ISSN 0147-9725
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
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"SEPTEMBER 1989
VOLUME 45
NUMBER 3
MARYLAND ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY, INC.
Cylburn Mansion, 4915 Greenspring Ave., Baltimore, Maryland 21209
STATE OFFICERS FOR JUNE 1989 TO JUNE 1990
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
President: John Malcolm, 10205 Kindly Ct., Gaithersburg, MD 20879 977-5788
V. President: Richard J. Dolesh, 17800 Croom Rd., Brandywine, MD 20613627-2270
Treasurer: Emily Joyce, 816 Oak Trail, Crownsville, MD 21032 923-6053
Secretary: Patricia J. Moore, 24600 Woodfield Rd., Damascus, MD 21403253-2796
Exec. Secy.: Joy Aso, 1250 4th St., S W, #709W, Washington, DC 20024 554-8529
Past Pres.: Robt. F. Ringler, 6272 Pinyon Pine Ct., Eldersburg 21784 549-6031
STATE DIRECTORS
Allegany:
♦Roy Brown, Jr.
Howard:
•Thomas Strikwerda
Teresa Simons
Martha Chestem
Mark Weatherholt
Jane H. Farrell
Helen Zeichner
Anne Arundel:
•SueRicciardi
Paul Zucker
Helen Ford
Allan Haury
Jug Bay:
•Wally Stephens
Joan Stephens
Baltimore:
•William Newman
Brent Byers
Kent:
•John Lorenz
John Cullom
Margaret Duncan-Snow
Graham Egerton
Jim Orgain
Montgomery:
•John Bjerke
Karen Skuldt
Margaret Donnald
Joy Wheeler
Gary Nelson
Lola Oberman
Caroline:
•Mariana Nuttle
Patuxent:
•Chandler S. Robbins
Oliver Smith
Lawrence Zeleny
Carroll:
•Melinda Byrd
Talbot:
•Carolyn Mills
Wayne Gordon
JeffEffinger
Frederick:
•Stauffer Miller
Melvin Bennett
Washington:
•Cameron & Norm Lewis
Robert Keedy
Harford:
•William B. McIntosh
Joseph Swope, Jr.
Todd Holden
William Russell
Wicomico:
•Gail Vaughn
•Denotes Chapter President
Active Membership (adults)
Student Membership (full-time students)
Junior Membership (under 18 years)
Family Membership (Mr. & Mrs.)
Sustaining Membership
Life-Membership
Member-at-large {Maryland Birdlife only)
Charles Vaughn
$ 6.00 plus local chapter dues
2.00 plus local chapter dues
1.00 plus local chapter dues
8.00 plus local chapter dues
10.00 plus local chapter dues
200.00 (4 annual installments)
5.00
Cover: Adult Black-headed Gull, 96th Street, Ocean City, Jan. 7, 1989. Photo by
Michael O’Brien.
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
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VOLUME 45 SEPTEMBER 1989 NUMBER 3
SECOND RECORD OF SWAINSON’S WARBLER
FOR BALTIMORE COUNTY
Hank Kaestner
On May 3, 1987 Steve Simon identified a Swainson’s Warbler {Limnothylpis
swainsonii ) in north-central Baltimore County, Maryland. He was first drawn to
the bird by its song, similar to one he had heard the year before in the same loca-
tion, though he had been unable to locate it at that time. This time he followed the
song and located the singer.
Several days later I went to the same spot and found the bird. It was sitting in
plain sight, about 30 feet off the ground and singing. I saw the bird on many
occasions after that, and as late as mid June. Steve’s last date was July 12, though
he did not search for it after that.
The bird was about six inches long, brown-backed, with a rusty colored cap. A
creamy eyestripe was evident. The bill was long for a typical warbler, and viewed
through a scope seemed to be slightly drooped. The undersides were a creamy off-
white. The bird was very audible, singing for most of the morning. Most of the
songs were given from the lower branches of a very tall tulip poplar (Liriodendron
tulipifera), usually sitting 20-50 feet off the ground. When not singing the bird
could usually be found foraging in the brushy undergrowth.
The bird would usually remain in one place for an extended period while singing,
allowing excellent views, though the ventriloquial quality of the song and the drab-
ness of the plumage often made locating it frustrating. The song began with two
slurred introductory notes followed by three shorter notes.
Steve Simon provided me with the following notes about the initial discovery of
the bird, and the possibility of its having been present the previous year:
“On May 3, 1987 I found a Swainson’s Warbler on the fire trail near Phoenix,
Maryland. The trail is about 200 feet north of the junction of Paper Mill Road and
Phoenix Road, and goes west from Phoenix Road. The bird was found in an area
south of the trail about one-quarter mile from Phoenix Road. It was a male, on the
basis of its loud and persistent song. The song perfectly matched one on band #4 of
the record "Warblers” of the Sounds of Nature Series. The brownish-reddish cap,
pale eyebrow, and dark eyeline contrasted noticeably with the paler body.
I made audio tapes of the song, and photographed the bird using video tape, 16
mm movie film, and 35 mm, 400 ASA slide film.
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MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
Vol. 45, No. 3
I believe that the same bird was in the same location in May of 1986. 1 have an
audio tape made at that time of a song which is identical to the song I recorded this
year.”
This is the second record of Swainson’s Warbler for Baltimore County. In May of
1983 a Swainson’s Warbler was caught and banded at Stevenson, about 10 miles
from the present location. That record was reported in Maryland Birdlife (39:63
and cover). That bird was also suspected of being present in the same location on
the preceding year, though it was identified only by song at the time.
322 Presway Road, Timonium, MD 21093
MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING
MARYLAND ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY, INC.
June 3, 1989
The annual membership meeting of the Maryland Ornithological Society was
held on June 3, 1989, at Frostburg State University. A quorum was present when
President Robert Ringler called the meeting to order at 8:05 p.m.
The evening opened with presentation of several awards, the first being those
for valued service, which were created to be given in appreciation to members who
have volunteered countless hours to the society. Because the first three recipients
were unable to attend the conference, their awards were accepted as follows:
Gladys Cole by Bob Ringler, Richard Kleen by Jeff Effinger, Charles Mason by
Lola Oberman. President Ringler was a surprised recipient when President-nomi-
nee John Malcolm stepped in to present a pin and certificate to him.
Mark Weatherholt was awarded an MOS wrist watch in recognition for his able
service as conference chairman.
Artist Roy Brown’s striking conference pin design brought him the prize of a
gift certificate. It appears that the pin design contest has become an MOS
tradition.
Treasurer. The Society is solvent, with just over $141,000 in the combined funds.
The operating fund is over budget, but should come around during the next year.
The Scholarship fund is self-sufficient and thus able to support scholarships
without help from the operating fund. A detailed financial report will be published
in Maryland Birdlife. Mrs. Joyce expressed appreciation to Don Donnald for doing
the Society’s tax work. The assembled membership gave Mrs. Joyce a well-
deserved round of applause for her commitment to the financial records.
COMMITTEES. The following synopses will be published in full in Maryland
Birdlife' $ annual committee reports:
Audit Chairman Rodney Jones’ report showed that the financial records of
MOS, which continue to be in excellent shape, accurately present the financial
position of the Society.
Atlas. Coordinator Eirik Blom stressed the fact that although the project is
moving along, most of the species accounts are overdue, with only 70 out of 200
September 1989
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
81
having been submitted. The committee is seeking corporate sponsorship and
donations. The Atlas Board has two new members: Joanne Solem and Jane
Farrell.
Bylaws. Lee Meinersmann reported that there were no changes during the past
year. Recommended: That the size of the Board be reduced to one director only
from each chapter, rather than having representation by numbers of members.
This would give each chapter an equal vote.
Conservation . Chairman Dolesh presented highlights of issues which are of
interest to the Society:
The closing of Fort George G. Meade will leave many acres declared as surplus.
The floodplain and mature deciduous woods adjacent to the Patuxent Wildlife
Research Center need to be kept as open space.
Issues on which MOS membership needs to get informed and involved:
the American Heritage Trust Fund (Udall Bill) which is under consideration
in the 101st Congress,
the Ocean City Beach Replacement Project, which will be taking sand from
Assateague,
the Potomac River dredging project, which will go from Alexandria to Mar-
shall Hall.
Of three major issues that were decided in recent months, two went in favor of
conservation: The Chickadee Checkoff, which raised three times the amount
expected, and the passing of the Non-tidal Wetlands Protection act, effective July
1 .
The bill to ban Carbofuran, a strong insecticide that kills birds, went in favor of
the chemical industry.
Mr. Dolesh urged the membership to keep in touch with their legislators on all
these conservation matters.
Education. Mr. Cheevers announced that the 1989-90 Speakers List, comprised
of 35 people with 120 programs, is available for chapter use. He expressed his
thanks to the speakers and to the chapters who suggested names for the list. No
Junior Achievement Award was made this year. Chapters are urged to encourage
students to submit bird-related projects to science fairs.
Library. Highlights from Joy Wheeler’s report: Consolidation of back issues of
Maryland Birdlife is underway at Cylburn, thus making requests for back issues
easier to fulfill. The Maryland State Library Resource Center is going to bind a
complete set of Birdlife and make it available throughout the state on interlibrary
loan. Ms. Wheeler represented MOS at the Fourth Annual Natural Resource Fair
of the Maryland Association of Environmental and Outdoor Educators (MAEOE)
and reported that the portable display was well received and that packets were
sent to 20 people who requested further information about MOS programs.
Long-Range Planning . Joanne Solem and her committee have been working
with Mr. Dolesh to find more ways to increase MOS visibility. She reported good
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MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
Vol.45, No. 3
feedback from chapters on a great number of publicity methods which have been
compiled and sent to chapter presidents.
Publications. Bob Ringler, reporting for Chan Robbins, said that Maryland
Birdlife is coming closer to being current. December 1988 has been printed and
will be mailed soon. March and June 1989 are in the works. Contributions of
articles will be welcome.
Research. Chairperson Karen Skuldt announced three grants:
David Brinker and Joan McKearnan: "Migration of Saw-whet Owls through
Finzel Swamp." $500.
Sam Droege and Russell Greenburg: “Study of Brackish Marsh Swamp Spar-
rows,” $270.
Frank Rohwer: “Timing of Breeding in Birds,” $230.
The deadlines for grant applications have been changed to August 1 and Feb-
ruary 1. The successful paper session at the Conference was sponsored by the
Committee and organized by David Brinker.
Sanctuary. Dotty Mumford was pleased to announce the acquisition of a new
Garrett County sanctuary, obtained through The Nature Conservancy from the
family of the late Caroline Wilson. All the sanctuaries are now protected under
one master insurance policy. The workdays at Carey Run and Irish Grove were
carried out with great success, but as always, new problems keep popping up.
Irish Grove will forever remain a natural area thanks to an easement deed with
the Maryland Environmental Trust that was signed on December 27, 1988.
Although Mill Creek and Pelot Sanctuaries have both been threatened by develop-
ment, nothing has yet materialized. Local chapters are keeping an eye on the
situations.
The Committee is evaluating recommendations made by Harford Chapter con-
cerning the future of turn Suden Sanctuary after the Atlas project no longer needs
the use of the house.
Scholarship. Mildred Gebhard announced the winners of the ornithology and
ecology scholarships. Their names will appear in the complete report elsewhere in
Birdlife . Two of the recipients, Kathryn Lauver and Beth Olson, were present at
the Conference.
Nominating Committee . Outgoing chairperson Helen Ford thanked her com-
mittee for helping to assemble the following slate of nominees to serve for the
coming year: President — John Malcolm; Vice President — Richard Dolesh;
Treasurer — Emily Joyce; Secretary — Patricia Moore. There were no nominations
from the floor. The motion that the. slate be unanimously accepted was seconded
and passed.
Bob Ringler was given a round of applause in appreciation for his two years’
service as President.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:57 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, Patricia J. Moore, Secretary
September 1989
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
83
ANNUAL REPORTS OF LOCAL CHAPTERS
ANNE ARUNDEL CHAPTER
This year was a very active one for the Anne Arundel Bird Club. Officers were:
President, Sue Ricciardi; Vice President, Debbie Rudis; Second Vice President,
Emily Joyce; Treasurer, Gerald Cotton; Corresponding Secretaries, David and
Peggy Ann Perry; Recording Secretary, Laddie Flyger; and Directors, Dotty
Mumford and Helen Ford. Our six regular monthly meetings (a seventh was can-
celled because of bad weather) were well attended with members enjoying a
variety of programs from birdlife on the American prairie, in Florida, and in Costa
Rica to Peregrine Falcons at Assateague, bird banding, and moths in Maryland.
Our Richard E. Heise, Jr. Annual Wildlife Program, featuring Dr. Donald Messer-
smith on “Birding in Australia,” netted over $300 for the MOS Sanctuary and
Scholarship funds. We also had good participation for approximately 25 field trips
to four states and the District of Columbia, including the MOS Lister’s trip and our
seventeenth annual Winter Weekend. In addition, we enjoyed two picnics at the
homes of club members Jerry and Vonnie Cotton and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Litz.
In support of MOS, several of our members served as officers: Emily Joyce as
MOS Treasurer and Dotty Mumford, Jim Cheevers, and Helen Ford as committee
chairs. Also, our Club was well represented at the Irish Grove and Carey Run
workdays and at the MOS Conference in Frostburg, and volunteers were out in
force for the Christmas and May Counts. Captain and Mrs. J.E.M. Wood continued
their support of an MOS scholarship.
Again this year, as it has for the past several, the Anne Arundel Bird Club co-
sponsored with Sandy Point State Park a series of bird walks at the Park for the
community. Dotty Mumford continued voluntarily to direct the surveying of bird-
life at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary.
I wish to thank all the Club officers for their efforts this year and all our
members for their participation and support. On to next year!
Sue Ricciardi, President
CAROLINE COUNTY CHAPTER
The Caroline Chapter feels much encouraged by the addition of several new
members and by inquiries from new members of our community. Our bluebird
population also continues to grow. We are using the proceeds of our sale of nest
boxes made by our members to finance our various trails.
The programs have been well received and have been widely varied, which
helps to draw in new members. In March we had a joint meeting with the newly
formed Wye Chapter of the Audubon Society. Field trips went mostly to Tucka-
hoe Park, where the birding has been very good, as many MOS members already
know.
We are looking forward to the new season.
Manana Nuttle, President
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CARROLL COUNTY CHAPTER
The Carroll County Bird Club enjoyed another year of hikes, slide-lecture pre-
sentations, and a growing camaraderie. Our membership currently stands at 38
with most members and many general public participants attending nearly every
program.
We meet at the Piney Run Nature Center in Sykesville at 7:30 p.m. on the
second Wednesday of each month except July and August. We started our year
with a program interest survey which was returned with membership renewals.
From that we scheduled a year of exciting programs: Birding in Kenya, the Purple
Martin, Birds of the Winter Feeder, Common Birds of Maryland, Birding the
Canadian Tundra, Wildflowers and Nature Photography, Shorebirds of Maryland,
Birding in Chile, and the Great Blue Heron.
Favorite hikes included Hemlock Gorge, the McKeldin area of Patapsco State
Park, Lilypons, Piney Run Park, and hikes on some of our members' home turf.
Throughout the year Bob Ringler frequently invited members to join him on
impromptu hikes.
A Bald Eagle spent late November through mid-January at Piney Run Reser-
voir. Soon after its departure a Falcated Teal appeared at Piney Run and stayed
throughout most of the spring; its origin is still a mystery. The Carroll County
Bird Club welcomes members of other chapters to join us at our programs and
hikes. We are anticipating an enjoyable 1990.
Melinda Byrd, President
FREDERICK COUNTY CHAPTER
The Frederick Chapter had another successful season, with an average atten-
dance of about 40 at the monthly lectures. These lectures took us west to China
(Elise Thrasher) and Arizona (Bill Oberman), and south to the West Indies and
Belize (Chan Robbins) and Patagonia (Robert Trever). Closer to home, Nancy
Stewart explained why pheasant and bobwhite populations are declining in Mary-
land, Claudia Wilds discussed shorebirds west of Chesapeake Bay, Betty Nichols
talked about the bluebirds on her farm, and Glenn Therres told us about the status
of Barn Owls in Maryland.
We took nine field trips to favorite spots in Frederick and adjacent counties, and
participated in the Christmas and May counts, and in Earth Day activities at a
nearby college.
Stauffer Miller, President
HOWARD COUNTY CHAPTER
The Howard County Chapter grew to more than 300 members, a record, during
the 1988-89 season. As in previous years, we had a wide variety of activities rang-
ing from monthly meetings, weekend bird and wildflower walks, displays at fairs,
and several counts.
September 1989
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
85
This year marks the 10th anniversary of our very popular park habitat walks,
co-sponsored with the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks. A
memorial and gifts fund, set up in honor of former club members, was used to
finance a special field trip led by naturalist Bill Bridgeland in April. Weekend
walks were held throughout the year, with some spring and summer walks
focusing on habitat, trees, and wildflowers. Michele Wright ably served as Field
Trip Chair for several years.
The popular bird seed sales in October and January, coordinated by Eileen
Clegg, were great opportunities for displaying club information and selling books
from the club bookstore, as well as an excellent source of income for the club. At
our winter sale we had a special collection for The Nature Conservancy’s Appa-
lachian campaign. These contributions, plus sale profits and additional club funds,
resulted in a sizeable donation. Seed sales have also been good events for
generating support and signing petitions for conservation related legislation.
Monika Bonsai and Grazina McClure once again coordinated the Annual Potluck
on Feb. 25. The evening concluded with a showing of members’ slides of birds and
scenery.
Our monthly newsletter “Howard,” excellently edited by Jo Solem, is vital to
the club and always interesting. The Boost Cavity Nesters Project is led by Joseph
Suess and Mark Wallace, who compile data and serve as coordinators and resource
persons. They reported 1,563 bluebirds fledged in 1988, a Howard County record.
The fourth annual Howard County mid-winter count was held on Jan. 28 and
compiled again by Jo Solem and David Holmes. The tally potluck was held at Hal
and Zelda Simon’s. Paul Zucker continued as our able coordinator and compiler for
the May count, which was followed by a potluck at Don and Jan Randle’s. Compiler
Jane Farrell reported 220 bird species seen in Howard County in 1988, the 10th
year of our annual tally. One of our newer projects is to publish lists for some of
the popular county parks; coordinator Jane Farrell hopes to publish the first park
bird list in a few months.
The club supported a number of county conservation issues during the 1988-89
season with considerable success. We actively supported changes to the “Sub-
division and Land Development Regulations,” with testimony by conservation
chairman Bob Solem and attendance by many club members at the hearings.
Petitions in support of the changes were circulated at the October bird seed sale
and at the October and November club meetings. This legislation strengthens
standards for treatment of sensitive areas such as wetlands, floodplains, and
stream valleys, and limits disturbance of steep slopes by clearing and grading. Bob
also coordinated club member support for the county's new “Guidelines for the
General Plan.”
