SuHztLn oj- tfiz <^A/[axij[ancL (£\ niifio[o^Laa[ cSoaizhj, iJna. DECEMBER 1972 VOLUME 28 NUMBER H- MARYLAND ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY, INC. Cylburn Mansion, 4915 Greenspring Ave., Baltimore, Maryland 21209 STATE OFFICERS President : First V.P. : Second V.P. : Secretary: Exec. Sec'y: Treasurer : Dr. Lawrence Zeleny, 4312 Van Buren St., Hyattsville 20782 John W. Poteet, Jr., 5608 Stonington Ave., Baltimore 21207 Dickson J. Preston, R.D, 5, Box 607, Easton 21601 Mrs. Edwin C. Gras, 125 Academy St., Annapolis 21401 Mrs. Alger Zapf, 5913 Meadowwood Rd. , Baltimore 21212 H. Edmund Stiles, 16125 Malcolm Drive, Laurel 20810 927-3971 448-1967 822-4535 263-4708 435-9542 776-4314 Mrs. Frances Pope Mrs. Raymond Geddes Jr. Mrs. Percy M. Scudder Dr. Howard Hodge Dr. Mildred Gehhard Mr. Carl W. Carlson Mr. Joseph A. Robinson EXECUTIVE COUNCIL 503 F St., Mountain Lake Park 21550 334-4908 503 Overbrook Rd. , Baltimore 21212 377-6583 Route 2, Box 230, Federalsburg 21632 479-0524 436 W. Greenwood Rd. , Linthicum Hts. 21090 ST9-3687 Box 33, Perry Point 21902 642-6749 5706 Lone Oak Drive, Bethesda 200l4 EM5-3836 St. Michaels 21663 745-9438 Allegany: Anne Arundel: Baltimore : Caroline: Frederick : STATE TRUSTEES ♦Mr. James Paulus Mrs. Frances Pope ♦Lt. Cdr. Anthony White Harford : Mrs. Ellen Gizzarelli Mr. Richard Heise ♦Mr. Gordon MacGregor Kent : Mr. William Corliss Mrs. Raymond Geddes Mr. C. Douglas Hackman Montgomery: Mr. Rodney B. Jones Mrs. Robert E. Kaestner Mrs . Martin Larrabee Patuxent : Mrs. Edward A. Metcalf Mr. Chandler S. Robbins Talbot : Mrs. Joshua W. Rowe ♦Mrs . William Engle Washington : Mrs. Percy Scudder ♦Mr. August Selckmann Wicomico: Dr. Howard Hodge ♦ Chapter President *Dr , Frank Buckley Mr. Barclay Tucker Dr. Mildred Gebhard ♦Mr. Floyd Parks Mrs . Thomas Carswell Mrs. Edward Mendinhall ♦Mr. Robert Hahn Mr. Carl W. Carlson Dr. Thomas Valega *Mr. Jerry Longcore Mr. H. Edmund Stiles ♦Mrs . DeGraffe Woodman Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Robinson ♦Mr. Edward Peters Mrs. Margaret Long ♦Mr. Henry Stone Mrs. Emily C. Morris Active Membership (adults) Student Membership (full-time students) Junior Membership (under l8 years) Family Membership (Mr. & Mrs.) Sustaining Membership Life Membership Out-of-State Membership $ 3.00 plus local chapter dues 2.00 plus local chapter dues 1.00 plus local chapter dues 4.00 plus local chapter dues 6.00 plus local chapter dues 100.00 (payable in 4 annual installments) 3.00 [Maryland only) SEEK’S ^ *■ MARYLAND BIRDLIFE |IK Volume 28 December 1972 Number 4 THE SLATE-COLORED JUNCO AT BALTIMORE Hervey Braakbill From 194l through 1968 I "banded 1,004 Slate-colored Juncos (Junoo hyemalis) in three northwestern suburbs of Baltimore — Forest Park, How- ard Park and Larchmont. I color-banded 127 of the number. None of them was ever reported anywhere , and I never trapped a junco that had been banded elsewhere. Nevertheless my banding produced information of var- ious sorts, to which I have here added some general observations on the species in Baltimore. My extreme dates for the junco have been September 24 and May 13, with the period of really common occurrence about October 21 to April 24. The individuals that spent the winter, however, have arrived chiefly from about November 10 on and have left chiefly by April l4. The longest stay shown by a marked winterer has been 151 days . The percentage of birds seen or trapped the winter after that in which they were banded has been 5.2; by the fifth winter after banding the percent- age still being seen has dropped to 0.4. Spring migrants have averaged briefer stays (7.7 days) than fall migrants (12 days). During migration periods juncos occur even in downtown Baltimore. The trill song is extremely rare in fall and early winter but be- comes fairly common about the second week in March; I have virtually never heard it from the last juncos of the spring, which indicates that these final migrants are females. A second, warbling, song of the spe- cies is also given in Baltimore as well as nearer to, and on, the nest- ing grounds. Chasing, which I have seen from late January on, appears to be incipient territorial intolerance and so another feature of the breeding cycle that develops on this wintering ground, and I have once seen actual courtship. Some observations on food and feeding are given. WINTER RESIDENTS' STAYS My earliest banding of a junco that apparently wintered was October 27, in 1955; the bird was seen to January 1, 1956. (In 1957 I trapped on October 26 one I had banded the previous winter, but then never caught it again and so can not be sure that it wintered again.) My next- earliest banding dates for winterers are November 10, 12, l4 , l6 and 17- Three winterers that returned and wintered again were first seen in their second seasons on November 3, 11 and 27. 124 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE vm . 28 . No- 4 Thus although I have seen the species as early as September 24 and Stewart and Robbins (1958:359) give even earlier dates for various lo- calities in Maryland, it seems that the juncos which spend the winter at Baltimore only begin arriving in the last week of October, and chiefly come in from about November 10 on. The latest spring date on which I have recorded a marked winterer is April 19, in 1942, and the next-latest are April l4, 12, 11, 10 (three times) and 9. This again contrasts with my latest date of May 13 for the species as a whole and the extreme late date of May 30 given by Stewart and Robbins (too. ait.). Middleton (1944:15) has reported very similarly that at Norristown, Pa., about 90 miles northeast of me, "the general winter group" of juncos is present between mid-November and April 1, and that he trapped his earliest return birds in November but the largest number in December. Of my 1,004 birds, 15 (1.49 percent) showed stays of more than 100 days. The longest stay I recorded was 151 days, November 1 6 , 1963, to April 14 , 1964; the next-longest were 129, 128 and 128 days. These fig- ures, too, are very similar to Middleton's (too. Of 1,560 juncos he banded at Norristown, 19 (1.22 percent) showed stays of more than 100 days; the longest were two of l48 days. And except that one bird I banded in October did return in a later year, his statement that "rarely tables cf the October birds repeat in the traps and never do we get any from them in subsequent years" also applies to mine , as these show: Not seen Seen same winter into * — Total banded after banding Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar October 24 22 1 1 November ll4 91 3 6 5 2 6 1 December 115 81 3 8 4 9 10 January 166 116 - 15 IT 13 5 February 106 T9 - 9 15 3 March 295 254 - - 29 12 April 184 160 - - - - 24 Month banded Month first seen in later years Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar October 1 _ - _ - November 1 2 1-1 December - 6 2-1 January - - 5 3 1 February - - 6 March _ _ T RETURNS OF WINTER RESIDENTS Stewart and Robbins (too. eit. ) found the normal period of fall migration to end November 30 and the normal period of spring migration to begin March 1. Birds present at any time between December 1 and December 1972 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 125 February 28 are therefore likely to be winter residents , even if trapped only once. Returns made by juncos that I banded, or that repeated, be- tween those dates, and a comparison with Simon's findings at Monkton (1960:8) have been: Winter after banding Brackbill* Simon* * 1st 19 out of 362 possibilities: 5*2% 13 out of 224: 5.8# 2nd T out of 336 possibilities: 2.1# 5 out of l6l: 3.1# 3rd 3 out of 296 possibilities: 1.0# 0 out of 6b: 0.0# 4th 2 out of 270 possibilities: 0.7# 5th 1 out of 270 possibilities: 0.4# 6th 1 out of 64: 1.5# Middleton noted (1944:17) that some of his juncos were not retrapped until 2 to 5 years after being banded. I have had a similar experience, as shown by the following figures — which also show that color-banding has produced four times as many return records as simple banding: Later in winter of banding Merely banded 12 5 a Color-banded 76 b -Seen or trapped- In these later winters 1 _2 3 4 5 T 3 - 12 5c ~ 12 2<* 3 d 1 1 a — 4 of these were also seen in later winters, b — 9 seen in later winters. c — 4 had not previously been seen after being banded, d — 1 had not previously been seen after being banded. Percent Total number seen seen after banding again 139 out of 877 15.8 8l out of 127 63.8 LENGTH OF MIGRANTS’ STAYS The day on which a migrating bird is first trapped is not necessar- ily the day it arrived in the area, nor is the last day on which it is seen or trapped again necessarily the last day it spent there. The band- ing dates for any one bird therefore must be regarded as showing a min- imum, rather than a precise, length of stay. Nevertheless it seems likely that if such data on an appreciable number of birds show a dis- tinct trend, that trend will have significance. In general, migrant birds move along faster in spring than in fall (Dorst , 1962:222). My banding data indicate that this is true of the junco at Baltimore, as Stack and Harned (1944:9) also found at East Lan- sing, Mich. * I changed my place of residence twice during the 1941-1968 period, and besides, did no trapping of juncos in some winters. Thus the number of birds I could have seen or caught again in the years after I banded them varied and was far below my total of 1,004 bandings. ** Simon's record ends abruptly because he moved to Ohio for several years; however, one of his birds was caught again at Monkton in its sixth winter (Simon, 1961 ). 126 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 28. No. 4 Stewart and Robbins (loa. ait*) determined that spring migration in Maryland normally begins March 1, and that fall migration extends from September 25 to November 30. Sixty-two juncos that I banded on dates from March 1 on (it is, of course, not impossible that these included some winter birds that I had previously missed) were retrapped over per- iods of 2 to 26 days, averaging 7.7 days; 31 of these birds shoved stays of but 2 to 5 days, and only 6 showed stays above l6 days. Ten birds that were banded on dates up to December 1, and that did not winter, were retrapped over periods of 3 to 25 days, averaging 12.0 days; only 2 of these stayed less than 8 days. Stack and Harned (1944:9) found spring stays to average 9.7 days ±3.1, and fall stays 13.6 days .±3.2 at East Lansing. PENETRATION INTO THE CITY In the heart of winter juncos occur, irregularly and in small num- bers, as deep inside Baltimore as there are detached homes with lawns, shrubbery and trees. In the migration periods a few may be found in the very heart of the city. Thus, during 10 years that I kept some watch on Preston Gardens, the 25-yard-wide, 3-block-long strip of greenery on St. Paul Street between Centre and Saratoga, I recorded from 1 to 3 juncos on 21 days on dates from March 1+ to April 24 and on 10 days between October 17 and December 1, and there once was one on a January 29. One November I found a light-colored bird at the same spot in the Gardens over a period of 6 days; I believe it was the same individual. I hap- pened upon one in Mount Vernon Place on a November 17. AGE The greatest ages I have recorded are about 51/2 and about 4 1/2 years. The first of those birds was color-banded November 21, 1964, and was retrapped or seen in several later winters down to February 21, 1970. The other was banded (without color) January 22, 1956, and trapped again January 10, i960, without having been caught between those dates. Much older juncos have been reported; such as 8 3/4 years (Middleton, 1952 : 27) . FOOD AND FEEDING Juncos are generally seen foraging on the ground for the grass and weed seeds that are their staple food. A few times. I have counted the rate at which one pecked when presumably gathering such seeds from a lawn or the bare earth; the range was 59 to 120 pecks a minute and the average for four minutes was 83. (On my window feeding shelf, supplied with chick grain, 11 minutes of counts have shown rates of 45 to 102 pecks a minute and averaged 80.) Newly seeded lawns, of course, are bo- nanzas, and the householders invariably despair. However, I once kept watch on a plot that was fed on for two weeks by up to a dozen juncos and some other species as well, and despite them all a fine crop of grass came up. But the junco is not limited to ground feeding. I have seen it jump or flutter to heights as great as about 18 inches to snatch at seedheads. December 1972 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 127 Once one leaped up to a dandelion head with seeds still in the milk, seized it and pulled it down to the earth where the pappi could more easily be torn out. Another time one flew up half a foot onto an oak trunk, clung, and picked something off the bark. Feeding trays are pa- tronized at surprising heights. Juncos came frequently to one of mine at a second- floor window, and the Lynn Pooles reported them frequently at their fourth-floor feeder on Greenway, in Guilford. When the ground is snow-covered the birds sometimes alight on stand- ing plants and eat seeds directly. I have seen them do this on amaranth, ragweed, giant ragweed, goldenrod, one of the wild sunflowers, and pur- pletop grass. White ash seeds are sometimes plucked from the tree, as well as eaten when fallen. Norway maple blossoms are pecked at. Honey- suckle berries are picked from the vines and chewed, then something is discarded; it seems likely that just the seeds have been extracted. Poison ivy berries are also eaten only in part (Brackbill, 1951): the waxy coating alone is bitten off, usually as the berry hangs on its stem, for the junco is seldom strong enough to tear it off and if it does succeed it eventually discards the pit. In Forest Park I once, over a period of 11 autumn days, watched juncos in numbers up to half a dozen, along with various other birds, feed on aphids in some heavily infested maples. The juncos foraged about vertical forks of the trees’ main stems, and out branches and twigs pretty much all over the trees to a height of at least 30 feet, and once probably 50 feet. They picked the aphids off the bark and also off the undersides of leaves. On a day when an inch of snow covered my feeding shelf I watched closely the way some juncos dug down to the food. They made a forward hop with both feet and instantly jerked backward; this scratched away some snow and was repeated until the buried food was reached. Sometimes the space the birds laid bare was directly beneath their heads; at other times they had to back up in order to eat at it. The White-throated Sparrow (Z onotridhia dlbicollis) and Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) are among other familiar New World members of the subfamily Emberizinae which scratch in this way; it is interesting (Harrison, 1967) that not one of the Old World Emberizines shows this behavior. My wife once reported a junco eating a few billfuls of snow from a porch rail; drinking from ground pools and pedestal bowls is more familiar. MOLT Dwight ( 1900:201) says of the Slate-colored Junco: "A few new feathers are acquired on the chin early in April, but no regular [pre- nuptial] molt is indicated." Some of the juncos I have trapped in spring have shown more extensive head molt; I have found birds with pinfeath- ers on the crown (March 10, 20, April 13) and on both cheeks (March l4). 