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Subject:

Weekend Birding

From:

mike burchett

Reply-To:

mike burchett

Date:

Mon, 3 Jan 2011 12:15:50 -0500

Hi all,

Unfortunately, January 1st meant being at work at 6:30 in the morning.  I
managed to get a few species as the sun came up, most noteably being
a CACKLING GOOSE in one of the many flocks of Canada's that fly over the
dealership.  Betsy and I managed to escape work a few hours early and headed
towards Kent County.  On the way, we picked up Cooper's Hawk, Bald Eagle,
some gulls, Turkey Vulture, American Kestrel, Fish Crow, bluebird,
Red-shouldered Hawk, Snow Goose, and few others.

On Remington Drive at Chesapeake Farms, we sat in our vehicles patiently
waiting for the famous sparrow to appear.  After an hour and a half we heard
the GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW sing a few times from locations on either side of
the road near the break in the hedgerow.  Forty five minutes later Betsy and
I thought we heard it chipping by the first pokeberry past the break but no
bird.  Right after that the car in front of us notified us that they just
had it at the first pokeberry on the ground.  We waited around a few more
minutes and the bird showed itself again around 4:30pm, allowing good views
for everyone else present.  We were also able to pick up White-throated,
White-crowned and Song Sparrows, Brown Thrasher, Junco, Flicker, Downy and
Red-bellied Woodpeckers.

A check of Reese's Corner Rd before dark did not produce a RL Hawk but we
did find a flock of Canada Geese and a Northern Harrier.

On January 2nd, Betsy and I started at the Bayside parking lot of
Assateague.  We had a Northern Harrier fly over the parking lot headed South
quite early.  Birding was slow, without much noticeable migration going on.
The only birds of note were four RED-THROATED LOONS flying over going
North.  It wasn't raining while birding the point but drizzle and an
occasional light shower hit thoughout the morning.  We moved on to the
campground and the Life of the Marsh Trail area.  A Belted Kingfisher was
working the area where the LOTM Trail meets the marsh.  American Black
Ducks, Bufflehead, and 5 Red-breasted Mergansers were in the marsh North of
the campground.  Good numbers of sparrows were found including 1 FOX SPARROW
and five Field Sparrows but the birds really didn't become active until
almost 9am.

Betsy and I then checked out Bayside development.  The pond was completely
void of birds except a couple Mallards and Canada Geese since it was 95%
frozen.  Out in the marsh we noted a single American Wigeon, two Gadwall,
two WILLETS (spotted by Betsy) and 11 Greater Yellowlegs.  A Cooper's Hawk
flew across the development area.  From the long boardwalk we found a few
Carolina Chickadees and Brown-headed Nuthatches, a single Ruby-crowned
Kinglet and a Swamp Sparrow for the year.

A check of Eagles Nest Campground found not much but intense fog.  There
were logs blocking all vehicle access close to the water.

The inlet didn't look promising at we crossed the bridge into Ocean City
because of fog.  When we got to the inlet we couldn't see halfway to the
South jetty.  Luckily, we found the fog was rolling through and it was
coming in waves.  Before the fog cleared, we were able to find Turnstones,
Purple Sandpipers, Sanderlings, and the RED KNOT.  Oldsquaw were floating
around the inlet at various places.  Betsy spotted three WILLETS flying
North which landed on the beach by the North jetty.  Once there was a break
in the fog were were able to see the ducks on the other side of the
Assateague jetty.  We saw all three scoters (only one White-winged was able
to be seen).  We had at least 14 COMMON EIDERS (including one adult male)
and one adult male HARLEQUIN DUCK (with the scoter flock).  A Horned Grebe
was also floating with the scoter flock.

Skimmer Island was empty except for a few Bufflehead and a Common Loon.

Where there wasn't ice covering it, West Ocean City Pond held 12 Northern
Shovelers, 7 Hooded Mergansers, 15 Canada Geese, 14 Ring-billed Gulls, 19
American Black Ducks, 1 GBH, and 38 Mallards.

We picked up our first Tundra Swans of the year driving West on Rt 50, in a
farm field where Rt 346 crosses, West of Berlin.

We then got the LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE on Todd's Corner Rd by Pickering Creek
Audubon.  Jeff Shenot and Fred Shafer had the bird in view when we got
there.  Thanks, guys!  The bird was working the shrubby ditch as described
before.  We talked to a gentleman from Alexandria named Jack who said he had
hiked up the beach at Assateague to the jetty and back that morning.  Best
birds he had were two Dovekies flying close to shore.  I didn't get a
direction from him but sounds like they could have been the two Hubick had
later in the day at the inlet.  He did not see any King Eiders.

Our last stop was to try for the Carroll Sandhill Crane in Hampstead.  We
dipped on that but talk to a lady who lives on the farm there and she said
it was absent on the 1st but there the day before.

All in a great, fun few days spent at various locations around Maryland.

Mike Burchett and Betsy Bangert,
Bel Air, MD