Howard County’s newest park, Centennial, is a great place to visit at any time to
check for unusual species, and has become a “hot spot” during migration. The most
recent of several unusual sightings at the park this year was a Sora, seldom seen
so easily in Howard County. The 1988-89 season turned up several County records
of note: the first Red Knot in August, the first Sharp-tailed Sparrow in October,
and the first active Red-headed Woodpecker nest in many years.
In summary, this was a successful and enjoyable year. We look forward to
continued growth and membership participation in our many activities next year.
Thomas Strikwerda, President
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MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
Vol. 45, No. 3
HARFORD COUNTY CHAPTER
The Harford Chapter had a very active and successful year. An all-time high
membership of 200 was reached at the end of the season. Much of this increase can
be attributed to a dedicated publicity effort in local newspapers by Jean Fry. Also,
through the perseverance of June Vaughn, we were able to secure a sponsor for
our rare bird phone line. Hickory Feeds of Bel Air also began offering a discount to
all bird club members for bird feed and supplies. Members can now get current
information on sightings and club activities by calling 301-638-0290. June updates
the tape 3 times a week and keeps in contact with other rare bird alerts in the
area. We invite other MOS members to use our phone line.
A field trip committee chaired by Randy Robertson planned an active schedule
of outings to places in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the Delmarva area, as well
as all local habitats. Highlights included a pontoon boat ride on the Patuxent
River, a canoe trip on Swan Creek, and our annual fall picnic held this year at
Rocks State Park.
Our traditional dinner meetings were held in November, January, March, and
May at the Churchville Presbyterian Church. Our speakers included Peregrine
Falcon researcher Dr. William Seegar of Aberdeen Proving Ground, Antarctic
traveler Charlie Gant, MOS scholarship recipient Tom Congersky, and raptor
enthusiast Bill Russell.
At our January meeting, we held our second annual awards night in conjunction
with the release of the updated club history, written by Jean Williams. We
recognized 25 members who have been with us for half of the club’s 40-year
existence. While no charter members are still active, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Kohout
joined in 1950, making them the members of longest standing. We also selected as
bird of the year the pair of Bald Eagles that have successfully nested on the
property of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Holloway of Darlington. The Holloways were
recognized and presented with a certificate for hosting this pair of birds. Don
Soubie was selected as rookie of the year and was presented with a certificate and
birding bumper sticker. Colonel Lee Devore of Port Deposit was honored as our
birder of the year. He has served the club in many capacities including president,
and recently retired after 15 years as outdoor journalist for the Havre de Grace
Record. Record publisher Peter Jay was on hand to present the award to Colonel
Devore.
Our fourth annual warbler walk competition was held in May with first-time
leader Don Soubie winning the jackpot. This series of early morning local trips is
designed to cover the county during the peak of migration and give participants
greater opportunities to observe warblers in breeding plumage.
The Rock Run Christmas Count recorded 84 species and continued to grow in
participation. We had 15 parties in the field and covered the area by foot, car, boat,
and canoe. The May count, coordinated by Les Eastman and Paul and Linda
Bystrak, found 139 species for our highest total ever. A mid-winter count,
organized by Bill Pfingsten and Marvin Kastama, also was well received.
Other club projects included a birder’s vacation file, which is available to all
chapters interested. We have information from many states and countries and
request input from any traveling birders. Bill and Barbara Walker (838-4809) coor-
September 1989
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
87
dinate this project. Official lists of birds sighted in Harford and Cecil counties have
been researched, compiled, and published. Member Pam Rhoads has been adding
to our bird collection after studying with Greg Kearns of Jug Bay. The bird-
banding station at Harford Glen has been greatly expanded under the direction of
Barbara Bilsborough. Most weekends are covered from April through November.
At our May meeting, Dr. Bill McIntosh was installed as president for a two-year
term. We expect his leadership to produce continued success and provide enjoy-
able, educational, and exciting times.
Dennis Kirkwood, President
JUG BAY BIRD CLUB
Club membership increased to 64 members. Regular activities include monthly
meetings and at least one field trip each month. Members also participated in the
May Count and the Christmas Count. Conservation activities included letters from
the club to our senators and representatives in support of the Land and Water
Conservation Funds and a request that land deemed surplus from the closing of
Fort George Meade be included in the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center.
A major project was the completion of the MOS traveling exhibit and case,
which is available for any chapter to borrow. After a one-year trial the Jug Bay
Junior Bird Club, a monthly outdoor program for ages 8 to 16, was dropped
because of low attendance.
Officers for 1989-90 are President — Wally Stephens, Vice President — Mike
Callahan, Treasurer — Renee Burns, Secretary — Betty Porter, and Trustee — Joan
Stephens.
Jean Tierney , President
KENT COUNTY CHAPTER
The Kent County Chapter had a realtively good year, with an influx of new
members this spring bringing our total membership to 75. We did, however, suffer
major losses in the deaths of two former chapter presidents, Dorothy A. Mendin-
hall (July 1988) and Joseph M. Blair (March 1989).
The Chapter activities for the year included seven regular and two special
(dinner and picnic) meetings with excellent speakers recruited by Tom Arkinson,
two field trips with our expert leaders Jim Gruber and Floyd Parks, the Christmas
and May bird counts, a fund-raising yard sale, informational tables at Remington
Farms National Hunting and Fishing Day and the Chestertown Wildlife Show,
increasing the number of bluebird nest boxes deployed, and greatly increasing the
boxes monitored regularly. The latter activity included a cooperative effort with
Remington Farms wherein they supply boxes and sites and we provide mainte-
nance and monitoring. We have continued our support of the bird-banding
program at “Damsite” which is continuing under the direction of Jim Gruber.
The officers elected for the 1989-90 year are: President — John Lorenz, Vice
President— Tom Arkinson, Treasurer— Walter Bryant, Secretary — Helga Orrick,
and State Director — Margaret Duncan-Snow.
John Lorenz , President
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MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
Vol. 45, No. 3
PATUXENT BIRD CLUB
The Patuxent Bird Club completed another year of lectures from well-traveled
members, local ornithological celebrities, and wildlife biologists. Members par-
ticipated in Christmas Counts not only locally but also on the Eastern Shore. Our
chapter straddles four counties, so our members helped work four counties on the
May Count.
Our Conservation Chairperson, Eleanor Robbins, kept us informed on conserva-
tion issues at the monthly meetings and continued to write the Club column for the
Laurel Leader. Sales of books and bird seed resulted in donations to the MOS
Sanctuary, Scholarship, and Atlas Publication funds.
Please note the change in our meeting place at the Agricultural Research
Center on U.S. 1 in Beltsville; we shall be meeting one long block northwest of the
USDA Library tower in Building 011-A.
Sam Droege, President
TALBOT COUNTY BIRD CLUB
While many local members traveled extensively and had other commitments,
the Talbot Bird Club continued its education efforts at the Waterfowl Festival.
Our display attracted many visitors to whom we talked about MOS activities.
Also, under a grant from the Waterfowl Festival, we administered a Conservation
Education Program in our local schools. Films and guest speakers delivered eight
programs to middle school students.
Special thanks go to our speakers, walk leaders, and breakfast hosts for their
efforts. We had fewer meetings and bird walks this past year.
The club struggled with a proposed development (building lots) on land adjacent
to Mill Creek Sanctuary. While the developer seemed less than receptive to our
concerns for the rare Delmarva Fox Squirrel, he still was concerned for impacts
from sediment and storm water. Soil evaluations for septic systems for the first
half of the project have reduced the number of lots from 23 to 12, and limited the
number of lots adjacent to the sanctuary to 3. The developer has agreed to dis-
tribute (at settlement) to each lot owner a pamphlet that is being prepared by the
Club. This pamphlet will encourage activities to lessen impacts and encourage
membership in MOS.
Lester Coble, President
WASHINGTON COUNTY CHAPTER
The Washington County Chapter, with 102 members in 1988-89, held its regular
monthly meetings on the fourth Tuesday evening from September through April,
omitting December. During the summer, members get together for a Sunday
afternoon picnic once a month. Starting in September 1989 we shall meet in the
Funkstown Elementary School.
September 1989
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
89
Programs for the 1988-89 season included: “Birds of Costa Rica,” “Birds of
Florida " “Weeds,” “Antarctic Adventure,” “Alaska," “Birds of America,” “Some
Prosper, Some Perish,” and “Brazilian Adventure.”
Field trips this year were day trips to three sanctuaries: Hawk Mountain,
Adventure, and Horsehead Wildfowl Trust; local outings to points along the C & 0
Canal and to Lilypons; and more extensive weekend activities: Fairview Outdoor
School Weekend, May 20-21 (41 participants and 118 bird species listed), MOS
Convention Weekend at Frostburg, and a Carey Run Sanctuary weekend, June 10-
11 .
As in former years, members participated in the Christmas Bird Count (28
participants, 73 species), the May Count (41 participants, 126 species); and fall and
spring Hawk Counts at Washington Monument near Boonsboro. Other activities
engaged in by various members included: Clean-up day at Carey Run; monitoring
and maintenance of bluebird trails; paper recycling for benefit of the MOS
Sanctuary Fund; MOS Executive Committee meeting hosted at Greenbriar State
Park, March 18; and Conservation issues addressed: Petitions signed to keep bow
hunting out of Fort Frederick State Park; letters written about protecting Assa-
teague Island areas for nesting Piping Plovers; and support for HR bill to protect
1.5 million acres of Arctic coastal plain.
The Chapter made monetary gifts to The Nature Conservancy, Chesapeake Bay
Foundation, and Fairview Outdoor School of Washington County for its ornitho-
logy program.
Officers for 1988-89 are: Co-presidents — Cameron and Norma Lewis, Vice Presi-
dents— Eleanor Little and Ann Mitchell, Secretary — Allison Ritter, Correspond-
ing Secretary — Sharon Raun, Treasurer— Ann Jarmy, and MOS Directors — Joe
Swope and Bob Keedy.
Robert Keedy, President
WICOMICO BIRD CLUB
Wicomico Bird Club membership has been essentially stable at 75 for the past
couple of years, but meeting attendance has grown to the point where we may
have to find a new location. We typically get 35-45 attendees, or more than half the
membership. Attendance on field trips is more typical of other chapters, averaging
8 - 10 .
We had 11 monthly field trips, with the 12th month devoted to the annual
Audubon Christmas Count; 25 participants counted 85 species on the Salisbury
count. The regular field trips included visits to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-
Tunnel, Bombay Hook Refuge, Chincoteague Refuge, and Blackwater Refuge.
Three other events highlighted the year. Irish Grove cleanup, Nov. 5-6, was our
duty weekend; once again Ruth Denit provided her legendary turkey dinner. The
MOS May Count produced widely scattered results from the three lower Eastern
Shore counties. The most waited for event was our fourth annual Big Day, in which
5 teams participated. This year Doug and Chandra Bruce won with 131 species.
Doug and Chandra were treated to the usual winner’s prize — a free Chinese dinner
at the local Hunan Palace.
Gail Vaughn , President
90
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
Vol.45, No. 3
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TREASURER
MARYLAND ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY, INC.
May 1, 1988 through April 30, 1989
Budget Item: Budget Actual Total
OPERATING FUND
Income:
Dues
$ 11,000.00
$ 11,553.00
Transfer, Endowment Fund
414.00
414.00
Conference Income
1,200.00
245.19
Interest Income
0.00
Investments
1,020.00
918.00
Pooled funds
1,100.00
1,205.45
Income, publications
100.00
103.00
Contribution, mail permit
25.00
0.00
Membership pins
150.00
163.00
Miscellaneous income
478.79
Conference ’89
4,189.00
Total Income
15,009.00
19,269.93
Expenses:
Publications Committee
Maryland Birdlife (6 issues)
Printing
7,350.00
9,244.42
Postage
750.00
1,050.00
Supplies & Misc.
700.00
1,166.34
Yellowthroat
Printing
2,250.00
3,293.40
Postage
850.00
844.37
Supplies & Misc.
50.00
239.43
Total, publications
11,950.00
15,837.96
Administrative & Office
Executive Secretary stipend
2,400.00
2,400.00
Postage
300.00
272.85
Bulk mailing permits
100.00
120.00
Bulk mailing
200.00
Membership list maintenance
750.00
801.92
Printing & duplication
200.00
326.01
Office supplies & misc.
900.00
651.95
MOS decals
577.57
577.57
Computer
2,950.00
2,950.00
8,377.57
8,100.30
Conference Committee 1989
1,200.00
1,222.24
Conservation Committee
100.00
0.00
Education Committee
100.00
0.00
Library Committee
100.00
0.00
Records Committee
125.00
106.89
Research Committee
1,000.00
1,000.00
Winter Bird Atlas Project
100.00
83.57
Transfer to Atlas Project
1,000.00
1,000.00
September 1989
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
91
Budget Item:
Budget
Actual
Total
Transfer to Scholarship Fund
355.00
0.00
Affiliations and memberships
110.00
110.00
General Liability Insurance
2,000.00
730.50
Contingencies
. 200.00
41.79
Total committees
6,390.00
4,294.99
Total Operating Expenses
Operating Fund, May 1, 1988
Current value, Operating Fund
26,717.57
28,233.25
23,437.15
14,473.83
SANCTUARY ENDOWMENT FUND
Income:
Life membership
$ 200.00
$ 0.00
Contributions
200.00
815.18
Interest income
Investments
1,700.00
2,327.75
Pooled funds
1,800.00
2,471.93
Total income
3,900.00
5,614.86
Expenses:
Transfer to Operating Fund
(life member support)
414.00
414.00
Transfer, Sanctuary Fund
3,086.00
4,385.68
Total Expenses
Sanctuary Endowment,
3,500.00
4,799.68
53,615.99
May 1, 1988
Current value, Endowment Fund
SCHOLARSHIP FUND
54,431.17
Income:
Contributions
$ 500.00
$ 776.49
World Nature Association
695.00
695.00
Bourne/Woods Scholarship
525.00
525.00
Interest income
Investments
585.00
585.00
Pooled funds
1,500.00
1,976.02
Transfer from Operating Fund
From 1987/88 scholarships
355.00
0.00
1,095.00
Total income
4,160.00
5,652.51
Expenses:
Helen Miller Scholarships
1,390.00
1,350.00
Chandler S. Robbins Scholarship
525.00
525.00
Eleanor C. Robbins Scholarship
525.00
525.00
Orville Crowder Scholarship
695.00
675.00
Woods/Bourne Scholarship
525.00
525.00
Total expenses
Scholarship Fund, May 1, 1988
Current value, Scholarship Fund
3,660.00
3,600.00
28,358.63
30,411.14
92
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
Vol. 45, No. 3
Budget Item:
Budget Actual Total
SANCTUARY FUND
Income:
Contributions
$ 1,000.00
$ 292.83
Transfer from Endowment Fund
3,086.00
4,385.68
Interest Income— pooled fund
1,500.00
1,976.02
Sales, Sanctuary Signs
400.00
267.75
Use Fees
1,400.00
1,436.24
Refund, double billing
88.59
Total Income
7,386.00
8,447.11
Expenses:
Adventure, banding project
200.00
155.30
Cary Run
General maintenance
1,455.00
447.09
Utilities
250.00
163.01
Fire insurance
130.00
130.00
Incidentals
200.00
161.14
Total, Carey Run
2,035.00
901.24
Irish Grove
General maintenance
5,050.00
3,389.05
Utilities
350.00
711.30
Fuel
500.00
338.63
Taxes
1,100.00
981.55
Fire insurance
350.00 .
0.00
Donation, Marion FD
50.00
0.00
Incidentals
200.00
0.00
Total, Irish Grove
7,600.00
5,420.53
turn Suden
General maintenance
2,000.00
490.59
Utilities
300.00
0.00
Fuel
500.00
0.00
Fire insurance
450.00
0.00
Incidentals
200.00
0.00
Total, turn Suden
3,450.00
490.59
Mill Creek— incidentals
200.00
General liability insurance
1,600.00
730.50
General contingency
1,000.00
9.00
Total expenses
16,085.00
7,707.16
Sanctuary Fund — May 1, 1988
Current Value, Sanctuary Fund
22,227.86
22,967.81
September 1989 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 93
Budget Item:
Budget
Actual Total
ATLAS PROJECT
Income:
Contributions, general
$■ 150.00
$ 135.00
Transfer, Operating Fund
1,000.00
1,000.00
MOS conference, raffle &
auction
750.00
877.80
Matching grant
8,418.04
Total income
1,900.00
10,430.84
Expenses:
Travel
600.00
0.00
Telephone
600.00
354.77
Postage
300.00
65.82
Miscellaneous
400.00
167.67
Total expenses
1,900.00
588.26
Atlas Fund, May 1, 1988
8,906.77
Current value, Atlas Fund
18,749.35
Current value, all funds
$141,033.30
Current Financial Status:
Sovran Bank (checking) $ 2,954.31
T. Rowe Price 85,420.96
Reserve Group 8,876.13
Investments:
Operating Fund
McDermott, Inc. 9,901.07
Sanctuary Endowment Fund
Source Capital 13,199.47
Niagra Mohawk 4,983.15
Ohio Bell 3,693.75
General Telephone, SW 5,129.92
Scholarship Fund
Dayton Power 2,190.00
Virginia Electric Power 3,992.04
Pooled Funds
Potomac Electric 692.50
Total — all funds
$141,033.30
94
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
Vol. 45, No. 3
SPRING MIGRATION, March 1-May 31, 1989
Robert F. Ringler
There was an interesting pattern to the passerine migration this spring. The
mild weather early in the season caused species that normally arrive before the
first of May to reach the state slightly earlier. The rains of May slowed the
migration dramatically, and species that normally arrive in- May were slightly late.
Most species that leave the state by early May remained longer than usual. This
was evident on the May Count. Check the median arrival and departure dates in
Table 1 to see how each species varied from the norm. The ten-year median is
based on the annual medians for the years 1979-1988. As usual the migration was
described differently from one observer to the next with some saying it was
extremely poor while others remarked on the above average numbers during the
second week of May, though there was no major fallout.