128 MARYLAND BIRD LIFE Voi . 28, No. h SONG The trill song of the junco is extremely rare in fall and early win- ter, in my experience, but common in spring. Prom 1938 through 1969 I have heard it only once certainly and once uncertainly in October, once in December, three times in January and nine times in February. About the second week in March it begins to be heard with some frequency, and about April 20 becomes rare again; my latest date is April 26. Except in one year, my final date for it has always been considerably earlier than my final date for the species, which indicates that the last juncos to pass through are females, as Rowan (1928:38) found to be true at Edmonton, Alta. This is the junco's territorial song, and, fittingly, I have seen it given as high as 60 and TO feet in trees, and once in a hostile context: while one junco was eating, another went near, where- upon one of them gave a trill song and the newcomer was driven away. Variants of this song occur, and I once heard one of these in Baltimore, a thin trill followed by a rapid group of soft tweet's (Brackbill, 19^8). A second song noted by writers farther north, "a faint whispering warble, usually much broken” (Bicknell, 1885:1^6), a "peculiar low, soft, warbling strain" (Griscom, 1938:5^2) is also given in Baltimore; I have heard it several times in late March. It may be mentioned that another utterance often heard, which sounds to me like too-too-too-etc. or chew-chew-chew-etc. and is so musical that I long believed it to be "song," has on study proved to be an expression of hostility. Examples of its use on my feeding shelf are: one junco gave the calls when a White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta aaro linens is ) lit within a few inches. One gave it upon alighting near a Cardinal (Riehmondena aavdinalis ) which presumably it had not seen until then. One lit beside another junco, which then gave the calls and the newcomer fled. But just as the calls do not always lead to a fight, they do not always give the caller the advantage: a Goldfinch (SpinuS tri-stis) moved toward a junco, which thereupon gave too's, but when the Goldfinch’ continued to advance the junco fled. BREEDING Only in the Allegheny Mountain section of Maryland, at altitudes above 2,500 feet, does the junco nest in Maryland. There nests with eggs or young have been found from May 18 to July 5 (Stewart and Robbins, Zoo. i rlt.). Elsewhere in our state only the earliest signs of the breeding season's approach are normally seen. The birds' coming into song is, of course, one of these signs. I believe that the chases by twos, which I have usually recorded on dates from January 21 to April 4, are another. On the ground or in a tree one bird suddenly flies at another and the two go off in a swift, swerving chase of anywhere from a few yards to 25 yards or more. I believe this is the beginning of territorial intolerance. One bird I saw chased had been singing, which suggested that that display of maleness had provoked the chase, by, presumably, another male. Some chases do begin at feeding December 1972 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 129 places, but most attacks at these result merely, in a short move by the attacked bird, and even if it flies away entirely it is not pursued; food rivalry apparently motivated the attacker. I have also seen chases by fall migrants. On an October 15, when a flock of IT juncos and 1 6 Chipping Sparrows (Spizella passerina) was feeding on my lawn, one junco twice chased another; the birds were the same two each time, and there was no perceptible reason for the chases. On a November 27 I saw some chases after at least one of the birds in- volved had given hostile too-too-etc. notes . These instances may have resulted from a recrudescence of sexual or territorial feeling such as has been noted in many species in fall. I have seen hostility shown to other species, too, in spring. On a March 11 a junco that sang, and so was a male, twice within a few min- utes gave chase to Starlings (Stumus vulgaris) that were innocently fly- ing past, and on March 28 in another year I saw a Starling chased. On that same March 28, at a different place, a Robin (Turdus migratorius) was given swift chase. A unique observation was one I made February 21, 1938, when in some wild land in Northwest Baltimore I came upon a junco engaged in court- ship. Some complex songs, made up of the too-too-etc. utterance mixed with trills and long buzzes, led me to two of the birds that were hop- ping about each other on fallen brush and sometimes in the low branches of shrubs. The brush often obscured my view, but for a time the birds seemed to bob to each other, in a springy way that recalled the bobs of a Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) , and every once in a while one of them, which had its breast plumage puffed out, took an erect posture with head raised. The complex utterances continued. After several minutes of this the displaying bird, which I thought was the singer, although I could never see either' s bill open, went to the ground, picked up a blade of dead grass, and hopped about the floor of the thicket — and, less often, low branches — as if seeking a place to put it. This now went on for several minutes, then I moved and the birds fled. During the grass -carrying I paid inadequate attention to the other bird; afterward my impression was that it had seemed to ignore the displayer. At the time I wrote this up for the tfilson Bulletin (Brackbill, 1968) it still seemed to me so unlikely that juncos would be courting in Baltimore in February that I hedged on my interpretation of the incident. However, the account of the species' courtship in the Bent life history series which has appeared since (Bent, 1968:1031), leaves no doubt that I did indeed see courtship. REFERENCES Bent, A. C. and Collaborators. 1968. Life histories of North American Cardinals, Grosbeaks, Buntings, Towhees , Finches, Sparrows and Allies. U.S. Nat. Mus. Bull . 237- 130 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 28, No. 4 Bicknell , E. P. 1885. A study of the singing of our birds. Auk 2: 144-154. Brackbill, H. 1948. An unusual song of the Slate-colored Junco. Wilson Bull . 60:246. Brackbill, H. 1951. Some birds use poison ivy seeds without spreading them. Md. Birdlife T : T - Brackbill, H. 1968. A Slate-colored Junco display. Wilson Bull . 80: 236 . Dorst , J. 1962. The Migrations of Birds. Houghton Mifflin. Dwight, J., Jr. 1900. The sequence of plumages and moults of the pass- erine birds of New York. Annals N,Y. Acad. Soi. 13:73-360. Griscom, L. 1938. The birds of the Lake Umbagog region of Maine. Compiled from the diaries and journals of William Brewster. Bull. Mus . Comp. Zool. 66, Part 4. Harrison, C.J.O. 1967. The double-scratch as a taxonomic character in the Holarctic Emberizines. Wilson Bull. 79:22-27. Middleton, R. J. 1944. Winter returns of Slate-colored Juncos at Nor- ristown, Pennsylvania. Bird-Banding 15:14-18. Middleton, R. J. 1952. Thirty years of banding at Norristown, Pennsyl- vania. Bird-Banding 23:22-28. Rowan, W. 1928. The scientific aspects of bird-banding. Bull. N.E.B.B.A. 4:31-42. Simon, S. W. i960. Bird banding at Monkton, Baltimore County, Maryland. Md. Birdlife 16: 2-10. Simon, S. W. 1961. Six-year-old Slate-colored Junco retrapped at Monkton. Md. Birdlife 17:20. Stack, J. W. and R. L. Harned. 1944. Seventeen years of banding White- throated Sparrows and Slate-colored Juncos at Michigan State Col- lege. Bird-Banding 15 :l-l4. Stewart, R. E. and C. S. Robbins. 1958. Birds of Maryland and the District of Columbia. North Am. Fauna 62. 2620 Poplar Drive, Baltimore 21207 BREEDING BIRD ATLAS OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MARYLAND M. Kathleen Klimkiewioz Stimulated by the Bird Atlas work undertaken so successfully in Britain by the British Trust for Ornithology, the Montgomery County Chapter of the Maryland Ornithological Society decided to run a 2-year pilot project in Montgomery County, in 1971 and 1972. The purpose of this report is to bring members up-to-date on the progress during the second year of field work and to discuss some prob- lems encountered and their possible solutions. MATERIALS AND METHODS The materials and methods used were described fully by Klimkiewicz and Buckler (l97l). One change should be noted. In order to maintain December 1972 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 131 the integrity of the 5 -km. grid, complete 5 -km. "blocks (6 blocks per T 1 /2-minute U.S. Geological Survey quadrangle) were covered during the second year even if only part of the block was within Montgomery County. Out-of-county records were kept separate from Montgomery County data. Three categories of breeding were used — possible (bird seen or heard in breeding habitat, probable (birds courting, seen or heard repeatedly on territory, etc.), and confirmed (nest, eggs, young, feeding behavior, etc.). The only code change was the addition of coition to the confirmed category of DD (distraction display). The objective was to record the highest category of nesting for each species in each block. COVERAGE Eighty percent of the 65 blocks received at least partial coverage in 1971. Efforts were renewed in 1972 and additional observers were as- signed to cover those blocks that were not visited in 1971. Even though all 1972 blocks were assigned well in advance, l4 of the 65 blocks again would have received only token coverage had it not been for constant communication between organizers, coordinators and observers. It is be- lieved that the amount of field effort required to adequately cover a block in TWO years was underestimated. The four half days recommended as a minimum per block is not adequate coverage to confirm the presence of the less common species or demonstrate the absence of species. A minimum of 8 half days each year during a 2-year study is recommended. RESULTS The total number of species recorded (parentheses indicate the 1971 totals only) in Montgomery County during the two breeding seasons of the Atlas project was 132 (119), of which breeding was confirmed for 111 (88) species. Eleven (l4) were recorded as probable and 10 ( 17 ) others as only possible breeders. Of the confirmed species, active nests were lo- cated for 80 The largest number of species found in a 5 -km. block was 98 (of which 75 were confirmed); the smallest number was 50 (23 con- firmed) . The mean number of species per block was 69 and the mean number of confirmed species per block was 32. For comparison with results in those countries where 10 -km. blocks are used, the results were combined into 10 -km. blocks with the following results. Of the 15 blocks containing either three or four 5 -km. blocks, the largest number of species recorded was 100 (of which 58 were con- firmed) and the smallest number was 76 (of which 39 were confirmed). The mean number of species per 10-km. block was 91 (53 confirmed). This com- pares favorably with the British results. Twenty- four species were recorded in all 65 5 -km. blocks, and an ad- ditional 15 were recorded in at least 90% of the blocks. More intensive coverage probably will reveal that most of these 15 species actually occur in all 65 blocks. Intensive study might add as many as 15 additional species to the list of those that nest in all blocks. Many of the species that were found in all or nearly all blocks are 132 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 28, No. b not uniformly distributed, over the entire county, but are actually re- stricted to specific habitats such as woodland along the major streams. Changes in breeding bird distribution over a period of 5» 10, 50 or 100 years can certainly be demonstrated most dramatically by using the smallest grid that is feasible — since the finer the grid the more spe- cific the distribution pattern. The British have already illustrated this point with their tetrads (subdivision of a 10-km. block into 25 2 -km. sections). One example in Montgomery County is provided by the PILEATED WOODPECKER (Dryoeopus pileatus) , which is absent from many 5 -km. blocks and yet appears