\ MARYLAND BIRDLIFE I bulletin of tke -Maryland Ornitk o logical Society, fine- a tot Bolton Street, Baltimore rj, -Maryland ( s Volume 14 JUNE 1958 Number 2 - J THE MARYLAND ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY, INC. 2101 Bolton Street, Baltimore 17, Maryland State President i Dr 0 Charles J. Stine, 630? Belair Rd., Baltimore 6, Md. State Secretaiy: Mr. Robert M. Bowen, 5011 Leeds Ave., Baltimore 27, Md. State Treasurer* Cdr* Edward Wilson, 119 Archwood Ave., Annapolis, Md. First Vice Presidents Mr. Marvin Hewitt, Greensboro, Maryland Second Vice Presidents* William Leeson, Douglas Miner, Elmer Worthley Hazel White, Evelyn Gregory, Richard McCown, Hilda Smith, Francis Welch Trustees: Prof. David Howard, Cdr. Edward Wilson, Stephen Simon, Rodney Jones, Dr. Lois Odell, Roberta Fletcher, Elsie Bilb rough, Mrs. Sterling Edwards, Mr. Sterling Edwards, Walter Braun, George Drumm, Elsie Hovey, Goldie Thomsen, Richard Kleen, Dr. Thomas Ambler, Ronald Nevius. LOCAL CHAPTERS Allegany County Bird Club Frederick Branch, M.O.S., Inc. Avid Avists of Anne Arundel Co. Harford County Bird Club Salto. Chapter, M.O.S., Inc. Kent County Chapter, M.O.S., Inc. Caroline County Bird Club Takoma Park Nature Club Talbot County Bird Club Out-of-state membership (Maryland Birdlife only) $2.00 Junior membership (under 18 years) $.!>0 Life membership (payable in 3 equal installments) # 75.00 Active membership $2,00 plus Local Chapter dues CONTENTS, JUNE 1958 Study of Wintering Baltimore Orioles Marguerite S. Howard 55 In Memories*: Helen Burns Miller W. Bryant Tyrrell 38 First Dunlins Seen in Caroline County Marvin W. Hewitt 40 Report of State-wide Bird Count, May 3 S. H. Low & C. S. Robbins 41 An Inland Dovekie Haven Kolb 48 Cattle Egrets Nesting in Maryland Jacob M. Valentine, Jr. 49 The Season - Jan. , Feb. , March, 1958 Chandler S. Robbins 50 Review: Birds of Rockbridge County, Va. 55 Coming Events 56 Announcements 56 COVER: Female Piping Plover. Photograph by Dr. C. J. Stine HEADINGS: By Irving E. Hampe, Art Editor MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Published Quarterly by the Maryland Ornithological Society, Inc. to Record and Encourage the Study of Birds in Maryland Editor: Chandler S. Robbins, Patuxent Refuge, Laurel, Md. Editorial Board: Mrs. Roberta Fletcher, Mrs. Mabel Hbyler, Richard L. Kleen, Gordon Knight, Mrs. Martina Luff, Charles J. Stine, W. Bryant Tyrrell Jr. Editorial Board: Wilbur Rlttenhouse, Gordon Knight, James Voshell .Production: Gladys Cole, Margaret Mur i son, Gemma Rlzner, Homer Rizner, Shirley Geddes { 4 MARYLAND BIRDUFE 'Published yuurlerty hy ike -Maryland Ornilkoloyical Society , £nc . Biot “3$ollon Slral, $ alUmore ij, ^Maryland , Volume 14 JUNE 1958 Number 2 A STUDY OP WINTERING BALTIMORE ORIOLES AT ANNAPOLIS Marguerite S. Howard The last of the wintering Baltimore Orioles have left our yard and it la time to record their history. We have had Baltimore Orioles ( Icterus galbula ) at our feeding station for the post two winters — three the first year and four the second. We have had one adult male, five Immature males, and one imma- ture female. Both years we have observed orioles in the yard at irregu- lar intervals during the fall. Perhaps they were prospecting*. The following arrival and departure tables indicate the period when the orioles were regular visitors at our station. 1956-57 Abe December 21 through April 21 immature male Bunch March 22 April 20 Immature male Chuck March 31 April 18 Immature male 1958 Adam January 11 February 18 Immature male Buffy January 19 May 4 immature female *Clare March 6 April 28 immature male Doc March 10 April 10 adult male * The name was later changed to Clarence Natural foods such as viburnum and pokeweed berries, crabapples, and seeds of the trumpet vine seem to be an initial attraction to our yard. We first noticed Abe, in December 1956, when he was lunching on viburnum berries, we put out grapes for him and he liked the fare so well he stayed with us for the rest of the winter. We feel rather sure that one well-established oriole attracts others. We were first aware of the presence of Bunch when we heard a new song in the yard. On the trellis were two orioles — Abe and a new- comer. The newcomer was very much excited and showed it In demeanor and song. The two orioles were together most of the morning. 