Observers: C. Adams, Henry Armistead, Scott Atkinson, Polly Batchelder,
Chris Beaton, John Bjerke, Rick Blom, Peggy Bohanan, Larry Bonham, Carol &
Don Broderick, Mike Bryan, George Chase, Martha Chestem, John Churchill, Dave
Czaplak, Bob Dixon, Margaret Donnald (banding at Adventure Sanctuary), Mike
Donovan, C. Dorset, Sam Droege (reporting for PWRC), Sam Dyke, Les Eastman,
Jeff Effinger, Howard Elitzak, Ethel Engle, Jane Farrell, Roberta Fletcher (report-
ing for Caroline Co.), Harold Fogleman, Mark Garland, Inez Glime, Jim & Patricia
Gruber, Alex Hammer, Dave Harvey, Dick Hegner, Marvin Hewitt, Robert Hilton,
Marshall Iliff, Ottavio Janni, Kye Jenkins, George Jett, Ray Kiddy, Dennis Kirk-
wood, Alicia Knotts, Nancy Magnusson, Alice Mallonee, Kathy Mariano, Woody
Martin, Jim McConnell, Joan McKearnan, Stauffer Miller, Anne Moretti, David
Mozurkewich, Dotty Mumford, Bill Murphy, Mariana Nuttle, Lola Oberman, Holly
Obrecht, Michael O’Brien, Peter Osenton, Floyd Parks, Paul Pisano, Betty Pitney
(reporting for Wicomico Bird Club), Marie Plante, Fran Pope (banding at Broad-
ford Run), Kyle Rambo, Jan Reese, Sue Ricciardi, Wilbur Rittenhouse, Chan
Robbins, Arthur Rogers, Barbara Ross (banding at Irvine Natural Science Center),
William Scudder, Steve Simon, Teresa Simons, Connie Skipper (banding at Broad-
ford Run), Chris & Eddie Slaughter, Edwin Smith, Jo Solem (reporting for Howard
Co.), Paul Spitzer, Jim Stasz, Chris Swarth, Charles Swift, Sallie Thayer (banding
at Mt. Nebo), Glenn Therres, Mary Twigg, Charles & Gail Vaughn, Dave Walbeck,
Robert Warfield, Pete Webb, Joy Wheeler, Tony White, Jim Wilkinson, George
Wilmot, Erika Wilson (including reports to the Voice of the Naturalist).
Locations (with counties in parentheses): Most locations can be found on the
state highway map. Cities and towns which appear in the index of that map are not
included in this list. Adventure Sanctuary (Montgomery), Barren Island
(Dorchester), Bray Hill (Garrett), Broadford Reservoir (Garrett), Centennial Lake
and Park (Howard), Choptank (Caroline unless noted otherwise). Cuckold Point
(Baltimore), Cylburn (Baltimore City), Deal Island WMA (Somerset), Deep Creek
September 1989
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
95
Lake (Garrett), Eastern Neck NWR (Kent), Flag Ponds (Calvert), Fort Smallwood
(Anne Arundel), God’s Grace Point (Calvert), Green Ridge (Allegany), Hains Point
(District of Columbia), Herrington Manor S.P. (Garrett), Hodges Bar (Kent),
Hughes Hollow (Montgomery), Huntingfield Creek (Kent), Irvine Natural Science
Center near Stevenson (Baltimore), Jug Bay (Anne Arundel), King’s Creek
(Talbot), Lake Elkhorn (Howard), Lake Kittamaqundi (Howard), Lake Roland
(Baltimore), Langford Bay (Kent), Little Mea’dows Lake (Garrett), Loch Raven
(Baltimore), Masonville (Baltimore City), McKeldin Area of Patapsco Valley S.P.
(Carroll unless noted otherwise), Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary (Prince Georges),
Meyers Station (Anne Arundel), Mountain Lake (Garrett), Mt. Nebo (Garrett),
Pennyfield (Montgomery), Piney Run Park (Carroll) PNAS (St. Marys), PWRC
(Prince Georges), Remington Farms (Kent), Rock Point (Charles), Rocky Gap S.P.
(Allegany), Rumbly Point (Somerset), Schooley Mill Park (Howard), Swan Point
(Kent), Triadelphia Reservoir (Howard unless noted otherwise), Violet’s Lock
(Montgomery).
Abbreviations: DC = District of Columbia, NWR = National Wildlife Refuge,
PNAS = Patuxent Naval Air Station, PWRC = Patuxent Wildlife Research
Center, S.P. = State Park, WMA = Wildlife Management Area.
Loons. The only reports of Red-throated Loons were of single birds at Cove
Point on April 22 (Stasz) and at Assateague Island on April 29 (Warfield).
Wintering Common Loons that made it into the spring included 1 at Rocky Gap
seen through at least March 25 (Simons, Kiddy) and 1 at Lilypons through March
27 (Mark Garland) that was found dead by April 9. The Common Loon on Broad-
ford Reservoir on March 19 (Pope) may have been the first true spring migrant of
the season, but it was quickly followed by 1 at Williston on the 22nd (Hewitt), 1
each at North Beach and Cove Point on the 25th (Stasz), 15 in the mouth of the
Choptank River on the 25th (Armistead + ), 1 at Hughes Hollow on the 25th (Kay
Wells), 3 at Point Lookout on the 26th (Rogers), and 1 at Centennial Lake on the
30th (Farrell). This was far more than the usual number of March arrivals. Stasz
closely monitored the flights of migrant loons over North Beach and tallied 3488
for the season with the peak days during April of 785 on the 7th, 816 on the 8th and
758 on the 10th. Locally high counts of Common Loons were 12 at Rocky Gap on
April 1 (Simons), 60 from the mouth of the Chester River to Swan Point on April 5
(J. Gruber), 112 flying past Edgewater on April 19 (Bud Taylor), 200 near Sharps
Island Light on April 22 (Spitzer, Armistead), 45 at Eastern Neck and 30 at
Huntingfield on April 27 (J. Gruber), and 15 at Edgewood on May 14 (Eastman).
Late birds were 3 flying over the Middle Patuxent River in Howard County on
May 20 (Magnusson), 1 flying over McKeldin on May 21 (Ringler + ), 1 in DC on
May 22 (Czaplak), and 1 over North Beach on May 26 (Stasz).
Grebes. Peak numbers of migrant Pied-billed Grebes were 27 at Loch Raven on
March 10 (Simon), 21 on Broadford Reservoir on March 30 (Pope), and 7 at Rocky
Gap on April 8-15 (Kiddy). Mumford observed 1 Pied-billed Grebe on a nest at
Hughes Hollow on May 6 and late migrants were 1 at North Branch on May 17
(Simons), and 1 at Cove Point on May 20 (Stasz), both potential nesting areas. High
counts of Horned Grebes were 45 in the mouth of the Choptank River on March 25
(Armistead + ), 53 at Swan Point on March 25 and 350 there on April 5 (J. Gruber),
25 at Rocky Gap on April 4 (Simons), 116 on the Chester River off Ringgold Point
on April 7 (J. Gruber), 150 at North Beach on April 7-16 (Stasz), 40 off Rock Point
on April 8 (Jett), and 50 at Huntingfield Creek on April 13 (J. Gruber). The latest
bird was at North Beach on May 17 (Stasz). Red-necked Grebes were sparse this
spring with 1 at Ocean City on March 4 (Iliff), 1 at Rocky Gap from February
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MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
Vol. 45, No. 3
through April 5 (Simons, Kiddy + ), 1 at Nanticoke on March 28 (Slaughters), and 2
on Loch Raven through April 7 with 1 present through the 16th (Simon). Once
again an Eared Grebe appeared at North Beach with the Horned Grebes that use
this location as a staging area. It was seen irregularly from April 12 through May
19(Stasz + ).
Gannets, Pelicans. There was an extraordinary flight of Northern Gannets into
the lower Chesapeake Bay. Stasz observed them off Calvert County from March
18 through April 16 with peak days at North Beach of 189 on March 19 and 433 the
next day. The only other report in the bay was of 6 at Point Lookout on March 25
(Rogers). At Ocean City 150 were seen on April 27 (Reese) and Warfield estimated
30 per hour migrating north past Assateague the same day. The latest gannets
were 2 off Ocean City on May 12 (M. O’Brien + ). The first Brown Pelicans of the
season were 5 on April 8 at Ocean City (Dyke) where Reese counted 18 on April 27.
Cormorants. All of the spring reports of Great Cormorants came from the Chesa-
peake Bay/Lower Potomac River region. The last sighting of the birds wintering
at Cobb Island Light, St. Marys County, was of 8 on March 12 with 70 Double-
crested Cormorants (Ringler, Dixon). Other Great Cormorants were 3 at North
Beach on March 20 (Stasz), 1 at Point Lookout on March 25-26 (Rogers) and April 22
(Paul Pisano), 6 at Sharps Island Light on April 22 (Spitzer, Armistead), and 1 adult
flying over Hooper Island on May 13 (Armistead + ). March arrivals of Double-
crests included 1 at Swan Point on the 16th (J. Gruber), 5 at Blackwater on the 25th
(Armistead +), several on the Nanticoke River, Wicomico County on the 27th
(Ringler), and at Cuckold Point on the 27th (Simon). Stasz first noted 2 flying north
at North Beach on the 25th and had a high count of 436 on April 5; 21 lingered to
May 27. Jim Gruber’s high counts were 45 flying north over the bay on March 31,
72 at Rock Hall on April 4, 67 at the mouth of the Chester River and 106 at Swan
Point on April 5, 350 at Swan Creek on April 10, and 150 at Worton Creek on April
13. Potomac River reports included 2 at Seneca on April 10 (Jack Schultz), 1 at
Violet’s Lock on April 13 (Oberman), 1 there on April 22 (Wilkinson) and 2 on May 1
(Bonham), 110 at East Potomac Park on May 7 (Hilton), and 3 others in DC on May
29 (Czaplak). Other upland reports were of 200 at Conowingo on April 17
(Eastman), 38 at Broadford Reservoir on April 19 and 1 there on May 21 (Pope), 1
flying over Piney Run on April 21 (Jim Peters, Ringler), 1 at Seneca S.P. on April
25 (McConnell), 9 at Loch Raven on April 29 (Jenkins) and 1 there on May 19
(Simon), 3 on Triadelphia on May 13 (Paul Zucker, Magnusson), 1 at Cumberland on
May 13 (Twigg), 1 immature on Centennial Lake on May 15 (Ceil Casciaro), and 1
flying over there on May 19 (Magnusson + ). Other coastal plain counts of Double-
crests were 31 at Mason ville on April 16 (Walbeck), the season high of 2637 flying
past Cove Point on April 16 (Stasz), 85 at Tanyard on April 24 (Engle), 229 at Fort
Smallwood on May 13 (Mozurkewich), and 200 at Barren Island on May 28
(Armistead + ).
Bitterns. This was the best season in several years for American Bitterns. The
reports were 1 at Deal Island WMA on March 15 (Slaughters) and 1 there on May 7
(Ringler + ), 1 at Lilypons on April 2 (Miller), 1 at Cove Point on April 8 and 3 there
on April 16 and April 30 and 1 remaining on May 13 (Stasz), 1 at Patapsco in Carroll
County on April 14 and April 24-25 (Jean Worthley + ), 1 at Masonville on April 16
(Walbeck), 2 at Hughes Hollow on April 17 (Czaplak), 6 there on April 22 (Ron
White) and 2 remaining on May 13 (Elitzak), 1 at Chain Bridge in DC on April 23
(Czaplak), 1 at Chestertown on April 26 (Parks), 1 at PWRC from April 27
(Osenton) through May 13 (Martin), 1 at Loch Raven on April 29 (Simon, Jenkins),
September 1989
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
97
1 at Meyers Station on April 30 (Ringler + ), 1 in a pine tree at Hains Point on May
6 (Czaplak + ), 1 on the Middle Patuxent River on May 6 (Farrell, Solem), 1 at Big
Pool on May 10 (Walbeck), 1 at Lake Kittamaqundi on May 13-17 (Chestem, Helen
Zeichner), and 1 still at Lilypons on May 20 (Iliff). Reports of Least Bitterns were of
1 at Blackwater on April 23 (Armistead), 1 at Cove Point on April 29 and 12 there
on May 20 (Stasz), 1 at Oldtown on May 3-5 (Jim Paulus + ), 1 at Hughes Hollow on
May 7 (Norm Saunders), and 1 at Pennyfield on May 7 (Paul Noell).
Egrets. The first Great EgTet of the year was reported on Marumsco Road in
Somerset County on March 31 (Effinger). This was quickly followed by 1 at Loch
Raven on April 1 (Wheeler) and 1 there on April 22 (Simon), 1 at PNAS on April 3
(Rambo), 1 at Lake Roland on April 4 (Walbeck + ), 1 at North Beach on April 5,
and 2 there on May 26 (Stasz). They reached Garrett County with 1 at Broadford
Reservoir on April 7 and April 19 (Pope), Frederick County with 1 at Lilypons on
April 8 (Joy Peters) and 3 there on May 4 (Warfield), Allegany County with 2 at
Cumberland on May 2 (Simons), Harford County with 1 at Conowingo on May 7
(Eastman) and Carroll County with 2 near Union Mills on May 13 (Ringler), thus
including most of the northern tier of counties. Other reports of Great Egrets
included 7 at Cove Point on April 22 and 8 there on May 20 (Stasz), 1 at Denton on
May 2 (Nuttle), 1 at Hains Point on May 6 (Czaplak), and 1 near Dundalk on May 28
(Ringler). Snowy Egrets opened with 2 at North Beach on March 25 and 12 there on
April 25 (Stasz), 1 at Point Lookout on March 26 (Rogers), 2 near Nanticoke on
March 27 (Ringler) and 2 at Swan Creek on March 30 (J. Gruber). April sightings
included 3 at Irish Grove on the 1st (Effinger), 1 at PNAS on the 3rd (Rambo) and 2
at Jug Bay on the 25th (Wilson), followed by 1 at Tanyard on May 11 (Engle), and
14 at Easton on May 14 (Reese). Many of these sightings represent birds traveling
from nearby breeding colonies to feed, sometimes across the bay. The first Cattle
Egrets were seen on March 30 with 8 at PNAS (Rambo, Bryan) and 1 at Swan
Creek (J. Gruber). Other Coastal Plain sightings were of 6 at Hains Point on April
4, 7 there the next day and 2 on May 16 (Czaplak), 5 at North Beach on April 5
(Stasz), 11 at Easton on April 23 (Reese + ), 64 at Claiborne on April 26 (Reese), 8 at
Denton on April 28 (Adams), 73 at West Ocean City on April 29 (Warfield), 3 at
Middle River on May 8 (Swift), and 4 at Tanyard on May 22 (Engle). In the Pied-
mont there were 4 at Sykesville on April 27 (Ringler), 1 in southeastern Howard
County on May 6 (Debra Schultz), and 1 near Buckeystown on May 7 (Miller).
Other Herons, Ibis. The 36 Great Blue Herons at Federalsburg on March 18 (Ed
Unger) and 13 at North Beach on March 26 (Stasz) were the first large numbers
reported for the season. The first Great Blue in Garrett County this year was at
Broadford Reservoir on March 19 (Pope); others inland included 21 at Pinto Marsh
on April 1 (Simons) and 10 at Loch Raven on April 2 (Simon, Debbie Terry). Single
Little Blue Herons were at Deal Island WMA on April 2 (Iliff), at North Beach on
April 10 and .May 24 (Stasz), at Seneca S.P. on April 25 (McConnell), and at Cove
Point on April 29 (Stasz). Single Tricolored Herons were at Deal Island WMA on
April 2 (Iliff) and at Ocean City on April 28 (Reese). Early Green-backed Herons
were singles at Chestertown on April 7 (Parks), in DC on April 12 (Czaplak), and at
Parsonsburg on April 13 (Pitney). Piedmont Black-crowned Night-Herons were 49
at the National Zoo on April 20 (Czaplak), 1 at Lake Elkhorn on May 6 (Dick
Hegner), 10 at Conowingo on May 7 (Eastman), and 2 at Piney Run on May 22
(Ringler). A Yellow-crowned Night-Heron at Noland’s Ferry on May 27 (Plante) was
unusual in Frederick County. Seventeen Glossy Ibis were at Bonfield in Talbot
County on March 13 (Effinger), 1 near Blackwater on March 27 (Ringler), 2 at
PWRC on April 7 and 15 (Obrecht, Tom Lewis), 1 at PNAS on April 14 (Rambo), 1
98
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
Vol. 45, No. 3
at Hains Point on April 15 (Czaplak), 8 at McDaniel on April 16 (Patty Young), 2 at
Jug Bay on April 25 (Wilson), 5 at North Beach on April 25 (Stasz), 1 at Lilypons on
May 6 (Garland), and 1 flying over Pennyfield on May 8 (Bonham).
Swans . The major part of the Tundra Swan migration occurred on March 11-13
with the following large counts: 200 over Elkridge on the 11th (Chuck Dupree),
1508 over Cove Point on the 12th (Stasz), 220 over DC on the 12th (Czaplak), 150
over St. Michaels on the 12th (Reese), 169 over Greenbelt on the 13th (Murphy),
and 500 over Triadelphia on the 13th (Chestem). Other large concentrations were
5000 near Chestertown on the 10th (Grubers) and 1000 at Cooper’s Hollow, Talbot
County, on the 16th (Effinger). Elsewhere, 21 Tundra Swans at Lilypons on March
5 (Lisa Thoerle) were unusual and 2 on Deep Creek Lake on April 21 (Skipper) and
1 at Brannock Bay, Dorchester County, on May 6 (Wilson) were late. Interesting
sightings of Mute Swans, which may represent attempts at range expansion, were
1 at Hains Point on April 8 (Czaplak), 2 at Cove Point on April 8 and 1 through the
30th (Stasz + ), 2 at Denton on April 26 (Adams), and 3 at Violet’s Lock on May 2
(Bonham).
Geese . A Greater White-fronted Goose of the Greenland race was at Rocky Gap
on April 1 (Kiddy), the first from western Maryland. The major concentrations of
Snow Geese were 30,000 including 728 blues at Ruthsburg on March 22 (Gruber)
and 1080 including 700 blues at Blackwater on March 25 (Armistead + ); however,
the only report of migrating birds was 200 over Assateague on March 28
(Warfield). The Grubers also observed a blue Snow Goose that appeared to be
paired with a Canada Goose at Remington Farms on March 12. In Howard County
an immature Snow was at Fulton on March 4-16 (Farrell, Solem) and another
immature at Centennial Lake from March 13 into the summer (many observers).
Late Snows were 40 at Greensboro on April 19 (Hewitt) and 1 at Ocean City on
April 27 (Reese). The last reports of Brant at Ocean City were 350 on April 27
(Reese) and 40 on May 12 (O’Brien + ). Major flights of Canada Geese coincided
with those of the Tundra Swans with 5000 over Chestertown on March 11, thou-
sands there at 4 a.m. on the 12th and 2000 on the 13th (Grubers), and 400 over St.
Michaels on the 14th (Reese). Other concentrations were 9000 at Remington Farms
on March 2 (Grubers) and 8000 at Long Point, Harris Creek, and Cooper’s Hollow
in Talbot County on March 16 (Effinger). Meanwhile, nesting activity had begun
with a nest with 1 egg at Lilypons on April 2 (Ringler), a nest with 6 eggs at North
Branch on April 10 (Walbeck), and a pair of birds with 1 downy young there on May
1 (Twigg). At PWRC 2 broods were seen on April 24 (Mary Ann McKeogh) and 46
goslings on April 28 (Obrecht).
Exotic Waterfowl. There were 2 Ruddy Shelducks at Ruthsburg on March 16 (J.
Gruber) and a female at St. Michaels on March 25-26 (Bill Portner). A female
Common Shelduck was at Piney Run on May 8 (Ringler). Also at Piney Run the Fal-
cated Teal that had been present during the winter remained through April 26'
(Ringler + ).
