MARYLAND BIRDLIFE ISSN 0147-9725 JUNE 1985 VOLUME 41 NUMBER 2 MARYLAND ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY, INC. Cylburn Mansion, 4915 Greenspring Ave., Baltimore. Maryland 21209 STATE OFFICERS FOR MAY 1984 TO JUNE 1985 EXECUTIVE COUNCIL President: Martha Chestem. 10850 Faulkner Rdg Cr, Columbia MD 21044 739-1527 Vice President: CDR Anthony White. 5872 Marbury Road, Bethesda MD 20817 229 1641 Treasurer: Richard Cleveland. 19108 N. Pike Cr. PI, Gaithersburg MD 926-7109 Secretary: Helen Ford. 408 Beach Drive. Annapolis MD 21403 267-8417 Executive Secy: Mary Love. 10735 Cordage Walk. Columbia. MD 21044 596 3148 Past President: John Cullom. 437 Paradise Avenue. Baltimore, MD 21228 747-5870 STATE DIRECTORS Allegany •Mark Weatherholt Robert Hiegel Howard •David Pardoe Jane H. Farrell Roy Trudel Anne Arundel •Dorothy Mumford Emily Joyce Paul Zucker Baltimore Sue VanVeisir •Robert F. Ringler Jug Bay •John Gregoire Richard Dolesh John Cullom John Eckard Edwin Gosnell Kent •Stephen A. Hitchner Margaret Duncan Benjamin Kaestner Mac Donough Plant Steve Simon Jean Worthlev Montgomery •Paul O'Brien Margaret Donnald Philip A. DuMont Lola Oberman Caroline •Steve Westre Mariana Nuttle Patuxent •William L. Murphy Chandler S. Robbins Carroll Frederick •Robert Rasa William D. Ellis •Michael Welch Talbot •Terry Allen Jeff Effinger Robert Trever David H. Wallace Washington •Cameron Lewis Norma Lewis Harford •Kermit Updegrove Joyce Sherman Alberta Thurmond Sarah Standiford Wicomico •Maureen McAllister Lee Meinersmann •Denotes Chapter President Active Membership (adults) $5.00 plus local chapter dues Student Membership (full time students) 2.00 plus local chapter dues Junior Membership (under 18 years) 1.00 plus local chapter dues Family Membership (Mr. & Mrs.) 6.00 plus local chapter dues Sustaining Membership 10.00 plus local chapter dues Life Membership 200.00 (4 annual installments) Member-at-Large o.OO Cover: Barnacle Goose in Harford County. March 3. 1985. Photo hy Robert F. Ringer. BANK-NESTING STARLINGS Chandler S. Robbins On May 25, 1985, while looking for kingfisher nests in an abandoned gravel pit in Prince George’s County near Laurel, Maryland, I approached one of two Bank Swallow l Riparia riparia) colonies. As I walked along the base of the bank in which the nest holes were located, I noticed that several European Starlings ( Sturnus vulgaris ) at the top of the bank were scolding vigorously, apparently disturbed over the presence of a predator. Not until a starling suddenly flew out of one of three large nest holes in the bank did I realize that I was the source of their disturbance. As soon as I walked 10m away the vocalization ceased. I could not reach the starling burrows to take measurements, but they were about 10 cm in diameter, a little larger than Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon) burrows, and lacked the characteristic footmarks. Bent lU.S. National Museum Bull. 197, 1960) states that “Starlings’ nests have also been found in holes in haystacks, holes in cliffs and banks, such as the old burrows of kingfishers and bank swallows, and in cavities among rocks or heaps of stones.’’ He did not cite references for this statement, and I have found no references to bank-nesting in Feare’s The Starling (Oxford, 1984) or in other pub- lications. In a study of starling nests in West Virginia highway cuts along 1-79 and US 48, Michael and Taylor ( Condor 80: 113-115, 1978) found 127 nests in cavities in rock cliffs, but none in earthen cuts. Thus, it is uncertain whether bank nesting has previously been reported in the New World. The Maryland Ornithological Society’s 456 nest record cards for this species include no bank-nesting starling records for Maryland. Atlas workers should be warned that large holes in banks cannot be assumed to have been occupied by kingfishers. I thank Chris Grue for calling my attention to the Michael reference, and I thank Richard Jachowski and Barbara Dowell for their comments on an earlier draft of the manuscript. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD 20708 24 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 41, No. 2 STATEWIDE BIRD COUNT, MAY 4, 1985 Mike Resch Nearly ideal weather conditions greeted observers on the 38th annual State- wide Bird Count on May 4. Skies across the state were clear to partly cloudy, with calm air or light breezes, and temperatures ranging from a chilly low of 27° in northern Baltimore County to a pleasant high of 78° in Anne Arundel and Charles Counties. A total of 324 observers in about 159 parties came out to enjoy this beautiful spring day, amassing more than 1100 party-hours in the field or at feeders. The 4750 party-miles reported were roughly equivalent to lVz trips across the United States. Observers combing the Maryland countryside saw or heard over 121,000 birds of 225 species, plus one hybrid (Table 1). In keeping with recent tradition, counts were received from all Maryland counties as well as the District of Columbia. The count in Garrett County was made on May 11 instead of on the same day as the rest of the state; the Garrett species totals are included in Table 1, but are not included in the statewide totals in that table. Kent County observers reported the highest species total of 165 (Fig. 1). Second place went to Baltimore with 159, followed closely by Dorchester with 158 species. There were 21 species seen in every county, and an additional 19 were seen in all counties except one. On the other hand, 14 species were found in only one county, led by Allegany and Dorchester with three each. Maryland’s smallest county, Howard, tallied the highest number of individuals (13,251), followed by Prince Georges (10,961) and Baltimore (10,284). These numbers are skewed, however, by the fact that Howard County had two to three times as many parties as Prince Georges or Baltimore. „ C O U NT t E S [771 SPECIES ■■ I N D I V I D S. Figure 1. Number of species and individuals, by counties. May 4, 1985. June 1985 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 25 Howard County had the largest number of observers (51), followed by Mont- gomery (36), Allegany (29), and Caroline (28). Kudos are in order for the compilers of these latter two counties who were able to attract so many participants far from major population centers. On the negative side, only one observer participated in the District of Columbia and in Cecil and Worcester (!) Counties. The May Count has always had a problem getting sufficient coverage for several of the lower Eastern Shore counties. Selected rarities and notable sightings are mentioned below, in relation to observations on the 15 preceding May Counts. Great Egret in Frederick County; recorded on May Counts only three times 1970 to 1984 inclusive from the counties west of those bordering the Bay, including once before in Frederick. Tricolored Heron in St. Marys (acceptable details provided by Patty Craig); reported only twice west of the Bay since 1969, once in St. Marys. Surf Scoters (2) in Allegany (acceptable details by Paul Nazelrod, Ann & Paul Smith); reported only five times on post-1969 May Counts and never before from counties west of tidewater. Common Goldeneye in Howard (acceptable details by Mike Leumas); only three sightings from counties west of the Bay counties on post-1969 Counts, never before from Howard. Black Rail in St. Marys (acceptable details by Patty Craig); reported seven times outside Dorchester on post-1969 Counts and never in St. Marys. Willet in Frederick by Bonnie Smith; reported only once since 1969 west of the Bay counties, and never in Frederick. Black Skimmers (4) in Dorchester; reported only three times outside Worcester on post-1969 Counts, but now nesting in Dorchester. Willow Flycatcher in Baltimore County (acceptable details by Bob Dixon); only seven previous reports on post-1969 Counts and never in Baltimore. YEARS Figure 2. Total species on May Counts, 1970-85. 26 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 41, No. 2 Sedge Wrens (4) in Allegany (acceptable details provided by Teresa Simons, Deloris Gingerich, Mary Cordt, Mark Weatherhold); reported only twice west of the Bay counties on post-1969 Counts; once in Allegany. Loggerhead Shrikes, pair at nest site in Frederick, and one in Harford; reported 16 times across the state on post-1969 Counts and never in Harford. Spring sightings of these birds are always exciting. Lincoln’s Sparrow in Baltimore (acceptable details by Bob Dixon); reported 16 times across Maryland on post-1969 Counts (but how many of these were ac- companied by acceptable details?); never seen on Baltimore counts during the 15- year period. An “eggshell” comparison of the total species observed on the 1985 May Count with May Counts during the 1970-84 era is provided in Figure 2. The total species for the 1985 count was the lowest during this period. The primary reasons for the low species count were the limited coverage on the lower Eastern Shore (additional coverage in Worcester could have added 5 to 10 species to the state total), the lower number of lingering waterfowl, and the small number of ob- servers. Only in 1971 were there fewer observers. Reasons for the overall high variance in total species during this 16-year period include variable coastal coverage, variations in arrival dates for migratory species with respect to the date of the counts, and weather conditions. Population trends for four bird species for the 1973-85 period are indicated in Figures 3 through 6. For each of the years during this era, these figures present the May Count totals for each given species divided by the total party-hours for that year. The Bald Eagle graph (Figure 3) shows reasonably constant values for 1973-80, followed by substantial increases during the 1981-85 period. The 1985 total per party-hour was three times the median value for the 1973-1980 period. Figure 3. Bald Eagles per party-hour on May Counts , 1973-85. TOTAL BIRDS PER PARTY HOUR TOTAL BIRDS PER PARTY HOUR June 1985 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 27 Figure 4. Carolina Wrens per party-hour on May Counts. 1973-85. Figured. Eastern Bluebirds per party-hour on May Counts. 1973-85. 