36 MARYLAND BXHDLTFS Vol. 14, No. 2 Chuck drifted in one morning at breakfast time. It was two days before we saw all three together in the shrubbery. The three were fre- quently in the neighborhood at the same time but there was little ten- dency for them to stay close together to feed. The fall of 1957 was unusually mild and food was plentiful. While we saw an oriole about during the fall and early winter no bird became a regular feeder until the beginning of severe weather. One Important attraction for birds Is a constant supply of water. One very cold day in January 1958 we saw an oriole drinking at the bird bath. He seamed half frozen and listless. When I took out a circlet of apple to hang on a twig he flew to a nearby tree, but as soon as I re- turned to the house he went to the apple and ate of it hungrily. The bird was Adam. He was always scrawny and this with a big appetite. On January 19 , 1958, we suddenly realized that we had two orioles in the yard — Adam and another one. The name "Buffy" seemed to fit her. She was dull colored and inconspicuous sometimes hard to spot in the trees. In marked contrast, Clarence, who arrived seven weeks later, was a brilliantly handsome bird, the brightest yellow of any of the imma- tures. But it was Doc, who appeared four days after Clarence, who really brought forth the exclamations of admiration. He was a gorgeous full -plumage d male. We had the interesting experience of watching our five immature males molt into their first breeding plumage. The molt was first evi- dent around the head, throat, and shoulders. Following are a few of the notes we kept on Abe T s development. April 3, 1957— Developing a dark head. April 9 — Black spots on cheeks, throat, and upper back. Black tail feathers starting to grow. April 14— Trying to sing. The progress of the other 1957 males was similar to Abe's. In 1958 our bright -colored Clarence molted very evenly about the head, throat, and back, but when we last saw him on April 28 we could detect no sign of black tail feathers. Buffy, our one female, was always much duller than the others. During the latter part of her stay the feathers on her throat and breast became a bit brighter and there was a very small patch of black close under her chin. During the past two years we have experimented with kinds of food for the orioles and methods of feeding them. We know that to a certain extent they will use natural foods. They like bread crumbs, doughnuts, suet mixtures, and they are especially fond on "fruit salad." The difficulty is not that of providing food for the orioles but of making it possible for them to get it. The Starlings gobble up the food or run off with it before the orioles have much chance to get in and feed. But it is the Mockingbirds that are really hard to deal with. June 1958 MARYLAND BIRDUFE 37 Our three Mockingbirds — Mockingbird North, Mockingbird South, and the Yard Mockingbird — very effectually guarded the feeders about the house and they intimidated the orioles by their , brutal attacks. However, with a little help from the Howards the orioles were able to break through the blockade often enough to get sufficient food to survive the winter. The solution seemed to be to have so many feeders widely scattered that the Mockingbirds couldn’t guard them all. By the middle of March the warfare was over. Pine cones were dipped in a mixture of suet, peanut butter, and chopped raisins. We hung the cones by a thin flexible wire on the outer branches of the shrubbery far enough from other branches, that might serve as perches, to make it difficult for Starlings to perch and feed. The reach was difficult for the oriole, too, but he learned to give the cone a push with his bill and set it swinging like a pendulum. On the near swing he would catch it with his bill and standing on one foot hold the cone with the other foot while he ate at ease. We used the little brightly colored cups in which party cheese spread is packed for serving the "fruit salad.” Dave encircled the cups with fairly heavy wire, bending one end into a loop for a hanger. These we hung in sheltered places in the shrubbery. The basic ingredient of the birds’ fruit salad is puffed raisins. I pour hot water over the raisins and allow them to soak until they are soft. To this I add small pieces of apple, quartered grapes, or bits of canned cherries. All of the fruit-eating birds visit the cups but they can’t run off with them. The Starlings and Mockingbirds will gulp the fruit down whole. The oriole works the raisin or piece of grape over its bill getting out the solf pulp inside and discarding the skin. The othsr birds are not much interested in the raisin nectar but the oriole will go back to sip it again and again until it is all gone. As the season advanced, the Baltimore Orioles were often on the ground eating bugs and grubs, and when the apple trees came into bloom they were really busy getting their own