spotted this adult bird feeding with Great and Snowy Egrets. Quite a thrill!

- Skimmer Island held a single BROWN PELICAN, 16 RED KNOTs, 5 ATLANTIC BRANT, and 34 BLACK SKIMMERs. We were able to count at least 66 COMMON TERNs.

- Two lingering COMMON EIDERs and about 15 PURPLE SANDPIPERs at the Inlet.

- Shorebird numbers are still excellent at Truitt's Landing. Over 2,000 shorebirds here, but best viewing is decidedly better in the morning. White-rumped Sandpipers were seen during each of three visits this weekend. A Stilt Sandpiper was present on Friday. Saltmarsh Sparrows are easily scoped, even heard singing, at the end of the road in the early morning.

- The Timmons Road flooded field is just about dry, but there were still over 200 shorebirds working amidst the corn stubble.

- Beautiful adult male CAPE MAY WARBLER found us at the State Park parking lot on Assateague.

- ORV zone held some 50+ WHIMBREL on Friday, but just a single was seen in the late afternoon on Saturday (probably already gone to roost, wherever that may be). Fox Hill Level had good shorebird counts, including 200+ Dunlin and Semi-Plovers, two Red Knots on Friday, etc.

- Butterfly hatch. The coast is overflowing with Red Admirals, American Ladies, and anglewings that appear to be mostly or all Question Marks. At one point we drove slowly through a cloud of Question Marks on the ORV zone that was simply unforgettable.

I've posted some photos from the last couple weeks here. They include a documentation shots of the White Ibis, some warbler flight shots from the Assateague morning flight, and so on... Hope you enjoy.

http://www.billhubick.com/photos/updates/20100516.php

Good birding!

Bill


Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland

http://www.billhubick.com