28 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 41, No. 2 Figure 4 provides an excellent portrayal of the Carolina Wren population crash that occurred during the severe winter of 1976-77. Although totals per party-hour have increased gradually since the '77-’79 minimum, the 1985 value is only two- thirds of the pre-1977 values. Long-term population increases are shown for the Eastern Bluebird in Figure 5 and for the House Finch in Figure 6. Annual bluebird increases have been rather gradual, with the exception of the more dramatic increase from 1984 to 1985. On the other hand, House Finch totals per party-hour have increased at a nearly geometric rate during the 1973-85 period. One wonders how long this type of increase will continue. Figure 6. House Finches per party-hour on May Counts , 1973-85. The reader must realize that conclusions drawn from May Count results are only as good as the raw data obtained from observers and compilers. Many May Count observers are prone to concentrate their efforts in search of the more unusual species. This could result in unnaturally low totals per party-hour for House Sparrows and starlings, and high totals per party-hour for orioles and tanagers. Additionally, in past years, many observers and compilers did not report complete party-hour totals. Many pre-1980 May Counts only reported total party- hours without totals for owling, car, and foot hours. Therefore, only total party- hours were used in Figures 3 through 6 to normalize the totals. Ideally, these population trends should have only used daytime party-hours to normalize the totals. Also, because the vast majority of wrens are observed while on foot with very few added while birding from the car, only foot party-hours should have been used for the Carolina Wren figure. Despite these potential problems, these figures still present very thought provoking trends. I thank all the observers and especially the compilers who assisted with this Count. I hope all of you will participate on the Statewide Bird Count of May 2, 1987. June 1985 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 29 COMPILERS AND OBSERVERS GARRETT COUNTY: Compiler: Fran Pope, 503 F. Street, Mt. Lake Park, MD 21550, 334-490 8. Observers: George, Jim & Mike Brady, Charlotte, Dan & Nancy Folk, Bruce McDonad, Fran Pope, Connie Skipper, Sallie Thayer, David & Susan Winner. ALLEGANY COUNTY: Compiler: Teresa Simons, 141 N. Bel Air Dr., Cumber- land, MD 21502, 729-4161. Observers: Helen Brake, Mary Cordt, Marjorie & Ronald Cunningham, Bill & Tuddy Eichelberger, Bill & Gladys Faherty, Flo Giffen, Susan Gannon, Deloris Gingerich, Kendrick Hodgdon, Jason & Ray Kiddy, Dorothea, Henry & Mark Malec, Lamar Minnick, Ginny Moran, Paul Nazelrod, John Pfieffer, Teresa Simons, Ann & Paul Smith, Grace Stark, Mary Twigg, Mark Weatherholt, John Willets. WASHINGTON COUNTY: Non-Participating Compiler: D. Daniel Boone, 18504 Queen Anne Bridge Rd., Mitchellville, MD 20716, 249-3840. Observers: Ted J. Banvard, Genevieve S. Beck, Robert Becket, Mary Corderman, Beulah Green, Laura D. Grove, Isabell Harrison, Carl & Jeanette Hull, Bob Keedy, Alice Mallonee, Robert Moss, Jean Neely, Frank Warfield. FREDERICK COUNTY: Compiler: Charles L. Mullican, 503 Lee Place, Frederick, MD 21701. Observers: Melvin Bennett, Lynn Callan, Serene Collins, Ed & Sonia Dapper, Ken Hunter, Carolyn & Kennedy Maize, Eleanor & Stauffer Miller, Charles L. Mullican, William M. Shirey, Bonnie Smith, Linda Smith, Ron Sunder- gili, Elise Thrasher, David H. Wallace, Michael J. Welch, Marilyn Yost. CARROLL COUNTY: Compiler: Bill Ellis, 6012 Snowdens Run Rd., Sykesville, MD 21784, 781-7113. Observers: Ric Conn, Bill Ellis, Jerry Newton, Margaret Stevenson. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Dave Czaplak, 3411 29th St., NW, #4, Washington, D.C., 20008. MONTGOMERY COUNTY: Compiler: David Mehlman, 106 Park Ave., Takoma Park, MD 20912. Observers: Clark Baker, Louise Berry, Eve Bloom, L.D. Bonham, Joy & Mike Bowen, Ellen & Robert Caswell, Grace Choy, Ed deMoll, Denise & Rob Gibbs, Delores Grant, Robert Hilton, Les Holtschlag, Vince Jones, Ruth Klein, Lucy, Nancy & Stuart MacClintock, Minette McCullough, David, Donald & Mieke Mehlman, Ann Mitchell, Lola Oberman, Dick Peacock, Ella Pfeiffer, Carol Pickett, Marie Plante, Margaret Sickels, Margaret & Paul Skully, Sally Ann Waldschmidt, Margaret Wester, Jim Wilkinson, Louise Zinsinger. HOWARD COUNTY: Compiler: Paul A. Zucker, 112 Finale Terrace, Silver Springs, MD 20901, 681-9005. Observers: Maud Banks, Michael Bjorkman, Bob Bogdan, Monika Botsai, Joe Byrnes, Marty Chestem, Eileen & John Clegg, Chuck Dupree, John Farrell, Richard Giannola, Sandy Goolsby, Linda & Steve Harsy, Anne & Ken Hart, Dave Harvey, David Holmes, Mary Janetatos, Alice Kretz, Marge Kupiec, Mike Leumas, Spud Loomis, Chris Ludwig, Brigitte Lund, Grazina & Mike McClure, Linda McDaniel, Rosamond Munro, Fran Nahrgang, Bea New- kirk, Jim Orgain, Dave Pardoe, Don and Jan Randle, Fred and Nan Rhinelander, Eleanor Robbins, Zelda Simon, Jo Solem, Chuck & Linda Stirrat, Joe Suess, Ken & Linda Tracey, Mark Wallace, Jack Whyte, Charles Williams, Cathy Williamson, Helen & Wendy Zeichner, Paul Zucker. BALTIMORE COUNTY: Compiler: Michael Resch, 1843 White Oak Ave., Baltimore, MD 21234, 661-4313. Observers: Bruce & Cory Beehler, David Belcher, Peggy Bohanan, Robert Dixon, Graham Egerton, Gail Frantz, Mike Hollins, Betty Iber, Daniel, Eric & Patsy Perlman, James Poultney, Bruce & Mike Reid, Michael Resch, Alan & Barbara Ross, Nancy Rowe, Carol Schreter, Stephen Simon, Debby Terry, Peter Webb, Joy Wheeler, Ann & Richard Wilder, Marion Glass Wilson. 30 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 41, No. 2 Table 1. Statewide Count, May 4, 1985 Species Garr Alle Wash Fred Crll D.C. Mont Howa Balt Harf Ceci Common Loon - - 1 - - - - 2 6 2 5 Pied-billed Grebe — 3 — - — — 1 — - Double-crested Cormorant - - 7 - - - - “ 2 25 - American Bittern - 1 - 1 - 1 “ - - Least Bittern - “ “ ~ "" _ Great Blue Heron _ 1 2 1 - - 7 7 13 10 6 Great Egret - - - 1 - - — _ 1 - — Snowy Egret - — — - — “ Little Blue Heron — — - — _ “ Tricolored Heron - - - - “ “ Cattle Egret _ _ _ _ - 7 - 1 - - - Green-backed Heron 1 6 3 12 - 1 8 7 10 4 — Black-crowned Night-Heron - - - - - 16 - - 3 13 — Yellow-crowned Night-Herot - - - - - - - - 2 - - Glossy Ibis - - - - “ Tundra Swan _ _ - - - - - - - 1 - Mute Swan - - — - — — 1 _ Snow Goose — — — - — — - _ “ Canada Goose 8 _ 14 44 4 5 34 91 70 37 2 Wood Duck 9 25 26 31 - 2 24 23 14 10 2 Green-winged Teal _ - - - - - - - - American Black Duck _ 2 — — — — 1 Mallard 12 25 66 45 - 93 44 241 138 28 11 Blue-winged Teal 2 8 3 3 - 2 4 1 - - Northern Shoveler - - - _ Gadwall _ _ . - - - - - - - - American Wigeon - - - - - 2 - Lesser Scaup 5 10 - - - ” - Surf Scoter — 2 — — — _ “ ” ” White-winged Scoter - - - - — Common Goldeneye _ _ _ - - - - 1 - - - Bufflehead _ 2 — — — — — — Hooded Merganser - 1 - - - - - — Common Merganser — - - — — — 1 Red breasted Merganser - 7 - — “ 3 Ruddy Duck _ _ _ - - - - - 31 - - Black Vulture _ — 24 72 — 2 — 23 13 17 Turkey Vulture 7 46 3 79 5 1 28 129 68 19 2 Osprey - 2 4 4 - - 11 5 8 2 2 Bald Eagle (AD/1M) - - - " _ “ Northern Harrier _ 1 _ _ - - - - 2 - - Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1 3 1 - 1 - 3 3 1 “ Cooper's Hawk 1 4 - — — — _ — Red-shouldered Hawk 1 2 2 8 1 1 11 35 8 2 Broad-winged Hawk 3 3 9 3 2 4 6 3 1 Red-tailed Hawk 2 5 3 8 - ■ - 17 16 8 - American Kestrel 1 6 3 8 - - 5 15 3 5 ■ Merlin — - — — — — — Peregrine Falcon - - - - - - - — 2 _ Ring-necked Pheasant - - 8 19 6 “ 4 33 Ruffed Grouse 13 1 5 - - - - - - - - Wild Turkey 4 3 3 — — - 2 — — — Northern Bobwhite - 4 6 11 2 - 13 14 26 2 2 Black Rail — - - — - - - — — — Clapper Rail June 1985 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 31 Table 1. Statewide Count, May 4, 1985 (cont.) PrCe AnAr Calv Char StMa Kent QuAn Cam Talb Dorc Wieo Some Wore Total Cob. 2 1 1 12 1 5 18 2 58 13 — 4 _ — — I — — _ _ _ 9 4 1 69 4 52 - 24 25 - - 81 26 11 _ 327 12 “ - - - - - - - - - - 3 3 ] 1 “ 1 6 - - - 9 4 116 27 30 612 12 84 43 28 28 54 6 2 1 1090 21 - 1 - 1 2 1 3 2 4 12 1 1 6 36 13 1 — 1 - 1 - 32 - 7 40 2 7 14 105 9 - “ — - - — - 5 2 - _ _ 7 2 _ — 1 - - - - - - - 1 1 3 - - - 7 8 _ 6 35 9 6 28 no 10 19 9 1 3 3 6 7 7 9 10 5 12 _ 142 20 1 1 - - - ■ 1 2 - 5 - - - 42 8 2 — — — - - — — — - - - 4 2 ” - - - - - 13 - 8 - 21 2 - - - - - 1 1 _ _ _ _ _ 3 3 1 - - - - 23 8 2 12 - - _ _ 47 6 — — — - - - — 20 - 1 _ _ _ 21 2 135 4 — B - 333 7 3 22 83 18 _ 31 945 19 34 5 1 19 - 12 24 32 20 11 2 1 - 318 20 - 2 - - - 1 _ _ 1 15 _ _ _ 19 4 7 - - ■ 2 3 46 2 5 56 2 _ _ 133 12 30 69 6 13 22 428 20 53 44 62 23 22 17 1500 22 6 4 - - - 1 - 2 3 16 2 - - 55 13 - - - - - - 3 - - - 3 1 - - - - - - 1 _ _ 6 _ _ _ 7 2 — — - — — - - 1 — — - _ 3 2 - 7 ~ 6 - - 19 - - 1 - - - 43 5 - - - - - - - - 12 - - - - 12 1 1 1 : : - - - - - - - - - - 3 1 2 1 - — - ■ - - 1 - - - - - - 2 2 - - - - ■ - - 1 - - - - 11 3 - 60 _ _ _ 2 __ 1 4 _ _ 98 5 3 3 10 4 1 11 5 7 29 9 _ 1 _ 234 17 47 33 27 17 23 106 43 258 132 87 59 35 20 1267 23 14 11 5 29 16 25 26 10 59 42 10 17 2 304 21 3/3 1/0 - 2/4 - 7/5 4 3/0 6/2 11/5 0/1 110 - 58 10 1 - - _ . 