Puddle Ducks. High counts of Wood Ducks were 102 at Hughes Hollow on March
21 (O’Brien) and 40 at Pinto on April 29 (Simons). The first broods of Wood Ducks
seen were 9 downy young at PWRC on April 26 (Osenton) and 12 at North Branch
on April 28 (Simons). The high count of Green-winged Teal was 800 at Jug Bay on
March 22 (Mumford) and 2 late birds were in DC on May 6 (Czaplak). High counts of
American Black Ducks were 123 at Loch Raven on March 10 (Simon), 89 on Deep
Creek Lake on March 16 (Skipper), and 300 at Jug Bay on March 17 and 22
(Mumford + ). High counts of Mallards were 288 at Loch Raven on March 10
September 1989
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
99
(Simon) and 260 at Hart - Miller on May 28 (Ringler + ), the latter number
including young. Early Mallard nestings were a nest with 11 eggs in Baltimore on
April 16 (Walbeck), 10 downy young at Denton on April 28 (Adams), and 10 downy
young at North Branch on April 28 (Simons). High counts of Northern Pintails were
50 at Violet’s Lock on March 10 (Bonham), 77 at Remington Farms on March 17
(Grubers), 26 at Loch Raven on March 20 (Jenkins), 250 at Blackwater on March 25
(Armistead + ), and 50 flying over Appleton, Cecil County on March 27 (O’Brien).
Late singles were at Piney Run on April 9 (Walbeck) and at Blackwater on April 23
(Armistead). Blue-winged Teal numbers were unspectacular with 17 at Hughes
Hollow on March 21 (O’Brien), 17 at North Branch on April 9 (Kiddy), 20 at Jug Bay
on April 12 (Mumford), and 18 at Easton on April 23 (Reese + ). Single straggling
Blue-wings were near Bellevue on May 27 (Armistead + ) and a drake at
Hart - Miller on May 28 (Ringler + ). High counts of Northern Shovelers were 41 at
Chestertown on March 22 and 152 at Remington Farms on April 4 (Grubers) and
late singles were at Blackwater on May 6 (Armistead + ) and at Pinto and North
Branch on May 10 (Simons). A late pair of Gadwalls was at Piney Run on April 26
(Ringler). A drake Eurasian Wigeon was last seen at Piscataway on March 10
(Swarth). High counts of American Wigeons were 99 at Loch Raven on March 17
(Simon) and 30 at Piney Run on March 26 (Ringler). Several counties reported
wigeons on the May Count and the latest were 3 at Hart - Miller on May 28
(Ringler + ).
Aythya Ducks. The big counts of Canvasbacks were 9000 on a farm pond at
Tolchester on March 6-9 (Grubers), 9000 at Remington Farms on March 12
(Grubers), and 2500 at North Beach on March 19 (Stasz). Single late Canvasbacks
were at Little Meadows Lake on May 12 (O’Brien + ), at North Beach on May 18
(Stasz), and at Jug Bay on May 26 (Mumford, Beaton). All reports of Redheads are
notable and this spring the most were 10 on a pond on Williams Road, Allegany
County, on March 4 (Simons) and 4 at North Beach on March 11 (Stasz); single late
birds were at Swan Creek on April 6 (J. Gruber), at Loch Raven on April 9 (Simon),
near Point of Rocks on April 9 (Ringler), and at North Branch on April 19 (Simons).
Hi£h counts of Ring-necked Ducks were 951 at PWRC on March 2 (Obrecht), 197 on
Deep Creek Lake on March 22 (Skipper), and 175 at Piney Run on March 26
(Ringler); and late Ring-necks were 2 on Broadford Reservoir on May 8 (Pope), 1 at
Lake Haven near Berlin on May 12 (O’Brien + ), and 1 at North Branch through
May 28 (Simons + ). Flocks of Greater Scaup numbered 2000 at North Beach on
March 11 (Stasz), and 1000 at Swan Point on March 11 and 368 at Hodges Bar on
April 5 (both J. Gruber). Rare inland were 6 Greaters at Loch Raven on March 12
(Simon) and 4 at .Big Pool on March 19 (Ringler). The latest were 3 at Fort Small-
wood on May 13 (Mozurkewich). Large numbers of Lesser Scaup use the Chesa-
peake Bay region as a staging area for the spring migration and this year there
were more reports than ever of large flocks. Included were 2000 at Tolchester on
March 2 (J. Gruber), 1300 at Masonville on March 6 (Webb + ), 8000 at Chester-
town on March 2-10 (Grubers), 10,000 in Langford Bay on March 11 and 5000 still
there on April 7 (J. Gruber), 2000 in Hawk Cove, Baltimore County, on March 17
(Simon), 2000 at Swan Creek on March 25 (J. Gruber), 475 in the mouth of the
Choptank River on March 25 (Armistead + ), 3750 at North Beach on March 27
(Stasz), 5000 at Eastern Neck on April 1 (J. Gruber), 500 at Remington Farms on
April 4 (Grubers), and 100 at Edgewood on April 21 (Eastman). Inland tallies of
note were 59 at Centennial Lake on March 3 (Farrell), 110 in DC on March 21
(Czaplak), 92 on Triadelphia on March 22 (Magnusson), 146 on Deep Creek Lake on
March 22 (Skipper), 100 at Piney Run on March 26 (Ringler) and 60 at Rocky Gap on
April 4 (Simons). A late migrant was at North Beach on May 27 (Stasz).
100
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
Vol.45, No. 3
Eiders, Harlequin Duck, Oldsquaw, Scoters. A female Common Eider was at
Ocean City on April 8 (Dyke). The last reports of Harlequin Ducks at Ocean City
were 5 on March 4-10 (Vaughn + ). Excellent numbers of Oldsquaws were seen this
spring with 5000 at North Beach on March 11 and April 12 (Stasz), 4210 in the
mouth of the Choptank River on March 25 (Armistead + ), and 12,000 from Swan
Point to Love Point on March 29 (J. Gruber). There were 150 off Rock Point on
April 8 (Jett). Inland there were 2 at Loch Raven on March 30 (Jenkins), 7 at North
Branch on March 31 (Simons), 26 at Rocky Gap on April 3 (Twigg), 1 at Seneca S.P.
on April 10-25 (McConnell), 2 at Seneca on April 18 (Plante), 5 on Broadford
Reservoir on April 18 (Pope), 1 at Lake Roland on April 18 (Walbeck + ), and 2 at
Piney Run on April 20 (Ringler). May reports of Oldsquaws included 6 at Swan
Point on the 4th (J. Gruber) and 1 at North Beach on the 27th (Stasz). The only
Black Scoter reported was at Cove Point on April 8 (Stasz). Most of the Surf Scoter
reports came from the central part of the bay with 30 in the mouth of the Chop-
tank River on March 25 with 8 White-winged Scoters (Armistead + ), 81 near Belle-
vue on March 26 (Armistead), 800 at Cove Point on April 8 (Stasz), 700 at North
Beach on April 14 (Stasz), and 2800 near Sharps Island Light on April 22 with 400
White-wings (Spitzer, Armistead). Other Surf Scoters were 2 at Bivalve on March
27 (Ringler), 4 at Rumbly Point on April 1 (Effinger), 1 on Broadford Reservoir,
April 26 through May 16 (Pope), and 3 on Deep Creek Lake on May 10 (Skipper).
Other White-wings were 6 on Deep Creek Lake on March 31 (Skipper), 18 at
Eastern Neck on April 13 (J. Gruber), 3 on Broadford Reservoir on April 18 (Pope),
40 at North Beach on April 23 (Stasz), 1 at Loch Raven on April 25-27 (Simon,
Jenkins), and 16 at Swan Point on April 26 (J. Gruber).
Goldeneyes, Buffleheads . High counts of Common Goldeneyes were 500 at
Hodges Bar on March 2-10 (J. Gruber), 4000 at North Beach on March 11 (Stasz),
800 on the Chester River off Spaniard Point, Kent County on March 14 (J. Gruber),
145 in the Choptank River mouth on March 25 (Armistead + ), and 100 near Sharps
Island Light on April 22 (Spitzer, Armistead). Single late goldeneyes were at
North Beach on May 8 (Stasz), on Broadford Reservoir on May 13 (Pope), at Hamp-
stead on May 13 (Dave & Michelle Hudgins), and a drake that remained at Upper
Marlboro from March 23 through May 26 (Stasz). High counts of Buffleheads were
2500 at North Beach on March 11 (Stasz), 300 in the Choptank River mouth on
March' 25 (Armistead + ), 550 at Eastern Neck on April 7 (J. Gruber), and 250 near
Sharps Island Light on April 22 (Spitzer, Armistead). The 28 on Broadford Reser-
voir on April 19 (Pope) was a large number for Garrett County. Late Buffleheads
were 1 at North Beach on May 14 (Stasz), 3 on Broadford Reservoir on May 16
(Pope), 1 at Seneca on May 20 (Czaplak), and 1 at Piney Run on May 22 (Ringler).
Mergansers. Late reports of Hooded Mergansers included 2 at Jug Bay on April
21 (Mumford), 3 at Pleasant Valley in Garrett County on May 13 (Skipper), and a
female at Hughes Hollow on May 27 (Czaplak). A big surprise was the female.
Hooded Merg with 6 downy young at Meyers Station on April 30 (Ringler + ). High
counts of Common Mergansers were 156 at Loch Raven on March 3 (Simon), 40 at
Triadelphia on March 4 (Farrell), 400 at Piscataway on March 10 (Swarth), and 42
at Swan Point on March 10 (J. Gruber). Extremely late were 3 Common Mergs at
Susquehanna S.P. on May 6 (Eastman). Red-breasted Mergansers numbered 300 off
Nichols Point on the Chester River on March 14 (J. Gruber), 150 at North Beach on
March 21‘(Stasz), 32 at Little Meadows Lake on March 25 (O’Brien), and 80 in the
Choptank River mouth on March 25 (Armistead + ); stragglers included 1 at Piney
Run on May 17 (Ringler), 1 at Blair’s Valley on May 20 (Ringler + ) and 3 at Barren
Island on May 28 (Armistead + ).
September 1989
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
101
Table 1. Median Arrival and Departure Dates, Spring 1989
Median Median
Arrival Departure
Species 10-Yr 1989 10-Yr 1989
Common Loon
4/4
,3/25
5/16
5/20
Pied-billed Grebe
3/14
3/17
5/5
5/13
Horned Grebe
3/19
3/18
5/2
5/5
Double-crested Cormorant
3/30
3/26
6/2
5/28
American Bittern
4/10
4/5
5/3
5/13
Great Blue Heron
3/19
3/26
-
-
Great Egret
4/7
4/5
-
-
Snowy Egret
4/11
4/1
-
-
Cattle Egret
4/12
4/5
-
-
Green-backed Heron
4/18
4/15
-
-
Glossy Ibis
4/15
4/7
-
_
Tundra Swan
2/28
2/28
3/31
3/29
Wood Duck
3/5
2/23
-
_
Green-winged Teal
3/17
2/26
4/28
5/5
Northern Pintail
2/26
2/15
3/29
3/22
Blue-winged Teal
3/21
3/19
5/9
5/13
Northern Shoveler
3/15
3/12
4/13
4/17
Gadwall
3/11
3/6
4/22
4/17
American Wigeon
3/8
2/20
4/20
4/28
Canvasback
2/27
2/20
4/1
4/9
Redhead
3/1
2/18
3/26
3/29
Ring-necked Duck
3/6
2/22
4/17
4/19
Lesser Scaup
3/6
2/26
4/28
5/13
Oldsquaw
3/20
3/27
4/12
4/23
White-winged Scoter
3/25
3/11
4/15
-
Common Goldeneye
2/24
2/26
4/5
4/26
Bufflehead
3/5
2/25
4/28
5/14
Hooded Merganser
3/7
3/2
4/12
4/19
Common Merganser
2/26
2/23
4/5
4/4
Red-breasted Merganser
3/18
3/18
5/5
5/13
Ruddy Duck
3/20
3/10
5/6
5/13
Osprey
3/18
3/12
-
-
Northern Harrier
3/5
3/8
5/6
5/13
Sharp-shinned Hawk
3/11
3/7
5/8
-
Cooper's Hawk
3/13
3/11
5/10
-
Broad-winged Hawk
4/16
4/17
-
-
Merlin
3/29
4/4
5/5
-
Virginia Rail
4/19
4/16
-
-
Sora
4/23
4/9
5/14
-
American Coot
3/17
3/25
5/2
5/15
Black-bellied Plover
4/30
4/19
5/29
_
Semipalmated Plover
5/5
5/3
5/29
_
Killdeer
2/24
2/21
-
-
Greater Yellowlegs
3/29
3/28
5/16
5/19
Lesser Yellowlegs
4/6
3/31
5/13
5/16
Solitary Sandpiper
4/19
4/18
5/18
5/18
Spotted Sandpiper
4/20
4/20
5/28
5/27
Semipalmated Sandpiper
5/4
5/2
6/4
6/5
Least Sandpiper
4/22
4/19
5/19
5/25
Pectoral Sandpiper
3/29
4/2
5/4
5/10
Dunlin
4/17
4/13
6/1
5/27
Common Snipe
3/15
3/12
5/3
4/30
American Woodcock
3/3
3/2
-
-
Laughing Gull
4/1
3/25
-
-
102
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
Vol. 45, No. 3
Table 1. (cont.) Median Arrival and Departure Dates, Spring 1989
Median Median
Arrival Departure
Species
10- Yr 1989 10-Yr
1989
Bonaparte’s Gull
3/30
3/26
5/3
5/13
Caspian Tern
4/13
4/6
5/31
-
Royal Tern
4/19
4/9
-
-
Common Tern
4/16
4/13
-
-
Forster’s Tern
4/22
4/9
-
-
Least Tern
5/4
5/6
-
-
Black Tern
5/8
5/11
5/29
5/14
Black-billed Cuckoo
5/8
5/6
-
-
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
5/3
5/1
-
-
Common Nighthawk
5/7
5/7
-
-
Chuck-will’s-widow
5/1
4/25
-
-
Whip-poor-will
4/21
4/20
-
-
Chimney Swift
4/15
4/15
-
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
4/29
4/25
-
-
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
3/27
3/13
5/1
4/13
Eastern Wood-Pewee
5/3
5/3
-
-
Acadian Flycatcher
5/3
4/30
-
-
Willow Flycatcher
5/17
5/16
-
-
Eastern Phoebe
3/14
3/12
-
-
Great Crested Flycatcher
4/28
4/26
-
-
Eastern Kingbird
4/24
4/23
-
-
Purple Martin
3/30
3/31
-
-
Tree Swallow
3/26
3/18
-
-
N. Rough-winged Swallow
4/4
4/2
-
-
Bank Swallow
4/20
4/18
-
-
Cliff Swallow
4/20
4/23
-
-
Barn Swallow
4/4
4/5
- ■
-
Brown Creeper
3/24
3/14
4/24
4/25
House Wren
4/20
4/19
-
-
Winter Wren
-
-
4/24
4/23
Golden-crowned Kinglet
3/25
3/18
4/12
4/16
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
4/10
4/4
5/8
5/13
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
4/10
4/2
-
-
Veery
4/30
4/28
5/22
5/22
Gray-cheeked Thrush
5/12
5/18
5/25
5/28
Swainson’s Thrush
5/2
5/4
5/26
5/27
Hermit Thrush
4/10
4/6
5/4
5/11
Wood Thrush
4/25
4/24
-
-
American Robin
2/22
2/20
-
-
Gray Catbird
4/26
4/23
-
-
Brown Thrasher
4/11
4/2
-
-
American Pipit
3/22
3/22
5/3
5/6
Cedar Waxwing
2/27
-
5/28
5/30
White-eyed Vireo
4/20
4/17
-
-
Solitary Vireo
4/20
4/12
5/6
5/13
Yellow-throated Vireo
4/29
4/24
-
-
Warbling Vireo
4/29
4/26
-
-
Red-eyed Vireo
4/25
4/23
-
-
Blue- winged Warbler
4/28
4/28
5/13
5/13
Golden-winged Warbler
5/2
4/30
5/13
5/12
Tennessee Warbler
5/4
5/4
5/20
5/20
Nashville Warbler
5/1
4/30
5/16
5/18
Northern Parula
4/20
4/11
-
-
Yellow Warbler
4/26
4/25
-
-
September 1989
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
103
Table 1. (cont.) Median Arrival and Departure Dates, Spring 1989
Median Median
Arrival Departure
Species 10-Yr 1989 10-Yr 1989
Chestnut-sided Warbler
5/2
4/30
5/20
5/25
Magnolia Warbler
5/3
5/6
5/25
5/25
Cape May Warbler
5/3
5/4
5/19
5/16
Black-throated Blue Warbler
5/1
4/29
5/20
5/21
Yellow-rumped Warbler
4/9
-
5/14
5/20
Black-throated Green Warbler
4/30
4/29
5/19
5/20
Blackburnian Warbler
5/3
5/6
5/22
5/21
Yellow-throated Warbler
4/17
4/8
-
-
Pine Warbler
3/17
3/16
-
-
Prairie Warbler
4/24
4/22
-
-
Palm Warbler
4/9
4/2
5/3
5/7
Bay-breasted Warbler
5/4
5/4
5/23
5/20
Blackpoll Warbler
5/4
5/7
5/29
5/29
Cerulean Warbler
4/29
4/27
-
-
Black-and-white Warbler
4/18
4/21
-
-
American Redstart
4/25
4/25
5/30
5/29
Prothonotary Warbler
4/22
4/23
-
-
Worm-eating Warbler
4/27
4/25
-
-
Ovenbird
4/21
4/20
-
-
Northern Waterthrush
4/28
4/28
5/24
5/26
Louisiana Waterthrush
4/6
3/29
-
-
Kentucky Warbler
5/1
4/29
-
-
Mourning Warbler
5/18
5/19
5/30
5/30
Common Yellowthroat
4/21
4/18
-
-
Hooded Warbler
4/27
4/27
-
-
Wilson’s Warbler
5/5
5/6
5/21
5/21
Canada Warbler
5/6
5/6
5/27
5/26
Yellow-breasted Chat
5/1
4/30
-
_
Summer Tanager
5/2
5/1
-
-
Scarlet Tanager
4/29
4/27
-
-
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
■ 5/2
4/30
5/20
5/21
Blue Grosbeak
5/1
4/29
-
-
Indigo Bunting
4/30
4/29
-
-
Rufous-sided Towhee
3/31
3/26
-
-
Chipping Sparrow
3/31
3/27
-
-
Vesper Sparrow
4/4
3/31
-
-
Savannah Sparrow
3/30
3/28
5/10
5/15
Grasshopper Sparrow
4/26
4/21
-
-
Seaside Sparrow
-
4/23
-
-
Fox Sparrow
2/27
2/16
3/27
3/30
Lincoln’s Sparrow
5/4
5/3
5/23
5/22
Swamp Sparrow
4/2
-
5/10
5/13
White-throated Sparrow
-
-
5/15
5/20
White-crowned Sparrow
4/26
-
5/9
5/17
Dark-eyed Junco
-
-
5/3
5/2
Bobolink
5/2
4/30
5/23
5/21
Red-winged Blackbird
2/20
2/17
-
-
Eastern Meadowlark
-
3/16
-
-
Rusty Blackbird
3/15
3/9
5/3
4/23
Common Grackle
2/19
2/16
-
_
Brown-headed Cowbird
2/26
2/19
-
-
Orchard Oriole
4/28
4/26
-
-
Northern Oriole
4/28
4/28
-
-
Purple Finch
-
-
5/6
5/2
104
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
Vol. 45, No. 3
Ruddy Ducks. High counts of Ruddy Ducks were 500 at Masonville on March 6
(Webb + ), 500 in Langford Bay on March 11 (J. Gruber), and 3000 at the mouth of
St. Leonard Creek, Calvert County on March 12 (Stasz). Interestingly, there are
two Wicomico Rivers in the state and Ruddy Ducks were seen on both this spring
with 200 on the Western Shore river in Charles County on March 12 (Ringler,
Dixon) and 125 on the Eastern Shore river in Wicomico County on March 27
(Ringler). Late Ruddies included 10 at North Branch on May 14 (Twigg) and 3 at
Easton on May 16 (Effinger).