to occur throughout the entire county when groups of 5 -km. blocks are combined to form 10-km. blocks (Fig. 2C and 2E). It is believed that for any Atlas project covering a small geographic area each block should be divided into quarters numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4 or a, b, c and d, with the highest category of breeding evidence for the block assigned to each quarter of the block in which the species is recorded; thus distribution would be mapped on a 2 l/2-km, grid. A single confir- mation would suffice for the entire block; yet the species would be mapped for only those quarters of the block where it has actually been detected during the breeding season. In this way a species of very lo- cal distribution, such as the CLIFF SWALLOW (Petroehelidon pyrrhonota ) , would not be shown as occurring over the entire area (Figs. 2B, D, and F). Future changes in bird distribution would also be much more readily apparent. The 2 l/2-km. grid will be used for the Howard County Atlas. While the majority of the 1971 Montgomery County maps illustrated observer effort better than they did breeding range, most of the 2-year maps do indeed illustrate breeding ranges within the county. Some of the more significant results of the project are summarized in the fol- lowing paragraphs . The PIED-BILLED GREBE (Podilymbus podiaeps) was observed on terri- tory in the Seneca quadrangle during the 1972 breeding season. This species is considered rare in the interior of the Piedmont and prefers ponds or streams with emergent vegetation (Stewart and Robbins, 1958). This area was devastated by the flood resulting from Hurricane Agnes on June 22, 1972. The GREAT BLUE HERON (Ardea herodias) is a new breeding species for the county. An adult was observed carrying food in the Sterling quad- rangle. YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON (Nyctanassa violaoea) is a rare and local breeder and was confirmed during 1972 in the same quadrangle. Only two blocks had confirmed CANADA GEESE (Branta canadensis) dur- ing 1971 ; however, six additional blocks had confirmations during 1972 (Fig. 1C). This species began nesting at Rossmoor Leisure World (Kensington quadrangle) and National Geographic (Rockville quadrangle) in 1970. Another new county record occurred with the observation of non- flying young BLUE-WINGED TEAL (Anas disaors) on the Potomac River in the Seneca quadrangle. The AMERICAN COOT (Fuliaa americana) was observed with downy young in the same quadrangle in 1971; this was the first Maryland breeding record west of the Chesapeake Bay. December 1912 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 133 KEY □ NOT FOUND POSSIBLE PROBABLE CONFIRMED Fig. 1. Breeding distribution in Montgomery County of the Red-shouldered Hawk , Barred Owl, Canada Goose, Horned Lark, Eastern Phoebe, and Traill’s Flycatcher. 134 MARYLAND BIKDLIFE Yol, 28, No. 4 The BLACK VULTURE (Coragyps atratus) was formerly common along the Potomac River Valley (Stewart and Robbins , 1958)* This species was re- corded as a possible nester in the northern two-thirds of the county, but not anywhere along the river except in one Seneca block. The RED- SHOULDERED HAWK (Buteo lineatus) is fairly common in the Piedmont. This is reflected in the distribution (Fig. 1A) which will probably be shown to be more extensive with further field work in 1973- The MARSH HAWK (Circus cyaneus) has been recorded as nesting in Garrett County (Stewart and Robbins, 1958). During the 1972 season observers recorded Marsh Hawks as possible breeders in four different blocks. A VIRGINIA RAIL (Rallus limicola) was heard in the Seneca quadrangle only during the 1972 season. This species also disappeared after the flood from Hurricane Agnes. Two MONK or QUAKER PARAKEETS (Myiopsitta monachus ) were observed nest building in the Kensington quadrangle. Re- cently the nest was abandoned. This introduced species is nesting suc- cessfully in Florida, New Jersey and New York as well as several other states. It will most certainly become established in the greater Wash- ington, D.C. area within the next several years unless efforts are made to control its spread. The BARRED OWL (Strix varia) is a species of the floodplain and swamp forests or moist upland forest. The distribution of this species is un- doubtedly more extensive than is shown (Fig. IB). Many observers did not adequately survey for owls and it is expected that these gaps will be filled during 1973. The SHORT-EARED OWL (Asio flammeus) was observed dropping food and in distraction display in an extensive open agricul- tural area in the Poolesville quadrangle (Bob Gelhard and Hal Wierenga, pers. comm.). Another bird was observed in the vicinity of Poolesville High School later in the summer (Paul Woodward, pers. comm.). This is another new breeding species for the county. EASTERN PHOEBES (Sayomis phoebe) have been confirmed in over 50% of the blocks and are missing from only three (Fig. IE). It is expected that these blocks will have phoebes during 1973. TRAILL'S FLYCATCHER (Empidonax traillii) is uncommon and local in alder thickets along streams or in swamps (Stewart and Robbins, 1958). In 1971 it was re- corded in only six blocks; but, it had been observed in 17 blocks by the end of the 1972 season (Fig. IF). With intensive field work in 1973 the distribution should become even more accurately recorded. A very early nester in the Piedmont is the HORNED LARK (Eremophila alpestris) . The primary nesting season is from mid-March to mid-May. Many observers in the northwestern sections missed this species because field work started late in the season in some blocks. This species is much easier to see and hear early in the season in its preferred habitat of open fields with sparse or short vegetation. Again intensive searching in 1973 should produce a more meaningful distribution map (Fig. ID). The PURPLE MARTIN (Pvogne subis) distribution map changed little between the two years except for the addition of blocks that were not December 1912 . MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 135 S' a CLI 2i FF SWALLOW -KM GRID □ NOT FOUND POSSIBLE PROBABLE CONFIRMED Fig. 2. Breeding distribution in Montgomery County of the Cedar Waxwing, Pileated Woodpecker, and Cliff Swallow. The Pileated Woodpecker is mapped by 5-km (C) and 10-km (e) blocks, the Cliff Swallow by 2|— km (B), 5-km (d), and 10-km (f) blocks. 136 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 28, No. k covered during the first year. The CLIFF SWALLOW nests on dams and un- der bridges along the Patuxent River on the northeastern boundary of the county (Figs. 2B, D, and F). The ROBIN (Turdus migratorius) is one of the most common species in the county (Fig. 3A) and one of two species confirmed in all 65 blocks. The other species is the STARLING (Stumis .Vulgapzs) . In 1971, the VEERY (Hylooiohla fuscesoens) , a thrush of northern moist woodlands, was detected In only 8 blocks. Better coverage in 1972 revealed its presence in 15 additional blocks (Fig. 3C). Intensive searching in 1973 should add at least 10 more blocks to the known distribution of this species. Montgomery County is at the southern limit of its breeding range. Prior to the Atlas work, this species was known to occur in no more than 5 blocks in the entire county. EASTERN BLUEBIRDS (Sialia S'Calds) showed an increase in the number of blocks in 1972 as well as in the number of confirmed blocks (Fig. 3E). The Breeding Bird Survey has shown a signif- icant increase in the bluebird population east of the Mississippi since 1969 (BBS Newsletter #2, 1973). This is reflected in the wide distri- bution in Montgomery County. CEDAR WAXWINGS (Bombyoilla eedromun) are late migrants and nesters . The distribution map (Fig. 2A) is somewhat misleading because it may in- clude some late migrants. In future projects it should be made clear to observers to record actual dates for any species which may still be mi- grating in June. This should facilitate accurate mapping for such spe- cies. The LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE (Lanius ludovioianus) had not been recorded as nesting in Montgomery County during the past 4l years. Three nests were found — one in the Sterling quadrangle and two in the Poole svi lie quadrangle. A possible nester was seen in Waterford (Maryland section) and a bird was on territory in the Germantown area. The WHITE-EYED VIREO (Viveo griseus) was found to be even more common and widely dis- tributed in 1972 than in 1971. PR0TH0N0TARY WARBLERS (Protonotaria adtrea) essentially reach the northern limit of their range in Maryland, and in Montgomery County are restricted to the floodplain of the Potomac River and some of its tribu- taries (Fig. 3B). WORM-EATING WARBLERS (Helmitheros vermivorus) in Maryland appear to be limited almost entirely to the steep slopes along the Patuxent River, which forms the northeastern boundary of the county (Fig. 3D). BLUE-WINGED WARBLERS (Vermivora pdnus) , probable nesters in the county, were added to three blocks during the 1972 season. KENTUCKY WARBLERS (Oporomis formosus) are fairly common in the Piedmont, pre- ferring swamp and floodplain forests and rich, moist upland forests. More intensive searching in 1973 should show this species to be even more widespread than it was found to be during the past two years (Fig. 3F). SUMMER TANAGER (Pivanga vubva) was confirmed in the Seneca quad- rangle and noted as possible in 4 other blocks. This is another species of the Potomac River Valley (Stewart and Robbins, 1958). The BLUE GROSBEAK (Guiraaa caeruiea) distribution follows the known northern breeding limits in the eastern United States; this species was found in December 1972 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 137 KEY □ NOT FOUND POSSIBLE PROBABLE CONFIRMED Fig. 3. Breeding distribution in Montgomery County of the Robin, Prpthonotary Warbler, Veery, Worm-eating Warbler, Eastern Bluebird, and Kentucky Warbler. 138 MARYLAND BIRD LIFE Vol. 28, No. 4 even more blocks in 1972 than in 1971 (Fig. 4 f). INDIGO BUNTINGS (Passerina cyanea) are more abundant in the northwestern and northern part of the county, as shown by the number of confirmed blocks in these sections (Fig. 4 a). This is contrasted to the CHIPPING SPARROW (Spizetla passeidna) , which was confirmed in more blocks in the more residential northeastern and southern sections (Fig. 4B) . SAVANNAH SPARROW (Passevaulus sandwiohensis ) is a new Montgomery County breeding record. It was recorded with fledgling young in the Damascus quadrangle. This northern and western species was observed in l4 additional blocks in the northern half of the county (Fig. 4 e). The GRASSHOPPER SPARROW (Armodramus savannarum) is common in the agricultural areas of the county (Fig. 4 d). The VESPER SPARROW (Pooeeebes gramineus) can be expected in the northwestern half of the county (Fig. 4c). Fur- thur field work in 1973 should reveal this species to be more common than records for the past two years indicate. DISCUSSION At the height of the second nesting season, one of the most active and capable observers asked some penetrating questions , "How can you jus- tify the great amount of time and effort being expended on this project? Would it not be more productive to have these people search for actual nests rather than other nesting evidence, or have them conduct numerical studies of breeding bird populations?" It was felt that the project was justified: (l) as a feasibility study — the British have shown that it is feasible to do a 3-year study as a minimum and a 5-year study as maximum. The goal was to ascertain if one could adequately cover an area in two complete years of field work; (2) as a worthwhile effort to which members could devote themselves during the summer period when so many of them are not engaged in other ornithological projects; and (3) that the results would be a worthwhile asset in a publication that had been planned on the Birds of Montgomery County. The question was still unanswered — "Would the time be better spent working on the breeding distribution and abundance of the rarer species rather than trying to confirm nesting of the 40 or more common species that probably occur in all 65 blocks?" Actually, unless a certain minimum coverage goes into most blocks, or unless accurate records of the effort expended in each block are main- tained, it would be difficult to justify the time spent on the Atlas, as the results would have little comparative value in the future. For this reason, close touch was maintained with all coordinators during the sec- ond year so that no serious gaps in coverage would remain. It cannot be proven conclusively at this point that the time might not have been bet- ter spent working on the detailed distribution and abundance or habitat requirements of the rarer or more locally distributed species. It is felt, however, that coverage has been adequate to provide a tentative background for future comparisons and for more detailed studies of the distribution of individual species in the future. A comparison with other bird monitoring projects in Montgomery County illustrates that a tremendous effort is expended in the Atlas December 1972 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 139 KEY □ NOT FOUND POSSIBLE PR0BA3LE CONFIRMED Fig. U. Breeding distribution in Montgomery County of the Indigo Bunting, Chipping Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, and Blue Grosbeak. 1U0 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol . 28, No. k project. However, it should "be noted that the Atlas method revealed over double the number of nesting species recorded by spot-mapping and the three Breeding Bird Survey routes. It would seem, however, that distri- bution of all but the rarer end very local species could have been mapped in much greater detail by a concentrated application of the Breeding Bird Survey method, which would have provided quantitative results in addition to breeding status for most species. Twenty-six 50-stop routes (yielding 1300 sample counts, or one 3-minute stop per square km.) could have been run in a single week by a crew of 5 observers in a combined total of just over 100 hours. If each route were run twice, many common species could immediately be classified as probable breeders. Then, using the detailed information gathered in this way, most of the Atlas effort could have been concentrated on mapping and confirming the rare and local species. This procedure is being used as the basis for the 1973-197*+ HOWARD COUNTY ATLAS PROJECT. CONCLUSIONS 1. The two-year Montgomery County Atlas project has been successful. However, its value will be strengthened considerably by a concerted ef- fort in 1973 to fill in specific gaps in the present species distribution maps. There is not so much concern with the confirmation of additional species in blocks where they have already been found ; rather, a careful search must be made in blocks in which certain species have not been found in order to determine whether they are actually absent or were just overlooked by the observer. It is felt that a strong effort in this di- rection will more than double the value of the results of the project and thus establish a sound basis for a similar study one or more decades in the future. Block assignments have been made for 1973; but, all members are urged to submit observations of any of the less common species to Miss Kathy Klimkiewics, 5737 13th St. N.W. , Washington, D.C. 20011. Please give the exact location of the observation and we will put the observation in the proper block. 2. Both the amount of field work involved and close coordination required were grossly underestimated. There must be more than minimum coverage of each block for the program to achieve success. Frequent contact between coordinators and observers throughout the breeding sea- son greatly increases interest and field activity. The beneficial ef- fects of competition should not be overlooked. 3. It was found that many observers, even though experienced and capable, needed more specific instructions than were provided. Feature lectures at bird club meetings should have been followed by training sessions for the volunteers. These should stress specific points of efficient coverage such as : a) map reading; b) locating strategic habitats; c) obtaining permission from major landowners; d) starting early in the season to locate hawk and owl nests and/or territories; December 1972 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE lk% e) including nocturnal coverage for woodcock, owls, goatsuckers and rails; f) importance of recording locations of birds believed to be on territory so their status can quickly be raised from possible to probable or confirmed on a subsequent trip; g) hints for finding nests and identifying used nests; h) specific behavior helpful in confirming species whose nests are hard to find; i) recognition of fledglings by their distinctive calls, behavior, or plumage; j ) attracting birds into view by imitating or by playing tape recordings of songs or calls (including owl calls to induce mobbing). h. When the entire Atlas area occupies only a few thousand square kilometers, there is a distinct advantage in using a grid of less than 5 -km. It is recommended that the block size be the smallest for which the results can be efficiently mapped , rather than the smallest for which sufficient observers can be found, because observers have only to keep slightly more detailed records of where the birds are found within the block. With the 2 1/2 -km. scale, distribution can be mapped much more accurately with very little extra effort (as long as additional con- firmations are not required) and changes over a period of years can be detected much more readily. Whatever the block size in use, it is rec- ommended that careful consideration be given to subdividing in order to reap maximum benefit from the effort expended. SUMMARY The Montgomery County Breeding Bird Atlas recorded 132 breeding spe- cies — 10 as possible, 11 as probable, and 111 as confirmed. Active nests were found for r jk% of the confirmed species. Five new species — Great Blue Heron, Blue-winged Teal, American Coot, Short-eared Owl, and Savannah Sparrow — were added to the breeding species of Montgomery County. A third year of field work is deemed necessary on the basis of the present results. Finally a Howard County Breeding Bird Atlas has been initiated incorporating the Breeding Bird Survey methods, the 2 l/2-km. grid, and observer training sessions . ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Chan Robbins for his invaluable assistance during the course of the project. Frank Schaff and Claudia Wilds assist- ed in compiling the results, mapping, and coordinating the 1973 field work. David Holmes prepared the final maps. LITERATURE CITED Klimkiewicz, M.K. and E.S. Buckler. 1971. Breeding Bird Atlas Project Montgomery County, Maryland. Md. Bivdlife 27 (3): 129-138. Stewart, R.E. and C.S. Robbins. 1958. Birds of Maryland and the District of Columbia. No. Am. Fauna 62 : 1-401. 5737 - 13th Street N.W., Washington, D.C. MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol . 28, No. k 1U2 1972 SUMMARY OF IRISH GROVE ACTIVITIES Charles R. Vaughn In order to give the entire membership of our society some idea of the level of activity at the Irish Grove Sanctuary, I have compiled a summary of the 1972 entries which appear in the sanctuary diary. As might be expected the fall migration season is the most active — both be- cause of banding activities and because of the educational value of the banding to outside groups. In all, 13 non-M.O.S. groups visited the sanctuary last year. These included, an Audubon Naturalist Society field trip (March 25), the Maryland Conservation Council (also on March 25), a Marine Sciences Consortium (Wallops Island, Va. ) ornithology class (June 11-12), a University of Maryland entomology class (October 7), the Som- erset County Garden Club (October ll), a Goucher College class (October 13-15), Baltimore Project Headstart (October 26), the private Salisbury School (October 27), the Salisbury, Md. Cub Scout Pack 185 (November ll), two science classes from Towson High School (November 17-18), the Lan- caster County, Pa. Bird Club (November l8) , a University- of Maryland ecology class (November l8), and finally for a second time a Towson High School science class (December 8-10 ). Besides these outside groups the Anne Arundel and Wicomico County M.O.S. chapters sponsored field trips on four occasions, an M.O.S. convention field trip visited, and, of course, in December Irish Grove was used as the headquarters for the Crisfield Christmas Count. So all told, there were 20 organized group trips that benefited from the sanctuary. Although there is some banding activity during the spring, groups which come strictly to observe banding are best advised to come in the fall. Spring migration at the Irish Grove location can be quite slow and, therefore, boring for those experiencing banding for the first time. Based on diary entries only two research activities are presently being conducted. One is Brian Sharp's Seaside Sparrow project. Brian is studying the population dynamics of the sparrow on several sample plots in the marsh. David Lee and Barbara Rothgaber are continuing their analysis of Barn Owl pellets as reported in Maryland Birdlife (28: 27-28). To all who regularly visited Irish Grove there was no doubt that the main activity was conducted by Mrs. Richard D. Cole. Many people visited the sanctuary during the day, or stayed the night. The following December 1972 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE lk3 table summarizes sanctuary use. The yearly total of different people visiting is approximate since the name of each visitor was not always listed. These numbers are minimum but representative. Month Dags People Month Days People January 8 July T 10 February 6 10 August 6 13 March 8 30+ September 18 30 April 20 31 October 25 110 + May 18 32 November 11 95+ June 12 30 December 6 25+ Totals ihl 289+ One fact is immediately apparent. A much greater level of activity can be accommodated without difficulty. During no month was the sanctu- ary visited more than about 80% of the time. The maximum night use was 6556. We should be able to do much better than this — especially during June through September. 1306 Frederick Avenue, Salisbury ■REMEMBER; Obey Semc+uary Rules MILL CREEK SANCTUARY'S COLONIAL HISTORY Dickson Preston Author’s Note: Material for the following is taken largely from my new book, Wye Oak : The History of a Great Tree, copyright 1972 by Tidewater Publishers, Cambridge, Md . MOS members today cherish the Mill Creek Wildlife Sanctuary in Talbot County as one of the most secluded and unspoiled nature sites on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Many don't realize, however, that quiet Mill Creek's ravines and woodland conceal a colorful and even somewhat sinful past. In colonial times the present sanctuary was a hive of human activity, and gamblers, travelers , millers and Saturday night imbibers trod the ground where 11+4 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol . 28, No. 4 Tufted Titmice, chipmunks and occasional picnickers are to he found today. Even Mill Creek itself bore other names. Most early settlers list- ed it in their land deeds either as Indian Bridge Branch — for the rude log foot bridge which crossed it just about where the present state highway bridge stands — or by the tastier title of Bread and Cheese Har- bour Branch. One owner, in 1693, proudly described it as "Thomas Emerson New Grand Branch," but that name did not survive. There is no doubt that the sanctuary area had been known and used by Indians for centuries before white settlers came to the Eastern Shore. Modern scholars say that the chief north-south Indian pathway along the west side of what we call the Delmarva Peninsula followed almost exactly the present route of State Highway 662, which runs from Skipton through the heart of the sanctuary to Wye Mills. This formed part of the Chop- tank Trail leading from the Indian settlements along the Choptank River to the head of the Chesapeake Bay. When white men marked out their first rude roads , they naturally followed the Indian paths which ran from the head of one tidal river or creek to the next. So the ancient trail through the sanctuary, with its well-known Indian bridge, became part of the earliest north-south high- way in Talbot County. George Fox, the founder of Quakerism, traveled this route in 1672 — and probably crossed the creek by means of the Indian bridge — as he journeyed from Maryland to New England. In that same year,. Talbot County's first "ouerseeares of the highwaie" were named. One of their duties was to convert the old trail into a true road. Not long afterward, a dam and grist mill were built on the stream. The dam was probably — although not certainly — the one which can be seen today in the sanctuary a short distance north of the highway on the Spring Trail. Its construction date is unknown; but it was prior to 1707, for in that year Richard Bennett III, who had just acquired title to the nearby Wye Mill, bought "Randall's Mill" and 200 adjoining acres from John Randall. Internal evidence in the land records is conclusive that this mill was located on the present sanctuary property. Under Bennett's ownership, the mill appears to have been closed down temporarily. Bennett was a man of vast fiscal interests (he later was described as "poor Dick o' Wye, the richest man in North America"), and may not have believed it was good business to have two mills in operation as close together as the Wye and Randall mills were. At any rate, on March 8, 1748, Jacob Loockerman received a writ and an 80-year lease from Governor Samuel Ogle to build and operate a water mill on a 20-acre site "lying on the Branch called the Indian Bridge Branch, or Bread and Cheese Harbour Branch, in Talbot County." Signif- icantly, the lease said nothing about building a dam, although similar ones often did. It is on this basis that we assume Loockerman used the December 1972 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 1^5 existing dam once owned by Randall, and constructed a new mill to utilize its power. If this is true, then today's sanctuary dam can be dated earlier than 1707* Loockerman sold the mill and land (technically, he sold the lease) to James Robass, "millwright," on Dec. 12, 17^9, for 150 pounds Maryland money. After Robass died, his executor in 1759 sold the property to Samuel Baker and Francis Humphreys (also spelled Humphrey). According to the deed, there was a dwelling house as well as a mill on the plot of land bisected by the stream. Now the liveliest period in staid old Mill Creek Sanctuary's long history began. "What happened to Baker is not known; but Humphrey soon established an inn and tavern in the vicinity of the mill. It was to remain a widely known stopping place for travelers for at least 30 years. By 1768, Humphrey apparently had abandoned the milling business; he was listed in tax records as "innkeeper" rather than "millwright," al- though his inn was described as being "near Humphrey's Mills." Humphrey's successor as innkeeper, Francis Clinton, had even more ambitious plans. He hoped to capitalize on the craze for horse racing, which was then rampant in the colony, and turn his little creek-side inn into a rival of the famous Annapolis Jockey Club. On Oct. 28, 1773, the following announcement appeared in the Maryland Gazette , the colony's only newspaper: "TALBOT COUNTY RACES: On Thursday, the 11th of November, will be run for at Francis Clinton's, late Humphrey's, which is about twenty miles from Mr. Hutching' s ferry. A purse of twenty pistols, free for any horse, more or gelding; two mile heats.... "On the day following will be run for, A purse of ten pounds carrying weight for age and blood to be fixed on the day of running by the judges .... "And on Saturday will be run for the entrance money of the two first days on the same terms as Friday's race...." Headquarters for all this, of course, was to be Mr. Clinton's tavern down by the old mill; and the profit presumably would come from the sale of food, liquid refreshment and lodging to the gamblers and horse owners attracted by the races. Unfortunately, his racing venture didn't make Clinton rich. The very next year he was reduced to mortgaging even his "four feather beds" to raise cash. The inn, however, survived. In 1791, James Beaty was listed as innkeeper and his location as "Old Mills." Griffith's detailed map of Maryland, published in 1795, locates "Beaty's" tavern precisely on the spot now occupied by the Mill Creek Sanctuary. 