food. Then the bread crumbs and doughnuts got scant attention; but the orioles continued to visit the fruit salad cups for the duration of their stay. The 1957 departure date for the last oriole came on a hot day when the thermometer registered 91 degrees. It was also the day that brought us our first Chimney Swift, House Wren, and Ruby-throa ted Hummingbird, and an influx of Ruby-crowned Kinglets. Both years it has been the first comer who was the last to leave. In 1958 the departure date coincided with the arrival date of the first migrating Baltimore and Orchard Orioles. We have had no "repeats” yet, but we are hopeful that word of the Howards* fruit salad will get about and that we shall have some visiting bird celebrities this coming winter. 137 Monticello Avenue, Annapolis 38 MARYLAND BIHDLIFE Vol. 14, No. 2 IN MMORIAM: HELEN BURNS MILLER W„ Bpyaat Tyrr*#11 Helen Burns Miller passed into the great unknown on March 27, 1958 after a brief illness of only a few days. For those who knew and loved her there will be a void for a long, long time. She was one of the most magnetic, the most vivacious, the most energetic and the mqst kind and gentle persons it has been our pleasure to know. It was always a pleasure and a privilege to visit with her, or to be in the field or at camp with her. When one visited her home there was never a dull moment. If you were there in the daytime you were always invited to see her lovely garden, with its beautiful flowers. If in the evening, there was always some new project to talk about and to ask your opinion of, she hoping to get new ideas from your comments and suggestions. She was always a de- lightful companion in the field, for she knew the fauna and flora of the region around Cumberland, and knew just where you would find the most in- teresting wild flowers, and where you would be likely to see certain birds. In camp she was usually so occupied with directing the activities of the children that she seldom had time to go on the trips, but she could tell you where to go to find the best flowers or to see the most birds. One of her favorite pla- ces was the bog about a mile above camp. Usually on the next to last day of camp — for by then most of the youngsters were tired of getting up at 5:30 in the morning — she could go with the adult leaders and enjoy a hike to this delightful spot, free from the incessant questioning of keen but Helen Burns Miller sometimes trying young- (photographs by the author) sters. June 1958 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 39 I well remember the first time I met her. It was at a meeting of the Executive Board of the Maryland Ornithological Society at the home of Dr. and Mrs. R. S. Stauffer in Hagerstown on April 23, 1949. She had many good suggestions and did much constructive talking for the new organization; and since then she has been an official of the Society. In the years that have passed, I have had the privilege of being with her many times, in her home, in the field, along the old Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, and in her camp at Pleasant Valley, Garrett County, Maryland; and every experience with her has been full of interest and an enjoy- able one. If Helen became interested in any organization or project (and she was working with too many fdr her own good) , there was little she would not do to help and encourage the group. She was the guiding hand for the Allegany County Bird Club for many years and succeeded, through it and her love of youngsters, in interesting a large number of children in nature and in organizing them as the Junior Bird Club which culminated in her camp, officially known as the Allegany County Bird Club Junior Nature and Conservation Camp. I believe this camp was her pet project. She gave unstintingly of her time and energy for ten years to make it one of the best of its kind [see Maryland Birdllfe 13 (3): 47-51]. She became interested in the preservation of the old Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, and did a great deal toward creating a desire in the people of the area to visit it and to realize how worthy a project its preser- vation is. She was interested in Garden Club work, and was instrumental in organizing tbs Cumberle^a: Garden Club, becoming its first president. She conducted classes in flower arrangement, in which she was so gifted. She was regional chairman of the Bird Study Committee, and traveled to other clubs talking about birds and their value in the garden. Her love of children and swimming prompted her to undertake a swim- ming and life saving class at the Y.W.C.A. in Cumberland under the aus- pices of the Allegany County Chapter of the American Red Cross. And, for the past five years, she also taught girls of the "Y" Syn-Co-Swim Club to swim to music. A similar class was conducted in her swimming pool for the children who lived on Martin Mountain. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Cumberland and took an active part in many of the church 1 s functions and meetings. She was a member of the Cumberland Branch of the American Association of University Women, and a member of the Homemakers of Spring Gap. Between activities, she and her mother, Mrs. Grace Irvine Burns, made their home in the orchard on Martin Mountain, a delightful place for her husband, Gilbert Miller, and their two sons, Hhrry and Burnie, as well as for their many friends. Helen was born on May 1, 1911, at Montgomery, West Virginia, the daughter of Grace Irvine and LeVega Washington Burns. Later, Mr. Burns served as superintendent of Martinsburg, West Virginia schools, where Helen went to grammar and high schools. She then went on to the Univer- 40 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 7ol. 14, No. 2 sity of West Virginia at Morgantown, from which she graduated with honors in 1933. Tor two years, from the fall of 1933 to June of 1935, she taught French and History in the Paw Paw, West Virginia, High School. Her teaching career ended when she married Gilbert Millar on June 12, 1935 and went to Martin Mountain, near Spring Gap, Maryland, to live in the apple orchards of Consolidated Orchards, of which Mr. Miller is production manager. About a year later, on June 10, 1936, Harry W. was born and eight years later, on October 25, 1944, Gilbert Burns (Burnie) was born. In 1941 the Millers built a new home on Martin Mountain, where one has, a magnificent view of the orchards, the valley, and the moun- tains beyond. But now, the spacious, hospita- ble home will not be the same, without Helen. The memory of her should be an inspiration to guide and inspire us to try to accomplish some of the things she did so easily and ably. 246 Park Avenue, Takoma Park FIRST DUNLINS SEEN IN CAROLINE COUNTY Marvin W. Hewitt Although the farmers in Caroline County were a little "put out" about the excessive rainfall during April and May of this year it never- theless was rewarding for bird watchers. On the afternoon of May 16 my wife and I were pleasantly surprised to see some strange -looking birds among "peeps" in a field two miles west of Ridgely, Maryland. The unmistakable rusty backs and black under- parts of some thirty Dunlins ( Erolia alpina ) in spring plumage could be seen. This is the first time this species of shoreblrd has been obser- ved in Caroline County. Soybeans had been planted in this particular field the year before and a small grain was seeded this year. An acre or two could not be seeded because of the large pond in the center of the field. Almost half of the pond was barren and a little muddy, making it ideally suited for migrant shorebirds. There were alternate patches of bare and grassy spots with water in between. The Caroline County Bird Club took a morning hike there the next day and everyone was elated to find the Dunlins still present. Greensboro June 1958 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 41 REPORT OF STATE-WIDE BIRD COUNT, MAT 3, 1958 Seth H. Low and Chandler S. Robbins The twelfth annuel State-wide Bird Count presented Marylanders with a real challenge. The migration had been lagging, many species that should have arrived ih numbers in April still were very scarce, prospects for an influx of new arrivals were nil, and the weather prediction was most disheartening. Nevertheless, observers from all parts of the State dutifully patrolled their accustomed areas, making systematic tallies of all birds seen or heard. A heavy cloud cover and continuous drizzle persisted throughout the morning and through half the afternoon except along the coast. Visibil- ity frequently was restricted to \ mile; temperatures remained in the fifties; winds were light, and mostly from the northeast. The monotony of the drizzle was broken from time to time by brief showers. Gradual clearing finally began in the Catoctln Mountain area by 4 p.m. , along the Fall Line by 5 p.m; , and east of the Bay shortly before dark. The Blue jay was the only species that responded immediately to the change in the weather. Within a few minutes after the sun came out, flocks of several dozen birds began to fly silently northeastward. The exceptionally high count for this species was due primarily to this late afternoon movement. In Howard County, 228 birds were counted in the first ten minutes