MARYLAND ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN VOL. I MARCH and APRIL 1 9h5 NO, 1 INTRODUCTION "To understand nature is to gain one of the greatest resources of lifa. u These words of John Burroughs make one realize how precious is the hobby that later gives one so much pleasure, as well as a real source of information that can be'useful and instructive to others. In his first nature book, which was almost entirely about birds. Burroughs said that he who takes the first step in ornithology is ticketed for the whole voyage. So it is with the members of the Maryland Ornithological Societ}?- - we hopelU Among the members of the old Bird Club at the Natural History Society, was felt a great need for a more permanent organization, whereby we could share with each other our finds and all knowledge gained on the ornithological voyage. There is today in the United States a very wide interest in the conserva- tion of wild birds. This is manifested in the great interest which the public shows in proposed legislative enactments for bird protection," there is also, a seeming desire on the part of many people to learn more about birds; how to find them; where to look : when to look - and to know something of the miracle of migration - about which so much has been learned recently. These things the new society hopes to give in abundance to its members on this voyage. Best of luck to all who join us 0 N.L-K. BIRD WALKS March 11, 1 9h$ Seven members of the Society met at 8 A*M. on Sunday, March 11,19U5 for a short bird walk in the Lake Roland Area, The day was sunny but a cool, damp wind blew steadily* Robins and Cardinals were heard singing on both sides of the road down to the Lake. Three Carolina Chickadees allowed close scrutiny as they fed in the bushes along the road. Near the spillway the group spent some time trying to locate a woodpecker that was drumming on the hillside. Unable to find the. bird and observing bird life awing farther down the road we meandered along* Song Sparrows were very numerous along the stream bordering the road* They were evi- dently migrants as no territorial fighting was seen* A pair of Cowbirds were seen atop a tall tree. They were displaying courtship behavior. The display began by fluffing out the feathers and partially raising the 'wings. The birds pitched forward until head was between the feet and the spreading tail feathers upright. Just as the bird seemed about to lose its balance and fall off the branch it would close its wings and resume a normal position. Both birds were males, no females being observed in the vicinity* Several Tufted Titmice and Carolina Chickadees were observed along the road- side. We crossed to the north of the stream at Falls Road and walked up to the - 2 - Lake through the moist bottomlands. Robins , Song Sparrows and Juncos were ob- served in this area* Three Fox Sparrovs and several Cardinals were also seen* As we approached the lake seven American Mergansers were flushed. We were un- able to get close to them. A lone Kingfisher put in appearance as we reached the railroad bridge. Five of the Society members returned to town and Mr. Ray Beasley continued with the writer around the lake* A flock of eight Bluebirds made us pause as we hiked over the hills. Two flickers called as they flew by. We paused for awhile at a railroad trestle to watch a pair of Bluebirds cleaning out an old nest hole in a dead tree. Both sexes took turns at the job. Several Blue jays and a small group of Crows were observed downstream. A lone Towhee had been flushed from the ground on the hillside just before we stopped at the trestle. He (it was a male) was very tame and moved off through the underbrush without hurrying • We reached Falls Road and hiked over to the abandoned mine pits to look for hibernating bats. One of the pits was knee-deep with water so we were unable to enter. The other pit was unoccupied by bats. Walking back to the streetcar we observed numerous