Jon Ranson and I birded CBEC as well this afternoon, from about 12:30 to 3 PM. Our list was similar to Frank's (below).
We had at least 5 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH at and near the feeder at the visitor's center. The lady there was pleased - she said they had just filled the feeder about 1/2 hour before. There were also chickadee (carolina) and junco there. We also saw at least six BROWN HEADED NUTHATCH near the kayak/canoe station, and three or four more in pines on the entry road as we left the park.
We had grackles, redwing blackbird, mouring dove, EASTERN TOWHEE, white throated sparrow, FOX SPARROW, yellow-rumped warblers, two IMMATURE BALD EAGLES - one was the palest I'd ever seen, with a nice white head, a white tail with a clear black band and lots of white under the wings. Really spectacular bird, and great looks. And, although I was carrying my camera, it didn't dawn on me to take a shot!!!! Mockingbirds, bluebirds. Jon thought he saw an INDIGO BUNTING, BUT we guessed that only because of it's great blue color and no red breast - it was too quick to be sure. We had at least 3 northern harrier, 2 flickers, and, as Frank said, the green wing teal, scaup, (greater and lesser, in different areas), American Wigeon, Bufflehead, canvasback, one COMMON GOLDENEYE (kind of unusual where we saw them - by the boat area), Ruddy ducks, Tundra swan. We also had 2 BLACK DUCKS - a pair, displaying to each other. Thought we heard/saw a wood duck, but too far away and too surrounded by other ducks to be sure.
We did NOT see Frank's snipe or horned grebe.
I used to see brown-headed nuthatches at CBEC at least 3, maybe 4 years ago routinely, always in the area of the pinetrees, near the lake. That area flooded 1-2 years ago, and I have not had a nuthatch there since. They are back - and in abundance.
All in all, a very fabulous and very birdy day. We ended up with 42 species at CBEC alone - and have yet to tally the whole day's "take" (we saw a few more common birds on the way in, up route 50).
Joanne
Joanne Howl, DVM
west river, MD
-----Original Message-----
From: Fred Shaffer <>
To:
Sent: Sun, Feb 27, 2011 5:35 pm
Subject: [MDOSPREY] Brown-headed Nuthatches (Queen Anne Co.)
My wife and I went to the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center (formerly
orsehead) this afternoon. It was really pleasant walking the various trails
nd there was a nice assortment of birds present. The highlight for me was no
ess than seven Brown-headed Nuthatches. I guess that I do not bird Queen Anne
ounty enough and had not realized that they had moved that far north. But, we
ad one at the feeder at the Visitor Center (along with a Red-breasted
uthatch), five along the Lake Trail, and one more along the Piney Point Path.
got good views at the birds at all three locations. I spoke with the lady at
he visitor center who said that they first started noticing Brown-headed
uthatches in the park two or three years ago. With Brown-headed Nuthatches
ithin sight of US 50 (albeit on the Eastern Shore), I'll have to redouble my
fforts to locate the birds in the pine woods of Southern Prince George's
ounty....
Other highlights included American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, Mallards,
ufflehead, and Tundra Swan on Lake Knapp. The surrounding bays held 500+
anvasback, over 100 Ruddy Ducks, and smaller numbers of Bufflehead and Scaup.
also found one Horned Grebe. Also of note was one Wilson's Snipe that flushed
rom near the marsh boardwalk. Few raptors seemed to be up, but we did see two
orthern Harriers hunting over the marsh.
Fred Shaffer
rofton, Anne Arundel
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