from a single vantage point, while nearby in Montgomery County, 700 were tallied between 5:15 p.m. and dusk. This flight con- tinued the following day, as shown by sample counts of 65 at Monkton, 91 at Laurel, a migrating flock of 130 at Beltsville, 208 at Annapolis, and 1,667 at Plum Point. Mr. Fhles' Plum Point total consisted of a half- hour count of 550 birds, plus casual observations through the rest of the day. All his Jays were flying northward along the Bay shore. Possibly 50,000 to 100,000 Blue Jays were migrating through Maryland on May 4. Despite the miserable weather and the paucity of migratory activity on May 3, the total species and total individuals observed were only slightly below last year's high totals. The species count was 217 in 1957 and 215 in 1958. Total individuals declined from 37,525 In 1957 to 33,869 in 1958. The total number of participants who Contributed to the 20 lists in Table 1 was 120. Last year, 132 persons did the leg work for the 19 published lists. The prize bird of the day was the Harris ' Sparrow at Charlotte Richardson's feeding station in Frostburg. For the first time there was no new species to add to the composite list of birds reported on the spring State-wide Counts. Forty-seven species appear on only 1 of the 20 lists. Nearly half of these (23) were found at Ocean City; these were primarily shorebirds, terns, and herons. The Swalnson's Warbler was the only song bird among the 23 species found exclusively by the Ocean City — Pocomoke group. Kent Island enumerators filled in many gaps in the diving duck list by finding 42 MARYLAND BIHDLIFE Vol. 14, No. 2 Table 1. State-wide Bird Count, May 3, 1958 1 2 3 U Species All Was Sim PtR Red-throated Loon Homed Grebe Pied -billed Grebe 1 Ofiiuiet Double-cr. Cormorant 5 6 7 8 Car Rav PPk How li 2 9 10 11 12 Uni Wda Qlb Sdy 8 2 2 20 13 ia 15 16 Hll Ced Cal K.I 1 2 5 20 6 17 18 19 20 Wye StM Caro OCty 1 8 26 1 1 5 l i5oo TOT 33 26 21 8 5 1523 Great Blue Heron Green Heron 1 2 little Blue Heron Common Egret Snowy Egret Black-cr, tit. Heron 6 7 1 “3 li 19 1 26 2 1 is n r i a 3 i2 3 l 5 li 2 70 58 3 6 ia 2 Whistling Swan Canada Ooose Mallard 10 3 Black Duck Am. Widgeon Blue-winged Teal 2 1 a ia 2 2 1 2 5 zb 35 ia 2 7 2 28 9 li 1 59 12 2 2 16 9 7 5 2 2a 220 as 57 12 n Wood Duck 1 2 Ring-necked Duck Canvaeback Greater Scaup Lesser Scaup Conxnon Goldeneye U 1 2 21 13 7 a 12 2 21 13 7 Bufflehead Oldaquaw White-winged Scoter Surf Scoter Ruddy Duck Cannon Merganser 10 2 ao b 6 15 7 1 12 1 ia 7 92 6 21 ia 1 115 56 Red-br. Merganser Turkey Vulture 3 1 lit 7 Black Vulture 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk Cooper's Hawk Red-tailed Hawk 1 a 9 2 aa 30 5 2 2 1 i 3 1 59 77 12 6 1 3 2 9 7 io ia 12a ao a 1 1 1 1 2 U aa 9 17 a 3 15 Red -shouldered Hawk 1 Broad-winged Hawk Bald Eagle Marsh Hawk Osprey 1 3 1 Pigeon Hawk 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 9 1 3 6 3 2 2 1 13 3 a 2 2a U 1 3 3 7 6 1 13 2 ia ia 10a 2 Sparrow Hawk it* Ruffed Grouse 1 2 Bobwhite U 3 1 1 Ring -neck Pheasant 1 Clapper Rail. American Coot " 1 1 1 2 1 2lt 1 l"ll 1 2 38 1 — rrr 18 2 63 38 3 1 16 u — 7] a 60 7 7 32 . 3 270 5 7 17 Am. Qystercatcher Piping Plover Semipalmated Plover Killd.ee r 5 £ Black-bellied Plover Ruddy Turnstone 5 3 2 2 13 a6 1 8 2 3 2a 17 96 21 1 a 127 96 21 Common Snipe Upland Plover 2 Spotted Sandpiper 1 l Solitary Sandpiper l Willet j i l a 3 2 1 1 3 1 1 “T 3 2 7 3 5 3 2 2 a 59 10 10 2 - 30 7 59 iirea 'ter Xellowlego Lee ear Tellowlegs Purple Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Lea at Sandpiper Dunlin nr a 36 28 I 31 23 " 10 a a 13 300 “73 50 a a ai 300 Semipalmated Sandpip Sanderllng Black-backed Gull Herring Gull Ring-billed Gull 3 a 3 a 3 12 30 6 91 238 78 2 20 20 a ia? ia no 116 71 1 2 20 20 8 aos ?a9 June 1958 MARYLAND BIRDIJJB 43 1 2 3 U 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 lit is 16 17 18 19 20 Species All Was Emn PtR Car Rav PPk How Uni Wds Gib Sdy Hil Ced Cal K.I Wye StM Caro OCty TOT Tjtnghing Chill 25 8 52 262 3U7 Bonaparte's dell 52 52 Forster's Tern 30 30 Cannon Tern 250 250 Least Tern U 37 Ul Royal Tern 31 31 Black Tern 1 7 b Black Skinner 27 27 Monmlng Bore 2 28 u U 12 1 8 65 lit 3 27 5 11 n US 130 2 10 86 12 U80 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 3 12 Black-billed Cuckoo 1 i 2 Barn Owl 1 2 3 Screed owl 1 1 Oreat Horned Owl i 1 1 u 2 2 n Barred Owl 1 1 U 6 Short-eared Owl 2 2 Chuck-will's Widow u 3 2 1 25 35 Whip-poor-will 2 2 9 13 6 3 7 1 17 2 62 Cannon Nlghthawk 1 1 9 5 16 Chimney Swift 25 37 30 35 1 50 178 6 Uo It 20 it 61 U3 U2 151 35 76U Ruby-thr. Hummingbird 1 It 8 3 1 9 3 29 Belted Kingfisher 2 1 1 3 2 2 10 2 