Vultures, Ospreys, Bald Eagles, Harriers . See Table 2 for the results of the
hawk watch at Monument Knob this spring. The high count of Black Vultures for
the spring was 50 at Lake Linganore, Frederick County, on March 12 (Walbeck). In
Allegany County, where the species is a rare breeder, 3 were seen on Green Ridge
on April 21 (Twigg) and 2 at Pinto Marsh on May 28 (Kiddy). Early Ospreys in
Talbot County were singles at St. Michaels on March 7 (Reese) and at Carmichael
on the 10th (Effinger), and other early arrivals were 1 at Jug Bay on the 10th
(Bjerke), Remington Farms on the 12th (Grubers), and on the Potomac River in
Charles County on- the 12th (Ringler, Dixon). The first inland birds were 1 at
Centennial Lake on March 26 (Swift) and 1 at Broadford Reservoir on the 30th
(Pope). A pair of Ospreys seen copulating at Cumberland on May 16 (Twigg)
probably nested nearby, possibly in West Virginia. An immature Bald Eagle
soaring over McKeldin on May 27 (Ringler) was a rarity in Carroll County. The last
report of a non-breeding Northern Harrier was 1 at Hart -Miller on May 28
(Ringler + ).
Accipiters, Buteos, Golden Eagles. The high count of Sharp-shinned Hawks for
the season was 992 at Fort Smallwood on May 3 (Mozurkewich). A Cooper’s Hawk
near Whaleysville on May 28 (Reese, Effinger) was probably a rare breeder there.
A Harris Hawk seen near Eastern Neck on April 9 (Iliff) was certainly an escape.
An albino Red-tailed Hawk was at Greensboro on May 13 (Fletchers). The last
reports of Rough-legged Hawks were in March with 1 flying across the Potomac at
Great Falls on the 11th (Ed Behr), single light and dark phase birds at Deal Island
WMA on the 19th (O’Brien), and 1 at Grasonville on the 21st (J. Gruber). An
immature Golden Eagle was at Remington Farms on March 12 (Parks) and an adult
was at North Branch on March 23 (Twigg).
Falcons. High counts of American Kestrels still on wintering grounds were 15 at
Remington Farms on March 5 and 18 at Ruthsburg on March 20 (Grubers). Rare as
a breeder on the lower Eastern Shore a female kestrel flying from a barn at Lee
Haven, Talbot County on May 14 (Effinger) and 1 near Whaleysville on May 28
(Reese, Effinger) were likely nesters. The male Merlin that wintered at. Hains
Point was last seen on April 5 (Czaplak). Other Merlins were 1 at Flag Ponds on
March 12 (Stasz), 1 at Remington Farms on April 4 (Grubers), 1 at Susquehanna
S.P. on April 20 (Eastman), 1 at Blackwater on April 23 (Armistead), 1 at North
Beach on April 25 (Stasz), 1 at Assateague on April 27 (Warfield), 4 at Fort Small-
wood on May 2 (Mozurkewich), 1 at Waldorf on May 4 (Jett), 2 at Bolling Air Base
in DC on May 6 (Czaplak + ), and 1 at Annapolis on May 12 (Iliff). Sightings of
Peregrine Falcons included 1 at Rockville on March 6-27 (Tom Reise), 1 in DC on
March 8 (Bjerke), 1 at North Beach on March 19, March 28 and April 8 (Stasz), and 1
at Loch Raven on April 1 (Wheeler).
September 1989
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
105
Table 2. Hawk Migration at Monument Knob,
Washington Monument State Park, Spring 1989
Species
First
Last
Total
Best Days
Osprey
3/27
5/22
331
40 on 4/17, 39 on 5/3, 32 on 4/28
Bald Eagle
4/19
5/3
2
Northern Harrier
3/13
5/8
60
11 on 4/19, 7 on 3/18, 5 on 4/20
Sharp-shinned Hawk
3/11
5/22
286
25 on 4/28, 20 on 4/18, 19 on 4/17 &
5/2
Cooper’s Hawk
3/11
5/4
35
4 on 4/1, 3 on 3/17
Northern Goshawk
4/1
1
Red-shouldered Hawk
3/11
4/11
67
20 on 3/17, 8 on 3/13 & 3/18
Broad-winged Hawk
4/14
5/6
538
154 on 4/20, 104 on 4/24, 63 on 4/22
Red-tailed Hawk
2/20
5/22
441
53 on 3/18, 49 on 4/1, 25 on 3/26
Golden Eagle
4/28
1
American Kestrel
3/15
4/25
36
7 on 3/17, 4 on 3/26, 3/27 & 4/22
Unidentified
116
Total
2/20
5/22
1914
201 on 4/20, 133 on 4/24, 124 on 4/17
Data compiled by Sam and L.J. Shoemaker from 236.25 hours of observation on
58 days by many observers.
Gallinaceous Birds. Eastern Shore sightings of Ring-necked Pheasants were 4 at
Remington Farms on March 5 (Grubers), 1 found dead at Greensboro on April 5
(Hewitt) and 1 seen there on May 23 (A. Bilbrough), and 1 male near Princess Anne
on May 27 (Reese, Effinger). Other interesting pheasant reports were of 1 male at
North Branch on April 5 (Twigg) and 1 male at Cove Point on April 29 (fide Stasz).
The best Ruffed Grouse report was of 4 on Green Ridge on March 24 and 29
(Simons). As usual the high counts of Wild Turkeys were from Allegany County
with 24 at Pinto Marsh on March 5-11 (Simons) and 150 on Green Ridge on April 1
(Rodger Simons). Other reports that reflect the statewide introduction of turkeys
were 1 heard gobbling at Prettyboy Reservoir in Baltimore County on April 17
(Haven Kolb), 2 at Tuckahoe S.P. on April 22 (Dorset, Nuttle), 1 at Blackwater on
April 23 (Armistead), 1 at Marriottsville on April 29 (Blom + ), 5 at Seneca on May
11 (Don Simonson), and 4 at Idlewyld WMA on May 28 (Glime, Ross Robinson).
Rails. A unique report was that of a Black Rail found dead on a sidewalk near
Jacobsville in northern Anne Arundel County on May 14 (Thomas Lewis). The
specimen was preserved. A Clapper Rail was seen on April 30 at Cove Point where
it is rare (Stasz). Single King Rails were at Tanyard on March 19 (O’Brien) and April
28 (Engle), and in Calvert County at Cove Point and at God’s Grace Point on April
30 (Stasz). The first Virginia Rails of the season were 1 at Cove Point on April 8
(Stasz), 1 at Pinto Marsh on April 14 (Simons), 1 at North Branch on April 15-16
(Kiddy, Twigg), 8 at Adkins Marsh in Talbot County on April 18 (P. Gruber), and 1
at Tanyard on April 26 (Engle). Soras enjoyed their best spring season in the state
as far as birdwatchers were concerned with 1 at Centennial Lake from April 5
through May 14 (Magnusson + ), 1 at Pinto Marsh on April 8 (Simons), 1 at Cove
Point on April 8 and 13 there on May 13, 2 remaining on May 20 (Stasz), 2 at
Hughes Hollow on April 9 (Czaplak) and 4 there on April 16 (Jesse Fulton), 1 at Jug
Bay on April 13 (Ramona Kasden), 1 at Point Lookout on April 22 (Paul Pisano), 1
at Blackwater on April 23 (Armistead), 1 at Oldtown on April 27 (Jim Paulus), 1 at
Anacostia Naval. Station in DC on May 6 (Czaplak + ), 1 at Deal Island WMA on
May 12 (O’Brien + ), 1 at Chestertown on May 13 (Parks), and 1 at Pennyfield on
May 14 (Bonham).
106
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
Vol. 45, No. 3
Moorhens, Coots, Cranes. A single Common Moorhen at Hughes Hollow on April
16 (Jesse Fulton, Ringler) had increased to 4 by April 29 (Czaplak). Others were 1
at North Branch on May 9-20 (Twigg + ), 6 at Tanyard on May 13 (Engle), and 1 at
Cove Point May 13-20 (Stasz). High counts of American Coots were 2000 at Pis-
cataway on March 10 (Swarth) and 328 at Loch Raven on April 7 (Simon,
Jenkins); late individuals were in DC on May 16 (Czaplak), Bethesda on May 20
(Anita Stoll), Piney Run on May 22 (Ringler), and North Branch on May 28 (Simons
+ ). The Sandhill Crane at Poolesville remained through the season, completing its
first year in residence at the horse farm (many observers).
Plovers. Interesting reports of Black-bellied Plovers included 2 at Blackwater on
April 16 (Greg Lucie), 1 at North Branch on April 19 and 1 on May 11 (Simons), 4 at
Hains Point on May 6 (Czaplak + ), and 1 at Jug Bay on May 13 (Mumford); high
counts were 63 at Worton on May 13 (Parks), 15 near Snow Hill on May 27 (Reese,
Effinger), and 31 at Hart - Miller on May 28 (Ringler + ). The first report in four
years of a Wilson’s Plover in the state was 1 on the north end of Assateague on May
29 (John Loegering). Early Semipalmated Plovers were single birds at North
Branch on April 29 (Simons), Loberty Reservoir on the same day (Ringler), and Jug
Bay on the 30th (Ringler + ). High local counts of Semi Plovers were 18 at Tanyard
on May 13 (Engle), 7 at Hains Point on May 16 (Czaplak), 7 near Oakland on May 17
(Pope), and 25 at Hart - Miller on May 28 (Ringler + ). Warfield found early Piping
Plovers on Assateague with 1 on March 12 and 2 on March 27. High counts of
Killdeer for the season were 16 near Oakland on March 16 (Skipper), 40 at North
Branch on March 22 (Simons), and 57 at Merkle on March 25 (Ringler). A Killdeer
nest with 4 eggs was found at PWRC on April 7 (Vic Levi) and an adult with 4
young was there on April 23 (Osenton).
Oystercatchers, Stilts. O’Brien found 4 American Oystercatchers at Ocean City
on March 19 which may have wintered there. In the Chesapeake Bay area there
were 2 oystercatchers at Goose Creek, Fairmount, Somerset County on May 27
(Reese, Effinger) and 9 at Barren Island on May 28 (Armistead + ). Black-necked
Stilts appeared in remarkable numbers on May 6 with 2 at Blackwater (Armistead
+ ) and 12 at Deal Island WMA where they have nested in recent years (many
observers). More unusual were 2 stilts at Hart - Miller on May 28 (Ringler + ).
Tringine Sandpipers. The first Greater Yellowlegs of the season was near Oak-
land on March 16 (Skipper); high counts of 50 at Jug Bay on April 12 (Mumford), 16
at Lilypons on April 2 (Ringler), and 12 at Harmony on April 25 (Engle) were
recorded. Late Greaters were single birds at St. Michaels on May 23 (Reese) and
Barren Island on May 28 (Armistead + ). The first Lesser Yellowlegs of the season
was at Hains Point on March 21 (Czaplak) and high counts were 85 at Blackwater
on April 23 (Armistead), 50 at Jug Bay on April 26 and May 3 (Mumford + ), and 19
at the University of Maryland Farm in Howard County on May 6 (Atkinson); 8 late
birds were at Hart-Miller on May 28 (Ringler + ). Early Solitary Sandpipers were
singles at Lilypons on April 2 (Ringler) and Mountain Lake on April 14 (Pope).
Willets outside the species breeding range in the bay were 1 at Cove Point on April
16 (Stasz), 3 at Kent Narrows on April 27 (J. Gruber), 1 at Adkins Marsh, Talbot
County on April 28 (P. Gruber), and 4 at North Beach on May 14 (Stasz); the only
inland report was of 3 birds of the western race at Rocky Gap on May 12 (O’Brien).
The first Spotted Sandpiper of the season was at North Branch on April 6, and a
high of 12 was there on April 29 (Simons); other highs were 14 at North Beach on
May 4 (Stasz) and 16 at Hart - Miller on May 28 (Ringler + ). Another early
Spotted was at PWRC on April 10 (Martin).
September 1989
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
107
Curlews, Turnstones. Garland found an Upland Sandpiper in southern Fred-
erick County on May 11 and Roger Anderson saw 1 along US 301 in Queen Annes
County on May 17 for the only Maryland sightings outside the Garret County
breeding areas. The only Whimbrels this spring were 2 at Assateague on April 30
(Warfield) and 1 at Barren Island on May 28 (Armistead + ). Interesting sightings
of Ruddy Turnstones were 1 at Blackwater and 3 at Barren Island on May 6 (Armi-
stead + ) and 1 at North Beach on May 26 (Stasz).
Calidridine Sandpipers. Stasz saw 1 Sanderling at North Beach on March 26.
Early Semipalmated Sandpipers were singles at Lilypons on April 25 (Warfield),
Remington Farms on April 26 (J. Gruber) and North Branch on April 29 (Twigg,
Simons). High local counts of Semis were 100 at Blackwater on May 12 (Effinger),
28 at North Branch on May 24 (Twigg), 16 at Broadford Run on May 26 (Skipper,
Pope), 120 at Barren Island on May 28 (Armistead + ), and 3000 at Hart - Miller on
the latter date (Ringler + ). Remarkably early were 35 Least Sandpipers at
Blackwater on March 25 (Armistead + ). High counts of Leasts were 25 at North
Branch on May 7 (Kiddy), 75 at Hebron on May 8 (Slaughters), 200 at Blackwater on
May 12 (Effinger), and 30 at Jug Bay on May 13 (Mumford); the latest were 3 at
Hart - Miller on May 28 (Ringler + ). The only reports of White-rumped Sandpipers
were 1 at Hebron on May 7 (Ringler + ) and 6 there the next day (Slaughters), 4 at
Smithsville on May 13 (Scudder), 3 at North Beach on May 13-14 (Stasz), and 16 at
Hart - Miller on May 28 (Ringler + ). The earliest Pectoral Sandpipers were 5 at
North Branch on March 21 (Simons), and the latest was 1 at Worton on May 17
(Parks). In between were high counts of 12 at Lilypons on April 22 (Ringler + ) and
25 at Blackwater on May 12 (Effinger). Reese found 150 Purple Sandpipers at Ocean
City on April 28 but only 3 remained on May 12 (O’Brien + ). The numbers of
Dunlins wintering at Blackwater decreased from 400 on March 27 (Ringler) to 175
on April 23 (Armistead + ) and 25 on May 12 (Effinger). Interesting Dunlin sight-
ings were 2 at Chesapeake Beach on March 19 (Stasz), 1 at Oak Creek, Talbot
County on March 31 (Effinger), 4 at North Beach on April 16 (Stasz), 1 at Jug Bay
on April 26 (Mumford), 1 at Lilypons on April 30 (Wilbur Hershberger) and 7 there
on May 11 (Miller), 5 near Oakland on May 13 (Skipper), 1 at North Branch on May
24 (Twigg), 1 at Herrington Manor on May 26 (Pope), and 200 at Hart - Miller on
May 28 (Ringler +■ ). A record-early Stilt Sandpiper was near Salisbury on April 16
(Hammer + ) and the only other one of the spring was at Blackwater on May 13
(Armistead + ).
Dowitchers , Snipe, Woodcock, Phalaropes. Reports of Short-billed Dowitchers
included 2 at Blackwater on April 23 (Armistead), 1 at North Beach on May 3
(Stasz), 1 at Hebron and 1 at Deal Island WMA on May 7 (Ringler + ), 4 at Cove
Point on May 13 (Stasz), 1 near Oakland on May 13-16 (Skipper, Pope) and 11 at
Worton on May 17 (Parks). High counts of Common Snipe for the season were 26 at
the University of Maryland Farm in Howard County on March 18 (Chestem), 25 at
Tanyard on March 19 (O’Brien), 15 at Lilypons on April 2 (Ringler), 15 at Mountain
Lake on April 7 (Pope), 20 at Pinto Marsh on April 11 (Walbeck), 150 at Jug Bay on
April 12 (Mumford), and 31 at PNAS on April 13 (Rambo). The latest snipe were 1
at Cove Point on May 13 (Stasz) and 1 in Howard County on May 14 (Chestem).
High counts of American Woodcock were 6 at North Branch on March 3 (Simons)
and 6 at Millington on March 15 (John Lorentz). The only Wilson’s Phalaropes this
spring were 2 females at Blackwater on May 13 (Armistead + ) and 1 in non-breed-
ing plumage at Hart - Miller on May 28 (Ringler + ). The latter bird was joined by
a female Red-necked Phalarope.
108
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
Vol. 45, No. 3
Dark-headed Gulls. The first reported Laughing Gulls were 1 at Chestertown on
March 18 (Parks) and 2 at Salisbury and 4 at Ocean City on March 19 (O’Brien).
High counts of Laughers were 300 at Easton on April 16 (Reese) and 300 at Edes-
ville, Kent County, on April 28 (Grubers), while single birds were inland at Loch
Raven on April 27 (Simon) and Triadelphia on April 29 (Magnusson, Farrell). The
proliferation of Bonaparte’s Gulls inland this spring makes listing of all the reports
impossible, but the remarkable number of occurrences is a tribute to the many
observers who diligently watch their local water spots. In Garrett County there
were 38 on Broadford Reservoir on April 13 (Pope) and 28 on Deep Creek Lake on
April 14 (Skipper). In Allegany County the first 2 were at North Branch on March
18 (Ringler + ) and 30 were there on March 30 (Walbeck), 16 at Pinto on March 31
(Simons), and 21 at Rocky Gap on April 3 and a late bird at North Branch on May 24
(Twigg). On the Washington/Frederick County line there were 31 on the Potomac
between Knoxville and Weverton on April 23 (Ringler). Continuing down the
Potomac there were 5 at Nolands Ferry, Frederick County, on April 9 (Ringler). In
Montgomery County there were at least 50 at Little Falls on April 20-21 (Dick
Homan) and 9 at Seneca on April 24 (Warfield). In DC the high count was 120 on
April 11 and 1 immature remained on May 29 (Czaplak). Farther north in Carroll
County there were 35 at Piney Run on April 20, 3 remaining on May 13 (Ringler).