1 _ _ 1 11 1 1 _ 19 8 1 2 6 1 — - 1 - - - 2 - - - 24 12 u 8 1 12 6 3 1 1 _ _ _ I : 6 113 2 17 i 13 - 1 - 1 - - - - - - - 47 12 10 2 7 5 2 9 3 15 9 8 6 2 135 18 3 - - 2 1 3 2 4 2 1 2 2 - 67 17 - — — - - - 1 - - - - - _ 1 1 - - - - - - - — - 1 - - _ 3 2 _ 2 - 6 - - - 111 9 - - - - - - - - _ _ _ _ 6 2 — — — — — - — — — _ _ _ S 3 16 21 13 26 11 42 39 89 74 54 31 22 i 519 22 - - - - 1 - - - - 12 - - - 13 2 3 3 i 32 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 41, No. 2 Table 1 . Statewide Count, May 4, 1985 (cont.) Garr Alle Wash Fred Crll D.C. Mont Howa Balt Harf Ceci King Rail 1 Virginia Rail - 1 - - - - - - 2 - - Sora — 3 - — — - — — — — _ Common Moorhen - - - 1 _ — — - - - 1 American Coot - - - - - 1 - - - - - Black-bellied Plover _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 2 _ _ Semipalmated Plover - - - 1 - - - - - - 3 Killdeer 8 28 11 13 3 2 — 32 15 5 1 American Oystercatcher - - - - - - - - - - - Greater Yellowlegs - 2 1 5 - - - 2 7 8 15 Lesser Yellowlegs _ 3 _ 20 _ _ _ 9 32 17 8 Solitary Sandpiper 3 2 3 30 — — 9 53 10 10 2 Willet — — - 1 — - — — - — — Spotted Sandpiper 21 12 2 13 - 5 11 39 25 8 1 Upland Sandpiper - - - - - - - 2 _ - - Semipalmated Sandpiper 20 _ _ _ _ _ _ 3 _ _ Least Sandpiper 6 4 — 26 — — - 10 37 2 17 Pectoral Sandpiper _ - - - — — — — - — Dunlin — - - — - — — - - — - Peep sp. - - - - — — - - - - - Short-billed Dowitcher 2 _ _ _ _ _ 1 _ _ Common Snipe - 1 1 6 - — — 1 4 1 - American Woodcock 1 — 1 - — _ 3 4 7 1 — Laughing Gull - - - - - - - - 318 - 2 Bonaparte's Gull - - - - - - - - - — Ring-billed Gull 27 30 _ 26 _ 164 __ 2244 84 10 Herring Gull - - - - - 1 - - 73 100 1 Great Black-backed Gull — - — — — 3 — 3 — 1 Caspian Tern - - - - - - - - - - - Royal Tern - - - - - - - - - - - Common Tern _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ Forster's Tern _ _ _ _ _ 3 _ 2 1 _ Least Tern _ _ _ _ _ __ _ 5 Black Skimmer _ _ - _ _ _ __ _ Rock Dove 39 169 101 68 8 215 69 321 299 33 1 Mourning Dove 32 81 60 145 13 29 144 439 147 64 _ Ringed Turtle-Dove - 1 - — - - — - - — — Black billed Cuckoo 3 2 1 — _ — — — — — Yellow-billed Cuckoo _ 3 2 3 1 _ 6 1 1 _ - Common Barn-Owl 1 - - - - - - - 4 - - Eastern Screech-Owl 3 2 _ _ _ _ 2 1 __ 1 Great Horned Owl . _ 2 1 _ _ 2 1 _ 2 - Barred Owl 3 _ 6 4 _ _ 4 14 4 2 - Common Nighthawk - _ 1 . - - - - - ■ Chuck-will’s-widow - - 3 - - - - - 2 - - Whip-poor-will 4 2 _ _ _ _ 1 16 _ _ Chimmey Swift 2 175 121 81 5 31 90 175 123 33 12 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 7 8 4 2 _ _ 5 12 6 1 — Belted Kingfisher 1 4 11 10 1 2 8 20 13 1 Red-headed Woodpecker - - - - - - 1 1 1 1 - Red-bellied Woodpecker 50 53 93 3 11 118 115 37 27 8 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Downy Woodpecker 8 26 26 25 5 28 48 22 11 5 Hairy Woodpecker 5 12 9 4 1 1 10 6 4 2 1 Northern Flicker 3 42 33 50 1 12 37 76 47 25 4 June 1985 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 33 Table 1. Statewide Count, May 4, 1985 (cont.) PrGe AnAr Calv Char StMa Kent QuAn Cam Talb Dorc Wico Some Wore Total Cos. 2 1 1 2 7 5 - - - - - 25 2 4 19 107 _ _ 160 7 3 3 2 - — 4 - - — _ - _ _ 15 5 1 18 - - - — - - - 2 — - _ 23 5 1 2 - - - - - - - - - - - 4 3 - _ _ _ 6 _ _ 1 _ _ 9 3 1 - — - - 9 _ _ _ 35 22 _ _ 71 6 5 8 - 9 2 2 4 16 7 5 1 57 7 2 1 178 21 43 - 12 1 21 18 34 12 9 6 - 1 2 253 17 7 8 _ 5 17 15 27 8 7 103 30 _ _ 316 16 2 4 - 3 1 4 - - 3 2 18 - _ 156 16 — — — — — — - — — 50 2 _ 1 54 4 13 21 2 11 10 7 2 8 5 6 5 2 - 208 21 - - - - - - - - 1 - - - 3 2 - _ _ _ __ 6 7 19 _ 5 9 _ 71 7 36 4 — — 1 36 — 2 35 201 341 _ _ 752 14 1 — 1 - — 10 - — — 16 - _ _ 28 4 - — - - — 2 - - — 440 18 — - 460 3 _ - — - 16 - - - - - - - - 16 1 1 _ - - - 1 _ _ _ 2 _ _ 5 4 7 - - - - - _ _ 1 5 _ _ _ 27 9 1 7 — - - 4 3 _ 6 7 _ _ _ 44 11 1 900 16 77 132 118 275 209 965 620 77 302 450 4462 15 - - - 1 3 19 - - - - - - - 23 3 70 116 22 296 3 918 453 146 176 172 _ _ 20 4950 17 — 185 - 14 72 283 - 1 6 80 5 4 100 925 14 - 16 — - 12 6 — — 1 1 1 1 45 10 — 1 — — 10 - — — — — - _ _ 11 2 — - - 17 10 ■ - - 12 3 6 - - 48 5 - _ _ _ 7 _ _ _ _ 150 _ 6 _ 163 3 _ : — 3 — 3 21 71 10 55 - 2 161 15 9 2 40 210 66 - 90 26 62 50 4 80 36 - 2 39 6 1983 2 20 34 130 25 91 22 83 64 111 68 68 42 21 8 1889 1 22 1 2 1 1 1 - 1 7 1 2 8 - 5 2 1 - - 4 45 7 3 16 3 1 _ _ _ 6 3 2 8 4 1 34 12 5 3 — 6 - 8 2 6 31 10 - - - 79 13 5 - 15 1 6 3 5 13 5 “ - - 87 14 - 4 - - 1 28 3 - 7 15 1 - - 64 3 9 5 8 _ 10 1 18 2 12 6 3 1 _ _ 89 14 37 40 9 37 5 108 17 66 105 47 33 8 4 1362 23 3 4 5 8 3 6 10 11 10 5 3 — - 106 18 13 15 12 5 5 3 6 8 5 1 1 2 1 147 22 - - - 3 - 2 - - - 5 - - - 14 7 21 65 7 66 4 27 17 64 57 25 16 2 - 886 22 4 21 3 14 3 18 3 21 21 15 4 3 1 1 327 1 22 — 3 — 1 - 5 3 4 5 6 3 _ 80 18 15 38 4 6 4 12 13 33 41 23 4 10 530 22 34 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 41, No. 2 Table 1. Statewide Count, May 4, 1985 (cont.) Garr Alle Wash Fred Crll D.C. Mont Howa Balt Harf Ceci Pileated Woodpecker 3 10 12 10 3 19 6 5 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee — 1 2 — 3 4 2 1 — Acadian Flvcatcher 4 2 4 4 - — 20 5 1 - — Willow Flvcatcher - - — — — — - - 1 - - Least Flycatcher 12 1 1 _ 2 “ Eastern Phoebe e 79 34 23 - 2 17 39 30 14 1 Great Crested Flycatcher 22 9 46 8 1 1 39 9 11 5 1 Eastern Kingbird 5 20 15 27 3 6 26 76 48 15 3 Horned Lark 2 4 6 — 1 — 1 — 3 2 Purple Martin 6 - 52 12 2 - 17 56 34 5 2 Tree Swallow 49 76 50 80 - 87 40 64 106 17 100 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 9 46 60 47 4 29 22 53 68 10 20 Bank Swallow - 17 14 6 - 5 - 1 9 - 40 Cliff Swallow 20 2 11 — — — 5 52 — Barn Swallow 38 87 65 90 9 108 25 309 218 57 50 Blue Jay 55 116 67 51 8 26 131 186 130 58 15 American Crow 83 141 215 227 15 57 225 470 230 85 10 Fish Crow - 4 18 21 1 7 16 9 12 4 8 Crow Sp. — - - - “ ““ 16 “ Common Raven 3 4 1 ~ Black-capped Chickadee Carolina Chickadee 60 71 12 31 35 - 33 117 153 80 21 4 Tufted Titmouse 14 79 87 56 11 29 139 154 66 21 4 White-breasted Nuthatch 15 19 9 5 - 4 23 12 5 5 — Brown headed Nuthatch “ ■“ *“ Brown Creeper Carolina Wren 4 32 2 36 35 2 24 102 64 2 48 7 2 House Wren 26 51 39 84 8 8 176 85 67 21 5 Sedge Wren - 4 - - - _ _ — Marsh Wren “ ~ 1 1 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet 8 - - - - - - - - - - Ruby-crowned Kinglet — 5 — 4 1 1 7 13 8 4 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 22 81 75 74 6 4 155 129 38 ii - Eastern Bluebird 7 29 38 46 1 - 155 144 56 33 i Veery 14 1 4 2 - 9 5 13 17 1 _ Swainson's Thrush _ _ - - - 3 - - 3 - - Hermit Thrush 3 1 — — — 2 — 2 2 ” Wood Thrush 38 32 54 67 8 27 129 150 72 16 10 American Robin 151 532 212 191 19 45 128 724 318 82 24 Gray Catbird 88 71 27 118 11 32 230 356 158 67 6 Northern Mockingbird _ 36 45 78 3 14 59 197 64 36 10 Brown Thrasher 2 18 32 13 2 — 9 32 10 3 6 Water Pipit _ 1 — 8 8 1 — 36 — 1 86 — Cedar Waxwing 21 116 175 232 48 55 152 113 254 30 Loggerhead Shrike - - - 2 — 1 European Starling 150 275 372 390 71 420 320 1036 581 130 50 White^eyed Vireo 27 37 3 10 2 1 63 120 58 19 6 Solitary Vireo 7 - — 1 — — 3 2 Yellow-throated Vireo 1 4 1 2 - 1 13 13 8 1 - Warbling Vireo - 5 39 17 - 4 18 4 1 1 Red-eyed Vireo 38 39 13 13 6 19 109 113 55 11 10 Blue-winged Warbler - 1 2 3 3 7 14 48 25 2 3 Golden-winged Warbler 33 10 1 - — - - — - — — Brewster's hybrid — — - — — — — — 1 — Tennessee Warbler 5 1 2 - 2 1 5 3 - - - June 1985 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 35 Table 1. Statewide Count, May 4, 1985 (cont.) PrGe AnAr Calv Char SlMa Kent QuAn Cam Talb Dore Wico Some Wore Total Cos. 7 4 6 1 1 It 4 8 2 no 17 1 4 2 1 2 _ 5 3 6 1 - - 38 15 1 1 12 - 2 2 6 2 - “ - 62 13 1 1 4 3 317 20 5 8 3 15 7 3 18 12 1 5 1 1 6 — 3 - 13 4 44 20 28 11 1 1 262 21 24 26 - 41 31 33 29 43 42 54 10 16 4 592 22 — - - - - 7 1 17 12 7 16 _ _ 77 12 26 18 55 51 12 65 40 128 63 76 47 34 4 799 21 5432 89 1537 209 31 175 25 148 172 198 44 18 _ 8698 21 10 12 - 12 - 30 3 17 4 2 1 - 4 454 20 39 1 584 112 49 - - 72 1 8 2 7 - - - 382 15 72 6 3206 23 259 36 181 67 155 95 279 139 271 85 27 10 36 196 15 33 1 38 41 144 65 25 41 7 6 1436 23 30 267 17 147 20 69 58 200 88 43 45 22 10 2691 23 15 41 6 23 3 2 32 20 33 125 27 14 3 - 442 22 18 2 5 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - 17 113 8 79 16 47 51 104 52 20 38 16 - 83 2 1035 20 12 93 5 87 2 35 9 117 38 11 30 7 - 1112 22 1 9 — 11 — 3 — - 2 1 — — - 109 14 - - - - - - - - 2 8 2 - - 12 3 8 2 45 8 57 9 26 24 47 1 41 31 22 15 1 7 4 686 23 9 45 - 1 - 42 18 15 6 19 17 20 - 736 20 6 2 145 13 20 9 2 - 4 13 6 2 7 61 1 8 - 3 11 - 5 - 8 3 - 1 - - - - 8 1 75 15 12 34 1 34 — 29 8 7 19 3 1 1 - 722 20 154 12 10 54 19 13 7 117 41 33 13 35 1 1012 22 - - - 1 - 1 - 2 1 - - - - 57 12 2 2 1 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 11 5 - _ - - _ 5 2 - 2 - - - - 16 7 35 116 3 44 8 68 26 73 109 21 16 2 - 1086 22 78 251 45 104 21 744 197 351 205 173 159 34 34 4671 23 35 143 5 43 26 110 50 61 59 43 26 8 - 1685 22 17 75 21 47 17 86 43 105 50 39 29 14 15 1100 23 5 19 2 13 3 18 3 50 17 7 4 5 - 271 21 — 1 — - - - — — 40 - - - - 96 8 20 80 2 103 16 72 - 72 78 - 19 - - 1723 19 3 2 93 402 39 125 16 398 118 1196 352 365 186 25 55 7015 23 33 50 5 41 15 30 15 47 30 21 31 17 - 654 22 5 2 _ 2 — — _ — — _ _ 15 6 5 4 - 7 - 9 1 3 1 1 - - - 74 16 5 - - - - 3 - - - - - - - 97 10 25 91 23 112 18 58 12 92 77 12 19 18 _ 945 22 5 22 - 9 1 18 1 - 9 25 5 - - - 202 18 45 3 2 _ - 3 _ 5 - * 1 _ _ _ 1 1 25 10 36 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 41, No. 2 Table 1. Statewide Count, May 4, 1985 (cont.) Garr Alle Wash Fred Oil D.C. M.mt Ilnwa Balt llarf (Voi Nashville Warbler 2 Northern Parula 4 Yellow Warbler 48 Chestnut-sided Warbler 131 Magnolia Warbler 23 Cape May Warbler - Black-throated Blue Warbler 45 Yellow rumped Warbler 4 Black-throated Green Warbler 17 Blackburnian Warbler 9 Yellow-throated Warbler - Pine Warbler — Prairie Warbler 2 Palm Warbler - Bay-breasted Warbler 3 Blackpoll Warbler - Cerulean Warbler 1 Black-and-white Warbler 31 American Redstart 48 Prothonotary Warbler — Worm-eating Warbler 1 Ovenbird 55 Northern Waterthrush 7 Louisiana Waterthrush 3 Kentucky Warbler 4 Common Yellowthroat 98 Hooded Warbler 38 Wilson's Warbler — Canada Warbler 20 Yellow-breasted Chat 1 Summer Tanager - Scarlet Tanager 40 Northern Cardinal 38 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 101 Blue Grosbeak - Indigo Bunting 95 Rufous-sided Towhee 96 Chipping Sparrow 82 Field Sparrow 46 Vesper Sparrow 1 Savannah Sparrow 12 Grasshopper Sparrow Henslow's Sparrow Sharp-tailed Sparrow Seaside Sparrow Song Sparrow 76 Lincoln's Sparrow — Swamp Sparrow 29 White-throated Sparrow — White-crowned Sparrow — Dark-eyed Junco 1 Bobolink 62 Red-winged Blackbird 164 Eastern Meadowlark 40 Rusty Blackbird - 2 1 1 1 2 3 5 12 2 7 74 17 28 3 3 3 1 - 2 3 5 1 1 1 81 1 99 1 77 53 1 7 87 2 i i i 1 7 5 2 2 9 2 1 2 - 20 7 1 3 - - 1 1 2 1 _ _ 4 1 6 - - - 3 3 4 5 4 16 3 8 6 - 1 1 13 4 I 2 S 5 4 1 2 1 5 10 5 11 8 5 - - 5 4 4 14 1 2 - - 6 2 3 61 12 35 6 5 - 1 - 4 1 2 13 2 2 - - 24 5 9 2 15 181 221 190 15 76 6 6 3 5 - 5 46 6 i 4 5 114 40 45 7 12 166 60 26 4 2 49 44 6 29 7 1 5 2 5 1 21 3 2 - 149 83 157 6 59 8 11 2 1 _ 21 93 105 75 29 8 10 19 — - 1 4 - 29 - - 238 125 249 2 11 28 25 36 7 - 3 — — — 1 1 2 _ _ 77 58 35 6 2 15 89 47 22 2 8 11 8 1 _ 6 12 8 2 1 19 3 16 6 1 ] 302 741 394 110 16 10 16 9 2 2 2 1 1 - - 10 21 2 1 _ 5 1 3 _ 30 33 26 4 1 — 3 1 3 1 1 : 11 1 4 - 2 35 60 37 7 1 28 34 20 2 — 10 1 2 1 - 2 6 6 _ _ 25 106 39 6 1 7 7 10 1 _ 21 19 3 2 - 9 20 7 1 - 143 216 107 19 8 2 14 2 - 1 22 1 11 2 1 - 2 34 22 27 - 1 323 414 198 81 10 16 6 4 2 2 1 1 1 - - 29 17 17 6 _ 94 116 79 17 10 18 147 63 23 6 46 52 37 12 8 - 6 3 - - 3 33 29 4 _ 1 35 6 2 94 210 149 1 22 10 16 10 1 25 11 2 217 228 160 53 6 4 14 - 4 - - 558 90 50 - 122 769 390 95 150 4 59 22 8 4 3 - - 12 - June 1985 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 37 Table 1. Statewide Count t May 4, 1985 (cont.) PrGe AnAr Calv Char StMa Kent QuAn Cam Talb Dorc Wico Some Wore Total Cos. 1 2 1 1 15 11 28 60 5 82 - 31 2 7 22 16 3 _ 463 20 22 26 1 18 2 55 25 7 18 35 3 16 _ 528 22 2 9 1 1 - 13 1 - 6 1 _ - 71 16 1 - - 2 - 5 - - 1 - - - - 44 11 1 _ - 2 - 7 - 4 _ _ _ _ 22 10 4 14 1 5 - 1 2 7 13 3 _ _ _ 100 15 199 316 20 203 13 677 55 149 160 74 45 1 1 3873 23 1 12 - 2 - 8 - - 2 3 - - - 77 15 I - 1 - - - - - - - - - 9 7 1 3 1 _ 2 _ 2 _ _ 52 12 1 5 - 8 6 5 9 13 33 56 24 3 - 186 18 15 32 1 21 17 6 1 10 11 10 26 3 _ 278 21 2 - - 8 - 4 - - - - - - - 22 6 1 - - - - 1 — - - - - - - 9 8 1 - - 2 - 3 1 4 2 3 _ _ 25 12 — — — — — 1 - — — 1 — — _ 26 6 7 46 1 33 3 36 15 49 39 22 15 - - 438 21 9 5 3 5 — 11 3 3 4 3 _ - _ 148 17 3 6 - 7 - 10 4 20 2 6 3 - - 96 18 _ 5 _ _ _ 6 _ 3 8 _ 3 _ _ 59 13 17 56 4 43 11 27 4 62 55 17 16 1 1 523 23 3 — — — 3 — — — — — 49 9 2 4 1 13 - 3 - 8 11 - - - 112 16 1 6 - 14 - 3 2 21 15 - - - - 110 14 37 91 13 41 13 77 53 67 50 87 35 23 1 1200 23 7 21 1 31 1 - - - - - 3 - - 88 11 — — — — — — — — — — — _ _ 2 2 1 5 - - - 2 - 6 1 _ _ - _ 16 6 6 5 2 10 - 16 - 5 3 9 2 - - 111 16 _ 1 _ 2 1 2 _ 7 10 13 1 39 9 5 44 48 258 1 50 29 133 1 16 18 110 194 39 108 53 58 11 . 