Song Sparrows and repeated observations on a number of species seen previously. Irving E, Hampe March 17, 1 9h$ Trip with Mr* Orville Crowder to Penna. R.R* Crossing at Harwood and Point Oliver on Gunpowder River - Weather very warm and cloudy. At Harwood a large flock of Whistling Swans were seen across the river, and several large flocks of Coots at different sections, a few Herring Gulls flying overhead, some Scaup were resting on water too far away to distinguish whether Greater or Lesser. At Oliver Point approximately UOO Coots were swimming a few hundred yards off shore in large raft, with smaller flocks at different sections. About a dozen Scaup also were seen among the Coots, but too far away to decide whether Greater or Lesser. Also about six Ruddy Bucks were seen. About 150-200 yards off the Point a White-Winged Scoter was sighted. Plumage indicated this bird to be a juvenile in second-year plumage, front and hind parts were very dark with back and sides slightly lighter in color, white speculum very prominent, white spots on head not evident in the light and distance, head definitely scoter shaped, although the adult protuberance on the bill was not developed. This bird was diving for food and during most of the time under observation layed very low in the water. Also seen near the Point were two Flickers, one Downy and one Hairy Wood- pecker, probably six or eight Tufted Titmice, numerous Robins, a few Carolina Chickadees, one Bluebird, probably fifty Red-wings, one Myrtle Warbler, several Juncos, and one Carolina Wren was heard* On the way home one Great Blue Heron was seen flying over Middle River* Ray J. Beasley March 18, 1 915 The Bird-Walk program of the infant organization got under way auspiciously on March l8th, when an attempt to catch the tail end of the northward migration drew an attendance of thirteen, including three junior members* With Orville Crowder as leader and Ray Beasley in support , the group covered the lower Gun- powder area from the railroad bridge south as far as Dundee Creek* The day f s bag was 35 species, most of them being spotted between the 9:30 A*M* start and the hearty picnic lunch on Dundee Creek at noon* Abnormally warm weather - three consecutive March days above 75 degrees - had driven most of the remaining ducks northward, but several hundred Swan remained to provide many spectacular flying exhibits, and the Coot were still everywhere in rafts of one to two hundred-. Scaup and a few lonesome Ruddys were the only Ducks to be marked present. A few Canada Geese passed over, and Field Sparrows and Towhees and a tail-twitching Phoebe bore testimony to the sincerity of spring* Most dramatic of the day f s observation, however, was in the field of mammals* While confortably seated on tufts of reeds watching the diving antics of the, Ruddy Ducks and the formation flying of the restless Swan, we saw a large dark object appear in the water from behind a nearby point 0 The glasses showed it to be a Deer, swimming rapidly across the tide toward the opposite shore of the Gunpowder, two full miles away* Fi ve minutes lauer the reason for this strange crossing came into view in the shape of seven. Chesapeake Bay dogs, swim- ming with equal effort. The deer, which had a fine start and the hearty support of the entire rooting section from the club, was soon only a speck in mid-river, and one by one the dogs turned back. The society members, with appropriate remarks about the owner of the dogs, then returned to bird observation and lunch* Most of the group remained for an afternoon walk inland but the heat of the day had brought a summertime quietude among our feathered subjects, and we were satisfied to head homeward with a feeling that the first scheduled bird walk was a very satisfactory pace-setter for many happy rambles ahead of us* 0*W.C. March 25, 1 9b$ Broening Park at 7:30 on Sunday morning, March 25th was quite hazy and to some of us, who were a bit optomistic about