In Howard County there was a record-high inland count of 250 at Centennial Lake
on April 2 (Farrells). In Baltimore County there were 49 at Loch Raven on April
14; 35 remained on May 13 (Simon). In the northern part of the bay in Kent County
there were 57 at Tolchester and 70 in the mouth of the Chester River on April 5
and 200 at Langford Bay on April 7 (J. Gruber). On the opposite side of the bay 6
Bonaparte’s remained at Hart - Miller on May 28 (Ringler + ). In Calvert County
there were 150 at North Beach on April 14 and 2 remained on May 22 (Stasz). On
the Eastern Shore 1 Bonaparte’s was inland at Powellsville on April 9 (Swift). At
the primary staging area for Bonaparte’s Gulls at Back River on April 12 Swift
estimated 500 birds.
White-headed Gulls. High inland counts of Ring-billed Gulls were 1000 at PWRC
on March 8 (Obrecht), 83 at Cumberland on April 17 (Twigg), and 262 at Deep
Creek Lake on May 13 (Skipper); a late bird was at Pinto on May 30 (Simons). High
counts on the Eastern Shore were 1500 at Easton on March 14 (Reese), 2500 at
Bucktown, Dorchester County, on March 27 (Ringler), and 2500 at Fairlee on April
26 (J. Gruber). At DC the peak was 620 on April 5 (Czaplak). Large flocks of non-
breeding Ring-bills that remained late in the season were 700 at Hart - Miller on
May 28 (Ringler + ) and 220 in DC on May 29 (Czaplak). The only Herring Gulls in
the western counties were 1 at North Branch on March 28 (Simons), 1 immature at
Broadford Reservoir on March 30 (Pope), and 1 on Deep Creek Lake on May 13
(Skipper). Non-breeders at Hart - Miller numbered 600 on May 28 (Ringler + ).
Sightings of Lesser Black-backed Gulls were 1 at Fort McHenry in Baltimore on
March 6 (Webb + ), a second-winter bird in DC on March 17, a third-winter bird on
March 18 and an adult there on April 5 (Czaplak), and a bird in first-summer
plumage at North Beach on May 27 (Stasz). High counts of Great Black-backed
Gulls were 30 at Jug Bay on April 21 (Mumford) and 80 at Hart - Miller on May 28
(Ringler + ).
White Terns. The only report of Gull-billed Tern was of 2 at Ocean City on May
10 (Paul O’Brien). Very early Caspian Terns numbered 9 at Chestertown on March
26 (Parks), followed by 1 at PNAS on April 3 (Ram bo) and 2 in DC on April 4
(Czaplak). Early birds inland were 1 at Lake Elkhorn on April 6 (Hegner) and 1 at
Seneca on April 10 (Jack Schultz). High counts of Caspians inland were 28 at Tria-
September 1989
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
109
delphia on April 14 (Magnusson, Solem), 12 at Conowingo on April 17 (Eastman), 4
at Deep Creek Lake on May 10 (Pope), and 2 at Piney Run on May 12 (Ringler,
Anne Moretti). At Hart - Miller 35 Caspians remained on May 28 (Ringler + ). The
first Royal Terns of the season were noted on April 9 with 7 at Ocean City (Swift)
and 2 at North Beach (Stasz). High counts of Royals were 95 at North Beach on
May 3 (Stasz) and 20 at Goose Creek, Fairmount, Somerset County on May 27
(Reese, Effinger). There were two reports of Sandwich Terns in the bay, 1 at the
mouth of Worton Creek on May 4 (J. Gruber) and 1 flying north up Tar Bay, Dor-
chester County, on May 28 (Armistead + ). The first Common Terns of the season
were 5 at North Beach on April 8 (Stasz), and inland birds were 3 at Hains Point on
May 6 (Czaplak + ), 2 at Piney Run on May 11 (Ringler), and 14 at Deep Creek Lake
on May 12 (Pope). March Forster’s Terns were 4 at Bivalve on the 28th (Slaughters)
and 1 in Kent County the same day (Parks). The first inland bird was 1 at North
Branch on April 9 (Kiddy, Twi^g). Also inland were 9 at Broadford Reservoir on
May 5 (Pope), 42 at Deep Creek Lake on May 10 (Pope), 1 at Rocky Gap on May 12
(O’Brien + ), and 1 at Williamsport on May 12 (Bob & Bonnie Lizer). A good count
for Caroline County was 28 Forster’s Terns at Choptank on May 13 (Engle). Two
Least Terns there on April 29 (Engle) were the earliest of that species reported,
and 30 at the same location on May 7 (Ringler + ) was the largest number. The only
other April Leasts were 3 at Cove Point on the 30th (Stasz).
Black Terns, Skimmers . Black Terns put on their best spring show ever as there
were more reports inland this year. In Garrett County there were 6 on Broadford
Reservoir on May 11 (Pope) and 8 on Deep Creek Lake on May 13 (Skipper). In
Allegany County the first was at Cumberland on May 2 (Twigg), followed by 24 at
North Branch on May 10 (Twigg, Simons), 1 at Pinto on May 10-11 (Simons), and 22
at Rocky Gap on May 12 (O’Brien + ). In Washington County there were 4 at
Williamsport on May 12 and 1 there on May 14 (Bob & Bonnie Lizer), and 7 on the
Potomac near Antietam on May 13 (Jean Nielly). In Carroll County there were 20
at Piney Run on May 11 and 2 remaining on May 18 (Ringler). In Montgomery
County an early bird was at Seneca on April 24 (Warfield), and 5 were at Violet’s
Lock on April 30 (Oberman). In Howard County 1 appeared at Lake Elkhorn on
May 11 (Hegner, Mariano + ), and in Baltimore County 3 were at Loch Raven the
same day (Simon). The only sightings from the bay region were 1 at North Beach
on May 6 (Stasz), 2 at Blackwater on May 12 (Effinger), and 1 at Deal Island WMA
on May 12 (O’Brien + ). The lone report from the coast was of 3 at Ocean City on
May 12 (O’Brien + ). Armistead found 14 Black Skimmers at Hooper Island on April
23, a good number there.
Doves, Parrots, Cuckoos. A White-winged Dove near Elkton on March 9-27 (Paul
Bystrak + ) will be detailed in a separate article. A Monk Parakeet was seen at
PNAS on April 14-28 (Rambo, Bryan). Black-billed Cuckoos were more common
than usual on the May Count this year. Reports outside that date included an early
1 at Hughes Hollow on April 30 (Jack Schultz) and 1 at Denton on May 6 (Fletcher).
Early Yellow-billed Cuckoos were 1 at Tuckahoe on April 21 (Rittenhouse), 1 at
Salisbury on April 25 (Brodericks), and 1 at Chestertown on April 27 (Parks).
Owls, Caprimulgids . The only Short-eared Owls reported were 3 at the
traditional site in Baltimore on March 6 and 2 there on April 8 (Webb + ). Reports
of Northern Saw-whet Owls were 1 at Cylburn in Baltimore on March 8-23 (Glenda
Weber + ), 2 at Hughes Hollow on March 12 (Elitzak) and 1 there on March 21
(O’Brien), and a fresh road-kilTnear Rock Hall on April 12 (J. Gruber). A belated
report of a Saw-whet in Randallstown on Jan. 6 (Jack Wennerstrom) was also
no
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
Vol. 45, No. 3
received. Early Common Nighthawks were 1 near Clarksville on April 30
(Atkinson) and 1 at Cumberland on May 2 (Simons). Reports of Chuck-will’s-widows
included 1 at Remington Farms on April 13 (J. Gruber), 1 near Lusby on April 23
(Rambo), 1 near Blackwater on April 23 (Armistead), 2 at Salisbury on April 27
(Brodericks), 1 at Smithsville on May 4 (Scudder) and, in the Piedmont where the
species is rare, 1 at Hughes Hollow on May 7 (Doug Norton) and 2 at Soldier’s
Delight on May 14 (Webb + ). An early Whip-poor-will was seen at Loch Raven on
April 1 (Wheeler) and the first at Federalsburg was heard on April 20 (Glime).
Swifts, Hummingbirds , Woodpeckers. The high count of Chimney Swifts noted
this spring was 250 in DC on May 16 (Czaplak). Earliest Ruby-throated Humming-
birds were 2 at a feeder in Wittman on April 15 (Alice Fairbanks), 1 at Chester-
town on April 17 (Grubers), and 1 at Dunkirk on April 20 (Arlene Ripley). The
Rufous Hummingbird wintering in Takoma Park was last reported on April 12
(Wilson). Reese reported Red-headed Woodpeckers more common than ever in
Talbot County in May with 4 on Miles River Neck and 1 at Longwoods on the 13th
and single pairs at Royal Oak and Martingham the next day. High counts of
Northern Flickers in Kent County were 32 at Eastern Neck on April 1 and 38 at
Remington Farms on April 12 (J. Gruber).
Flycatchers, Larks. Single Olive-sided Flycatchers were seen in Howard County
in Patuxent River Park on May 13 by the Harts and the Pardoes, in Montgomery
County on May 18 (Bonham), at Rock Creek Nature Center in DC on May 20-21 and
singing there on May 25 (Czaplak), at High Ridge Park in Howard County on May
26 (Robbins), and at Finzel on May 28 (Mark Hoffman). Early Eastern Wood-Pewees
were at Salisbury on April 25 (Brodericks) and at Denton on April 28 (Nuttle). As
usual, Yellow-bellied Flycatchers were very scarce with 1 banded at Mt. Nebo on
May 15, 1 banded at Broadford Run on May 18, 1 in DC on May 22 (Czaplak), 1
singing at Broadford Run on May 24-25 (Skipper, Pope), and 1 banded at Harford
Glen on May 29 (Barbara Bilsborough). Early Acadian Flycatchers were at Reming-
ton Farms on April 25 (J. Gruber), at Lake Kittamaqundi on April 29 (Atkinson),
and at Smithville on April 29 (Scudder). Early Least Flycatchers were banded at
Adventure on April 27 (Donnald) and at Crellin on May 1 (Skipper). Other single
Least Flycatchers reported after the May Count were at the Pickall Area of
Patapsco Valley State Park on May 14 (Wilkinson), in DC on May 15 (Czaplak), near
Frederick on May 15 (Miller), at High Ridge Park, Howard County on May 15
(Robbins), at Chestertown on May 15 and 19 (Parks), at North Branch on May 17
(Twigg), at Cabin John on May 18 (Plante), at Phoenix on May 18 (Simon), and at
Rockburn Park in Howard County on May 29 and June 2 (Bonnie Ott). Early
Eastern Phoebes were single birds at Pennyfield on March 1 (Bonham), Harford
Glen on March 2 (Kirkwood), and Cumberland on March 2 (Twigg). Very early
Great Crested Flycatchers included 1 at Grime’s Farm, Talbot County, on April 23
(Effinger), 1 at Salisbury on April 25 (Brodericks), 1 at Denton on April 26 (Nuttle),
and 2 at Remington Farms on April 26 (J. Gruber). The earliest Eastern Kingbirds
of the season were 1 at Easton on April 16 (Virginia Graebert), 1 at Chestertown
on April 21 (Parks), 1 at Grime’s Farm, Talbot County on April 21 (Effinger), and 1
at Cove Point on April 22 (Stasz); 2 late migrants were at Hart - Miller on May 28
(Ringler + ). The only notable report of Homed Larks was of 14 at Easton on April
16 (Reese).
Swallows. Early Tree Swallows were 1 at Remington Farms on March 17
(Grubers), 1 at Annapolis on March 18 (Iliff), 4 at North Branch on March 18
(Ringler + ), 3 at Merkle on March 19 (Donovan), 1 at Hughes Hollow on March 18
September 1989
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
111
(White), 3 at Big Pool on March 19 (Ringler), and 1 at Lilypons on March 19
(Harvey). High counts of Tree Swallows were 50 at North Branch and 200 at Pinto
on March 31 (Simons), 100 at PWRC on March 31 (Martin), 250 at North Beach on
April 16 (Stasz), 95 at Broadford Reservoir on April 19 (Pope), and 400 at Jug Bay
on May 3 (Mumford, Beaton); 3 late migrants were in DC on May 29 (Czaplak).
Stasz noted 30 migrant Northern Rough-winged Swallows at North Beach on April
16. Exceptionally early Bank Swallows were noted on April 6 with birds in
Montgomery County (Bonham), 2 at Jug Bay (Ricciardi, Robbins), and 2 at Eastern
Neck (J. Gruber); the next birds were singles in DC on the 14th (Czaplak) and at
Broadford Reservoir on the 15th (Pope). The first Cliff Swallow reported was 1 at
Piney Run on April 22 (Ringler); 128 was the high count at Deep Creek Lake on
May 10 (Pope), and 4 at North Beach on May 17 and 2 there the next day (Stasz)
were rarities along the bay. High counts of Barn Swallows were 200 at Piney Run
on April 28 (Ringler) and 100 at Jug Bay on May 3 (Mumford, Beaton).
Corvids, Nuthatches. High counts of migrating Blue Jays were 700 at North
Beach on April 27 (Stasz) and, at Fort Smallwood, 5300 on April 30 and 1090 on
May 13 (Mozurkewich). The best count of Fish Crows was 210 flying across the
mouth of the Choptank River on March 25 (Armistead + ). In Frederick County
there were 8 Fish Crows at Lander on April 9 (Ringler) and a Northern Raven at
Sugarloaf on March 27 (Iliff). Non-May Count reports of Red-breasted Nuthatches
were scarce, with 1 at North Laurel on March 12 (Jay Sheppard), 1 at St. Michaels
on March 15-27 (Reese), 3 at Parsonsburg on April 9 (Pitney), 1 at New Germany
S.P. on May 12 (O’Brien), 1 at a feeder on Bray Hill through May 12 (Skipper), and 1
in DC on May 12 (Czaplak). Rare in Talbot County was a pair of White-breasted
Nuthatches courting on Miles River Neck on May 13 (Reese).
Creepers, Wrens. Brown Creepers did not elicit much response from observers,
with the highest counts being 5 each at Green Ridge on March 26 (Simons) and at
McKeldin on April 1 (Ringler). A Carolina Wren banded at Mt. Nebo on May 19 is
the first that Sallie Thayer has captured there. An exceptionally early House Wren
was at Broadford Reservoir on March 30 (Pope). The only reports of Sedge Wrens
this spring were 1 at Irish Grove on April 16 (Hammer + ), 1 at Pinto Marsh on
May 4 and 2 there on May 12 (Simons), and 1 at Finzel on May 13 (Walbeck,
McKearnan). A Marsh Wren at Cove Point on March 12 (Stasz) probably wintered
there, and 1 at Jug Bay on April 6 (Ricciardi, Robbins) may have been an early
migrant. Inland Marsh Wrens were 1 at Harford Glen on April 22 (Kirkwood), 1
near Woodlawn on May 6-13 (Wilkinson), 1 at North Branch on May 10-17 (Simons,
Twigg), 2 at Finzel on May 13 (Walbeck, McKearnan), 1 on the C & O Canal
between Oldtown and Spring Gap on May 13 (Kiddy), and 1 heard at Piney Run on
May 18 (Ringler, Moretti).
Kinglets , Gnatcatchers. High Counts of Golden-crowned Kinglets were 50 at Jug
Bay on March 22 (Mumford), 25 at McKeldin on April 1 (Ringler), 200 on Green Ridge
on April 1 (Simons), 33 at Remington Farms on April 12 (J. Gruber), and 20 at
Mountain Lake and 30 at Herrington Manor on April 14 (Pope). In Talbot County 2
very late Golden-crowns were at Claiborne on April 26 (Reese), and an extraor-
dinarily late individual was well-described at Jamaica Point on May 13 (Effinger).
High counts of Ruby-crowned Kinglets were 32 at Remington Farms on April 13 (J.
Gruber) and 40 at Herrington Manor on April 28 (Pope); the latest migrant was 1
at Broadford Run on May 24 (Skipper, Pope). The first Blue-gray Gnatcatchers of
the season were 2 on Green Ridge on April 1 (Simons), and the high count was 30 at
Jug Bay on April 21 (Mumford).
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MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
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Thrushes. The largest number of Eastern Bluebirds noted was 100 at Bozman on
March 17 (Ed Burns). An early Veery was at Four Hundred Farm, Talbot County,
on April 23 (Effinger). Sallie Thayer caught a Veery at Mt. Nebo on May 29 that
she had banded there on September 3, 1984. Bandings of Gray-cheeked Thrushes
included 1 at Broadford Run on May 20 and 1 at Adventure on May 31. Czaplak
reported a Gray-cheek of the Bicknell’s race in DC on May 24. An early Swainson’s
Thrush was at Seneca on April 30 (Plante) and a late 1 was at McKeldin on May 27
(Ringler). The high count for Hermit Thrushes was 7 on Green Ridge on March 26
(Simons), and a late migrant was banded at Irvine on May 17. Early Wood Thrushes
were single birds at Harmony on April 19 (Scudder) and Remington Farms on
April 20 (Grubers). High counts of American Robins were 120 at Piney Neck on
March 3 (J. Gruber), 250 at Broadford Reservoir on March 19 (Pope), 200 at
Rockville on March 22 (O’Brien), and 150 at Easton on April 16 (Reese). Early
Robin nests included one with 3 eggs at Clinton on March 26 (Reese) and one with
young in DC on April 23 (Czaplak).
Mimids, Pipits . Gray Catbirds that probably were wintering locally were 1 at
Theodore in Cecil County on March 11 (Ringler, Fogleman) and 1 at North Branch
on April 6 (Twigg); 2 at Remington Farms on April 13 (J. Gruber) and 1 at Denton
on April 15 (Knotts) are difficult to categorize. A catbird overwintering in
Schooley Mill Park was joined by a migrant on April 22 (Chase, Magnusson), and
another was seen on that day at Lander (Ringler). A Northern Mockingbird at
Broadford Run on May 20 (Skipper) was a rarity in Garrett County. A Brown
Thrasher at Jug Bay on March 17 (Mumford + ) was probably wintering, and early
migrants included 1 at Blackwater on March 25 (Armistead), 1 in Baltimore on
March 30 (Bohanan), 1 at Chestertown on March 31 (Parks), and 1 on Green Ridge
on April 1 (Simons). The only high count of American Pipits was 50 at the Univer-
sity of Maryland Central Farm, Howard County, on May 6 and 3 late birds were
there on the 13th (Atkinson). Other May Count pipits were 2 at Greensboro
(Hewitt), 4 near Keysville (Ringler), and 1 in DC (Czaplak).