146 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol . 28, No. 4 By this time a new mill and dam had heen built farther up the creek, on a site just east of the present U.S. 50. This mill, known succes- sively as Gibson's, Price's, Sherwood's and Hardcastle' s , was in opera- tion throughout the 19th Century. Traces of the mill pond, a mile or so upstream from the sanctuary, can still be found. The creek itself no longer was known by its colorful early names. In a 1799 deed it was listed simply as "Old Mill Branch," and in 1803, when much of the land along its banks was sold, it was for the first time called "Mill Creek," as it is today. There the recorded story of the sanctuary land ended for more than 150 years. No indication has been found that the inn was operated after Beaty died. The old mill, the tavern and other buildings fell into ruin and disappeared. The land, too rugged for tillage, became a forested wilderness frequented only by loggers, animals and birds. When MOS acquired the sanctuary in 1964 through the efforts of the Talbot County Bird Club, only the ancient earthen dam remained as a reminder of the site's long history of occupation by man. R.D. 5, Box 607, Easton THIRD MARYLAND RECORD OF THE PAINTED BUNTING Richard A. Rowlett On April l8, 1972, an adult male Painted Bunting was discovered sharing two feeders of two next door neighbors, Mrs. J. B. Crozier, and Mrs. Charles Guy, in Kensington, Montgomery Co., Maryland. I observed and photographed the bird at the feeders of both Kensington residents on April 21. The Painted Bunting, to say the least, added color and various assorted aesthetic side effects while feeding with the less attractive "yard birds," consisting primarily of House Sparrows and Starlings. Separating the yards of the two neighbors was a row of brush and shrubs in which the bird spent most of the day hiding and singing pro- fusely, as if it had established a territory. Apparently the bird gave up on April 23, as that was the last date on which it was seen. Additional observers included Paul and Philip DuMont, and Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Mudd. This represents the third record of the Painted Bunting for the State of Maryland. On May 1, 196l, a male was glimpsed briefly in Laurel, and on August 31, 1963, a female was trapped and banded at Ocean City. 715 Main Street, Apt. #5, Laurel December 1972 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 147 THE PRESIDENT’S PAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING, OCT. 14, 1972 The second meeting of the 1972-1973 Board of Trustees was held at Carey Run Sanctuary in Garrett County on October l4, 1972. Following are some of the items of business of general interest that were conducted at the meeting. Mr. Unger, Chairman of the Sanctuary Committee reported on an available tract of from 80 to 100 acres in Caroline County that is being considered for purchase as a sanctuary. These recommendations of the Investment Committee were approved: 1. That a brokerage account be established with Baker, Watts, and Company of Baltimore. 2. That the Sanctuary Endowment Fund be invested partly in bonds and partly In common stocks. 3. That the securities be registered in the name of MOS and held in custody by the broker. 4. That the Sanctuary Endowment Fund be held as a separate investment rather than pooled with other investments, and that the income be set aside for use by the Sanctuary Committee. 5. That $2,000 of the Helen Miller Scholarship Fund be invested in a single long term bond issue. 6. That authority to operate the investment account be given to Mr. Stiles, as Treasurer, and Mr. Buchanan. A committee was appointed to investigate the desirability of carry- ing liability insurance to protect the Society In the event of accidents occurring during MOS activities. Mr. Robbins reminded those present that the annual reports of Chapters are due each year in May and that delays in receiving these reports often cause delays in the publication of Maryland Birdlife . He also pointed out that it would be very helpful and would often eliminate the need for retyping if material submitted for publication in Maryland Birdlife were typed 72 strokes per line. A committee was appointed to study the feasibility of holding one or more adult nature camps each year -primarily to train leaders for Junior Nature Camps , local Chapter field trips , and convention field trips . Lawrence Zeleny ikQ MARYLAND BIRPLIFE Vol . 28, No. h A "WILD" FLAMINGO IN MARYLAND? Richard A. Rowlett Soon after the passage of Tropical Storm "Agnes,” June 21-22, 1972, I began receiving reports of sightings of an American Flamingo (Phoeni- copterus ruber) on the more remote reaches of Assateague Island, Md./Va. I set out in an attempt to find the bird, and interviewed a number of surf fishermen. The flamingo apparently was first seen during the last week of June, always in association with resting gulls, and feeding in the shallow surf on the ocean side. Most frequently it was found about two miles north of the Virginia state line. Fishermen described the flamingo as "very wild"; it would allow reasonably close approach, but would fly freely without hesitation and free of any cumbersome effort that a previously penned or caged bird might show. I had a difficult time catching up to it for the first time, as it ranged from the central portion of Assateague to the southern tip at Chincoteague . Finally, on Aug. 8, the flamingo moved to the northern tip of the island, opposite Ocean City, and fed in the shallow surf on the ocean side, only 200-300 yards south of the inlet. The bird remained here until Aug. 1 6 , where it was plainly visible from any of the inlet vantage points in the Ocean City resort . On August l6, the northern tip of Assateague Island was reopened to clam diggers after many years of closure. The ensuing flood of clammers, surfers, and "beach dwellers" was responsible for the conspicuous fla- mingo's retreat to the more remote portions of the island north of the Virginia line, where it remained most of the time to at least Sept. 3. A flamingo was reported, also on the beach, at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Va. , on Sept. 8 and may well be the same bird that summered on Assateague [Am. Birds 27:1,37). On August 12 when I first saw the bird it certainly looked and acted just as everyone had described it: a very healthy, rich pink-colored bird, alert, and feeding readily in the shal- low surf on the ocean side, swaying its head and neck back and forth like a pendulum, presumably straining out small, nutritious marine organisms. American Flamingo at Assateague Island, Maryland, Aug. 12, 1972. From Ektachrome transparencies by the author. December 1972 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 149 I spent a considerable amount of time gathering information regarding the flamingo's history on Assateague by talking with fishermen, hikers, and National Park and Refuge employees, all of whom described the bird's preferred feeding areas as in the ocean surf where it was abnormally shallow, and where the waves were breaking farther out. The majority of sightings during the period (late June to Sept. 3) were from just south of Pox Hill Levels (a large wash area about 10 miles south of the Maryland portion of Assateague State Park), south to about one mile north of the Virginia state line, and also down near the southern tip of the island on Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, Va. Except for one or two reports of the bird standing in the long narrow tidal pools at the south tip of Chincoteague, and an observation at West Ocean City on Sept. 3 by Robert Warfield, all sightings were from the ocean surf or in flight. Most reports of flamingos along the Mid-Atlantic coast are merely acknowledged with no annotation, because it is hardly possible that they could have been wild birds. Many have been traced down as escapes. Dur- ing the past few years, flamingos have been reported annually with no suggestion as to origin, other than to automatically assume, "an escape." Through late November and December 1971 » there was a flamingo pres- ent at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge {Atlantia Naturalist 27:39). Presumably, the same bird was seen on the Ocean City Christmas Count on Dec. 29, 1971 ( Maryland Birdlife 28:11), flying north over the north portion of Assateague Island. This same bird may also have been the same one that was seen on the south shore of the Choptank River in Cambridge , Md. , for about three days in mid-November, 1971 (personal conversation with observer) . At first, it was assumed that the flamingo seen during the summer of 1972 on Assateague was the same bird as the 1971 individual. Having seen both birds and talked to many people, I feel confident that these were indeed two different birds. The flamingo at Chincoteague in 1971 was much less pink, seemed relatively tame, was less actively engaged in feeding, and was seldom seen anywhere but in the large fresh water im- poundment on the refuge. Also, though unconfirmed, a steady drift of consistent rumors claims that the Chincoteague bird was shot by hunters in January 1972 on the northern tip of Chincoteague Island, Va. One final argument in favor of a "wild" flamingo on Assateague is that of an "Agnes" produced bird at St. Mark's Light, on the Gulf coast of Florida south of Tallahassee, on June 19 ( Ameriaan Birds 26:88). Even this record is quite far north of where most of Florida's wild fla- mingos are recorded. I do not feel it is totally unreasonable for an already storm driven bird, or another, to wander farther northward. Based on the preceding account, I propose that this record of the flamingo on Assateague Island, Md./Va., late June to Sept. 3, 1972, be given consideration as a valid record of a "wild" bird, brought to us as a gift of "Agnes." Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel 150 MARYLAND BIKDLIFE Vol . 28, No. 4 JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, 1972 Chandler S. Robbins July and August averaged a degree or two cooler than normal, with rainfall 1 to 3 inches below normal in each month. There were relatively few strong winds, thunder storms or heavy rains. These favorable condi- tions helped to minimize the long-term effects of the widespread nesting failures that resulted from the heavy rains and record floods associated with ex-hurricane Agnes. Some of the floodplain species, Veeries, for example, moved into adjacent uplands for their second brood if their normal habitat had been too severely damaged by the flood. Some other species, such as the Louisiana Waterthrush and Eastern Phoebe, disappeared from their nesting areas and did not attempt to renest. I fear that many of the adult phoebes were drowned when the sudden floodwaters covered their bridges during the night of June 21-22. It may take several years for their population to recover. Many nestling Barn and Tree Swallows and Purple Martins starved to death during the extended rainy period preceding and following the flood, and many adults (especially Purple Martins) died of starvation and exhaustion in their efforts to provide food for their nestlings. Many Barn Swallows renested successfully later in the summer, but few Purple Martins attempted to do so. Most of the normally multi-brooded species did re-lay after the flood subsided, and these experienced a high degree of success. July was characterized by stagnant weather patterns. Both of the month's cold fronts (July 3 and July 25) were weak ones. In August and September, on the other hand, cold fronts were frequent, as were waves of southbound migrants. The high frequency of cold frontal passages during August was probably responsible for many of the record-breaking arrival dates that are mentioned in the following pages. Dates and numbers that are underscored in the text represent new records for their respective Section of the State. The earliest fall arrival dates are summarized by counties in Table 1, with the counties arranged from northwest to southeast. The first two columns give the ten-year median arrival date and the 1972 median date for comparison. For each county except Dorchester, the table summarizes the observations of several observers, the earliest date submitted being the one published. December 1972 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 151 Counties for which only a few arrival dates were submitted are not included in the table, nor are species that were seen in only a very few counties. Underscored dates in the table refer to birds banded and ex- amined in the hand; this serves as additional