Many thanks to Janet Shields and all who contributed to a great birding weekend in Kent County and environs!

A few of us had items remaining on our wish list, so Joe Turner, John Dennehy, and I decided to extend our weekend and head east on route 50 instead of west. Thanks to Wayne Bell and Les Roslund for advice about and directions to places to look for Dickcissel and Northern Bobwhite. We found three DICKCISSELS in the field behind White Marsh Cemetery and heard at least three NORTHERN BOBWHITES on Schwaninger Road, where there was also a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW perched on a fallen tree in the field. Other birds present there included BALD EAGLE, FIELD SPARROW, BLUE GROSBEAK, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, and WOOD THRUSH. As we drove back down the road we saw a WILD TURKEY.

Our evening drive down Elliott Island Road got off to a good start with the sighting of a GREAT HORNED OWL in the wetland just below the water tower. We stopped again just down the road and heard more GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS and a SUMMER TANAGER. Of course we were hoping for rails, and heard two VIRGINIA RAILS calling as dark fell, but otherwise only mosquitos and the occasional MARSH WREN until a little after 10:00pm. Having pretty much given up and begun to drive back north on the road, we suddenly heard a BLACK RAIL calling on the east side of the road. We stood on the side of the road for about a half hour, talking to another passing birder some of the time, and the rail called continuously. It was still calling as we drove away.

We had hoped for Whip-poor-wills but heard only CHUCK-WILLS-WIDOWS as we concluded our drive, at least seven. There was a BARRED OWL calling at one point, and a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT sounded off at 11:23pm.

Non-avian sightings included five foxes, two of which were playful kits chasing bugs, one raccoon, one skunk, one muskrat, one water snake, and one box turtle. We heard several zillion frogs of various species.

Leslie Starr 

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