This was such a pretty day that I just had to put in quite a bit of time out
chasing birds.  It turned out to be a good birding day.

 

First - around 11 a.m. as I was birding near Trappe my mediocre mimic of
Screech Owl calling picked up a daytime Screech Owl response that went on
and on and on.  This was the first time I have received such a response in
the daytime for quite awhile.  Then, around 11:45 a Great Horned Owl,
without any invitation from me,  began calling to me.  Of course I answered
back, and we carried on a conversation for several minutes.  Though I had
not seen the Screech Owl, the big Great Horned Owl was perched in easy
viewing  position on a branch of a pine tree not far from the road. 

 

Later in the day I decided to visit Wye Landing, a place that is not
regularly on my birding agenda.  Not a whole lot there, but to my surprise
there were seven Common Mergansers mixed in with a flock or about 400 Canada
Geese.  Nice!

 

And finally, having read about Woodcock calling and displaying over at Jug
Bay, I thought it might be worthwhile to check out one of the best places to
hear them in Talbot County - Pickering Creek.  So I arranged to get there a
little before dark - and that worked like a charm.  I merely walked a little
ways to the west from the visitor parking lot and waited.  At 5:35 came the
first call of Peeent.  Between then and 5:50 the bird repeated the call over
50 times - then suddenly I heard the whistle of the wings as a flight
display no doubt occurred.  It was too dark to see the bird in flight this
time, but a delightful and fulfilling visit anyhow.

 

And by the way, as I stood in the field at Pickering Creek, I heard geese in
flight and looked up to see 42 Canada Geese in a perfect Vee and quite high
flying straight towards the North!  Are they leaving already?  Many of them
just arrived within the past week.  Not much winter vacation around here for
them.

 

Les Roslund

Talbot Bird Club

Easton, MD


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