Waxwings, Shrikes, Starlings. High counts of Cedar Waxwings were localized
with 200 at God’s Grace Point on March 4 (Stasz), and 57 at Cumberland on March
15 (Twigg), 100 at Green Ridge on March 17 (Simons), and 120 at Fort Smallwood
on May 13 (Mozurkewich). Most observers reported waxwings to be rather scarce.
Late flocks included 25 near Bellevue on May 27 (Armistead + ), 30 in DC on May
29 (Czaplak), and 8 at Mt. Vernon on June 3 (Batchelder). The only migrant Logger-
head Shrike reported was at Landing Neck Road, Talbot County, on March 30
(Effinger); 1 was at Lilypons, where they have bred, at least through April 22
(many observers), and 1 at Federalsburg on May 13 (Glime) is late for a migrant
and far from known breeding areas. Czaplak found a European Starling nest with
young in DC on April 21.
Vireos. Early White-eyed Vireos were 1 at Waldorf on April 2 (Jett), 1 at Jug Bay
on April 6 (Ricciardi, Robbins), 1 at Remington Farms on April 13 (J. Gruber) and 1
in Montgomery County on April 14 (Bonham). Early Solitary Vireos were 1 at
Irvine on April 5 (Pete Martin), 2 on Green Ridge on April 6 (Simons), and 1 at
Swallow Falls on April 7 (Pope). The high count of Solitaries was 7 at Remington
Farms on April 26 (J. Gruber), and late individuals were at Chestertown on May
15 (Parks) and North Branch on May 17 (Twigg). Exceptionally early were 2
Yellow-throated Vireos on Elm Island in the Potomac near Pennyfield on April 8
(Garland), and moderately early were 1 in DC on April 22 (Czaplak), 1 at Bryans
Road on April 23 (Wilmot), and 1 at Twilley Bridge Road, Wicomico County, on
September 1989
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
113
April 23 (Pitney). The first Warbling Vireos of the season were 4 between
Weverton and Sandy Hook and 1 at Mountain Lake, all on the C & 0 Canal in
Washington County on April 23 (Ringler), followed by 1 at Seneca on April 24
(Warfield). Another was at a traditional Eastern Shore location, St. Paul’s Church
in Kent County, on April 26 (J. Gruber) and yet another Eastern Shore report was
1 at Mardela Springs on May 28 (Reese, Effinger), the latter also perhaps nesting.
Early Red-eyed Vireos were 3 at Remington Farms on April 17 (J. Gruber), 1 at
Swanson Creek, Prince Georges County on April 22 (Walbeck, Rich Dolesh), and 1
at Smithville on April 22 (Scudder).
Vermivora Warblers , Parulas . Early Blue-winged Warblers were 1 at PawPaw
tunnel on April 24 (Twigg), 1 at Remington Farms on April 25 (J. Gruber), and 1 at
Irvine on April 26 (Walbeck). In Garrett County where Blue-wings are always rare
there was 1 at Deep Creek Lake on May 12 (Pope) and 1 at the Pleasant Valley 4-H
Camp on May 13 (Skipper) and May 20 (Kirkwood + ). It was an exceptionally good
spring for Golden-winged Warblers with most reports coming from the Piedmont.
The first sightings were 1 at North Branch and 2 at Cresaptown on April 28
(Simons) and 1 at Chestertown on April 28 and also on May 6 (Parks). Other April
reports were 2 at Annapolis on the 29th (Iliff) and, on the 30th, 1 at Battery
Kemble Park in DC (Czaplak, Janni) and 1 at Red Bridges in Caroline County
(Scudder). These were followed by 5 sightings in Baltimore County, 3 in Howard
County, 1 in Montgomery County, and 1 in Harford County. The latter bird was at
Harford Glen on May 13 (Jon Cupp, Spike Updegrove). On May 20 a Golden-winged
Warbler at Shanktown in Washington County was singing both common songs of
the Blue-wing (Ringler + ). Of the hybrids there were Brewster’s Warblers at
Cylburn on May 8 and May 12 (Yokel), a male singing a Blue-wing song at Damsite
on May 13 (J. Gruber) and another at milepost 169 on the C & 0 Canal in Allegany
County on May 13 (Kiddy). Lawrence’s Warblers were 1 at Cresaptown on April 28
(Simons) and 1 banded at Mt. Nebo on May 15. Early Tennessee Warblers were 1 at
Chestertown on April 27 (Grubers), 1 at Fletcher’s Boathouse in DC on April 29
(Janni) and 1 at North Branch on April 29 (Simons); a late migrant was at Deal
Island WMA on May 25 (Brodericks). The Orange-crowned Warbler that wintered
near Woodlawn was last seen on April 9 (Wilkinson). Early Nashville Warblers
were 1 at Seneca on April 18 (Plante) and 1 at Chestertown on April 21 (Parks).
Exceptionally early Northern Parulas were 1 at Seneca on March 29 (Bonham), 1 at
Jug Bay on April 6 (Ricciardi, Robbins), 1 at Nassawango on April 8 (Swift), 1 at
Bryans Road on April 9 (Wilmot), and 1 at Battle Creek Cypress Swamp, Calvert
County on April 14 (Wilson).
Dendroica Warblers. Early Yellow Warblers were 1 at Tuckahoe on April 17
(Rittenhouse), 1 at Hughes Hollow on April 22 (Helen Kavanagh), and 3 at Lilypons
on the latter date (Ringler + ). The first Chestnut-sided Warblers were 1 at Reming-
ton Farms on April 26 (J. Gruber) and 1 on Green Ridge on April 29 (Simons),
followed by arrivals in many parts of the state on the 30th. Thayer caught one at
Mt. Nebo on May 21 that had been banded there on May 18, 1985. The latest
migrant Chestnut-sided was in DC on May 25 (Czaplak). An early Magnolia
Warbler was at Cresaptown on April 29 (Simons). An early Cape May Warbler was
at Easton on April 24 (Alice Jones) and 1 at Violet’s Lock on April 30 (Oberman).
Early Black-throated Blue Warblers were 1 banded at Adventure on April 25, 1 at
Annapolis on April 25 (Iliff), 1 at Phoenix on April 28 (Simon), and 1 at Chestertown
on April 28 (Parks). High counts of Yellow-rumped Warblers were 200 at Jug Bay on
April 21 (Mumford) and 207 at Remington Farms on April 25 (J. Gruber); late
migrants were 1 at Flag Ponds on May 20 (Stasz), 1 at King’s Creek on May 20
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MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
Vol. 45, No. 3
(Effinger), 2 at Harford Glen on May 20 (Eastman), 1 at Cumberland on May 22
(Twigg), and 1 at PWRC on May 22 (Martin). An extraordinarily early Black-
throated Green Warbler was at Centennial Park on April 8-9 (Magnusson + ) and
other early arrivals were 1 at Seneca on April 18 (Plante), 1 at Bray Hill on April
23 (Skipper), and 1 at Remington Farms on April 25 (J. Gruber). There were 10
Black-throated Greens on Green Ridge on April 29 (Simons).
Early Blackburnian Warblers were 1 at Chestertown on April 28 (Parks) and 1 on
Green Ridge on April 29 (Simons); a male near Pocomoke Swamp on May 28
(Reese, Effinger) was very late. The first Yellow-throated Warblers of the season
were 1 at McKeldin on April 1 (Ringler) and 1 at Jug Bay on April 2 (Donovan); and
1 near Oakland on April 29 (Thayer) was a rarity in Garrett County. Also in
Garrett was a rare Pine Warbler near the Potomac, opposite Bayard, West
Virginia on May 1; (Skipper). Simons counted 24 Pine Warblers on Green Ridge on
March 26. Parks reported the first Palm Warbler at Chestertown on March 27.
Best counts of Palms were 15 at Jug Bay on April 12 (Mumford) and 11 at
Centennial Park on April 22 (Atkinson). Most Palm Warblers seen in May are of
the western subspecies, so a “yellow” banded at Adventure on May 7 was quite
late. Other Palms outside the May Count were 1 western in DC on May 7 (Czaplak),
1 western near Bellevue on May 7 (Ringler + ), 1 in Baltimore on May 16 (Bohanan),
and 1 at Broadford Run on May 18 (Skipper). An early Bay-breasted Warbler was at
Chestertown on April 30 (Parks) and a late 1 was at McKeldin on May 21 (Ringler
+ ). An early Blackpoll Warbler was heard at Jug Bay on April 30 (Ringler + ), and
the latest was 1 at Chestertown on June 1 (Parks). High counts of Blackpolls
included 10 at Sandy Point on May 22 (Mumford) and 15 at Jug Bay on May 26
(Mumford, Beaton). Early Cerulean Warblers were 1 at Pinto Marsh on April 23
(Simons) and 1 at Woodstock, Baltimore County, on April 24 (Rogers).
Black-and-white to Swainson’s Warbler. An early Black-and-white Warbler was
at Jug Bay on April 6 (Ricciardi, Robbins) and the first American Redstart of the
season was at Lock #5 on the C & O Canal on April 20 (Dick Homan). Early
Prothonotary Warblers were 1 at Tuckahoe on April 14 (Rittenhouse) and 1 at
Nassawango on April 16 (Slaughters). A first for Carroll County was a Prothono-
tary at McKeldin on April 27 (Ringler), and reports from Howard County, were 1 on
Savage Mill Trail on April 27 (Solem, Mariano) and a pair on the Patapsco River on
April 28 (Solem, Connie Bockstie). Early Worm-eating Warblers were singles at
Chestertown on April 20 (Parks), in Baltimore County on April 23 (Wilkinson), at
Pocomoke Swamp on April 23 (Pitney), and at Salisbury on April 25 (Brodericks).
Reports of Swainson’s Warblers were 1 at Pocomoke Swamp on May 7 (Len & Jo
Satloff), 1 at Twilley Bridge Road near Nassawango Creek on May 9 (Brodericks)
and an intriguing bird that was heard singing the Swainson’s song at North Branch
on May 9-15 but never seen (Simons).
Seiurus and Oporomis Warblers . Early Ovenbirds were 1 at Nassawango on
April 11 (Slaughters), 2 at Salisbury on April 17 (Brodericks), 1 at Greensboro on
April 17 (Hewitt), and 1 at Irvine on April 18 (Ross). Early Northern Waterthrushes
were singles at Spring Gap on April 14 (Simons), Remington Farms on April 17 (J.
Gruber), and banded at Adventure on April 24; 1 at Salisbury on May 20 (Vaughns)
was rare on the lower Eastern Shore. March Louisiana Waterthrushes included 1 at
Millington on the 26th (John Lorentz), 1 at Bryans Road on the 26th (Wilmot), 4 at
Pennyfield on the 29th (Bonham) and 1 on Green Ridge on the 29th (Simons). Early
Kentucky Warblers were singles banded at Adventure on April 25 (Donnald), seen
September 1989
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
115
at Denton on April 25 (Fletcher), at Remington Farms on April 26 (J. Gruber) and
on Green Ridge on April 29 (Simons). The following reports of Mourning Warblers
were received: 1 heard at Flag Ponds on the exceptionally early date of May 6
(Stasz), 1 at Mountain Lake on May 13 (Pope), 1 at Cylburn on May 16 (Yokel), 1 in
Montgomery County on May 19 (Bonham), 2 banded at Mt. Nebo on May 19, 1
window-kill near Wolfsville on May 20 (Miller), 1 male at Rock Creek Nature
Center, DC, on May 21 (Czaplak), 6 banded at Adventure from May 21-31 with 2 on
the 23rd, 1 male at Schooley Mill Park on May 22 (Magnusson), 1 female at Battery
Kemble Park on May 23 (Czaplak), 1 at Sycamore Landing on May 24 (Judy
Bromley, Plante), 1 at Seneca Creek S.P. on May 24 (Bernie Foy), 1 at Broadford
Run on May 24 (Skipper), 1 singing male in DC on May 25 (Czaplak), and 1 at
Annapolis on May 28 (Mumford).
Yellowthroat, Wilsonia Warblers, Chat. Early Common Yellowthroats were 1
at Cove Point on April 8 (Stasz), 2 at King’s Creek on April 9 (Effinger), 1 in DC on
April 14 (Czaplak), and 1 at Salisbury on April 16 (Brodericks). Jim Gruber counted
83 Yellowthroats at Remington Farms on April 25. Earliest Hooded Warblers this
year were 2 at Jug Bay on April 21 (Mumford) and 1 at Salisbury on April 27
(Vaughns). An early Wilson’s Warbler was at Chestertown on April 30 (Parks), and
late individuals were at Irvine on May 30 (Ross) and Jug Bay the next day
(Mumford). The high count of Canada Warblers for the season was 10 at Sandy
Point on May 22 (Mumford). Early Yellow-breasted Chats were 1 at King’s Creek on
April 21 (Effinger), 1 at Chestertown on April 27 (Parks), and 1 at Cresaptown on
April 28 (Simons).
Tanagers, Cardinaline Finches, Towhees. Early Summer Tanagers were seen on
April 26 at Denton (Knotts) and Remington Farms (J. Gruber). The only Piedmont
Summer Tanager was 1 at Cylburn on May 6 (Yokel). Scarlet Tanagers seen on
April 25 were 1 at Denton (Fletcher) and Remington Farms (J. Gruber). April
reports of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks included 1 at Phoenix on April 28 (Simon), 1 in
DC on April 28 (Czaplak), 1 at Norbeck on April 29 (Ruth Treavor), 2 at Mountain
Lake Park on April 29 (Pope), and 1 at Bray Hill the same day (Skipper). Early Blue
Grosbeaks were 1 at Denton on April 24 (Nuttle), 1 at Chestertown on April 25
(Parks), 1 at Claiborne on April 25 (Reese), and 1 at North Branch on April 28
(Simons). The first Indigo Buntings of the season included an exceptionally early 1
at North Branch on April 17 (Simons) and another in Allegany County at Cumber-
land on April 26 (Twigg). The only Dickcissels reported were 1 at Pinto Marsh on
May 21 (Simons) and 3 at Greensboro on May 29 (Dorset, Nuttle). Jim Gruber’s
high count of Rufous-sided Towhees at Remington Farms was 74 on April 26.
Sparrows, Snow Bunting. High counts of American Tree Sparrows were 15 at
Schooley Mill Park on March 5 (Magnusson, Chase) and 4 at Rising Sun on March
11 (Fogleman, Ringler); the latest was reported at Irvine on April 8 (Ross). Early
Chipping Sparrows were single birds at Denton on March 8 (Fletcher), Green Ridge
on March 17 (Simons), Waldorf on March 18 (Jett), and Chestertown on March 18
(Grubers). The Grubers estimated 35 Field Sparrows at Remington Farms on
March 10 and found 2 Vesper Sparrows there on April 20, the latter rare on the
Eastern Shore. The first Vespers of the season were 3 at Rockville on March 26
(O’Brien). The 8 Savannah Sparrows at Eastern Neck on March 8 (J. Gruber) may
have wintered locally, but the following were more likely early migrants: 2 at
North Branch on March 19 (Ringler + ) and 2 at Cove Point on March 25 (Stasz).
High counts of Savannahs were 36 at Remington Farms on April 17 (J. Gruber) and
116
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
Vol. 45, No. 3
18 at the University of Maryland Central Farm, Howard County on May 7
(Atkinson); late migrants were 1 at Chestertown on May 17 (Parks), 1 at North
Beach on May 19 (Stasz), and 1 at Pinto Marsh on May 21 (Kiddy). There were
numerous early Grasshopper Sparrows with 1 at Kinnards Point, Kent County, on
April 10 (Steve Hitchner), 1 at Constitution Gardens in DC on April 14 (Czaplak), 1
at PNAS on April 19 (Rambo), 1 at Tuckahoe on April 21 (Rittenhouse), 1 at
Bittinger on April 21 (Skipper), and 1 heard on Oland Road in Frederick County on
April 22 (Ringler). Reese had a high Eastern Shore count of 12 Grasshopper
Sparrows at Horn Point on May 20. The only Henslow’s Sparrow reported was on
Chestnut Grove Road in Garrett County on May 13 (Skipper). Stasz noted migrant
Sharp-tailed Sparrows in Calvert County with 1 at Cove Point and 1 at North Beach
on April 29 and 2 at North Beach on May 2. Arriving Seaside Sparrows are rarely
noted, but this spring there were single birds at Point Lookout on April 22
(Pisano), Cove Point on April 22 (Stasz), and Mt. Vernon on April 23 (Pitney).
The last Fox Sparrows were found on the very late date of April 23 with 1 at
Lake Elkhorn (Mariano) and 1 banded at Mt. Nebo. High counts of Song Sparrows
were 170 at Rockville on March 22 (O’Brien) and 100 at Trout Run on April 15
(Pope). Early Lincoln’s Sparrows were 1 banded at Adventure on May 2, 1 banded
at Irvine on May 3, 1 at Pinto Marsh on May 3 (Simons), and single birds on May 6
at Schooley Mill Park (Magnusson), in DC (Czaplak), and banded at Laurel
(Robbins). High counts of Swamp Sparrows were 100 at Jug Bay on April 12
(Mumford) and 30 at Mountain Lake and 20 at Herrington Manor on April 28
(Pope); the latest migrant was 1 banded at Adventure on May 22. Late White-
throated Sparrows were 1 near Bellevue on May 27 (Armistead + ) and 3 at Denton
on May 31 (Knotts). The high count of White-crowned Sparrows was 42 at
Remington Farms on April 13 (J. Gruber) and late migrants were singles at
Phoenix on May 15 (Jenkins), Monrovia on May 16 (C. W. Merry), DC on May 16
(Czaplak), Edgewood on May 17 (Eastman), and Williamsport on May 17
(Mallonee). The only Dark-eyed Juncos reported after the May Count were 2 at
Denton on the extraordinary date of May 31 (Knotts). The only Snow Bunting
reported was at Paint Branch Park, Prince Georges County, on March 13 (Wallace
Powell).
Icterines. Early Bobolinks were 4 males on Oland Road on April 25 (Don Weis-
man), a flock at Meyers Station on April 30 (Emily Joyce + ), and 1 on Broadford
Road, Garrett County on April 30 (Pope). High counts of Bobolinks were 100 at
Beltsville on May 1 + (Churchill + ), 200 + near Madonna on May 5-21 (Kirkwood),
100 at Potomac on May 6 (Elitzak) and May 9 (Oberman), and 75 near Triadelphia
on May 6 (Chestem). Mumford estimated 1000 Red-winged Blackbirds at Jug Bay
on April 12 as they were still migrating. Migrant Eastern Meadowlarks are diffi-
cult to detect but occasionally they appear in unusual places. This spring two that
qualify were 1 in the top of a sycamore tree along the Patapsco at McKeldin on
April 1 (Ringler) and 1 at Hains Point on April 5 (Czaplak). Reports of flocks of
Rusty Blackbirds were 15 at Finzel and 25 at Poplar Lick Run in Garrett County on
March 25 (O’Brien), 50 in DC on April 8 (Czaplak), 30 at Jug Bay on April 12
(Mumford), 10 at Piney Run on April 21 (Ringler), 22 at Spring Gap on April 22
(Twigg), and 15 at Beltsville on April 22 (Churchill). Engle estimated 6000 Common
Grackles at Preston on March 5 as the wintering flocks began to disperse. Early
Orchard Orioles were 1 at Blackwater on April 23 (Armistead) and, on April 25,
single birds at Denton (Fletcher), Remington Farms (J. Gruber), and PWRC
(Droege). The first Northern Oriole of the season was at Denton on April 20
(Nuttle).