confirmation for unusual records. Arrival dates shown for summer resident species refer, in most instances, to migrating individuals captured at banding stations or seen in places where they do not nest. The chief contributors to the table are the following: Garre tt County — Mrs. William Pope, C. Douglas Hackman, Kendrick Y. Hodgdon, Richard Rowlett; Alleg any — James Paulus , Kendrick Hodgdon; Washi ngton — Daniel Boone, Mrs. Lloyd Mallonee; Frede rick — Dr. John W. Richards, Paul Woodward, Charles L. Mullican; Balti more City and County — C. Douglas Hackman, Mrs. Richard D. Cole, Bruce Beehler, Mrs. Robert E. Kaestner, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Boh an an , Marion Glass, Janet Ganter; Howa rd — Mrs. Harry B. Rauth, Mrs. G. Colin Munro, Morris Collins, Mrs. Robert Solem; Montg omery — Paul Woodward, Mrs. Morrill B. Donnald, Joan Lusby, Robert W. Warfield, Dr. Robert L. Pyle; Prince Georges — Kathleen Klimkiewicz, David Holmes, Danny Bystrak, Chandler Robbins; Anne Arundel — Prof. Harold and Hal Wierenga, Danny Bystrak, Prof, and Mrs. David Howard, Mark Hoffman, Rena Bishop, Paul DuMont; Calve rt — John H. Fades, Mr. and Mrs. Chandler Robbins, Southern Maryland Audubon Society; Kent — Mr. and Mrs. Edward Mendinhall and banding assistants; Carol ine — Marvin Hewitt, Mrs. A. J. Fletcher, Mrs. Wilber Engle, Mrs. Louis J. Knotts (compiler); Talbo t — Jan G. Reese, Harry Armistead, Richard L. Kleen, Jeff Effinger; Dorch ester — Harry Armistead; Some rset — Mrs. Richard D. Cole, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Bystrak, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Vaughn, Elizabeth Slater, Brian Sharp; Worce ster — Charles Vaughn, Mr. and Mrs. T. H. C. Slaughter, Robert Warfield, Richard Rowlett. In the case of rarities or birds seen outside the normal season, a photograph or confirming details are required. Loons . Although a Common Loon seen at Ocean City on Aug. 26 (Paul DuMont) was probably a summer stray, a flying over the beach there on Sept. 4 Leach's Petrel. Photo by R. Rowlett bird in breeding plumage seen (Robert Warfield) gave every in- dication of being a migrant from the north; it tied the earliest arrival date on record. The next arrival was noted at Bellevue in Talbot County on Sept. 9 (Harry Armistead). Shearwaters and Petrels . A single Cory's Shearwater was seen from a fishing boat off Ocean City on Sept. 11 (Richard Rowlett). A Leach's Petrel with a broken wing was found on the beach on Assateague Island by an unknown fisherman on July l6 and taken to the National Sea- 152 MARYLAND BIRD LIFE Vol. 28, No. 4 shore headquarters ; the specimen was subsequently identified hy Richard Rowlett and preserved as a study shin at the National Museum of Natural History (No. 566273); this is only the fifth Maryland record. The most Wilson's Petrels ever seen from the Maryland shore were 675 counted from 3 to 6 p.m. on Aug. 16 from Assateague beach three miles south of Ocean City (Rowlett). The first Talbot County observation for this species was obtained on Sept . 23 when Tom Cohee (who had had 6 hours of experi- ence with pelagic birds from the Bluenose ) sighted a single bird near Poplar Island. The petrel's presence in the Bay is attributed to a coastal storm that had been centered at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay at dawn on the 21st. The latest previous Maryland date for this Antarctic nesting species was Sept. 17. A concentration of 80 summering Double- crested Cormorants went to roost on one of the Chincoteague Bay channel islands off South Point on July 25 (Rowlett). Herons and Egrets . A Common Egret wandered as far west as Cumber- land, July 19 (James Paulus), but the Little Blue Heron and Snowy Egret were not seen west of the Monocacy Valley (Paul Woodward). The evening flights of Snowy Egrets over Robert Warfield's West Ocean City home were smaller than last year; the peak count of 327 occurred on Sept. 6. Rowlett made a record estimate of 1 ,800 Cattle Egrets at sunset on July 25 on a channel island off South Point; with them were 250 Common Egrets, 900 Snowy Egrets, 200 Little Blue Herons, 500 Louisiana Herons, 30 Black- crowned Night Herons, and 300 Glossy Ibis. Single Yellow-crowned Night Herons were found at Lake Roland, Baltimore County on Aug. 20 (Grace Naumann and Alice Kaestner), at Druid Hill Park, Baltimore City on Sept. 20 (Peggy Bohannan), at Sandy Point State Park on July 19 and July 28 (Harold and Hal Wierenga) and at South Point on Aug. 26 (Paul DuMont). White Ibis and Flamingo . The unprecedented irruption of immature White Ibis into Coastal Plain and Piedmont sections of Maryland (see Maryland Birdlife 28: 112) continued into August. One was seen near Sunshine in Montgomery County on July l6 (Tony Futcher), 1 in Queen Annes County just north of Wye Mills on July 25 (Rowlett), 1 at West Ocean City on July 18 (Warfield), 1 on Assateague Island just north of the Virginia line on July 28 (Rowlett), and 1 to 3 at the Summit Hill Turf Farm near- Seneca, July 16 to Aug. 8 (Rowlett and others). A very elusive American Flamingo summered from late June to at least Sept. 3 on Assateague Island. The bird's rich pink plumage, healthy, alert appearance, and shyness suggest it was a fully wild bird, perhaps brought to Maryland by Hurricane Agnes. See the detailed account by Richard Rowlett on pages 148-149 . Swans and Geese . A few small flocks of early Canada Geese came in on Sept. 13 (Robert E. and A, J. Fletcher at Denton), Sept. 15 and Sept. 20. The next movement occurred on Sept. 23, when a high pressure cell was centered over Lake Ontario. The main influx, however, took place on Sept. 26 and 28. The best documentation came from Margaret Haile, who estimated 15 >000 geese and Whistling Swans in 35 flocks over Cockeysville on Sept. 26, and from Hal Wierenga, who counted 8,150 Canadas over Annapolis between 9 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 28. With Wierenga' s Canadas were one "pint-sized" bird, presumably of the race hutchinsii. December 1972 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 153 and a Snow Goose. The flight on the 28th was the more widely noted, with other flocks reported from Randallstown , Mt. Washington, Overlea, Lakehurst, Roland Park, Lutherville and Wiltondale, all in the Baltimore area, and from Olney, Silver Spring, Clarksville, Fulton, Laurel, Hyattsville, and Annapolis . Ducks . Three summer strays seldom reported were a male Ring-necked Duck in the Pocomoke River at Pocomoke City and a female Bufflehead at Dead. Island Wildlife Area, both on June IT (Rowlett) and a Lesser Scaup at Ocean City on Sept. 3 (Paul DuMont). Tom Cohee found all three spe- cies of scoters at Poplar Island as early as Sept. 23. Hawks and Eagles . Marsh Hawks were reported during the breeding season only from Irish Grove Sanctuary (Gladys Cole, Dick Douglass), Deal Island Wildlife Area (Rowlett), and upper Montgomery County (Atlas program). The earliest fall migrants noted were a Sparrow Hawk in Garrett County on Aug. 21 (Kendrick Y. Hodgdon) and a Sharp-shin on the same day at Carey Run Sanctuary (C. Douglas Hackman). The peak of the Broad-wing flight seems to have passed during the period Sept. 16-23 (Peter Pyle, George Robbins, Harry Armistead, Peggy Bohanan, and others). Fifteen Pigeon Hawks were counted on Assateague Island on Sept. 22 by Charles Vaughn. Coots , Rails . An early American Coot turned up at Sandy Point State Park on Aug . 1+ and remained through the end of the period (Prof. Harold Wierenga) . An early Sora was found at Blackwater Refuge on Aug. 13 (Armistead) . Oystercatchers . A new high count of American Oystercatchers for the late summer season was obtained when Richard Rowlett found 16_ birds on the Assateague flats in the first three miles south from Ocean City on July 25* Plovers and Turnstones . Jim Paulus found a Semipalmated Plover along the C & 0 Canal at Oldtown from the early date of July 12 to Sept. l6. A record-high tally for Wilson's Plover was 20 birds on Assateague in the first three miles below Ocean City on July 25 ; 3 there on Aug . 31 broke the State departure record (Rowlett). Golden Plovers were found only near Lilypons, Sept. l6 (25 birds by Warfield), at Sandy Point State Park, Sept. 2 9 (l by Hal Wierenga), on the golf course south of Ocean City (maximum of l6 on Aug. 26 by Paul DuMont), and on the Stephen Decatur High School grounds at Berlin (3 on Sept. 11 by Rowlett). An- other record of the Ruddy Turnstone for Allegany County was an Aug. 4 sighting at Oldtown by Paulus ; the only other report west of the Bay was at Sandy Point on Aug. 7 (Professor Wierenga). Sandpipers . Early arrivals that deserve special mention are a Common Snipe at Sandy Point State Park on Aug. 10 (Harold and Hal Wierenga) , Whimbrel and Willet at West Ocean City on July 1 (Warfield) , Solitary Sandpiper at Hughes Hollow near Seneca on July 8_ (Paul Woodward, Joan Lusby), Lesser Yellowlegs at Blackwater Refuge on July 2 (Armistead), Baird's Sandpiper south of Ocean City on Aug. 26 and Buff -breasted Table 1. Earliest Fall Arrival Dates, 1972 H 4 =' Median Species 10-yr 1972 Garr Alle Wash Fred Balt Howd Mont Pr.G Anne Calv Kent Caro Talb Pore Somr Wore Double-cr. Cormorant 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9/28 10/ 8 0 9/ 2 0 0 8/28 Canada Goose 9/26 9/23 10/21 0 9/27 10/ 1 9/23 9/23 9/20 9/23 9/20 10/ 8 9/15 9/13 9/23 — 10/ 1 — Sharp-shinned Hawk — 9/26 8/23 — 9/23 9/23 — 9/28 9/30 — 9/28 10/ 8 9/22 10/13 9/16 Broad-winged Hawk 9/16 8/31 9/23 9/11 9/ 4 9/17 8/21 0 0 9/17 — 9/i6 0 — 0 Sparrow Hawk 8/31 8/21 10/ 1 — 8/29 9/ 2 9/l6 — 9/28 9/ 4 — — 7/27 8/13 8/ 2 — Semipalmated Plover — — 0 7/12 0 8/ 3 0 0 0 0 vW 0 0 0 0 0 0 7/31 Spotted Sandpiper — 7/23 — — 7/15 0 7/31 0 — — 7/28 0 0 — 10/ 1 — 8/ 2 7/ 8 Solitary Sandpiper — 7/28 — 8/ 1* 0 7/23 8/17 0 7/ 8 0 7/28 0 0 — 0 0 8/ 2 7/26 Greater Yellowlegs 8/io 7/30 0 0 0 8/13 0 0 — 0 7/19 0 0 — 7/30 7/ 2 8/ 2 7/29 Lesser Yellowlegs — 8/ 2 0 8/ 2 0 8/13 8/21 0 8/17 0 7/19 0 0 — 0 7/ 2 — 7/16 Pectoral Sandpiper — 8/11 0 8/ 9 0 8/ 3 8/21 9M 7/28 0 8/ 7 0 0 0 9/17 8/13 8/ 2 8/26 Least Sandpiper 8/30 7/23 0 7/15 0 7/23 8/17 0 7/ 9 0 7/19 0 0 0 0 8/13 8/ 2 — Short-billed Dovitcher — — 0 0 0 0 0 0 7/17 0 8/ 7 0 0 0 0 0 9/ 3 7/ 2 Semipalmated Sandpiper — 7/25 0 7/27 0 7/23 8/17 0 0 0 7/19 0 0 0 7/15 9/ 3 8/ 2 7/ 2 Sanderling — 8/31 0 8/31 0 9/ 3 0 0 0 0 7/19 0 0 0 9/ 2 0 — 7/15 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 8/l6 — — 8/ 9 8/21 ' — 0 — Black-billed Cuckoo — 8/24 — 0 8/29 0 8/18 8/ 9 0 0 0 9/25 9/29 8/io 0 0 0 0 Common Nighthawk — 8/21* 8/20 8/29 8/26 — 8/19 8/20 8/21 8/10 8/27 0 9/ 8 9/ 3 9/ 2 0 — 8/20 Yellow-shafted Flicker — 9/ It — — 9/ 2 — 8/18 9/18 — — 9/ 2 — 9/ 5 — 9/ 9 Red-headed Woodpecker 9/22 9/ 1 9/22 9/13 0 9/10 9/27 10 / 5 11/ 3 — 10 / 1 0 0 9/22 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 9/28 9/26 — 9/25 — 9/29 9/30 9/11 9/23 9/27 9/23 10 / 1 9/25 "972 r 10 / 1 — 9/23 io TZ Eastern Phoebe — 9/25 9/25 10/14 9/23 9/23 — 9/15 10 / 8 9/23 — 10 / 1 — — Yellow-bellied Flycatcher — 8/31 8/23 0 0 0 ILL 9/ 1 8/30 8/20 0 0 9/ 1 0 0 0 0 0 Traill's Flycatcher ~ — — 0 0 0 0 0 8/16 8 / 7 5/20 0 0 — 0 0 0 9/24 0 Least Flycatcher — 9/ 1 8/19 0 0 0 9/ 1 9/ 1 7/27 9/19 9/26 9/ 1 0 8/12 8/13 P/JL 0 Olive-sided Flycatcher — — 8/20 0 0 9/17 0 8/16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Tree Swallow 8/30 8/13 8/20 8/11 — 9/22 — 8 / 7 9/23 — 8 / 7 — 9/21 7/28 7/29 8/13 — 9/ 1 Blue Jay White-breasted Nuthatch 9/20 9/17 9/30 9/11 9/ 3 9/28 9/17 9/23 9/ 6 9/13 10 / 1 — 9/17 — 10 / 1 — 8/28 9/23 11 / 2 9/24 Red-breasted Nuthatch 9/20 9/11 10/13 ?/23 8/21 9/23 9/ 5 9 / 4 9/23 8/24 9723 — 8/14 9/28 9/ 9 — — 9/ii Brown Creeper 9/28 9/30 9/ 3 — 10/8 — 10/14 9/30 9/30 10/10 9/23 10 / 1 9/ 5 10 / 1 — — 9/iir Swain s on's Thrush 9/ 8 9/10 0 9/29 9/17 — 8/29 9/15 8/30 7/26 9/12 9/17 9/ 3 9/21 9/ 4 0 9/10 m. 9/ 3 Gray-cheeked Thrush 9/15 9/22 . 0 — 0 0 9/20 9/27 9/17 9/23 0 10 / 5 9/15 — 0 0 9/ 3 Veery 9/ It 9 / *t — 9/20 0 0 9lL 9/23 8/30 8/19 0 9/10 9/ 1 9/29 9/ 4 0 — 0 Golden-crowned Kinglet 10 / 6 10 / 5 10/23 10/20 10 / 8 — 10/ 1 10/ 5 10/ 3 10/10 10 / 1 10 / 1 9/30 10 / 8 10 / 1 — 10/10 — Ruby-crowned Kinglet 9/2U 9/21* 9/25 9/21 10 / 1 9/23 9/23 9/20 9/29 9/24 9/20 10 / 8 9/21 9/23 10 / 1 — 10 / 2 J 2 L 9/24 Cedar Waxwing 9/ 2 9/ 2 8/23 — 9/ 2 8/20 — 10/30 8/10 — — 9/ 7 9/10 — 8/12 8/13 9/24 O BIRDLIFE Species Loggerhead Shrike Solitary Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Philadelphia Vireo Black-and-white Warbler Median 10-yr 1972 — 9/24 — 10 / 1 — 9/ 1 - 9/1*+ 8/28 8/23 Blue-winged Warbler Tennessee Warbler Nashville Warbler Parula Warbler Yellow Warbler 9/10 9/12 Magnolia Warbler 9/ 4 Cape May Warbler 9/l4 Black-thr . Blue Warbler 9/7 Myrtle Warbler 9/30 Black-thr. Green Warbler 9/12 9/18 9/ 3 9/ 7 9/ 5 9/24 ‘8/31 9 / 2 9/ 3 9/10 9/30 10/ 1 10/13 8/23 0 8/19 Garr Alle Wash Fred Balt Howd Mont Pr ,0 Anne Calv Kent Caro Talb Pore Somr Wore 0 9/25 9/29 9/22 10/14 8/l6 8/29 8/l6 10/23 10/ 4 0 8/24 8/19 o 9/n 8/19 10/ 1 8/29 8/19 9/ 3 0 0 0 9/23 8/23 9/ 3 10/ 6 10/11 8/1? 9/29 9/18 0 9/ 2 0 8/31 10/ 1 8/31 8/17 8/24 0 9/23 ■?/-?_ 0 10/10 9/10 0 9/ 7 0 0 8/2 9 0 9 / 8 9/18 9/15 9/24 0 9/14 0 9/ 1 8/13 0 10/11 9/28 8 / 1 9/10 9/26 9/26 9/15 0 8 / 8 8/29 9/20 9/20 10/ 5 9/l4 9/17 9/10 9/24 ~573l 6” 97T 9/28 9/ 5 0 9/17 9/26 9/21 9/11 9/ 1 9/n 9/3 9/6 8/29 9/13 9/23 9/28 -2/5 9/15 9/ 5 9/27 9/24 9/ 5 9/28 9/ 5 9/2' 9/10 0 97"T 8/11 9/ 5 9/15 9/29 0 10/ 1 10/ 1 9/24 0 9/ 9 0 9/ 3 9/29 9/ 1 8/31 0 0 10/ 8 10/ 1 T 0 97 0 9/3 0 0 9 / 4 9/V 9/24 9/ 9 10/ 1 9/ 4 10/ 1 9 / 4 10 / 1 0. 