temperature, it was a little on the coolish side* There was a baker f s dozen eager for a day* s outing with Mr. Ray Beasley as leader and Orville Crowder rounding up the straglers, After about two hours with the sun still struggling bravely to break through the smoke, some one pro- posed that we go on down to Sandy Point, leave the cars and take the ferry to Matapeak where we might find that the Osprey were back. Three of the group could not devote the additional time and continued their search in that locality while ten of us, with Mr. Crowder as guide, set out for Sandy Point* On the way the weather improved and visability at Sandy Point and beyond was perfect for the rest of the day. In a narrow valley carrying a small stream along the road to Sandy Foint the group stopped, primarily to replenish water in - h - an overheated radiator. This turned out to be a lucky incident as we saw here about half of the total of thirty- three species observed during the outing* The high point of the trip was reached when an Osprey and his mate were discovered looking over their last year r s nest preparatory to renovating and re- furnishing it for this year T s family needs. The party headed back toward the ferry landing in time to catch the 3:1x5 boat, but when we counted noses one was missing and stayed among the missing until the last whistle sounded. Just about that time a small speck hove into view about a mile down the beach racing madly in our direction, but time waits for no man and half the party sailed and left the remainder to keep the tardy one company. M.CcK, Society Membership Roster April 12, I9k$ Beasley, Ray J. U532 Schenley Rd» 10 Beasley, William 1220 Bolton St. 17 Blogg , Percey T* Alpha Photo & Engraving Co. 1 Brackbill, Hervey i|608 Springdale Ave, 7 Burner, Florence H* 3550 Reisterstown Rd 7 Caspar i, Harriet L. 701 W, Lake Ave * 10 Cotsworth, Mrso John L. Rockland-Brooklandville ,Md . Crowder, Orville W. 2910 Guilford Ave. 18 Emlen, Dr. John T, 8 Wyndhurst Ave. 10 Fishpaugh, Miss Ruth 519 Winston Ave. 12 Fladung, Edmund B. 5006 Midwood Ave. 12 Friedel, Miss Alice 10l±3 N* Broadway 5 Gantcher, Mrs. Albert 828 Jack St. 25 Gephart, Miss Anne L. 6l0[* Maywood Ave. 9 Hampe, Mr.&Mrs, Irving E» 5559 Ashbourne Rd.Halethorpe Harrison, Walter V.A.Jr. 3026 Abell Ave. 18 Heaps, Miss Pearl 1916 Park Ave, Hoover, Mr. & Mrs. Ray F. Riderwood U Kaestner, Mrs. Alice S. 612 E. 3Uth St. 18 Kent, Mr.& Mrs.M.C. 5Ul Dunkirk Rd. 12 Klinke, Miss Helen 5700 Bellona Ave, 12 Kolb, Mr .&Mrs.C. Haven, Jr. 5021 Midwood Ave. Mead, Alice M* 700 Belgian Ave, Muse, Mrs. H. Lee Loch Raven, Md* Niles, Mrs* Eva B. 220ij. Lyndhurst Ave. l6 Old, Frank E. 1915 Park Ave. 17 Patrick, Walter A. The Terraces, Mt .Washington 9 Russ ell, Mrs. Frank T< The T err ace s,Mt .Washington Schaffer, Miss Edith E. 1318 Linden Ave. 17 Simon, Mr. Andrew Tows on h Simon, Stephen W tt 7727 York Rd. Strack,Mr *&Mr s .Herbert 529 Sussex Rd.Towson U m illman, Mrs. Richard Tillmanor, Riderwood h Triplett, William H 0 5209 Edmondson Ave* 29 Shantz, Elizabeth Buckingham Apts, 18 Argow, Rev, W. Waldemar 200 Woodlawn Rd, - 5 - Bartlett, Robert 502 E. ill st St. Newell, Mrs. K.W. 7005 Copeleigh Rd* KcHoul, William S, i;38 Pitman Place 2 Saffran, Fred k$09 Bayonne 6 Tillinghas t , Mr s . Gardiner Ruxton U, Md. Harrington, T.o* Riderwood U, Md. Birckhead, Miss Agusta M. 523 Dunkirk Rd. 12 Silbernagel, John F. 508 Mt. Holly St. Newell, Miss Jaclyn 7005 Copeleigh Rd. Lenderking, Miss Ruth E. 63 U Gorsuch Ave* 18 Biemiller, Miss Arlie 205 Witherspoon Rd. 12 Moment, Dr. Gardiner Goucher College, 18 Rou chard, Edmond 6 S. Calvert St* 2 Coggins, Miss Helen J. 323 Broxton Rd. Homeland Newell, Miss Marcia 7005 Copeleigh Rd. Severin, Miss Helen E« 2iil5 Evert on Rd* 9 olinglnff, Mr. Jesse 1000 Md. Trust Bldg. 2 Brooks, Joseph Jr. 3529 Newland Rd. 18 Birckhead, Miss Mary B. 523 Dunkirk Rd. 12 Ffc.Paul Baxter, 1*2026923 Co. B 3310 SCU Johns Hopkins Medical School 5 "eprinted January, 1956