Message:

[

Previous   Next

]

By Topic:

[

Previous   Next

]

Subject:

Garrett County - 3/18

From:

Jim Green

Reply-To:

Jim Green

Date:

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 00:26:00 -0400

Hi Everybody: 

I started my day about 1/2 hour before daylight in eastern Garrett County in the hopes that I would hear a Great Horned Owl calling. My first stop was at the intersection of Beall School Rd. and Carey Run Rd. As soon as I got out of the car (6:15 AM) I heard several A. WOODCOCKS "peenting" and then their display soon followed. No G-H owls were heard. I then drove over to Finzel and when I exited the car there I also heard several A. Woodcocks in various stages of their display. I listened for several minutes and then started walking out the path. Just before I reached the first bridge a pair of GREAT-HORNED OWLS started calling and continued for the next 7-8 minutes. I know others have had them here over the years and I have been there numerous times before first daylight on more occasions than I want to remember and this is the first time I have had them in Garrett County. I walked up to the pond and back and saw 6 WOOD DUCKS and 1 SWAMP SPARROW. 

I spent the majority of the day checking various bodies of water looking for waterfowl which at times seemed like looking for a needle in a haystack. 

At Piney Run I saw: Mallard (4), Wood Duck (2) and Hooded Merganser (4). There also was 1 BONAPARTE'S GULL on the water.

At Meadows Lake: Mallard (5), Ring-necked Duck (15), Lesser Scaup (6) and Hoooded Merganser (6).

A quick check of the New Germany Lake produced 3 Pied-billed Grebes. There were no ducks at all at the end of Norris Welch Rd (Trout Run).

I then drove into Bradford Rec Area at Mountain Lake Park and only saw 2 Hooded Mergs on the southern end of Mountain Lake. Further down Broadfording Rd. (ballfield entrance) I found my greatest concentration of waterfowl.
     Canada Goose (22)
     Gadwall (24)
     Lesser Scaup (6)
     Redhead (2)
     Ruddy Duck (16)
     Hooded Merganser (4)
     Pied-billed Grebe (2)
There was also one Tree Swallow flying over the near edge of the lake.

As you continue down Broadfording Rd. the road separates the lake on your right and a small wet area on your left which was partially filled with water. Here there were 2 Mallards, 1 BLUE-WINGED TEAL (male) and 1 N. SHOVELER (male). The Shoveler was a closeout for me. 

I spent an hour or so driving along Savage River Rd. and checking the Savage River Reservoir; the only duck I saw other than a few mallards was one Common Merganser.

I slowly drove down Russell Road: Highlights were 3 AMERICAN KESTERLS and 2 N. HARRIERS.

On the way home I checked  the ponds on Mason Rd. (nothing at all) and several vantage points of Lake Habib (Rocky Gap St. Pk.) in Allegany Co. (one mallard only).

Jim Green
Gaithersburg, MD
work in moderation, BIRD IN EXCESS!!!

############################

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