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Short-Billed Dows at Blue Mash - 7/10

From:

Jim Green

Reply-To:

Jim Green

Date:

Sat, 10 Jul 2010 22:55:16 -0400

Hi Everybody:

 What a great day of birding just following the sightings of others with some failure and alot of success. I started the day in mid-morning by reading Osprey posts and seeing Dave Czaplak's almost weekly great sighting, this time of American Avocets at Violette's Lock. (I had not planned on birding in the morning because I had to take my wife to Dulles Airport at 12 noon). I arrived at Violette's Lock after 10 AM and spent 30 minutes of futile searching for the AMAV. 

After dropping my wife at the airport I made a beeline to Brown Station Road. I arrived in the early afternoon and was glad to see other birders studiously looking through their scopes. For the next 90 minutes or so I was treated to American Avocets, Short-billed Dowitchers and Semi-palmated Sandpipers (all county birds);other shorebirds seen were Solitary, Spotted and Least Sandpipers. 

I then headed over to Schoolhouse Pond and with the aid of a birder already there was able to have nice scoped views of the COMMON MOORHEN from the platform near where I had parked. It was sitting on vegetation inches from the feet of a Great Blue Heron and there were several young Wood Ducks in close proximity as well.

I then headed home to feed the dog and then headed out to check some possible shorebird spots in Montgomery County.
The first place I checked was the Germantown Soccer Complex where I found no shorebirds whatsoever. 

My next (and last stop) was Blue Mash. The pond closest to Zion Road had 2 Killdeer, 1 Spotted and ! Solitary Sandpiper. The pond straight out on the other side of the fenced-off old landfill area was more productive. Among the numerous Killdeer were 3 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS. I arrived about 6:30 PM and after 8 PM I was joined by Joe Hannfman. We also saw a Solitary Sandpiper and a Lesser Yellowlegs.

Other interesting observations were a Black-billled Cuckoo (seen by me and later heard by Joe) and Cedar Waxwings that seemed to be imitating swallows by flying low over the pond and changing directions constantly as though they were flycatching. At one point 6 or 7 CEWA's were sitting on the mud flats on the far shore of the lake. There was also a very active WILLOW FLYCATCHER moving around us. It was not singing its well known "Fitzbew"song but giving a one syllable sharp "Witt" call. This is the first time that I have heard this vocalization.  

It was a great day. The Short-billed Dows were a County bird for me in Montgomery. I am looking forward to a full day of birding tomorrow.

Thanks again to everybody that quickly shared their sightings today.

Jim Green
Gaithersburg, MD

work in moderation, BIRD IN EXCESS!!!