48 1 1 2942 23 345 19 1 4 - 9 - 2 3 3 11 6 _ - - 91 17 5 5 1 8 4 8 3 34 10 8 2 - - 94 15 8 6 3 43 3 7 1 15 20 9 5 1 _ 252 2! 39 61 10 27 6 35 42 65 38 20 14 3 - 894 22 28 49 10 69 7 75 23 124 72 26 26 27 3 1054 23 9 44 2 29 10 82 24 34 6 7 6 1 _ 539 22 - 1 - - - 3 - 6 2 - - - - 27 7 14 13 __ _ 3 4 4 23 54 22 _ _ _ 218 15 4 2 - 5 - 10 12 6 - - - - - 110 14 — — — — — — — — — 6 — — — 6 1 _ _ _ _ _ 1 _ _ 4 _ _ 5 2 - - - - - - 3 - - 70 - 2 - 75 3 16 64 13 23 5 67 40 18 20 12 17 5 4 1243 23 — — — — — — — _ _ — — — 1 1 19 23 1 9 5 14 4 4 8 2 _ _ - 175 19 24 132 2 27 76 75 54 66 43 41 3 i 2 1533 23 - - - 1 - 4 1 - 2 - - - - 67 10 _ _ _ _ 2 _ 6 40 _ _ _ _ 49 4 1 1 - 30 - 6 - 214 6 1 - - - 990 12 !538 238 1013 238 51 550 289 460 492 610 130 217 35 9012 23 4 5 2 8 4 27 11 20 30 45 1 1 i 352 22 2 193 214 6 38 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 41, No. 2 Table 1. (cont.) Statewide Count, May 4, 1985 Carr Alle Wash Fred Crll D.C, Mont Howa Ball Harf Ceci Boat-tailed Grackle Common Grackle 86 362 595 530 43 40 252 814 364 95 50 Brown-headed Cowbird 30 105 113 79 5 11 93 185 55 34 20 Orchard Oriole - 4 5 3 2 6 11 12 3 _ 3 Northern Oriole 21 46 84 48 5 9 28 37 32 5 1 Purple Finch 6 _ 7 1 _ — __ 6 4 House Finch 9 151 63 47 — 39 89 174 63 33 6 American Goldfinch 108 197 313 241 16 14 328 454 392 83 10 House Sparrow 19 214 148 268 27 290 62 321 280 52 10 Total Species 115 138 131 124 79 102 115 138 159 120 84 Total Individuals 3071 5469 4911 5419 639 2496 6160 13251 10284 2385 895 Party-hours: Owiing 2 2 3 2 _ 0.5 4.5 1.5 1 0.5 Foot 19 63 23 50 10 14 — 138 68 20 5 Car 14 34 15 13 2.5 1 _ 37 11 21 3.5 Bicycle - - 6 - - - - - - - - Boat/Canoe — — — — — - — — 2 — — Feeder 1 16 - _ - - - 8 - - - Total 36 115 47 65 12.5 15.5 - 187 82.5 42 9 Party-Miles: Owiing 10 10 5 12 _ _ — 10 0.5 1 _ Foot 17 55 20 34 15.5 16 - 134 54 17 5 Car 201 310 174 222 50 8 - 584 125 199 60 Bicycle - - 15 - - - - - - - - Boat/Canoe — — — — — — — — 8 — — Total 228 375 214 268 65.5 24 - 728 187 217 65 Starting Time _ 0230 0430 0500 0700 0500 0300 0500 0530 0430 Ending Time - 1930 2000 2115 1600 2000 - 2030 2105 2000 1330 Total Observers 12 29 14 19 4 1 36 51 25 21 1 Number of Parties^ 5 (141 6 (8) 2 1 (181 23 11 5 1 Maximum Temperature _ 70 68 70 _ 70 _ 70s 75 70 - Minimum Temperature 32 35 35 — 48 — 40‘s 27 60 — Sky in Morning — CLR CLR PCL — CLR - FOG CLR CLR - Sky in Afternoon — PCL PCL PCL — CLR — CLR CLR CLR — Precipitation - NON NON NON - NON - NON NON NON NON Wind - N 10 10 LTVR - LTVR - LT CALM LT - *The Garrett County count was not performed on 5/4/85. Although the Garrett Observa- tions are included in this table, these observations are not included in the total columns. 'Number of parties presented in parentheses were estimated based on the state average of S party-hours per party. HARFORD COUNTY: Non-Participating Compiler: John D. Wortman, 110 Springlake Way, Havre de Grace, MD 21078, 939-3146. Observers: Bryan Blazie, Henry & Sarah Burden, Barbara Canfield, Mary Cook, Tom Congersky, Les Eastman, Louise Eck, Todd Holden, Dennis Kirkwood, Herb & Susan Lesser, Harvey & Marian Mudd, Gail Mundis, John Nack, Bob Newell, Bill Pfingsten, Barbara Siebens, Spike Updegrove, June Vaughn. CECIL COUNTY: Clark Jeschke, 111 W. Mulberry St., Baltimore, MD 21207. PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY: Compiler: John Gregoire, 3811 Oglethorpe St., Hyattsville, MD 20782. Observers: Dan & Renee Burns, Rich Dolesh, Sue Dorney, John Gregoire, Greg Kearns, Elaine Lowry, Elwood Martin, Paul Nistico, Bill Ruxton, Mike Sorensen, Jean Tierney, Roger Weakley. ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY: Compiler: Ellen Gizzarelli, 549 Maple Ridge Lane, Odenton, MD 21113, 674-9501. Observers: Jeff Bickart, James Cheevers, Pat Chiles, Alex Doster, Ellen Gizzarelli, Emily Joyce, Bob Groesse, Dotty Mumford, Dee Olsen, Robert Ringler, D. Rudis, H. Goodwin Stevenson. June 1985 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 39 Table 1. Statewide Count, May 4, 1985 (cont.) PrGe AnAr Calv Char StMn Kent QuAn Cam Talb Dorc Wico Some Wore Total 13 8 21 65 207 143 274 27 643 636 1560 480 740 273 351 60 8604 15 113 22 56 12 159 36 246 178 80 24 4 27 1672 6 11 5 20 - 38 9 73 64 46 7 19 3 350 1 2 - 11 - 34 3 16 21 4 1 - - 388 _ _ 1 _ _ 3 1 _ _ _ _ 23 59 45 11 8 - 78 14 51 5 - 3 — 2 941 22 168 23 51 26 68 56 109 134 25 5 13 4 2752 2 145 30 67 20 119 31 314 144 52 63 12 6 2677 143 137 84 122 92 165 117 127 148 158 106 74 51 225 10961 7252 3525 5022 1182 8927 3856 9116 6945 7148 2700 1621 1048 121211 1 0.5 _ 5 _ 7.5 4.5 4 5 5 __ 0.5 _ 48 27.5 55 14.5 28.5 12 10.5 9 64 33 14 22.5 7.5 1 690 6 36 1 23 6 30.5 21 35.5 16 17 8 4 4 346 10 2 6.5 - - - - 5,5 - - - - - 26 30 1147 44.5 93.5 28 56.5 18 48.5 34.5 110 54 36 30.5 12 5 2 2 60 _ _ 45 4.5 74 _ 3 _ 229 17 28 _ 22 8 10 11.5 27.5 21 11 10.5 6 0.5 523.5 42 113 - 235 86 305 192 315 316 339 105 59 70 3909 18 63.5 45 3.5 _ _ _ _ _ 7 _ __ _ _ _ 106 147 36.5 317 94 315 248. 357 411 350 115. 68 70.5 4780 0500 0515 __ 530 0530 100 _ 0000 _ 0000 0645 0545 0700 0000 2030 1800 - 1930 2000 1900 - 2300 - 2100 1700 1800 1730 2300 13 12 5 11 6 11 7 28 10 5 9 5 1 324 7 (12) 3 7 3 4 4 (14) 6 (4) (4) 1 1 (159) 72 78 72 78 75 71 — 75 65 75 68 74 _ 78 33 38 35 45 42 43 — 35 45 45 42 42 27 CLR CLR _ CLR CLR CLR — CLR PCL PCL CLR CLR CLR CLEAR PCL PCL _ PCL CLR CLR - PCL PCL PCL CLR CLR -PTCLDY NON NON NON NON NON — NON NON NON NON NON NON NONE NW 10 5 5 10 CALM 0-15 - 10 10 LTVR CALM 10 CALM LT&VAR 21 19 7 19 23 23 CALVERT COUNTY: Compiler: John H. Fales, 2809 Ridge Rd., Huntington, MD 20639, 535-0486. Observers: Dan & Renee Burns, Sue Dorney, John H. Fales, John Gregoire, Helen P. Jones. CHARLES COUNTY: Compiler: George B. Wilmot, 401 Amherst Rd., Bryans Road, MD 20616, 375-8552. Observers: Fred & Karen Burggraf, Steve Cardano, Cora Fulton, Carol Ghebelian, Polly Hancock, Paul Nistico, Cal Posey, Olive Sorzano, Andrew & George Wilmot. ST. MARY’S COUNTY: Non-Participating Compiler: Ernest Willoughby, 6 Hartman Dr., Lexington Park, MD 20653, 862-9631. Observers: Anne Bishop, Jim Boxwell, Patty Craig, Shirley Dameron, Alice Mason, Ronald Runkles. KENT COUNTY: Co-Compilers: Floyd L. Parks, 129 Washington Ave., Chester- town, MD 21620, 778-3040, Jim Gruber, 201 Maple Ave., Chestertown, MD 21620, 778-6851. Observers: Page Hartley, Sarabelle & Steve Hitchner, Mary Home, Helen Gibson, Jim & Tricia Gruber, Floyd L., Jared, Lanny, and Zachary Parks. QUEEN ANNE’S COUNTY: Compiler: Lee McCullough, Rt. 1, Box 537-M, Chester, MD 21619, 643-2465. Observers: Mike Abele, Carol & Lee McCullough, Roland Limpert, Wilbur Rittenhouse, William Sladen, Jonathan Smith. CAROLINE COUNTY: Compiler : Wilbur Rittenhouse, RR 1, Box 13, Queen w Eo ro 40 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 41, No. 2 Anne, MD 21657, 364-5731. Observers: Catherine Adams, Debbie Bennet, Elsie & Irene Bilbrough, Meri Christian, Pearl & Sam Cloud, Jean DuPont, Jerry & Robera Fletcher, Inez & Joe Glime, Mark Grande, Edna Hanley, Marvin Hewitt, Anna Jones, Mariana Nuttle, Wilbur Rittenhouse, Ross Robinson, Carlene Schmick.Bill & Carol Scudder, L.T. Short, Daron, Isabel, Michael & Robert Todd, Steve Westre. TALBOT COUNTY: Compiler: Lester Coble, 46 High Banks Dr., Easton, MD 21601, 822-2432. Observers: Cathy Baptist, Wayne Bell, Lester Coble, Jeff Effinger, Steve Ford, Steve Goodbred Jr., Alice Jones, Richard Kleen, Don Merritt, Paul Noell, Jan Reese. DORCHESTER COUNTY: Compiler: Henry T. Armistead, 523 E. Durham St., Philadelphia, PA, 19119, (215) 248-4120. Observers: Henry T. Armistead, George Lisi, Heather L. Nicklas, Carl Perry, Paul R. Spitzer. WICOMICO COUNTY: Compiler: Charles R. Vaughn, 1306 Frederick Ave., Salisbury, MD 21801, 742-7221. Observers: Carol & Donald Broderick, Maurice & Marian Davis, Hugh Hanson, Daphne Johnson, Elizabeth Pitney, Charles & Gail Vaughn. SOMERSET COUNTY: Non-Participating Compiler: Charles R. Vaughn, 1306 Frederick Ave., Salisbury, MD 21801, 742-7221. Observers: Polly Batchelder, George & Laura French, Margaret Ann Larsen, Martha Simpkins. WORCESTER COUNTY: Non-Participating Compiler: Charles R. Vaughn, 1306 Frederick Ave., Salisbury, MD 21801, 742-7221. Observer: Mary Humphreys. 1843 White Oak Ave., Baltimore 21234 BOOK REVIEW THE COMPLETE OUTFITTING & SOURCE BOOK FOR BIRD WATCHING Michael Scofield 1978. The Great Outdoors Trading Company, 24759 Shore- line Highway Marshall, CA 94940. $6.95 paper, $12.95 hardcover. I was once naive enough to think that all you needed for birdwatching was a pass- able pair of binoculars and Robbins’ Field Guide to Birds of North America. I’m not convinced that’s still not true. However, we live in an age of overproduction and we birdwatchers won’t be allowed to escape, no matter how simple and straight- forward we’d like that all-consuming passion of ours to remain. For a while I ignored this book. After all, one of the benefits of belonging to MOS is the oppor- tunity to share sources and tips on the best equipment and the hottest birding spots. Leafing through “The Complete...’’ reveals that is is a well organized book, with lots of pertinent information on equipment, accessories, books, clubs, sites, tours, even a glossary. By far the most interesting chapter to me is the History. To know that Aristotle himself had a life list of 155 birds, that Columbus’ interest in birds was second only to his interest in gold, that Alexander Wilson came to America to become one of our first outstanding ornithologists after a career in Scotland writing satirical poetry, and to have the contributions of the great birdwatchers surveyed in one all-inclusive chapter, puts our own interest in its proper perspective. Having Chandler Robbins’ picture right there with Roger Tory Peterson is a bonus for us Marylanders. However, I don’t think I’d ever buy this book. If I wanted to know more about birdwatching I’d join the MOS. Joy Wheeler June 1985 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 41 THE SEASON Winter Season, December 1, 1984-February 28, 1985 Robert F. Ringler This season was marked by unusually mild weather in December and February with more typical severe cold during parts of January. Temperature records were set in Baltimore on December 29 (80 degrees for the Christmas count) and February 24 (84 degrees for a record for all of February). Precipitation was substantially below normal and the semi-hardy wintering species were not adversely affected. Christmas counting in this weather proved to be rather dull on most counts as there was little bird activity. Most northern species that we come to expect in winter did not make the scene this year, notably finches, nuthatches and chickadees. In Garrett County, where winter bird life takes on a totally different perspective from the rest of the state, it becomes easier to detect the limits of migration of some species that may be present the entire season elsewhere. Connie Skipper reports that the last patch of open water on Deep Creek Lake froze over on Jan. 16 when there were still 5 American Black Ducks, 100 Mallards and 6 drake Redheads left on the lake. The final departures for other species from there were 3 Pied-billed Grebes, 4 Tundra Swans and 7 Lesser Scaup on Dec. 29 and 19 Canada Geese, 11 Ring-necked Ducks, 1 Bufflehead and a Ruddy Duck on Jan. 9. There were no additional waterfowl sightings in Garrett until March. Such phenomena as lakes freezing over north and northwest of Maryland in mid-winter are responsible for the arrival in other parts of the state of sizable numbers of waterfowl well after the expected migration period. Abbreviations used in the text: CBC = Christmas Bird Count, DC = District of Columbia, NWR = National Wildlife Refuge, WMA = Wildlife Management Area. OBSERVERS: Garrett County — Danny Bystrak, Connie Skipper. Allegany — Teresa Simons. Frederick— David Wallace. Baltimore — Steve Simon, Jim Wilkinson. Harford — Rick Blom, Dennis Kirkwood, Bob Schutsky. Montgomery — Larry Bonham, John, Michael and Paul O’Brien, Robert W. Warfield. DC — Dave Czaplak. Prince Georges — Wally Sumner. Anne Arundel — Alex & Helene Hammer, Wayne Klockner. St. Marys — Ron Runkles, Erika Wilson. Kent — Jim & Patricia Gruber. Caroline — Ethel Engle, Jerry & Roberta Fletcher, Inez Glime, Marvin Hewitt, Alicia Knotts, Mariana Nuttle, Wilbur Rittenhouse, W. Schmick, Carol Scudder, Steve Westre. Loons, Grebes, Gannets. The only Red-throated Loons were 1 in Cuckold Creek in St. Marys County on Dec. 20 (Runkles) and 1 in the Potomac River off the National Colonial Farm on Jan. 13 (Hammer + ). Common Loons are scarce in mid- winter; inland reports were 6 at Seneca on Dec. 20 with 1 or 2 there afterward 42 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 41, No. 2 (Warfield), and 1 seen on Loch Raven on Jan. 16 and 25 with 2 there on the 27th (Simon). The season’s only pelagic trip out of Ocean City produced 2 Red-throated Loons, 11 unidentified loons and 250 Northern Gannets (Ron Naveen + ). Michael O’Brien estimated 50 gannets in sight from shore at Ocean City on Jan. 5. Steve Simon’s count of 13 Pied-billed Grebes on Loch Raven on Jan. 6 was very good for that date and another on Druid Lake on Feb. 7 (Wilkinson) was also unusual. Homed Grebes were little-mentioned in reports but there were 35 off Hains Point on Jan. 4 (Bonham) and 5 in Curtis Bay in Baltimore on Jan. 26 (Wilkinson). The only Red-necked Grebe reported was 1 in the Potomac off the Naval Research Lab on Jan. 2-24 (Czaplak). The outstanding find of the season was made on Loch Raven on Dec. 16 by Paul Noell who discovered a Western Grebe that was seen and photographed by many observers at least through Jan. 6. Cormorants , Herons, Ibis. The only Great Cormorant noted was at Ocean City on Dec. 1 (Charlie Swift + ). Single Double-crested Cormorants were seen at Denton on Dec. 11 and 13 (Hewitt) and in St. Marys County on Dec. 17 (Wilson). High counts of Great Blue Herons were 151 at Conowingo on Dec. 5 (Schutsky) and 28 in Baltimore on Dec. 22 (Ringler). Wilkinson spotted a late migrant Great Egret at Crofton on Dec. 3 and an immature Snowy Egret in south Baltimore on Dec. 2; however the Great Egret at Rock Hall on Feb. 13 (Gruber) does not fit any migration pattern and may have wintered locally. High counts of Black-crowned Night-Herons were 34 at Masonville on Dec. 22 (Ringler), 20 at Cox Creek in Anne Arundel County on Christmas Day (Hammer), 12 in DC on Jan. 19 (Czaplak) and 20-21 throughout the period at Conowingo (Schutsky). Polly Batchelder and a field trip of the Wicomico chapter found 6 Glossy Ibis at Deal Island WMA on Dec. 1, and 11 were seen there the next day (Swift + ). Another was seen on Piscataway Creek on the latter date (Nistico). Swans, Geese. Wilkinson found 5 Tundra Swans along New Design Road in southern Frederick County on Dec. 24 and on Jan. 5 Warfield saw 5 not far from there at Noland’s Ferry. Wilson counted 316 in St. Marys County on Jan. 24. A Mute Swan was on Sinepuxent Bay on Feb. 10 (Hammers) and 3 at Seneca on Feb, 16 (Bonham). There was an interesting assortment of Greater White-fronted Geese including the familiar bird in Harford County near Creswell which appeared (rather belatedly this season on Feb. 28) for the fifth consecutive year and brought 1 hybrid with it (Kirkwood + ). Another at Blackwater NWR on Dec. 2 (Jane Arnold) was also at a familiar location. Nistico found 3 White-fronts (an adult and 2 immatures) at the National Colonial Farm on Dec. 30 with 1 remaining through Jan. 12 and possibly the same bird being seen the next day at the nearby Alice Ferguson Farm (Hammers, Wilkinson). Another White-front was seen in Kent County on Jan. 23 (Carol Baldwin). Jim Gruber reports that 2 Greylag Geese were shot from a flock of 7 on Jan. 20 at the Conquest Farm in Queen Annes County by a surprised hunter. Though these are most likely escaped farm birds it is hoped that the identification could be confirmed by a photo or partial specimen. Matthew Perry’s aerial Snow Goose survey for the Fish & Wildlife Service found 3500 in the Ruthsburg area and 8000 in the Sudlersville area of Queen Annes County on Feb. 15. On Feb. 20 he estimated 18,000 near Barclay, 150 at Ruthsburg, 650 on the Corsica River, 2500 at Sudlersville, and 150 at Price, all in Queen Annes County, plus 100 at Snow Hill and 35 at Berlin in Worcester County; making a total of 21,585 in Maryland for the day. These counts were done on the leading edge of the spring migration season for geese and may reflect some early movement. Wilkinson estimated 3000 in the area 5-10 miles west of Ocean City on Feb. 9. An adult Snow Goose stayed in Harford County near Madonna from mid-January to June 1985 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 43 mid-February (Kirkwood). At Gaithersburg 2 were seen on Jan. 29 (Bonham) and 1 on Feb. 14 (Warfield). An adult Ross’ Goose was seen at Blackwater NWR, Dec. 29-31 (Paul O’Brien + ), for the second report in the state; the other being there 3 years before. A Barnacle Goose appeared with a flock of Canada Geese in the valley of Deer Creek in Harford County on Feb. 24 and remained into the spring (Kirkwood + ). Warfield noted Canadas still migrating on Dec. 20 with 60 over Seneca. Wintering flocks in the Piedmont included 1350 seen in Montgomery County on Jan. 24 with 500 of them at the National Geographic Society ponds, 700 at the National Bureau of Standards, and 150 at Seneca (Warfield). There were 1200 at Rockville on Feb. 2 (M. O’Brien), and 550 at Loch Raven on Jan. 30 (Simon). A Canada Goose of the small race hutchinsii was seen at Piney Run on Dec. 16 and Jan. 1 (Ringler). Puddle Ducks. The 2 Wood Ducks at Loch Raven on December 22 (Wilkinson) may have been late migrants; 3 at Pinto Marsh on Feb. 25 (Simons) were certainly early spring birds. The wintering flock at Druid Lake numbered about 85 on Jan. 25 (Ringler). Rare in mid-winter were 2 Green-winged Teal at Cumberland on Jan. 25, keeping company with 400 Mallards (Simons). At the Easton sewage lagoons on Jan. 6 were 50 Green-wings and 7 Northern Shovelers (Ringler). High winter counts at Loch Raven included 79 American Black Ducks on Jan. 27 and 400 Mallards on Feb. 10 (Simon); Czaplak estimated 700 Mallards in DC on Jan. 21. A female Northern Pintail at Druid Lake on Feb. 7 (Wilkinson) may have been an early migrant, which was almost certainly the case for the 22 at Blackwater NWR on Feb. 17 (Wilson). Wilkinson also found 18 Gadwalls in Baltimore harbor on Feb. 10. Diving Ducks. Wilson found 597 Canvasbacks wintering in St. Marys County on Jan. 24; flocks staging for northward migration in February were 1500 in Baltimore harbor on the 17th (Ringler), 2000 in Prospect Bay on the 23rd (Grubers), and 450 in Blackwalnut Cove on the 24th (Ringler + ). Wintering Redheads were 8 at Loch Raven on Jan. 24 (Simon), 7 in Baltimore harbor on Jan. 26 (Wilkinson), and 1 at Conowingo on Jan. 27 (M. O’Brien). Early migrant Redheads began with the first on Feb. 14 at Gaithersburg (Bonham) where there were 9 on Feb. 23 (M. O’Brien); 2 were at St. Michaels on Feb. 17 (Wilson), 2 at Denton on Feb. 20 (Hewitt) and 10 at Constitution Gardens in DC on Feb. 26 (Czaplak). The high count of Ring-necked Ducks was 230 at Georgetown Reservoir on Jan. 9 (Czaplak), and an early migrant was at Pinto on Feb. 25 (Simons). Reports of Greater Scaup were 11 on the Potomac in DC on Jan. 28 (Czaplak) and 1000 on the Chester River on Feb. 21 (Gruber). Estimates of Lesser Scaup were 2500 in Baltimore harbor on Feb. 17 (Ringler), 8000 on the Chester and Corsica Rivers on Feb. 21 (Gruber) and 95 on the Oxford sewage lagoons on Feb. 24 (Ringler). At Ocean City 4 King Eiders were seen from Dec. 27 through Feb. 18 with 1 remaining through Mar. 3 (M. O’Brien + ). The only Harlequin Ducks reported were 7 at Ocean City on Dec. 31 (M. O’Brien). A mixture of late migrant and wintering Oldsquaws were seen in December, with 3 at Port Deposit on the 5th (Schutsky), 18 at Piney Run on the 16th (Ringler + ), 334 in St. Marys County on the 17th (Wilson), 1 at the Cunningham Falls lake west of Thurmont on the 23rd (D. Wallace), and 32 in the Potomac off the Naval Research Lab on the 31st (Czaplak). The only Black Scoters reported were 2 in St. Marys County on Dec. 17 (Wilson). Notable records of Whiter winged Scoters were a drake at Piney Run on Dec. 8 (Hammers), 4 birds there on the 16th (Ringler + ), a drake at Leading Point in Baltimore on Jan. 26 (Wilkinson), and 2 on the Potomac in DC on Jan. 28 (Czaplak). Wilson also found 159 Common Goldeneyes and 126 Buffleheads wintering in St. Marys County on Jan. 24; migrants were 5 goldeneyes and a Bufflehead at Cumberland on Feb. 12 (Simons) and 12,000 goldeneyes on the 44 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 41, No. 2 Chester River on Feb. 21 (Gruber). High counts of wintering Hooded Mergansers were 23 at Loch Raven on Dec. 26 (Simon) and 10 at Conowingo on Jan. 27 (M. O’Brien). Steve Simon saw 34 Common Mergansers on Loch Raven on Jan. 23, and his last bird was on the 27th before the freeze-out. Returning birds appeared with the first open water, 8 on Feb. 17. Also on the 17th were 22 at Blackwater NWR (Wilson) and 75 at Masonville (Ringler). Also wintering were 400 Common Mergansers at Conowingo on Jan. 27 (M. O’Brien); perhaps the earliest migrants were 2 at Cumberland on Feb. 12 (Simons). The only report of Red-breasted Mergansers was 15 at Rock Hall on Feb. 21 (Gruber). There were 150 Ruddy Ducks off Marsh Point in St. Marys County on Dec. 11 (Runkles). Diurnal Raptors . The first migrant Turkey Vultures were seen on Feb. 24 with 1 at Rocky Gap in Allegany County (Simons) and 4 over Savage Mountain (Bystrak). The top Bald Eagle area for the season was the lower Susquehanna River, where Schutsky counted 23 different birds (7 adults and 16 immatures) on Dec. 5. Other observations were an adult in DC from Nov. 5 through Feb. 13 and an immature over the Potomac near Blue Plains on Jan. 22 (Czaplak), an adult in Baltimore harbor on Dec. 29 (Ringler + ), an adult at Point Lookout on Feb. 3 (M. O’Brien), 2 at Tuckahoe S. P. on Feb. 16 (Rittenhouse) and 1 at Loch Raven on Feb. 21 (Simon). Westre and Rittenhouse counted 21 Northern Harriers in the Greensboro area on Jan. 1, and in Allegany County Simons saw early migrants on Feb. 12 at Cumberland and on the 16th at North Branch. An adult Red-shouldered Hawk was displaying at Remington Farms on Feb. 23 (Ringler + ). Single Rough-legged Hawks were reported as follows: at Greensboro on Dec. 22 and Jan. 19 (Westre, Rittenhouse), in$he Jug Bay/Merkle WMA area from Dec. 26 through the winter and at Patuxent Naval Air Station on Jan. 12 (Gregoire), a light-phase bird along New Design Road in Frederick County on Dec. 28 (Wilkinson), and at Pinto Marsh, Feb. 10-23 (Simons). Schutsky observed an immature Golden Eagle at Conowingo through Dec. 29 and at Blackwater NWR 3 (2 adults and an immature) were seen on Jan. 5 (M. O’Brien). Kathy Trevor saw a Harris’ Hawk in Talbot County on Dec. 28, certainly a bird escaped from captivity. The only Merlin report was 1 at Denton on Dec. 12 (Hewitt). Shorebirds. A Black-bellied Plover at Point Lookout on Dec. 30 (Nistico) was extremely late for the bay. American Oystercatcher numbers at Ocean City were 29 on Jan. 5 (M. O’Brien), 6 on Feb. 9 (Hammers + ), and 2 on Feb. 17 (David Wright). This species started wintering regularly in Maryland only about 10 years ago. A Greater Yellowlegs was at Blackwater on Jan. 6 (Ringler) and a Lesser Yellowlegsat Lilypons on Jan. 9 (M. O’Brien). O’Brien also found a Least Sandpiper at Bestpitch in Dorchester County on Dec. 27. Unusual reports of Dunlin were 1 at Leading Point in Baltimore on Dec. 22 (Ringler) and birds at Conowingo with 3 on Jan. 25 (Klockner), 2 on the 27th (M. O’Brien), and 1 on Feb. 6 (Blom, Schutsky). More expected was the flock of 400 at Blackwater on Jan. 6 (Ringler). The first winter record of Ruff in Maryland was a female seen near Blackwater NWR on Jan. 6 by Floyd Hayes and Armas Hill, and the next day by Helen and John Ford. Wintering Common Snipe included 2 at Tanyard on Jan. 7 and 21 (Engle) and 3 at Lilypons on Jan. 24 (Bonham) with at least 1 through Feb. 16 (David Wright). Gulls, Terns, Alcids. The only Little Gull reported was an adult at Ocean City on Feb. 24 (Klockner, Wierenga). Five Bonaparte’s Gulls lingered at the Naval Research Lab in DC on Dec. 18 (Czaplak); the high count for the season was 180 at Ocean City on Feb. 24 (Bonham). The peak for Ring-billed Gulls at Conowingo was 12,000 on Jan. 16 (Schutsky) and inland there were 275 at Piney Run in Carroll June 1985 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 45 County on Feb. 17 (Ringler). The first migrant Ring-bills noted in western Maryland were 2 at Cumberland on Feb. 12 (Simons) and 3 over Savage Mountain on Feb. 24 (Bystrak). The high for Herring Gulls at Conowingo was 14,000 on Feb. 6 (Schutsky, Blom). These observers also saw a first-winter Thayer’s Gull there on Jan. 19 and Feb. 6, a first-winter Iceland Gull on Jan. 19, a second-winter bird there from Jan. 27 through Feb. 6, and a first-winter Glaucous Gull on Feb. 5, and 2 in that plumage the next day. Uncommon inland were Great Black-backed Gulls, with 1 on the Potomac River near Lander on Dec. 13 (Warfield), the first for Frederick County, 1 at Liberty Reservoir on Dec. 16 (Ringler + ), and 5 on Loch Raven on Jan. 6 (Simon). An adult Black-legged Kittiwake was seen from shore at Ocean City on Dec. 27 by Mike O’Brien who also noted 8 Forster’s Terns there the same day. The tally for a pelagic trip out of Ocean City on Feb. 23 was 7 Bonaparte's Gulls, 2240 Herring Gulls, 68 Great Black-backs, 41 kittiwakes, 156 Dovekies, 2 Razorbills, 2 unidentified large alcids and about 4-12 Atlantic Puffins (Naveen + ). Lesser Black-backed Gull Lesser Black-backed Gulls were again the most conspic- uous of the rare gulls, with some familiar adult birds returning, such as 1 at Fort McHenry through the season for its seventh winter, 2 birds seen there on Jan. 26 and Feb. 10 (Wilkinson), 1 in DC seen on Feb. 23 at Georgetown Reservoir by Czaplak who also saw a second-winter plumaged bird on Jan. 18 in Washington Channel, and 1 near Berlin on Feb. 10 (Hammers). The latter bird may have been the same one seen at Ocean City on Feb. 4 (Gregoire). Others were at Liberty Reservoir on Dec. 16 and Druid Lake on Feb. 17 (Ringler + ). By far the greatest abundance of Lesser Black-backs seen in the state occurred at Conowingo, where numerous birds were reported from Jan. 19 through Feb. 18, reaching a peak of 10 individuals on Feb. 6 (Schutsky, Blom). Numbered among this group were 5 adults, 1 third-winter bird and 4 first-winter birds. Blom contributes the following notes on the identification of first-winter Lesser Black-backs: “Like first-winter Herrings Gulls but with mostly white head and underparts with little dusky streaking below and that generally confined to the belly and the sides of the breast. The bill entirely black. Second-winter Herring Gulls, which can be mostly white below show a pale-based bill. Lesser Black-backs are usually slightly smaller and slimmer than a Herring Gull, and usually showing less brown, more black-and- white pattern to the upperparts than Herring Gull, though not quite as contrasting as the obviously larger and bigger-billed Great Black-backs. In flight the pattern of the tail and the wings were diagnostic. Lessers show a pale, almost unmarked rump contrasting strongly with an almost entirely blackish tail. Herring Gulls show a brown rump not contrasting with the tail. The wings of Lessers are darker than Herrings', not showing pale inner primaries and showing a distinct second dark bar on the upper surface, originating in the primary coverts and extending across the secondary coverts to the body. The most important thing in identifying these birds is to see all the characters, as young Herring Gulls are very variable and first- and second-winter birds can show one or two of the field marks that distinguish young Lessers.” Obviously this is an extremely difficult form to identify and care should be taken in doing so. Owls, Flickers, Phoebes. Michael O’Brien heard 9 Eastern Screech-Owls in one location near Berlin on Jan. 5. A Snowy Owl was seen at several locations in the Frederick area from about Dec. 14 through Jan. 28 (Stauffer Miller + ). Westre and Rittenhouse found 3 Short-eared Owls at Greensboro on Dec. 27, another was at Cherry Hill in Baltimore on Feb. 10 (Wilkinson), and 1 at North Branch on Feb. 16 (Simons). At Pinto Marsh on Feb. 17 Simons counted 18 Northern Flickers, evidence that the species may have wintered in above average numbers this year. 46 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 41, No. 2 Eastern Phoebes were particularly well-represented this season with the following lingering birds: 1 at Seneca on Dec. 7 (Warfield), 1 at Lilypons on Jan. 9 (M. O’Brien) and Jan. 18 (Tony White), 1 at Bryans Road in Charles County on Jan. 13 (Hammers, Wilkinson), 1 at Berlin on Jan. 19 (Sumner), 1 at Denton on Jan. 21 (R. Fletcher), and 1 at Laurel Grove in St. Marys County on Jan. 26 (Runkles); possible early spring migrants included 1 at Pennyfield on Feb. 18 and 27 (Bonham), and single birds on Feb. 27 at Lander (Warfield) and Beltsville (Sumner). Larks, Ravens, Nuthatches. Kirkwood estimated 