I spent yesterday on the Eastern Shore, trying to track down several
species on a short list of "target" county birds. My first stop was
at the Denton WWTP in Caroline County, where I had my
first-of-the-season BUFFLEHEAD and a single RUDDY DUCK (both county
birds for me). Also present were 13 RING-NECKED DUCKS and several
Mallards among 200 or so Canada Geese.
Next I went to the Galestown Millpond, where I found 4 PIED-BILLED
GREBES (a bird that had long eluded me in Dorchester), 4 RING-NECKED
DUCKS, and about 40 Canada Geese. Eventually I ended up in Fairmount
WMA in Somerset County, where there were plenty of mosquitos (still)
but not many birds. I whiffed on all of my targets, but was
pleasantly surprised to find 5 PINE SISKINS (a county bird!) among a
dozen goldfinches at feeders in the front yard of a house in
Frenchtown.
Elaine Hendricks
Greenbelt, MD (PG County)
|