i 2 9 2 7 2 U6 Yel-shaft Flicker 8 2 6 2 6 11 U 5 23 1 1 2 U 28 u 7 3 n? Plicated Woodpecker 1 1 1 3 Red-bellied Woodpec'r 1 2 2 lb c JO 2 1 it 20 7 3 U2 17 b 162 Rad-headed Woodpecker 1 1 2 Tel -bellied Sap sucker 1 1 Hairy Woodpecker U 2 1 1 1 1 U 2 1 1 18 Dowry Woodpecker U 2 6 3 2 9 6 5 12 2 5 12 12 3 17 2 102 Eastern Kingbird 1 3 5 5 1 It 27 9 31 2 2 15 29 1 12 27 17U dt Crested Flycatcher 1 2 7 U b 2 1 9 5 17 3 5 27 23 u lib Eastern Phoebe 2 3 7 2 8 6 1 2 l 7 7 2 13 61 Tell. -b. Flycatcher 1 1 Acadian Flycatcher It 1 2 6 1 6 1 21 Traill' a Flycatcher 2 2 Least Flycatcher 1 1 Eastern Wood Pewee 3 U 2 1 12 1 6 U 2 12 U9 Horned Lark 2 1 1 1 U 7 3 1 2 U3 5 70 Tree Swallow 3 3 3 1 2 6 15 IS 2 2 3U 3 89 Bank Swallow 2 1 U 12 3 8 2 26 58 Rough-winged Swallow 5 3 U So l 1 39 10 U u 18 3 1U2 Barn Swallow U 27 3 3 13 5 2 no 30 97 53 5 188 38 1 71 251 30 931 Cliff Swallow 1 10 1 12 Purple Martin 66 2 26 l 21 12 65 .50 5 U2 125 25 UitO Blue Jay 7 3 16 15 8 10 it8l 700 6 123 3 n 21 152 120 l 1 68 5 1763 Common Crow 6 107 10 U 8 IS 6 67 100 3 6lt 6 21 3 76 20 12 82 152 15 787 Fish Crow 3 2 19 1 25 12 . 1 12 3 3 81 Black-cap Chickadee 1 1 Carolina Chickadee 2 1 i 1 2 It 6 6 51 2 U 20 3V 6 2 ■ b 107 7 "2B0 Tufted Titmouse 6 11 U 2C 3 2 12 51 8 8 7lt 2 10 16 U9 U 1 lit 7U ■ 10 379 White -br. Nuthatch 1 2 1 3 2 3 12 Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 6 2 * . 1 ■ 3 13 Brown-headed Nuthatch 1U N 2 16 Brown Creeper 1 1 2 House Wren 2 \> 3 1 6 2 9 b it 35 2 U b 7 1U 110 Carolina Wren 3 3 7 1 1 n 2 2 51 5 12 U5 15 1 2 • 20 . 8 189 Long-bill Marsh Wren 1 3 U Short-bill Marsh Wren l 2 3 Mockingbird • 5 6 3 3 1 It 33 12 1 73 U 8 5 U9 31 3 15 75 1 330 Catbird 11 3 5 11 3 30 3* 10 It ItO 1 2 15 17 2 31 5 20U Brown Thrasher 7 b l 2 22 It 2 93 2 3 2 17 10 b U3 1 T32 Robin 28 150 100 11 13 10 ItO 123 lit 15 58 9 17 12 71 33 3 2U 205 10 9UU Wood Thrush 6 32 50 1£ 10 2 20 128 18 9 90 1 6 Uo U2 3 5 9 68 8 557 Swainoon'B Thrush 1 1 l 3 Veery 1 ■ i 2 Eastern Bluebird 1 2 1 2 5 9 18 2 l 28 6 3 2 2U 3 107 Blue -gray Qnatcatcher 5 2 2 i It lit It lit 11 32 10 2U 17 ~TT 15U Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 1 Water Pipit 2 1 u 30 37 Cedar Waxwing 1 30 23 27 17 98 Starling White-eyed Vireo So 106 So 1 35 23 1 u So io: 1 3 6 It 23 76 12 8 25 2 1 85 16 50 26 U2 2 U06 n 35 12 2163 67 leilow-throated Vireo 1 1 It It 1 i li 29 Solitary Vireo 1 1 1 3 44 MARYLAND BIKDLIHS Vol. 14, No. 2 1 2 3 It 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 lit 15 16 17 18 19 20 Species All Was Ena PtR Car Rav PPk How Uni Wds Qib Sdy HU Ced Cal K.I Wye StK Caro OCty TOT Red-eyed Vireo 1 5 1 7 1 20 13 6 3 30 3 50 b2 8 15 8 213 Warbling Vireo lit 1 1 1 3 20 Black-A-vhite Warbler 1 It 1 li 1 9 18 20 3 2 8 3 81 Prothonotary Warbler 5 2 3 1 20 5 36 Swalnson's Warbler 2 2 Worm-Bating Warbler 2 l 2 2 2 1 10 Oolden-vlnged Warbler 5 2 1 8 Blue-winged Warbler 1 1 1 3 Teanessee Warbler 1 1 Nashville Warbler 2 2 Parula Warbler l It 12 5 51t 2 6 b 62 8 2 5 165 Yellow Warbler 12 lii 1 1 It 5 19 3 7 6 2 3 77 Magnolia Warbler 6 2 2 lo Cape May Warbler 1 1 2 Blk-thr. Blue Warbler 1 2 1 6 1 11 Myrtle Warbler 1 b 2 2 It l Hi 26 1 15 18 lb 82 10 196 Bk-thr. Green Warbler 2 1 l 1 3 3 11 Cerulean Warbler l It 5 Blackburnian Warbler b b Tellcw-thrtd Warbler 1 2 1 l 8 13 Chest. sided Warbler 1 6 7 Bay-breasted Warbler b b B lack-poll Warbler 1 l 1 3 Pine Warbler 2 * b b 2 5 7 2b Prairie Warbler 3 1 1 5 2 21 lit 51 7o 55 3 i a V 2b5 Palm Warbler l 1 Ovunbird 3 l 10 18 2 7 bo 12 2 2 16 9 122 No. Watorthrush l 1 2 La. Watorthrush 2 5 l l 3 1 1 l 5 1 3 3 27 Kentucky Warbler 2 2 10 2 5 2 1 7 12 2 b5 Mourning Warbler 1 1 2 Yellow-throat 2 3 It 6 8 12 53 27 2 lt2 5 7 1 81 6 3 19 37 12 332 Tell ow-b reaated Chat 1 1 b It 6 15 5 9 1 16 1 17 b 8b Hooded Warbler 1 3 3 2 20 1 62 IS 36 3 lb6 Canada Warbler It 1 1 6 Am. Redstart 12 7 1 1 12 lt5 2 2 2 3b 7 125 House Sparrow 30 101 150 9 21 1 lilt 15 10 66 2 5 lib 60 '“5 10b" 66tt b5 1521 Bobolink It 2 1 7 Eastern Meadowlark 9 211 5o 5 23 1 165 25 16 7 9 8 5b 56 15 b2 152 2b 872 Redwinged Blackbird 18 73 50 12 12 25 2 158 8 175 6 29 3 310 230 52 190 b88 150 1996 Orchard Oriole 5 3 5 1 2 it 2 1 lb 37 Baltimore Oriole It n 2 1 5 2 1 10 38 Boat-tailed Grackle 55 55 Cannon Orackle 23 179 100 Ult 20 7 ItO 178 100 9 125 5 5 10 151 115 18b 3b0 1252 100 2987 Brown-headed Cowbird 6 31 ItO 36 20 8 61 50 6 61 22 b 2b7 26 10 b2 155 20 865 Scarlet Tanager 5 5 3 It 2 2 3 20 5 2 It 1 18 b2 2 1 8 21 1 lb9 Sumner Tanager 3 b 5 12 Cardinal 15 37 20 11 6 6 12 lilt 8 10 152 10 15 13 188 72 15 92 220 30 10b6 Rose-br. Grosbeak 13 3 1 1 2 20 Blue Orosbeak 3 9 12 Inllgo Bunting 2 1 8 20 2 6 9 5 12 1 2 