100 Horned Larks in the fields near Madonna through the season, and the high count in southern Frederick County was 250 on Dec. 8 (Phil Olsen). Warfield saw 3 Northern Ravens on Jan. 9 at Lander near the extremity of the breeding range. Red-breasted Nuthatches were virtually absent this winter with reports of 1 at Patuxent River Park on Jan. 13 (Gregoire), 1 in Columbia on Feb. 13 (Boones), and 1 or 2 birds on each of eight Christmas Counts. The high count of Brown-headed Nuthatches at Point Lookout was 9 on Dec. 17 (Wilson). Gnatcatchers, Robins, Catbirds. A Blue-gray Gnatcatcher at Piscataway Park on Dec. 23 (Nistico) was an extraordinary occurrence for the winter though it has become almost annual in recent years. The first large migrant flocks of American Robins were 160 at Grasonville on Feb. 23 (Grubers) and 100 at Federalsburg on Feb. 24 (Schmick). Alex Hammer and Jim Wilkinson coaxed out 8 Gray Catbirds in Susquehanna State Park on Dec. 15, certainly another sign of the mild early winter. Pipits, Waxwings, Shrikes. The only flocks of Water Pipits reported were 57 at Laurel Grove on Jan. 14 (Runkles) and 65 at Rock Hall on Feb. 8 (Gruber). Wilson counted 133 Cedar Waxwings in St. Marys County on Feb. 21. A Loggerhead Shrike wintered at Lilypons (D. Wallace), this being at the northern limit of the range of the resident non-migratory population. Another was seen at Finzel on Feb. 25 (fide Bystrak), this a rarity for Garrett County. Warblers. The usual assortment of expected and unexpected warblers survived the early part of the season. Single Orange-crowned Warblers were at Williston on Dec. 15 (Engle, Bertie Plutschak) and at the National Arboretum the same day and also on Dec. 29 (Czaplak + ). Among the extraordinary warblers were a Northern Parula at Denton on Dec. 28 (Westre, Hewitt), a Yellow Warbler at Back River on Dec. 9 (Hammers, Wilkinson, Webb), a female Black-throated Blue Warbler at the National Arboretum on Dec. 29 (Czaplak), a Blackburnian Warbler in Barnard Hill Park, DC, Dec. 8-15 (Czaplak + ), and a male Wilson’s Warbler that was seen on Dec. 23 in the Maryland portion of the Fort Belvoir CBC (George Wilmot). A Yellow-rumped Warbler in Cumberland on Jan. 25 and 27 (Simons) shows that this species winters up to the edge of the Allegheny Plateau. Palm Warblers were seen at the Naval Research Lab in DC on Dec. 5 and 18 (Czaplak), 2 at Denton on Dec. 5 and 28 (Hewitt) and 1 at Blackwater N WR on Dec. 31 (M. O’Brien). Sparrows, Longspurs, Snow Buntings. An American Tree Sparrow at Denton on Jan. 31 (Westre) was rare in Caroline County; the high count for the season was 30 at Pinto Marsh on Feb. 24 (Simons). An impressive 44 Chipping Sparrows were counted at Denton on Feb. 1 (Westre), and 1 at Lilypons on Feb. 16 (David Wright) was rare for the Piedmont. Wintering Savannah Sparrows included 2 in Cecil County on Feb. 3 (Ringler, Blom) and 1 in Baltimore city on Feb. 17 (Ringler), a June 1985 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 47 time of the season when they are not usually seen there. Mike O’Brien found 3 Fox Sparrows at Point Lookout on Feb. 3. A high count of White-crowned Sparrows was 35 at Greensboro on Jan. 21 (Westre, Rittenhouse). The first Lapland Longspurs seen in southern Frederick County this winter were 8 on Dec. 2 (Barry Cooper); sightings continued at least through Jan. 27 when 12 were found (Wilkinson + ). Paul O’Brien found 7 Snow Buntings at Summit Hall Turf Farm on Feb. 24. Blackbirds, Orioles. A female Yellow-headed Blackbird at Rising Sun was in a flock of Common Grackles on Jan. 27 (Harold Fogelman + ). Rusty Blackbirds were scarce, but 8 were at Hughes Hollow on Feb. 18 (Bonham) and 4 at Gunpowder Falls State Park on Feb. 24 (Wilkinson). A male Brewer’s Blackbird was at a Columbia feeder from Jan. 19 or 20 through Feb. 1 (Richard Hagmer). The only Northern Orioles seen were single birds at the National Arboretum on Dec. 29 (Czaplak), the Point Lookout CBC on Dec. 30 (Gary Potter, Belle Mattingly), Battle Creek Cypress Swamp on Jan. 8 (Runkles), and Conowingo on Jan. 27 (Blom + ). The lone Pine Siskin reported after the CBCs was at Connie Skipper’s feeder in Garrett County on Feb. 7; 15 had been found on the Oakland CBC, and 1 to 5 each at Annapolis, DC, Liberty Reservoir and Lower Kent County. 3501 Melody Lane, Baltimore, MD 21207 ANNUAL REPORTS OF LOCAL CHAPTERS ANNE ARUNDEL CHAPTER The Anne Arundel Chapter had its usual busy year. Fifteen field trips were con- ducted to various locations ranging from Carey Run in the West to Chincoteague in the East. Seven programs were held during the winter months with subjects on: Butterflies, the Chesapeake Bay, Guess-a-bird slides, birding in England, Trinidad and Australia. These were topped off by our annual Wildlife Lecture that featured Ron Naveen and pelagic species. Two potluck picnics were held, with much socializing and overeating. We had a very successful Christmas Count co-coordinated by Hal Wierenga and Wayne Klockner. The tally-up was held at the home of the Fords. Many of our members also participated in the annual May Count. As usual Anne Arundel had good representations at MOS sponsored events: Sanctuary Workdays — nine at Irish Grove and two at Carey Run; six on the Listers Trip; and more than twenty at the Convention in Salisbury. We had two money-raising projects. A silent auction at our Fall picnic raised two hundred dollars for the Atlas project. The Annual Wildlife Lecture raised two hundred dollars for the Sanctuary and Scholarship funds. Much work was done by members for the Breeding Bird Atlas. Our Coordinator, Jim Cheevers, kept us all on schedule. In March of 1985 we undertook a bird inventory at the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary. This sanctuary is a new park in Anne Arundel County. The bird inventory is to culminate in a checklist for the park. Dotty Mumford, President 48 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 41, No. 2 CARROLL COUNTY CHAPTER The Carroll County Chapter is the smallest chapter in MOS, but with only 15 members, a turnout of more than 50% at meetings and bird walks is not unusual. We meet four times a year, in September, November, February, and April. This year, slide lectures by the Chapter President on raptor identification, and by Chan Robbins on birds of Maryland were included. The chapter sponsors the Liberty Res- ervoir Christmas Bird Count, which involved the efforts of 48 birders this year. The chapter has also sponsored the Breeding Bird Atlas in Carroll County for 2 years, and will continue its support as the statewide atlas gets underway. A highlight of last year’s aliasing was a Golden-crowned Kinglet singing on territory in a spruce grove near the Pennsylvania line. Walks by the chapter during the last year included Piney Run County Park, Hawk Mountain (Golden Eagle), the National Arboretum (Saw-what Owl!) and Liberty Watershed in Strawbridge Estates. We hope that the statewide atlas effort publicity will attract more lone birders to our mini-chapter; we have made many new contacts with county birders al- ready. Bill Ellis, President FREDERICK COUNTY CHAPTER Seven regular monthly meetings were held; one was cancelled because of inclem- ent weather. Attendance ranged from 20 to 49, with an average of 31. The annual Christmas dinner attracted 64 people. Speakers and subjects were as follows: Ken D’Loughy, “Bald Eagles in Maryland”; Richard Klein, “Save Our Streams Or- ganization”; Robert Mumford, “Birds of Iceland”; Chandler Robbins, "Factors Af- fecting Migratory Songbird Populations”; Norma Lewis, “Bluebirds”; Judy Lumsden, “Rehabilitation of Injured Wildlife"; Richard Dolesh, "Great Blue Herons”; and Stauffer Miller, “Birding in Texas.” Eleven field trips were scheduled, two of which were rained out. The nine trips averaged 8-10 people and included visits to Gambrill State Park, Lilypons (twice), Eastern Shore Listers Trip, Washington Monument State Park, C & 0 Canal, Little Bennett Regional Park, and Sugarloaf Mountain. On the December 23 Catoctin Mountain Christmas Count, 15 people took advantage of the excellent weather to count 17,801 birds of 73 species. The count dinner and tabulation were held at the home of Mike and Donna Welch. Nineteen people participated in the annual May count on May 4, eleven in the field and eight around their homes. A total of 124 species were observed, making this one of the better counts in Frederick County. Chapter members contributed observations to the International Shorebird Survey, American Birds, and Maryland Birdlife. Birding field trips during the annual Koi festival at Lilypons were led by Frederick MOS members and were very well attended. Chapter dues and income from the sale of sunflower seeds made it possible for the chapter to make donations to the Maryland/D. C. Breeding Bird Atlas and the Nature Conservancy. Michael J. Welch, President June 1985 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 49 HARFORD COUNTY CHAPTER The Harford County chapter featured 9 field trips, 1 picnic, and 4 Friday evening dinner-lectures. We also hosted the State Board of Directors meeting in March. Our membership total has reached 135. Our activities commenced with our annual September picnic and birdwalks at Harford Glen. Birds were scarce but the food, weather, and companionship were great. Our field trips explored Susquehanna State Park (twice), Brigantine NWR, Bombay Hook NWR (twice). Loch Raven Reservoir, Ocean City (2 days), Elk Neck State Park, and the Aberdeen Proving Grounds. My favorite trip was to Ocean City in the winter. We found American Oystercatchers, Great Cormorants, and King Eiders. The leaders of our field trips deserve special thanks: John Wortman, Dennis Kirkwood, June Vaughn, and Gail Mundis. We continue to meet on the first Friday of November, January, March, and May at the Churchville Presbyterian Church for dinner, a business meeting and a program. Our guest speakers this year included: Emerson Jackson, a club member and licensed falconer who brought along his Red-tailed Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, and a friend’s Harris’ Hawk; Janice Chase, a local ecologist who monitors Bald Eagle activity in the Chesapeake Bay Area for the U.S. Army; Dr. Ben Poscover