2/23 9/ 7 0 0 8/31 0 10/ 1 9/ 3 — 10/ 8 9/24 0 10/ 8 9/24 Blackburnian Warbler 9/5 CheBtnut-sided Warbler Bay-breasted Warbler 9/16 Blackpoll Warbler 9/15 Palm Warbler 9/22 Ovenbird Northern Waterthrush Connecticut Warbler Mourning Warbler Wilson ' s Warbler 9/ 1 9/12 97 T 8/29 9/ 4 9/10 9/28 8/23 8/12 Wl9 8/20 9/ 3 10/ 1 10/ 1 THT 9/18 0 9/ 7 w 8/19 9/17 0 9/17 0 8/20 0 0 0 0 9/28 9/28 9/21 0 9/24 9/ 8 10/ 8 Canada Warbler American Redstart Bobolink Baltimore Oriole Scarlet Tanager — 9/17 8/23 8/21 8/30 8/19 8/29 9/ 1 — 8/28 - 9/12 8/23 — 0 0 0 0 0 0 9/10 6/16 9/21 0 0 0 8/19 8/19 8/19 9/ 3 Rose-breasted Grosbeak Purple Finch Rufous-sided Towhee Savannah Sparrow Slate-colored Junco 9/12 9/21 — 10/12 — 9/23 — 9/21 10 / 6 10 / 6 10/15 9/19 9/25 im 9/14 0 9/10 8/29 8/19 0 8/16 8/16 0 0 0 9/23 8/23 8/17 0 8/19 0 0 9/ 6 9/20 9/ 6 8/20 8/12 0 0 0 9/ 8 0 0 0 8/18 8/10 0 8/30 9/28 0 10/12 9 / 2 10/11 White-throated Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Song Sparrow 9/25 9/29 10/ 1 10/ 1 — 10/ 4 10/ 3 10/14 10/ 9 10/19 10/10 io/i4 10/20 0 10/23 9/15 10/ 6 ' 9/24 7/28 9/28 10/20 9/20 8 / 22 ” 10/21 m l 8/16 8/12 9/ 6 8/ 5 9/19 0 8/l4 9 / 6 9/ 4 8/28 9/ 1 9/ 4 9/11 0 2GL 9/29 9/12 0 0 0 9/ 3 9/ 4 0 9/ 9 9M 0 9/ 3 9/11 0 8/21 8/30 8/27 9/T 9/17 0 0 0 9/17 8/ 4 0 0 0 0 0 9/ 3 9/24 0 8/12 8/12 8/13 9/ 9 0 0 0 9/ 3 9/10 8/31 9/3 09/5 9/3 0 0 0 loyjki 10/ 2 10/10 9/29 9/10 9/22 9/24 10/12 9/26 9/21 10/22 9/28 9/12 10/ 8 9/23 10/ 8 9/23 9/19 9/11 - 10/ 7 10/ 1 9/24 10 / 10 / 9/23 10/18 9/24 10/ 1 9/17 10/ 1 10/ 1 0 9/25 9/25 9/27 9/20 — 10/ 1 10/ 1 10/ 1 — 2/21 9/25 — 10/15 9/24 — 10/13 9/29 9/ 4 10/ 2 9/25 December 1972 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 155 156 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol . 28, No. 4 Sandpiper at the golf course south of Ocean City on the same day (Paul DuMont), a Dunlin and 12 Long-hilled Dowitchers on Assateague Island on July 25 (Rowlett), Short-hilled Dowitcher and Semi palmate d Sandpiper at West Ocean City on July 2 (Warfield) , a Stilt Sandpiper in Queen Annes County north of Wye Mills on July 28 (Rowlett), and 3 Western Sandpipers at Summit Hill Turf Farm near Seneca on July 17 (Rowlett). A single Hudsonian Godwit was seen, at the north end of Assateague Island on Sept, h (Paul DuMont). Ph alar opes . On a Sept. 4 hoat trip off Ocean City, Paul DuMont identified 6 of the phalaropes seen as Reds and 1 as a Northern. On the same day he saw 2 Wilson's Phalaropes at Elliott Island, Jaegers . Paul DuMont found a Parasitic Jaeger at Ocean City inlet on Sept. 3. Both Hal Wierenga and Richard Rowlett took advantage of per- sistent strong northeast winds and visited the inlet on Aug. 1 6 (Rowlett) and Sept. 21 (Wierenga). At 7:30 on the morning of Aug . l6 an adult Pomarine Jaeger and k adult Parasitic Jaegers were identified, breaking the earliest arrival date for both species (Rowlett). At least 3 (and probably all) of the 8 jaegers seen on Sept. 21 were Parasitic. Gulls , Skimmers . As many as 125 Great Black-backed Gulls were seen at Hills Point in Dorchester County on the early date of Sept. 3 (Armistead). An extraordinarily early Little Gull in winter plumage was seen at Sandy Point State Park on Aug. 7 by Prof. Harold Wierenga and on Aug. 10 by Prof. Wierenga and Lansing Fulford. Two Black Skimmers, rare in the Maryland portion of Chesapeake Bay, were seen at St. Michaels on Sept. 22 by Tom Cohee; they were presumably blown into the Bay by the coastal storm of the previous day. Owls , Nighthawks . Barn Owls were reported only from M.O.S. Sanctu- aries: Irish Grove (all simmer, many observers) and Carey Run (Aug. 19, Hackman). The early evening migrations of the Common Nighthawk began across the State on Aug. 19-20: Garrett, Baltimore, Howard, and Worcester Counties. The highest tallies were: 207 over Oldtown, 7 to 7:30 p.m., Aug. 29 (Paulus) ; maximum of 163 over Towson, 6 to 8:15 p.m. , Aug. 28 (Hackman); 108 at Carey Run Sanctuary, 6:15 to 8:15 p.m., Aug. 22 (Hackman); and 75-100 at Columbia, Aug. 28 (Ted Van Velzen). Flycatchers and Swallows . The only Western Kingbird of the period was seen near Poolesville on Sept. 17 (Woodward). A very early Traill's Flycatcher was banded on Aug . ']_ at Piscataway Park in southern Prince Georges County (Kathy Klimkievicz ) , and another on Aug . l6 at Hughes Hollow near Seneca (Paul Woodward). On July 27 a very early Least Fly- catcher was banded at Hughes Hollow (also by Woodward). All three of these dates are earlier than any Maryland fall arrivals previously re- corded. Olive-sided Flycatchers also were early, with 1 seen on Aug. 16 at Highland (Dorothy Rauth) and 1 present most of Aug. 20 at Carey Run Sanctuary (Hackman). If you have ever tried to count Tree Swallows along the coast at the height of the fall migration you will appreciate why Hal Wierenga gave his Sept. 21 estimate as "several hundred thousand" birds between Rehoboth, Del. and Assateague Island. December 1972 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 157 Nuthatches , Wrens . A good fall flight of Red-breasted Nuthatches was heralded by 3 widely separated early individuals: on Aug. l4 in Kent County (Mendinhalls ) , Aug. 21 in Washington County (Daniel Boone) and Aug. 24 in Prince Georges County (Danny Bystrak). A Bewick's Wren was still in song on Sept. 4 at the Bull Ring Ranch, Oldtown (Paulus). Thrushes . A Swainson's Thrush banded at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center on July 2 6 was nearly four weeks ahead of the earliest fall arrival date for Maryland (Robbins). In addition to being photo- graphed, the bird was taken in to the Bird Banding Laboratory where the identification was verified by Brian Sharp, Jay Sheppard and others. A record-late departure of this species was inadvertently omitted from the last report. A singing bird was seen on June 5 , 6, and 8 by Josephine Walker at her Silver Spring apartment. This is one day short of the June 9., 1966 record at Odenton by Danny Bystrak. A Gray-cheeked Thrush banded at Adventure sanctuary near Potomac in Montgomery County on Sept. 29 had a wing chord measurement of 83 mm, typical of the race biaknelli , which breeds in the New England mountains (Mrs. M. B. Donnald). A count of 21 Eastern Bluebirds in the Cooks Point area on Sept. 3, well before the start of the fall migration, is an encouraging sign for Dorchester County (Armi stead) . Vireos . Daniel Boone saw an early Philadelphia Vireo in Washington County on Aug. 29, tying the second earliest date for the State. Correction : The Oldtown spring arrival date for the Warbling Vireo in the previous issue ( Maryland Birdlife 28: 115) should read Apr. 21, not Apr. 18; thus it is not the earliest Maryland record. Warblers . There were numerous early sightings or bandings of warb- lers, of which the following are of special significance: a Golden- winged Warbler banded at Hughes Hollow on Aug. 12 (Woodward and Joan Lusby); a Blue-winged Warbler banded at Piscataway Park on Aug. 10 (Miss Klimkiewicz ) ; a Tennessee Warbler seen at Laurel on Aug. 20 (Chandler and George Robbins); an Orange-crowned Warbler banded at Damsite , Kent County on Sept. 29 (Mr. and Mrs. Edward Mendinhall); Nashville Warblers in Garrett County on Aug. 19 (Hackman), and in Washington (Boone) and Howard (Mrs. Harry B. Rauth) Counties on Aug. 29; Yellow Warbler at Hammond Village, north of Scaggsville on July 15 (Mrs. Joanne Solem) ; Magnolia Warbler at Annapolis on Aug . _8 (earliest State arrival. Prof, and Mrs. David Howard) and at Emmitsburg on Aug . 17 (Dr. John W. Richards); Cape May Warbler at Emmitsburg on Aug. 24 (Dr. Richards); Black -throated Blue Warbler in Baltimore on Aug. 20 (Mr. and Mrs. Walter Bohanan); Black-throated Green Warbler in Garrett County on Aug . 19 (Hackman); Blackburnian Warbler in Garrett (Hackman) and Washington (Boone) Counties on Aug . 19 ; Bay -breasted Warbler at Greensboro on Aug. 11 (Hewitt); Ovenbird banded at Hughes Hollow on Aug . 2_ (Woodward and Joan Lusby); Northern Waterthrush at Irish Grove Sanctuary on Aug . 4_ (Paul and Linda Bystrak), 1 banded at Piscataway Park on Aug. 5 and 3, banded there on Aug. 6 (Miss Klimkiewicz); Connecticut Warbler banded at Piscataway Park on the record-tying date of Aug. 28 (Miss Klimkiewicz). We are anxious to know whether the devastating floods caused by Agnes on June 22 had a measurable effect on the populations and on the total 158 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol . 28, No. b nesting success of various species; unf ortunately , there are not enough handing summaries at hand to permit valid comparisons with prior years — either as to birds captured per hundred net-hours or ratios of immatures to adults. The Prothonotary Warbler is one floodplain species that dis- appeared from some of its normal haunts after the flood; but whether it successfully nested elsewhere is unknown. At Damsite, where it is rarely seen, a Prothonotary Warbler was banded on Sept. 13 (Mendinhalls ) . Even more unusual was one seen at Hammond Village on Sept . 20 — the second Howard County record and the latest Piedmont date for the State (Mrs. Solem) . At Piscataway Park, however, only 6 Prothonotaries were banded (Aug, 5 to Sept, l) as compared with 30 last year (Aug. 13 to Sept. 6) with comparable effort. Palm Warblers reached a peak of 270 individuals on Assateague Island, Sept. 25 (Rowlett). Grosbeaks , Dickcissels . On July 28 Mrs. Richard Cole banded a vagrant adult Rose-breasted Grosbeak at her Towson home. This is a full month ahead of the fall migration period. An adult male Dickcissel re- mained at Mrs. Rauth's feeder near Highland in Howard County from Aug. 25 to Sept. 2. House Finches , Crossbills , Sparrows . House Finches again nested successfully in three counties, bringing young to feeders in Towson (Mrs. Carl Lubbert), University Park (Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence Zeleny) and Ocean City ( fide Richard Rowlett). Douglas Hackman, while relaxing near the pond at Carey Run Sanctuary in Garrett County, "almost broke both legs getting up out of the chair" when he heard Red Crossbills on Aug . 19 . He counted 5 birds and watched them through his telescope. There is no previous summer record for the Maryland mountains. On Sept. 3, Richard Rowlett found a flock of 27. Red Crossbills at Swallow Falls State Park. The best count of Henslow's Sparrows also came from Carey Run Sanctuary, where Hackman had 5 or 6 birds on territory until the field they were in was mowed in late August . The only probable nesting report of the White -throated Sparrow in Maryland came from Cranesville bog in 1952. The lake at Herrington Manor would bear close scrutiny, because a bird believed to be an immature was seen here on Sept. 3, 1972 by Richard Rowlett . U.S. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, Laurel A BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER WINTERS IN THE MARYLAND PIEDMONT Morrill B. Donnald On a Sunday morning, December 19, 1971, at about 9:30 a.m. , I was sitting at my breakfast table enjoying a second cup of coffee and looking at some Slate-colored Juncos on the patio when a bird on the windowsill caught ray attention. It had the white outer tail feathers of a junco, but there the resemblance ceased. It was a Blue-gray Gnat catcher ( Poll - optila oaerulea ) — a tiny slender grayish bird with a long narrow tail, gray upperparts, whitish underparts, a slim un-juncolike bill, and a very noticeable eyering. While I watched, it fluttered or jumped up the side December 1972 MARYLAND BIKDLIFE 159 of the window about a foot above the sill, apparently trying to get either small insects or spider eggs. The morning was sunny and the bird was in excellent light . It was in view for probably less than two minutes and I had no binoculars, but the distance was six feet by actual measurement — windowsill to chair. Attempts to see the bird again, both that day and later in the week, were unsuccessful. On January l6, 1972, however, a gnat catcher was ob- served one-half mile away at the home of Myron Domsitz by ten MOS members including Dr. Robert Hahn and the Montgomery Junior Group, Grace Simms, Mr. Domsitz, my wife Margaret, and myself. This was the coldest day of the winter, with the official temperature -1° F. at Rockville. We watched the gnatcatcher searching for food around the eaves of the house and around a small bird feeder. Nearby, in a White Spruce at the edge of the yard, were two White-winged Crossbills — a most unusual combination of birds to be sharing the Domsitz hospitality. This was the last day the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher was seen. One could speculate that the unusually warm fall made it possible for an insect- eating bird to find a limited food supply much later in the season than would normally be possible. Yet survival throughout the entire winter in the Maryland Piedmont would seem unlikely. There have been several other attempts by gnat catchers to winter in Maryland, but the other birds have all been found on the Coastal Plain where the climate is less severe. The latest that one has been known to survive in past winters is January 5, 195^, at Garland Lake near Denton in Caroline County (Fletcher et al. , List of Caroline County Birds, Maryland Avifauna No. 1, 1956). 11501 South Glen Road, Potomac OBSERVATION OF A WOODCOCK FEEDING IN A SUBURBAN BACK YARD Merilyn B, Reeves and Jean D. Jonkel An American Woodcock (Philohela minor ) was observed at 7 = ^0 a.m., on March 9, 1972, feeding in a naturally wooded suburban back yard about 26 feet from the Reeves' house in Prince Georges County, Maryland about three miles west of Laurel. Attention was first drawn to the bird by the unusual activity of an Eastern Gray Squirrel (Soiurus aarolinensis) which seemed to be playfully harassing the bird. The woodcock ignored the squirrel with a ruffled twitch of the tail, and as the squirrel moved away the woodcock began probing and feeding. Jean Jonkel was quickly called and she arrived about 8:20 a.m. For over an hour we watched through binoculars as the woodcock probed and fed less than 30 feet away. It was still feeding when we left at 9:30 a.m. Although females are slightly larger them males we were unable to identify the sex of the bird. Throughout the probing and feeding activity the woodcock did not disturb the forest litter. The probing was directly through the leaves. l6o MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol . 28, No. 4 and when moving the bird stepped deliberately, in no way disturbing the forest litter during its quest for food. There was minimal body move- ment during the actual probing; the woodcock did not move its head while consuming worms and other food, and we never saw a side to side head movement . With one exception the bill was thrust perpendicularly into the ground; the exception was a jerky awkward side angle thrust, evidently prompted by the retreat of the prey. Occasionally the bird paused in its feeding activity and would settle on the leaves with its bill on its breast in contented pose. After a brief rest the woodcock would make a rocking, bobbing motion, almost bouncing, but with feet firmly placed, and then commence to probe. After a successful probe the bird would move forward one step and probe several times. Twice after resting, the woodcock extended a wing and stretched one leg backwards, first the right, and later [stretching] the left leg and wing. After this stretch- ing the bird made the characteristic bouncing body motions and resumed probing. While stretching, both legs were clearly visible and no band was seen. Identifiable particles of food were observed protruding from either side of the bill, and when viewed head on we identified large-sized earthworms and white grubs about the size of May Beetle (Phyllophaga) larvae. No soil particles were visible on the bill after probing. A beagle wandered into the yard and onto the back patio, ambling within 12 feet of the feeding woodcock, which momentarily froze. The bird turned slightly toward the dog and soon resumed feeding when it was obvious that the dog was a hand-out-sit-in variety. Active probing con- tinued within 25 feet of the dog for more than 15 minutes, until the sit-in ended and the dog ambled away. The woodcock also ignored other birds (Robins, White-throated Sparrows, Pine Siskins, and Evening Grosbeaks) that were feeding in the same small area. One Robin displayed unusual interest in the apparent feeding success of the woodcock. During the 1 3/4 hours the bird was observed it moved in an easter- ly linear path, continually feeding with only brief resting periods. It moved only about 15 feet. The temperature was 19° F. ,■ there was little wind, and although the sun was shining the feeding was in the shade of a holly and other trees. Woodcocks are common migrants in this area, but one seldom has the opportunity to watch one probing and feeding during daylight hours. It is even rarer to observe this activity for over 1 3/4 hours within 2 6 feet of the kitchen window. We were impressed with the success of the probing. We were also impressed with the linear pathway and the relatively short distance covered during the time span. 16506 Forest Mill Court , Laurel 5910 Windham Road, Laurel DATES TO REMEMBER State-wide Bird Count, Saturday, May 5, 1973. MOS Annual Convention, Hastings -Miramar, Ocean City, May 11-13. December 1972 MARYLAND BIKDLIFE 161 BROWN CREEPER - GROUND FEEDER Morgan V. Jon&s At least three Brown Creepers (Cevtkia familiaris) wintering around our house at Fort Meade, Maryland, demonstrated the unexpected behavior of regular, routine foraging on the ground. Bent's life history* makes note of "occasional" ground forays, but extensive foraging is not mentioned. The creepers were initially attracted to a suet box fastened di- rectly to the trunk of a black cherry tree, about four feet up. Being unaggressive , they frequently found themselves crowded away by wood- peckers, Starlings, titmice, and even chickadees. The activities of these other birds scattered small crumbs and chips of suet around the base of the tree and surrounding ground. The creepers began by working the bark at the base, but within a few days were foraging on the ground immediately around the trunk. This was a daily occurrence from mid- November 19T1 until April 2, 1972. The last creeper departed after April 5. Creepers propel themselves in short (about 2-inch) hops, accompa- nied by slight flicking of the tail. They normally stayed within 3 feet of the base of the trunk, although trips of up to 5 feet were not un- common. A single bird once proceeded across the yard directly from one tree to another, a distance of nearly 12 feet. The maximum timed period of ground feeding was 2 minutes, 21 seconds, and periods of over a min- ute occurred almost daily. Although they appear perfectly at ease on the ground, Brown Creepers still show an attachment to their normal habitat of trunks and large branches. Once airborne, the creeper always alights on a tree trunk, never directly on the ground. On three observed occasions, a creeper picking up a larger piece of suet returned to a tree trunk to consume it. Normally, however, only slight preference was shown for the suet box on the tree if suet was available on the ground. An attempt was made to determine if this preference was locational or quantitative by placing larger chunks of suet on the ground, but results were inconclu- sive. They seemed to simply take their food where they found it. It appears probable that creepers forage on the forest floor more than is commonly suspected, but Ovenbirds and waterthrushes should re- main safe from real competition for the time being. Seneca Army Depot, Romulus, N. Y. * Bent, A.C. 1948. Life Histories of North American Nuthatches, Wrens, Thrashers and their Allies. United States National Museum Bull. 195, pp. 63-64. 162 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Apr . COMING EVENTS Vol . 28, No. 4 1 BALTIMORE trip to Loch Raven. Meet Towson Plaza parking lot, Dulaney Valley Rd. & Goucher Blvd. , 8 a.m. 3 BALTIMORE trip to Lake Roland. Meet Robert E. Lee Park foot- bridge below dam, 8 a.m. Mrs. Martin Larrabee. 3 BALTIMORE Bird Song class by C . S. Robbins. Cylburn, 8 p.m. 4 KENT Monthly Meeting. Plan for the Statewide Bird Count. 5 FREDERICK Monthly Meeting. The Chemical Aspects of Environ- mental Pollution by Dr. Phyllida Willis. Winchester Hall, E. Church St., Frederick, 7:30 p.m. 5 BALTIMORE trip to Cylburn. First of 8 consecutive Thursday fair-weather trips, Spring Birds and Wildflowers. 9 am. 6 ANNE ARUNDEL Monthly Meeting. Spring Migration by C. S. Robbins. Anne Arundel County Library, 8 p.m. 7 MONTGOMERY trip to Cape Henlopen and Delaware Shores. Meet at entrance to Sandy Point State Park, 7:30 a.m. 7 BALTIMORE trip to Lake Roland. First of 4 Sat. walks. See Apr. 3. 7 ANNE ARUNDEL trip to Camp Letts. Annapolis High School, 8:30 am. 8 TALBOT Breakfast Hike. Easton Library, 7 a.m. 10 BALTIMORE trip to Lake Roland. See Apr. 3- Mrs. R. Geddes. 10 BALTIMORE Amphibian Class. David Lee and Barbara Rothgaber. Cylburn Mansion, 8 p.m. 12 HOWARD Monthly Meeting. African Adventure by David Holmes. 13 BALTIMORE Audubon Wildlife Film, Queen of the Cascades by Charles T. Hotchkiss. Dumbarton Jr. High, 8 p.m. 14 ALLEGANY Bird Walk, Constitution Park. Swimming Pool, 9 a.m. l4 ANNE ARUNDEL trip to Mill Creek Sanctuary. Meet Anglers, 7 a.m. l4 BALTIMORE Amphibians Field Trip. Towson Plaza self-serv PO, 7pm. 14 FREDERICK trip to Linganore Road and Pumping Station. 15 TALBOT Breakfast Hike. Hosts: Mildred Schaefer & F. G. Schaefer . 15 HOWARD early morning Turkey trip. Call A.D.Geis, AT6-2400. 17 BALTIMORE trip to Lake Roland, 8 a.m. See Apr. 3. 17 BALTIMORE Bird Song Class. See Apr. 3. 18 ALLEGANY Monthly Meeting. The Four Seasons at Carey Run Sanc- tuary by John Willetts. Board of Educ. Bldg., 7:30 p.m. 18 TALBOT Monthly Meeting. Bob-white Through the Year. Christ Church Parish House, 8 p.m. 19 BALTIMORE trip to Cylburn, 9 a.m. See Apr. 5« 20 CAROLINE Monthly Meeting. Bob-white Through the Year. County Library, Denton, 7:30 p.m. 21 PATUXENT trip to Kindler Rd. Meet 9th & Montgomery, Laurel, 7am. 22 FREDERICK trip to Tresselt's Fish Ponds. 22 WICOMICO trip, Salisbury area. E.Main A & P parking lot, 7:30am. December 1<972 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 163 Apr. 23 24 2b 2 6 2 6 28 28 28 29 29 30 May 1 3 3 3 5 6 6 8 9 10 10 10 11-13 12 13 13 15 17 18-20 19 19 19-20 20 20 21 22 23 2b 26 26 26-27 27 June 2 WICOMICO Monthly Meeting. Demonstration & workshop for making "bird relief plaques. Robert French. PATUXENT Monthly Meeting. Avian Architecture by Jerry Longcore. BALTIMORE trip to Lake Roland. R.E.Lee footbridge, 9 a.m. BALTIMORE trip to Cylburn, 9 a.m. See Apr. 5. BALTIMORE trip to Rock Run area. Towson Plaza self-serv P0, 8 am. ANNE ARUNDEL trip to New Design & Lilypons Rds . , Frederick Co. Meet Riva Rd. entrance to Parole Plaza, 7 a.m. BALTIMORE trip to C & 0 Canal. Great Falls parking lot, 7:30 a.m. HARFORD trip to Rock Run Sanctuary. TALBOT Breakfast Hike at Mill Creek Sanctuary; bring breakfast. HOWARD trip to Patapsco State Park. Meet Swansfield Elementary School, Cedar Lane, Columbia, 7:30 a.m. D. Holmes. BALTIMORE trip to Lock Raven. Towson Plaza self-serv P0 , 8 a.m. BALTIMORE Bird Song Trip, Lake Roland. Lee footbridge, 8 a.m. BALTIMORE trip to Cylburn, 9 a.m. See Apr, 5. BALTIMORE trip to Loch Raven, 8 a.m. See Apr. 1. FREDERICK Monthly Meeting. Warblers by William Corliss, Win- chester Hall, E. Church St., 7:30 p.m. STATE-WIDE BIRD COUNT . Everyone's participation is solicited. Check with local chapter or with coordinator C. Douglas Hackman, 3033 Woodside Ave., Baltimore 21234. BALTIMORE Wildflower talk & walk at Cylburn. Advance registra- tion necessary, 435-8229 by Apr. 30. 9 a.m. TALBOT Breakfast Hike. Easton Library, 7 a.m. W. McCord. BALTIMORE trip to Lake Roland. See Apr. 3. Mr. & Mrs. W. Bohanan. ANNE ARUNDEL trip to Fort Meade. Riva Rd. entr. Parole Plaza, 8: 30 HOWARD Monthly Meeting. BALTIMORE trip to Cylburn, 9 a.m. See Apr. 5. BALTIMORE trip to Woodstock. Meet Woodstock bridge, 9 a.m. MOS STATE CONVENTION , Ocean City. Headquarters Hastings-Miramar . BALTIMORE trip to Loch Raven. Towson Plaza self-serv PO, 8 a.m. BALTIMORE trip to Horsehead Woods. W side McDonogh Rd RR bridge, 8. HOWARD picnic & evening Woodcock walk. Call A.D.Geis, AT6-240Q. BALTIMORE trip to Lake Roland, 8 a.m. See Apr. 3. BALTIMORE trip to Cylburn, 9 a.m. See Apr. 5. BALTIMORE trip to Cape May with N.J. Audubon. G.Naumann, 377-9032. HARFORD trip to Elk Neck. Call John Wortman, 939-3146. BALTIMORE trip to Patapsco State Park. Meet headquarters, 7:30 am. BALTIMORE trip to Sapsucker Woods, Ithaca, N.Y. E. Wedge, 664-3581. BALTIMORE trip to Gunpowder, Hereford Area. Towson Plaza, 7:30 am. HOWARD trip to Sugarloaf & Lilypons. Call D. Holmes, WICOMICO Monthly Meeting. Asbury Methodist Church, 8 p.m. Movie. PATUXENT Monthly Meeting. Summer Birds of Poland by C. Robbins. ANNE ARUNDEL trip to Corcoran Woods. Meet at Anglers, Rt.50, 7:30. BALTIMORE trip to Cylburn, 9 a.m. See Apr. 5. ANNE ARUNDEL Annual Picnic. Contact Chapter for details. BALTIMORE trip to Lake Roland. Lee footbridge, 8 a.m. Bohanans. BALTIMORE Carey Run Weekend. Register with Mrs .R. Ganter , 889-4601. WICOMICO trip to Shad Landing State Park. Meet at entrance, 8 am. BALTIMORE Picnic Supper at All Saints Convent, Catonsville, 4 p.m. 164 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 28, No. 4 June 2 ANNE ARUNDEL trip to Hancock's Resolution. Meet Pantry Pride parking lot behind Esso, Ritchie Hwy, Severna Pk,7:30 3 CAROLINE Annual Picnic at Fluharty’s Blueberry Farm near Preston. 3 WICOMICO Annual Picnic at Irish Grove Sanctuary, Marion Station. 3 FREDERICK Annual Picnic at Dargen Bend Rec.Area. Meet Baker Pk, 2. 6 KENT Monthly Meeting. Contact Chapter for time, place, program 9 HOWARD trip to Longwood Gardens, Pa. Phone Larry Hood, 730-9251. l4 HOWARD Monthly Meeting. Swansfield Elementary School, 7:30 p.m. 17 ALLEGANY 10th Anniversary of Carey Run Sanctuary. Covered dish supper at 5p-m. followed by nature walk. N. Livings tone. 22-23 ALLEGANY Overnight Campout for Junior Members. Call J. Willetts. 26 PATUXENT Annual Picnic at Supplee Lane Picnic Area, Rocky Gorge Reservoir off Brooklyn Bridge Rd,Pr .Georges Co. 6:30pm. CONTENTS, DECEMBER 1972 The Slate-colored Junco at Baltimore Hervey Brackbill 123 Breeding Bird Atlas of Montgomery County M. Kathleen Klimkiewicz 130 1972 Summary of Irish Grove Activities Charles R. Vaughn lh2 Mill Creek Sanctuary's Colonial History Dickson J. Preston 14-3 Third Maryland Record of Painted Bunting Richard A. Rowlett l46 The President's Page - Trustees Meeting Lawrence Zeleny 147 A "Wild" Flamingo in Maryland? Richard A, Rowlett l48 The Season — July, August, September, 1972 Chandler S. Robbins 150 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Winters in Piedmont Morrill B. Donnald 158 Observation of a Woodcock Feeding in a Merilyn B. Reeves Suburban Back Yard and Jean D. Jonkel 159 Brown Creeper - Ground Feeder Morgan V. Jones 'l6l Coming Events ^2 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Published Quarterly by the Maryland Ornithological Society, Inc. to Record and Encourage the Study of Birds of Maryland. Editors Chandler S. Robbins, Migratory Bird Populations Station, Laurel, Md. 20810 Asst. Editor* C, Douglas Hackman, 30 33 Woodside Ave. Balto. , 21234- Art Editor* William N. Schneider Production* Gladys Cole, Romell Decker, Janet Ganter, Prances Zapf Linda Hackman Mailing : Barbara Larrabee and committee. ANTA Ml ARIA Catering to Small Conventions & Banquets esWIMMING POOL eELEVATOR eDlNlNG ROOM PAIR-CONDITIONED & HEATED OPEN ALL YEAR 101 ROOMS On the Ocean at 15th Street Ocean City, Md. 21842 MOTOR HOTEL Phone ATlantic 9-7192