Hi Everybody:
I headed west early this morning with the hopes of trying for a few night birds before daylight in Allegany County. Once I passed Hagerstown I hit hard rain and some low spots of fog. I made my first decision of the day and decided it would be fruitless trying to listen for birds in the hard rain and drove into Hancock and had breakfast. I still arrived at my first intended destination just before 7 AM. There was a steady drizzle coming down when I entered Green Ridge St. Forest via 15 Mile Creek Road. After hearing Ovenbird and La. Waterthrush the road led me up the first small hill. when I reached the top I parked and started listening. The first migrant I encountered was a Magnolia Warbler. I then saw a bird towards the top of a dead pine tree sitting on a branch. It had very little discernible field marks through the drizzle and against a very dreary gray sky. The bird flew off its perch and quickly returned to the same spot with its breakfast. I knew then it was a flycatcher and was thinking Eastern Phoebe at that point. I then put my scope on the bird and after it flew off and returned again it was facing away from me and I could easily see the white patches showing on either side of the rump. I was looking at an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER! I continued observing the bird for another 20 minutes and during that time it sang its trademark "quick, three beers" song 3 different times. I thanked the rainy weather gods because had it not been raining earlier I would have headed deeper into Green Ridge before daylight and definitely missed this bird. If you decide to look for the Olive-sided Flycatcher the pulloff is at the top of the first hill (which is full of shale). The "undriveable" road that turns sharply to the right off of 15 Mile Creek Rd. is unmarked but I believe it is Piclic Road on the map. If you take the bridge across the creek you have gone too far.
I wanted to bird a few other areas in Allegany County besides Green Ridge SF and then spend some time in Washington County looking for shorebirds later in the day so I drove then drove south on Green Ridge Rd., made a right on Wallizer Rd., then took Mertens Rd. back up to Green Ridge Road. I continued south on this and then finished by birding Dailey Road which emptied me out of the St. For. on Rt. 51 just after 12 noon. Despite the on and off rain it continued being a great and birdy morning. I had a total of 16 species of warblers. The migrants included Tennessee, both Black-throated Green and Blue, several more Magnolias and Blackpoll Warblers. Worm-eating Warblers were numerous and often came into pishing giving nice looks. I also heard and saw quite a few Hooded Warblers including one variation of their song I had never heard before. At one point I had Red-eyed, Blue-headed and Yellow-throated Vireos vocalizing at the same time. On Dailey Road I had 4 Prairie Warblers and one Yelllow-breasted Chat. My last warbler species in GRSF also put on quite a show for me. It was a male Golden-winged Warbler also found on Dailey Road. It was singing almost non-stop and several different times flew up close to the road.
I checked out a few places off of Rt. 51 along the canal only to encounter more rain than birds. At Spring Gap I saw one Yellow Warbler. I then drove to North Branch but did not find any shorebirds not reported by Matt Tillet on Saturday.
I was planning on trying for Jim Moore's Cerulean Warblers on Stumpf Rd. but as I got close the skies opened up again with a steady downpour so I continued heading east. Brad Lanning had called me earlier to report 2 GLOSSY IBIS in Washington County. I had been hoping that the rain would keep them down and there until midafternoon. I arrived at the intersection of Mt. Aetna and Whitehall Roads and found a sizable flooded field on the northwestern side of Mt. Aetna Rd. The 2 GLOSSY IBIS were still there! Thanks Brad!!! This was my 200th species in Washington County. I made a few phone calls and ironically the Ostrowski brothers (Robert & Michael) were just leaving Warner Hollow Road. They were there in less than 15 minutes and enjoyed the Ibis as well. Robert put it very nicely when he said "Now all we need is a White-faced to close out the ibises in Washington County!" Shorebird species seen in the field included Spotted, Solitary and Least. Before we left Brad L. drove up and also found a Wilson's Snipe camouflaged in the muddy part of the field.
The Ostowski's and myself then visited the flooded drainage "pond" at the intersection of Poffenberger Road and Maid's Fancy Way. There was 1 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER there. Robert also pointed out to us a singing WILLOW FLYCATCHER across the road.
My last stop before heading home was the Rench Road shorebird spot which still had everything reported yesterday by Jim Moore (including the SEMIPALMATED PLOVER).
Despite the off and on rain throughout the day it was a great time despite the soggy conditions. Thanks again Brad for the call on the "Glossies". With the additional rain forecasted for this coming week it should hopefully lead to more shorebirds and waders being found in unexpected locations.
Jim Green
Gaithersburg,MD
work in moderation, BIRD IN EXCESS!!!
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