who familiarized our members with MOS Sanctuaries; and Jean Worthley who en- chanted us with her wildflower slides from Spain. Birds of interest that popped up in Harford County included: a Barnacle Goose at a Norrisville farm, a White-fronted Goose at Winfield Mitchell’s pond for the 5th consecutive year, a pair of Redheads at Bynum Park, a Thayer’s Gull, a Golden Eagle, a Ringed Turtle-Dove, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, and numerous Bald Eagles around the county, especially near the Conowingo Dam. Our chapter continues to have a dedicated bander in Barbara Bilsborough. She spends many hours banding at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds and Harford Glen. Mounted birds from the chapter were loaned to Isa Sieracki who is in the process of establishing a bird club in Pennsylvania. Rick Blom kept the feeders at turn Suden Sanctuary filled with bird seed. Todd Holden has resumed his morning “Birdman” bird watching tips on WAMD radio station out of Aberdeen. Finally I thank all chapter officers for their dedication and effectiveness: William McIntosh, Vice-President; Barbara Bilsborough, Recording Secretary; Kitty Fetchero, Treasurer; Joyce Sherman and Sarah Standiford, Corresponding Secretaries; William Russell, Pat Fetchero, Barclay Tucker, and Emerson Jackson, Trustees. Kermit L. Updegrove, President JUG BAY BIRD CLUB The Jug Bay Chapter completed its first year with a membership of 80 persons (23 Active, 36 Family, 11 Sustaining, 8 Chapter, 1 Student and 1 Life) at 58 mailing addresses. The group’s orientation to field study and avian research has produced an almost complete ATLAS for our area, several boxes and trails for a variety of cavity nesters, three ongoing banding projects, a variety of field trips throughout the DELMARVA area, and an exciting series of programs. John Gregoire, President 50 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 41, No. 2 KENT COUNTY CHAPTER The Kent Chapter held regular monthly meetings from September 1984 through June 1985. Attendance usually varied from 25 to 35. Interest in the meetings and membership have both increased this past year. Members of the Chapter participated in the Atlas Program, the Christmas Bird Count, and the May count. Four field trips were scheduled but had very poor participation. A workshop in bird identification was conducted by Tricia Gruber, chairperson of the Education Committee. The presentation was well done and informative, but attendance was poor. In October the Chapter conducted a yard sale to raise money for the operating expenses of the Chapter, thus preventing an increase in dues. The sale was very successful, netting over $500. In other money matters, the Chapter contributed $1,000 for the MOS matching fund program and $150 to support the activities of the local bird banding station. One of our members, Carol Baldwin McCullough, was selected as a recipient of one of the MOS Scholarships. She was also elected as the next president of our Chapter. S.B. Hitchner, President PATUXENT CHAPTER The Patuxent Bird Club experienced growth and renewal during the 1984-85 year. Most noteworthy were our full schedule of speakers lined up in time for publication in the Maryland Yellowthroat and our move to a new meeting location. Having met for years at St. Phillip’s Church in Laurel, in 1984 we moved to a conference room at the USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC). Club membership grew to 74 members, and attendance was found to nearly double when reminders were sent out a week in advance. Among our fine programs this year were slide shows by Hal Wierenga on the Galapagos, Craig Faanes on American prairies, Michael Casement on vagrant landbirds at sea, Don Messersmith on New Guinea and the South Pacific Islands, Luther Goldman on Whooping Cranes, Erika Wilson on Hawaii, Eleanor Johnson on Hoopoes, Tad Eareckson on raptors and falconry, Bob Trevor on strange crea- tures of Australia, and Ron Naveen on seabird identification. At our May meeting, Luther Goldman, Larry Zeleny, and Paul Nistico shared some of their outstanding nature slides with us. Thanks to all of you for your superb presentations. Our April field trip to raptor hotspot Fort Smallwood was well attended and yielded sightings of Red-tailed, Red-shouldered, Broad-winged, Sharp-shinned, and Cooper’s Hawks, American Kestrel, Merlin, Northern Harrier, and Osprey. In May, Bob Whitcomb and Chan Robbins participated in a Birdathon, spotting 194 species and raising $11,000 + for The Nature Conservancy. About 90 species were seen on our June trip to Shenandoah National Park, including Wild Turkey, Ruffed Grouse, Northern Raven, Winter Wren, Solitary Vireo, and Rose-breasted Gros- beak. June 1985 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 51 In October, Bill Murphy held a multi-chapter hawkwatch at Fort Smallwood in honor of President Reagan’s proclamation of the preceding week as “National Birds of Prey Conservation Week.” A letter commending the President for his proclamation and urging him to increase his support for conservation was circulated and sent to him. The Club received a letter of thanks from the White House and a signed picture of President Reagan. On business matters, the Club voted to reserve funds at the end of each year to cover postage costs and payment of honoraria to the next year’s guest speakers. We donated $50 for Chapter membership in the Chesapeake Bird and Wildlife Sanctuary, which handled a fallout of loons and grebes following a severe winter sleet storm, and $25 to Larry Zeleny to maintain a bird feeder at a nearby nursing home. Rosemary Bridge, one of the original organizers of the Patuxent Bird Club and a current Director, announced that she will be moving to Washington’s Olympic Peninsula this autumn. On behalf of the Patuxent Bird Club, I wish her many happy years out West and thank her for her untiring support of our chapter. Interesting bird news included Dr. Zeleny’s report that he now has 60 bluebird boxes at BARC from which about 150 young fledge each year. Danny Bystrak picked up an injured Northern Shrike, providing the first record of an adult for Maryland and an extension of 10 days to the previous departure date. The bird was rehabilitated and released by local expert and Chapter member Jane Zuke. In closing, I’d like to thank all my officers for their generous contributions of time and energy, especially our outgoing Treasurer, Mary Lou Murphy, for modernizing the Club’s accounting methods. Special thanks are due Eleanor Robbins for running the bookstore at our meetings, acting as my proxy at a number of statewide meetings, and for continued authorship of her popular birding column in the Laurel Leader. Bill Murphy, President WASHINGTON COUNTY CHAPTER It's been a very good year for the fifteenth anniversary of this Chapter, which was started in February, 1970, and for our participation in the fortieth year of MOS. Membership of 115 was close to last year’s. We had to change our meeting place in November and are grateful to Otterbein United Methodist Church, 108 E. Franklin St., Hagerstown, for responding to our need. Our meetings are held on the fourth Tuesday of the months, September through April, (except December) at 7:30 p.m., and our newsletter is published eight times a year. Through announcements in the local newspaper, we welcome anyone interested to attend.We meet outdoors informally during the summer months. Our Fourth Annual Birding Weekend was held at the Fairview Outdoor Educa- tion Center of the Washington County, Md. school system, near Clear Spring, May 19-20. The Weekend was well-attended, and the field trips rang up an im- pressive new total of 137 species of birds, including 31 species of warblers! Our chapter was well represented at the MOS Convention in Frostburg in June. 52 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 41, No. 2 In the 1984-85 Christmas Count for Washington County, 81 species (best total since 1979) were logged by 36 observers in 17 field parties and at feeders. Compiling of reports was carried out following a covered-dish dinner at Eleanor and Jean Little’s. At meetings during the cooler months, programs were heard on MOS Sanctuaries, shorebirds at Chincoteague, protected species laws, preservation of Maryland natural areas, members’ favorite slides, bluebird conservation and wild- flowers at Renfrew Park (Waynesboro, Pa.). Attendance at these meetings averaged 35. Field trips were conducted in these months, also, for members and guests. Several of our members assisted at an April workday at Carey Run Sanc- tuary. The hawk watch at Monument Knob near Boonsboro continued during both fall and spring migrations, with assistance by counters from several MOS chapters and West Virginia. Unusually high numbers of eagles were logged in the fall count, and a bald eagle showed up on a field trip to Millville, W. Va., in February! In the second year of the five-year Maryland/DC Breeding Bird Atlas Project, many of our members participated actively in our county and West Virginia. Bluebird nesting box ‘trails’ were also maintained by members and friends in this county. Members of this chapter presented programs on birds and bird-attracting to other MOS and local groups. My heartfelt thanks to all who helped! Cameron D. Lewis, President CONTENTS, JUNE 1985 Bank-nesting Starlings Chandler S. Robbins 23 State wide Bird Count, May 4, 1985 Mike Resch 24 Book Review Joy Wheeler 40 The Complete Outfitting & Source Book for Bird Watching by Scofield The Season — Winter Season, Dec. 1, 1984-Feb. 28, 1985 Robert F. Ringler 41 Annual Reports of Local Chapters Chapter Presidents 47 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Published Quarterly by the Maryland Ornithological Society, Inc. to Record and Encourage the Study of Birds in Maryland. Editor: Chandler S. Robbins, 7900 Brooklyn Bridge Rd., Laurel, Md. 20707 (725-1176) Assoc. Editor: Robert F. Ringler, 3501 Melody Lane, Baltimore, Md. 21207 Asst. Editors: Eirik A. T. Blom, 1618 Somerville Rd., Bel Air, Md. 21014 Mark Hoffman, 313 Fernwood Dr., Severna Park, Md. 21146 James Stasz, 14741 Oden Bowie Rd., Upper Marlboro 20772 Mailing: Montgomery County Chapter Headings: Schneider Design Associates, Baltimore