1 31 100 Evening Grosbeak 12 10 10 32 Purple Finch 30 8 1 9 1 3 52 Ad. Goldfinch 25 39 12 35 16 10 30 55 20 5 123 8 9- 5 lb2 36 2b lb 68 25 701 Rufous -aided Towhee lit lit 20 3 ~T it 12 79 55 ~T2 BIT 5 17 17 TT J8 5 73 100 15 bj>£ Savannah Sparrow l 7 6 b 9 9 36 Grasshopper Sparrow 5 3 8 60 5 23 2 2 27 .135 Heaalow's Sparrow 1 1 Sharp-tailed Sparrow 6 25 31 Seaside Sparrow 1 12 2 15 Vesper Sparrow 3 9 ~r TT 1 " 1 8 T 35 Slate -colored Junco 1 2 lit 17 Chipping Sparrow 5 1 3 l 8 1 6 Itlt 10 63 1 2 100 82 18 2 29 9b 9 b79 Field Sparrow 3 10 20 2 6 1 It b5 5o 1 3lt 5 15 3 1 15 Ut 3 19 59 IS b5b Harris Sparrow l 1 White-crown Sparrow b 1 1 l l 8 White-thr. Sparrow V It 1 ~~T T ~ T T2" 15 72 8 5 6 17 106 5 b 56 111 3b8 Swamp Sparrow 1 2 l 2 32 3 bi Song Sparrow 10 li 12 10 15 3 20 Sit lit 10 123 3 12 2 17 28 1 3b ,35 bO b5b TOTAL SPECIES 53 ~TT “7T "3T bj It! 82 ~9F ^92“ 38 'W « 53 61 113 121 b7 100’ 106 128 215 TOTAL INDIVIDUALS 5Ut 925 326 636 1 i >06 2903 390 3821 690 6360 33889 23U2 !i50 160 3078 21it 218 609 2535 2018 b09b PARTY-HOURS 3i lilt 12 It 3 6i 2 13i 12 It 52 It b} 5a 90 9 3 10£ 71 21 37b£ June 1950 MARYLAND BIflDLLFE 45 the only Canvasbacl zb , Greater and Leaser Scaup, Common Goldeneyes, Baf- fle heads, and Surf Scoter. Their 4 species of owls included the only Short-ears, as usual, and the only Screech' Owl. Ever since the severe weather of last winter, field observers have been complaining about the scarcity of several species. It is quite clear that some decreases are a direct result of prolonged cold weather. For Other species, it is uncertain whether the present scarcities are primarily a result of winter weather, of wholesale disasters during the migration periods, of poor production last summer, or of some other fac- tor. It is possible that peculiarities of this spring's migration caused large numbers of individuals of some 3pecles to by-pass the spots that our observers visit most frequently. It is always risky to appraise the abundance of migratory birds on the basis of a single day's observations. However, for permanent resi- dents, or summer residents already on territory, a series of counts that are well distributed through the State can give a good indication of actual changes in abundance from year to year. To make the most accurate comparisons, we really should select the various counting areas at ran- dom; we should have observers of exactly the same knowledge, experience, and acuity; and they should cover each area in the same manner and for the same length of time. We could then apply statistical tests and de- termine within fairly close bounds the amount of change that had taken place in the population of each species. Even though we lack such an ideal situation, we still can demonstrate the more extreme changes by comparing 1958 counts with those for the same areas in 1957. Table 2 shows comparative counts for five species of permanent residents or early spring migrants. Counts were made in the following areas: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 11, 15, 16, 18, 19, .and 20. (Area numbers are those used in the present summary.) Table 2. Population changes of species affected by winter weather Species Number of Areas with Total Birds Percent Increase Decrease Same No . 1957 1958 Change Killdeer 1 11 1 354 118 - 67 Eastern Phoebe 2 10 1 171 50 - 71 House Wren 1 11 1 202 88 - 56 Carolina Wren 2 U 0 328 165 - 50 Eastern Bluebird 1 10 2 326 91 - 72 A glance at Table 2 will show that changes for the five species were not merely local drops, but were general through the State. The total party-hours for the 13 areas used in this comparison was 327£ in 1957, as compared with 339 in 1958 — an increase of 3§ percent. Because this difference was so small, no adjustment for coverage was made in Table 2. In contrast to the five species mentioned above, 32 species were recorded in larger numbers than ever before on a May State-wide Count; so we cannot claim that weather conditions on the day of the Count caused 46 MARYLAND BIHDT.IFE Vol.. 14, No. 2 a drastic reduction in the number of birds that were recorded. Although the counts for most of these 32 species were only slightly greater than the highest count for prior years, it may be of some interest to mention the species concerned: The lateness of the migration helped produce high counts for the Red-throated Loon, Horned Grebe, Canada Goose, Buf- flehead, Old squaw, White-winged Scoter, Common Merganser, Sparrow Hawk, Bonaparte* s Gull, Blue Jay, and Red- breasted Nuthatch. New high totals for the Snowy Egret, Mallard, American Oyster catcher, and Laughing Gull' probably are correlated with