September 1989
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
117
Cardueline Finches. Purple Finches, which were scarce during the winter,
remained so during the spring with the most reported being 11 at Bray Hill on
April 19 (Skipper). Large flocks of House Finches were reported with 500 at
Chestertown on March 19 (Grubers) and 100 at Oxon Hill Children’s Farm on May
29 (Samuel Barr). Joy Wheeler noted a yellow .variant of the House Finch at
Oregon Ridge Park, Baltimore County, on March 22. The only Pine Siskins
reported were 1 at Bray Hill on March 22-24 (Skipper), 1 near Oakland on March 29
(Thayer), 1-2 at Mountain Lake Park through April 16 (Pope), and 5 at Salisbury on
April 19; 1 remained on the 21st (photographed by the Brodericks). The best tally
of American Goldfinches was 960 at Fort Smallwood on May 3 (Mozurkewich)
during the height of that species’ migration. The only Evening Grosbeak in the
state this spring was seen at Bray Hill on March 3 and 10 (Skipper).
6272 Pinyon Pine Court, Eldersburg , MD 21 784
ANNUAL REPORTS OF COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN
ATLAS COMMITTEE
The Maryland/DC Breeding Bird Atlas Project is in the second year of prepar-
ing for publication of the final results. The effort is moving forward on several
fronts.
The county coordinators are making the last checks and edits on the field data.
The total number of records is approximately 90,000.
The authors of the species accounts are continuing to submit their work. We
now have about 70 of the nearly 200 accounts on hand, but we need to speed up the
process. Accounts that do not come in soon will have to be assigned to different
authors. The Atlas Board has processed about 50 of the accounts.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources personnel, under the direction
of Glenn Therres and Mark Hoffman, continue to process the data and to work on
new programs for producing the final maps. Their support has been invaluable.
We are pleased to announce that Joanne Solem and Jane Farrell of the Howard
County Chapter have agreed to join the Atlas Board. Not only do they have a
great deal of experience and a deep dedication to the project, but valuable editing
backgrounds as well.
Eirik A. T. Blom , Atlas Coordinator
AUDITING COMMITTEE
I have examined the financial records of The Maryland Ornithological Society
for the year May 1, 1988 to April 30, 1989. In my opinion the records continue to be
in excellent shape, are easy to understand, and accurately present the financial
position of the Society.
Rodney B. Jones , Chairman
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MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
Vol. 45, No. 3
CAVITY-NESTER COMMITTEE
The Maryland Ornithological Society Trails (MOST) had another successful year
in 1988 with 166 members participating and monitoring a total of 1,953 nesting
boxes. Native cavity nesting birds have responded well to the placement of
nesting boxes in suitable habitat and the results have been most encouraging.
MOST ANNUAL REPORT 1988
Types of Boxes Used
4' x 4'
5' x 5'
Other
Total
Total no. of boxes
1454
449
50
1953
Boxes used by Bluebirds
729
245
29
1003
No. of Bluebirds fledged
3814
130
142
4086
Boxes used: Chickadees
106
28
0
134
Boxes used: Titmice
44
6
0
50
Boxes used: Nuthatches
0
0
0
0
Boxes used: Swallows
67
22
3
92
Boxes used: Wrens
199
13
5
217
Boxes used: Flycatchers
1
1
0
2
Total no. boxes used
1146
315
37
1498
% boxes used by all species
78.8%
70.1%
74%
76.70/0
% boxes used by Bluebirds
50.1 %
54.6%
58%
51.3%
% boxes used by others
Total no. reports 166
28.7%
15.5%
16%
25.4o/o
Chapter presidents are urged to designate a compiler to gather data for their
particular chapter in order to simplify reporting. Members not participating are
missing a golden opportunity not only to help our native cavity nesting birds, but
to witness first hand the life cycle of such species as bluebirds, chickadees, nut-
hatches, titmice, wrens, swallows, flycatchers and even Prothonotary Warblers.
MOS played a major role in promoting the "Chickadee Checkoff’ project in
Maryland. Now the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has asked MOS to
participate in establishing and monitoring trails on State land. The following areas
have been targeted:
Idylwild WMA, Caroline County
Earleville WMA, Cecil County
Myrtle Grove WMA, Charles County
Fishing Bay WMA, Dorchester County
Linkwood WMA, Dorchester County
LeCompte WMA, Dorchester County
Taylors Island WMA, Dorchester County
Hugg-Thomas WMA, Howard County
Millington WMA, Kent County
McKee-Beshers, WMA Montgomery County
Elms Property, St. Marys County
Fairmount WMA, Somerset County
Deal Island WMA, Somerset County
Pocomoke Sound WMA, Somerset County
Wellington WMA, Somerset County
Indian Springs WMA, Washington County
Ellis Bay WMA, Wicomico County
E.A. Vaughn WMA, Worcester County
Anyone desiring to participate in this project please contact me at 6002 Hunt
Club Rd., Elkridge, MD 21227.
Delos C. Dupree, Chairman
September 1989
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
119
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE
Given the current investment climate, I again see no need to make radical
changes to the very conservative tack we’re on now. Unless the Board is unhappy
with the returns, incremental changes may be all that are required. Given my
passive leadership of the Investment Committee, let me know if you wish changes.
John Barber , Chairman
LIBRARY COMMITTEE
Consolidation of the large supply of back issues of Maryland Birdlife is
underway on the third floor of Cylburn. Volunteer help would be gratefully
received at any time.
Requests for back issues to complete Maryland Birdlife collections came from
the libraries of Towson State and Auburn Universities. We were able to bring
them up to date.
It was suggested that we make a set of Maryland Birdlife available to each
county library system in Maryland. Instead I have arranged to fill in the incom-
plete set already held in the Maryland Department of Enoch Pratt Free Library in
Baltimore. As the Maryland State Library Resource Center they will bind the
issues and make them available on request throughout the state on interlibrary
loan. In my opinion this subscription should be kept up at no charge.
Three sets of Maryland Birdlife have been requested by members: two for
chairs of standing committees, at no charge, and one for a member at $100. {The
Committee sets of Maryland Birdlife will be passed on to succeeding Committee
Chairmen.)
There is no progress to report on John Sommer’s offer of his father’s Maryland
field notes from the early part of this century. Brooke Meanley has agreed to
follow up on this.
Outside the usual activities of the Library Committee, I represented MOS at the
Fourth Annual Natural Resources Fair of the Maryland Association of Environ-
mental and Outdoor Educators (MAEOE). The MOS portable display served very
well' to present information about our resources available to leaders of nature
study activities and teachers in many fields of science, K-12 and beyond. Packets
were sent to 20 persons who requested further information. Most of the questions
asked at the conference were about our scholarships available to teachers, so a
sample application was sent, as well as an MOS Fact Sheet listing the headquart-
ers address, the Baltimore information telephone number, and locations of all 15
chapters. All standing committees concerned with education were listed: Research
Grants, Scholarship, Education, Sanctuary, etc. Information about Junior Nature
Camp was included. I recommend that we attend next year’s MAEOE Conference.
Joy Wheeler , Chairman
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Vol. 45, No. 3
LONG RANGE PLANNING COMMITTEE
The Long Range Planning Committee has been examining publicity methods
used by each of the organization’s chapters as well as ways to increase state MOS
visibility. This was undertaken in cooperation with Vice-President Richard
Dolesh. A substantial majority of the chapters responded to a request for this
information.
Although the size of the chapter did not always correlate with the number or
type of publicity used, the most vigorous and rapidly growing chapters tended to
use varied methods. There still seems to be no substitute for enthusiastic
members who individually promote the organization.
Publicity methods have been compiled and circulated to all chapter presidents.
Joanne K. Solem , Chairperson
MOS RECORDS COMMITTEE
The MOS Records Committee began reviewing records in 1983. These reviews
are made by correspondence among the members, so it often takes considerable
time to reach a decision. At any given moment there are records in circulation as
well as records waiting to be circulated for the first time.
Through May 31, 1989, the Records Committee has taken up 152 records; these
records have been listed periodically in The Maryland Yellowthroat . Final deci-
sions have been reached on 115 records to date. Observers who submit documenta-
tion for a particular record receive a letter indicating the committee’s decision,
including reasons for a record not being accepted if that was the outcome. Deci-
sions are then published in The Maryland Yellowthroat , to inform members and
readers about the status of species in Maryland, including new additions to the
checklist.
During the 12-month period up to May 31, 1989, the MOSRC took up 20 records
for review, came to a final decision on 19 records, and continued discussion on
another 20 records. Revised criteria for deciding which records need to be
reviewed were published in The Maryland Yellowthroat 8(5):3-4 (1988). These
criteria will continue to be revised as new information about population levels,
range expansions or declines, and status at the Federal level becomes available.
Decisions about any particular record may be re-evaluated if new information
comes to the attention of the committee.
The MOS Records Committee has seen a gradual increase in the quality and com-
pleteness of records submitted for review, but feels there is still room for
improvement. Toward this end the committee has designed a “Documentation
Guide,” which will be available at the June 1989 MOS State Convention. MOS
members are encouraged to use this guide when submitting records to the
committee for review.
Erika Wilson , Secretary
September 1989
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
121
RESEARCH COMMITTEE
The Research Committee awarded three grants this year: $500 to David Brinker
and Joan McKearnan for ‘‘Migration of Saw-whet Owls through Finzel Swamp”;
$270 to Sam Droege and Russell Greenberg for “Study of Brackish Marsh Swamp
Sparrows”; and $230 to Frank Rohwer for “Timing of Migration in Birds.”
The Research Committee sponsored a successful paper session, organized by
David Brinker, at the 1989 Annual Conference. Application deadlines have been
changed to August 1 and February 1.
Karen Skuldt, Chairperson
SANCTUARY COMMITTEE
NEW SANCTUARY
On December 28, 1988 a deed was signed for a new sanctuary in Garrett County.
This sanctuary was obtained through The Nature Conservancy from Robert L.
Wilson to be a memorial sanctuary for his aunt, Caroline W. Wilson. The property
is 85.8 acres in the Altamont section of Garrett County, south of Deep Creek Lake,
at the headwaters of the Little Youghiogheny River. A site guide will be published
in a future copy of the Yellowthroat.
INSURANCE
We have finally been successful in getting all of the sanctuary properties under
one policy and combined with the MOS liability policy. So that, now, we have only
one master insurance policy to renew each year.
CAREY RUN
The annual spring workday for Carey Run took place on April 29, 1989. There
were 24 participants from 5 chapters. Despite the threat of rain, most of the
planned work was carried out. The jobs done were cleaning the house,- pruning the
shrubery around the house and along the trails, digging holes for new fruit trees,
building a new picnic table, and about half of the repointing of the house founda-
tion. The participants also enjoyed birding and the traditional fried chicken dinner
provided by the Allegany Chapter.
IRISH GROVE
The electrical wiring in the house at Irish Grove has been completely replaced
by an electrical contractor. All the switches and outlets are functional again.
Two work days accomplished a great deal of work. The fall work day on
November 5, 1988 had a total of 35 participants representing 8 MOS chapters.
Great advances were made to improve the trails with the construction of a bridge
across the canal on the North Trail, two bridges and a small observation plat-
form on the Rail Trail, and a large observation tower on the Canal Trail. The
Wicomico Chapter again produced their fantastic turkey dinner. The spring work-
day on April 1, 1989 had 11 participants from 5 chapters. Many odd jobs in the
buildings were done, new markers were put in place for the East Trail and plans
for the work to be done in the fall were made.
As always, new problems keep popping up. We now need to have the gas
heaters repaired, have the driveway regraded and replace the gate which dis-
appeared the week after the spring workday.
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MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
Vol. 45, No. 3
An easement deed with the Maryland Environmental Trust was signed on
December 27, 1988. This is a perpetual conservation easement which will help
ensure that the Irish Grove property will forever remain a natural area. Maryland
law allows for a tax credit on properties that have a conservation easement with
the Maryland Environmental Trust. An application for this tax credit has been
made with the Supervisor of Assessments in Somerset County.
MILL CREEK
There has not been any building on the two proposed developments next to Mill
Creek Sanctuary. A number of the proposed lots have failed their percolation tests
which means that there will be fewer lots than originally planned. Jan Reese is
keeping an eye on the situation.
PELOT
The proposed building near the Pelot Sanctuary has not materialized. Caroline
Chapter is monitoring the situation.
TUM SUDEN
The Committee is in the process of evaluating the recommendations made by
the Harford Chapter concerning turn Suden Sanctuary. Harford has recommended
that when the Atlas Project no longer needs the use of turn Suden that the
property be fixed up and either used as it was prior to the Atlas Project or
donated to the Harford Glen Education Center.
Dotty Mumford , Chairperson
SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE
The Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce the following scholarship
winners: Kathryn Lauver, second grade teacher at Timber Grove Elementary
School is the winner of a Helen Miller Scholarship and will attend the Audubon
Ecology Camp in the West. Beth Kuser Olsen, ecology teacher at Harford Com-
munity College, is the winner of a Helen Miller Scholarship and will be attending
the Audubon Ecology Camp in the West. Lawrence E. Williams, science teacher at
Walkersville Middle School, is the winner of the Orville Crowder Memorial
Scholarship funded by the World Nature Association. He will attend the Audubon
Ecology Camp in Maine. The three following scholarship winners will attend the
Field Ornithology workshop at the Audubon Camp of Maine: Lisa R. Bierer
Naturalist at the 30th St. Nature Center, is winner of the Chandler S. Robbins
Scholarship; Cheri Duncan, Instructor at the Carrie Murray Outdoor Education
Campus, is winner of the Eleanor C. Robbins Scholarship; and Andrew Downes,
Instructor at the Carrie Murray Outdoor Education Campus, is winner of the
Jimmy Wood and Edith Bourne Memorial Scholarship.
The Scholarship Committee expresses its appreciation to everyone who has
helped locate these very fine candidates for our scholarships. We are grateful to
the World Nature Association and to the Families of Jimmy Wood and Edith
Bourne for funding two of these scholarships. All winners are in positions where
they will be able to pass along the information and inspiration which is provided so
abundantly in the Audubon workshops they will be attending. We thank everyone
for supporting the MOS Scholarship Program.
Mildred Gebhard , Chairperson
September 1989
MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
123
BOOK REVIEW
ATLAS OF WINTERING NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS— An Analysis of
Christinas Bird Count Data. Terry Root, 1988, University of Chicago Press,
Chicago and London, 312 pages, 349 maps, 41 illustrations. Hardcover $72,
softcover $35.
Many of the approximately 40,000 birders who participate in the annual Christ-
mas Bird Count must wonder, from time to time, what happens to the mountain of
data accumulated over the years. We know, of course, that the figures will be duly
recorded in American Birds, and we will all look at last year’s report to make sure
our names are listed in the credits, possibly make some comparisons with past
records, and then gear up for the next CBC, determined to set new records of
species and individuals.
But after the tally rally is over, when all due care has been taken to guarantee
accuracy in identification and to avoid duplication in reporting, what does it all
mean? What conclusions can be drawn from all these statistics? Conscientious
Count compilers must sometimes feel that the whole exercise is equivalent to
putting a note in a bottle and dropping it in the ocean.
Those compilers — and all Count participants — can rejoice at the publication of
this Atlas of Wintering North American Birds. It demonstrates that the data they
have compiled can be analyzed and presented in a highly accessible form to
indicate the distribution and relative abundance of wintering species across the
country. The decade covered is 1963-72. Those who participated in the Count
during that period can take pride in having made a significant contribution. They
should also be grateful to Carl Bock who computerized the data, but most of all to
Terry Root for her careful research and ingenious presentation, which surely will
be a model for future studies.
This Atlas is based on 1282 CBC’s conducted in the Lower 48 and southern
Canada during the ten-year period for which computerized data were available. It
includes more than 500 species accounts, with commentaries on the primary
wintering areas of each species, its habitat and winter ecology, and rare or
anomalous sightings. For each of the 250 most common species, two maps are jux-
taposed on the same page. The first, a traditional contour map, outlines early
winter range in much more detail than is possible in the generalized, year-round
range maps in field guides, and indicates areas of greatest concentration within
that range. The second (described by the author as a “three-dimensional fishnet
map”) presents the same information on a grid in which each square represents a
degree of latitude and longitude. Thus, at a glance, the reader can determine, for
example, the best place to go in late December to find a Little Gull or a Lincoln’s
Sparrow.
What a boon to winter travelers and listeners! But equally to serious students of
bird population distribution, and to conservationists who want to pinpoint areas
that merit special protection and concern.
Augmenting the maps in the main text is a group of transparent overlays that
show state and province boundaries, CBC locations, elevation, vegetation, national
wildlife refuges in the U.S., average temperatures, average length of frost-free
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MARYLAND BIRDLIFE
Vol. 45, No. 3
period, mean annual precipitation, and general humidity. All these permit an in-
depth study of each species in relation to its habitat. The text adds further useful
information on feeding habits, winter adaptation, and range extension.
Rarities are not included in’ the main body of the Atlas, which has arbitrarily
excluded all species that were seen at fewer than ten sites on CBC’s. However, all
species sighted are listed in Appendix A, along with the number of locations at
which they were reported, their maximum abundances, and the reasons certain
species were not represented in maps. Appendix B presents maps and general
information on exceptional species: e.g., nomads that appear irregularly, species
with cyclical fluctuations, and species frequently misidentified.
Terry Root has produced an Atlas that is, as Chan Robbins writes in the Fore-
word, “an important research tool that shows at a glance where the major con-
centrations of each species are to be found.” We can join him in the hope that it will
stimulate other researchers to undertake further studies with CBC data. And it
should impress on all of us who participate in CBC’s that we have a special respon-
sibility “to continually strive to improve the quality and continuity of the counts.”
Lola Oberman
CONTENTS, SEPTEMBER 1989
Second Record of Swainson’s Warbler for
Baltimore County
Minutes of the Annual Meeting, June 3, 1989
Annual Reports of Local Chapters
Annual Report of the Treasurer
The Season: Spring Migration, Mar. 1-
May 31, 1989
Annual Reports of Committee Chairmen
Book Review: Atlas of Wintering North
American Birds
Hank Kaestner 79
Patricia J. Moore 80
Chapter Presidents 83
Emily Joyce 90
Robert F. Ringler 94
Committee Chairmen ... 117
Lola Oberman 123
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. 21014
James Stasz, P.O. Box 71, North Beach, Md 20714
Mailing: Howard County Chapter
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