I found a Nelson's Sparrow this morning at Swan Harbor Farm in Harford County. This is the 4th Nelson's I've seen in the county and they've all been in the marshy impoundment at Swan Harbor. This bird was along the dike parallel to the entrance road, about 40 yards west of the blind. It was easily the most cooperative of the 4 birds I've seen here and I was able to get some excellent photos and video. If anyone wants to try for it, I would recommend walking slowly along the dike and carefully watching all of the birds that flush into the cattails. The bird was also giving a whisper song that I've never heard before. The song was more complicated than any Nelson's vocalization I've ever heard and I was able to capture it on this video. You can see the throat moving when you hear the song.
Video:
http://youtu.be/kjSfQ6L_oC8
Photos:
https://picasaweb.google.com/hafner.matt/NelsonSSparrowAtSwanHarbor
Full list copied below.
Matt Hafner
Forest Hill, MD
Swan Harbor Farm Park, Harford, US-MD
Oct 31, 2011 10:00 AM - 11:50 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.5 mile(s)
Comments: Walked around the parking area, over to the new impoundments and around the old impoundment
29 species
Canada Goose 40
Gadwall 3
American Black Duck 3
Mallard 34
Blue-winged Teal 1
Green-winged Teal 8
Great Blue Heron 1
Bald Eagle 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Blue Jay 4
Fish Crow 2
Marsh Wren 2
Eastern Bluebird 12
European Starling 15
American Pipit 1
Palm Warbler (Western) 1
Palm Warbler (Yellow) 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 4
Chipping Sparrow 3
Savannah Sparrow (Eastern) 25
Nelson's Sparrow (Interior) 1 ***RARE*** My 4th for the county, all from the marshy impoundment at Swan Harbor. A very bright individual, obviously of one of the interior subspecies by bright orange chest with thin, dull streaks, bright white braces down the back and very bold rufous tertial edgings. Photos and video taken, http://youtu.be/ANimEXqjUKE
Song Sparrow 40
Swamp Sparrow 35
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) 6
Red-winged Blackbird 100
House Finch 4
American Goldfinch 14
House Sparrow 1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
############################
To unsubscribe from the MDOSPREY list:
write to: mailto:[log in to unmask]
or click the following link:
http://home.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/wa.exe?SUBED1=MDOSPREY&A=1 |