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Patuxent North Tract--Black-capped Chickadee, White-winged Crossbill

From:

Bill Hubick

Reply-To:

Bill Hubick

Date:

Sun, 26 Dec 2010 15:49:11 -0800

Hi Everyone,

John Hubbell and I met up for some local Anne Arundel County birding before the snow hit this morning, starting at the north tract of Patuxent Research Refuge. There was quite a bit of activity despite the fairly miserable conditions. Red-breasted Nuthatches were found in nearly every flock we encountered here. An American Beaver was keeping some water open on the first pond. At the power line cut area, we found a Brown Thrasher, eight male Eastern Towhees, and two Fox Sparrows. 

While working a roadside flock near the visitor center (first slight hill after the visitor center), a WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL flew overhead, repeatedly calling its distinctive jip-jip-jip calls. We made some effort to locate it perched, but didn't have any further luck there. 

During two watches, the visitor center feeders were active, but held only the most expected species. We decided to work the access road slowly on the way out. In our last flock, in an area with a nice mix of field habitat, pines, and scrubby edge, our pishing attracted a large flock. After the flock dissipated, a large chickadee flew in and immediately captured our interest. It kept our attention with obviously lower, slower voice, and eventually permitted a couple poor documentation photos. 
(See in-line notes below.) 

As previously posted, Black-capped Chickadees are extremely rare (even historically) in Maryland's coastal plain. Our birding community has the responsibility of carefully drawing the southern limit line for this species, so please try to get photos for all out-of-range chickadees, particularly on the coastal plain. They are not reviewable anywhere in Maryland (MD/DCRC), but eBird reviewers in Maryland will be hoping for documentation to confirm all out-of-range birds.  Thanks!

Here's the full eBird list

Patuxent Research Refuge--North Tract
Notes: American Beaver keeping some water open on the first pond.

Canada Goose--9
Red-bellied Woodpecker--9
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker--2
Downy Woodpecker--6
Hairy Woodpecker--2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)--7
Pileated Woodpecker--1
Blue Jay--32
American Crow--5
Carolina Chickadee--26

BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE--1. ** Very rare on the coastal plain. Field edge with pines on access road to Patuxent North Tract. Came in solo after the mob of other chickadees had left. Picked out in flight as it flew in, obviously larger and long-tailed. Voice was immediately obvious, low and slow, to my ears well outside of range of Carolina variation. (Ears calibrated by many variably low/slow Carolinas from the morning.) Obvious white cheeks; obvious white hockey stick in secondaries/coverts.
Bib more ragged than photo angle shows, but on the less ragged side for recent BCCHs I've seen. Poor but seemingly adequate photos.

Tufted Titmouse--14
Red-breasted Nuthatch--11. One or more in nearly every small flock we encountered.
White-breasted Nuthatch--7
Brown Creeper--3
Carolina Wren--2
Winter Wren--1. Chattering near the visitor center.
Golden-crowned Kinglet--3
Eastern Bluebird--2
Hermit Thrush--2
American Robin--34
Northern Mockingbird--2
Brown Thrasher--1. Hedge row down by the large power line cut.
Cedar Waxwing--82
Eastern Towhee--8. Two groups of four adult males.
Fox Sparrow (Red)--2
Song Sparrow--5
Swamp Sparrow--1
White-throated Sparrow--37
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)--14
Northern Cardinal--11
Common Grackle--16
House Finch--7
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL--1. ** Rare. Flew over, calling distinctive jip-jip-jip calls, with which we became familiar during the previous invasion year. Heard well and at close range.
American Goldfinch--4

The South Tract was extremely quiet, with only a couple small junco flocks and a handful of common woodland species. I tried to hit Sandy Point to check the gulls, but aborted mission as the snow picked up. 

Good birding!

Bill


Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland

http://www.billhubick.com