their continued Increase in numbers as nesting birds in Maryland. Four species that were exceptionally abundant last winter also hit new highs on the spring count: Mourning Dove, Red- bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, and Tufted Titmouse. High tallies for the Great Horned Owl, Chuck-will* s-widow, and Sharp-tailed Sparrow are directly attributable to better-than-usual coverage at the proper time or place. High totals were noted also for the Willet, pectoral Sandpiper, Dunlin, Black Tern, Horned Lark, Carolina Chickadee, Starling, Prairie Warbler, Mourning Warbler, and Evening Grosbeak. The 20 best lists for May 3 are itemized in Table 1. Details of coverage and the names of the observers are given in the following re- sume. Several participants sent In a list for the 4th as well as for the 3rd. Lists for the 4th are included in the resume but are omitted from the table because there was a heavy influx of migrants on the 4th and a drastic change in Maryland* s avifauna. To illustrate this change, compare the two lists of Prof, and Mrs. David Howard. Their report for the 3rd Included birds seen at their home as well as those found on a trip to Sandy Point; yet on the following day, when they stayed at home, they saw more species and more individuals from their city yard than they had found on the 3rd at both places and en route between them. In a survey of Howard County on the 3rd, Chan Robbins recorded 92 species, his poorest list there in 5 years. On the following day, in one-third the time, he counted 72 species without leaving his 3 acres. Resume of Coverage Total species and party-hours for areas 1 through 20 are listed at the end of Table 1; these 20 areas were covered on May 3. 1. Allegany County. Western Allegany County, including Froetburg, Cresap Park, Cumberland, Park Heights, and Oldtown. Charlotte Richardson (compiler) , Daniel J. Folk, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Heinem&n, 'William Leesoh, Mrs. Gordon Taylor, John Workmeister. 2. Washington County. 21 party- hours on foot, 23 by car; 22 party- miles on foot, 215 by car. 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Howard Dean (compiler), Mrs. Lloyd Mallonea, Dr. Ralph Stauffer, Dr. and Mrs. John Stauffer. 3. Emmitsburg area of Frederick County. 5:40 a.m. to 8 p.m. Dr. John VI. Richards. 4. Point of Rocks, Frederick County. 2 hours along C & 0 Canal near Camp Kanawha, J hour by car en route to Frederick, and l£ hours on foot near Myersville. S. W. Edwards (compiler), S. W. Edwards, Jr., Sarah Quinn, Hazel White. 5. Carroll County (southeastern), including Gember, Finksburg, and Juno 1958 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 47 Louisville. 3 observers in 1 party. 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. 15 miles by car. Jean Worthley (compiler), Marion Felton, Hodney Jones. 6. Loch Haven, Baltimore County. 4:15 to 10:30 a.m. C. Haven Kolb, Jr. 7. Patapsco State Park, Baltimore and Howard Counties. Irving E. Hampe (con^iler), Percy Jonea. 8. Howard County. 4:45 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. 5 miles on foot, 116^ by car. Chandler S. Hobbins. 9. Unity, Montgomery County, including Triadelphia Reservoir and Stony Broke Farm. Seth H. Low (compiler), Walter M. Booth. 10. Woodside, Silver Spring, Montgomery County. 8 to 12 a.m. John H. IW.es. 11. Gibson Island, Anne Arundel County. Same area as past 8 years. 4:30 a.m. to 5; 30 p.m. 17 observers (6 part time) in 4 parties on foot. MTs. W. L. Henderson and Mrs. Gall Tappan (compilers), C. Buchanan, H. Dwight, Mrs. R. Henderson, Judge W. L. Henderson, Mr. and Mrs. J. Kidd, Dr. C. Lawrence, Mrs. J. Lewis, Mrs. J. Markell, Jr., Miss M. McLean, Mrs. L. Romaine, Mr. and Mrs. D. Swing, Mr. and Mrs. A. Varrieur. 12. Sandy Point State Park, Howards* residence in Annapolis, and roads between these Anne Arundel County areas. 3 party-hours on foot, 1 by car; 1 party-mile on foot, 16 by car. Observers together. Prof, and Mrs. David Howard . 13. Hillsmere Shores, Anne Arundel County (9:15 to 11:30 a.m.), plus Avid Avists field trip to the Luff farm (4:30 to 6:45 p.m.). Mr. and Mrs. Carl Long (compilers) . 14. Cedarville state Forest, Prince Georges and Charles Counties. Observations made in northern and southeastern sections of 3, 500-acre forest of pines and mixed hardwoods; no swamps or large bodies of water. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. 1^ party-miles on fooi, 4 by car. Numbers of 10 or more are estimates. Observers together. Dr. and Mrs. Hans Krimra. 15. Calvert County. 32 party-miles on foot, 590 by car. K. Friel Sanders (compiler), Dr. Joan Criswell, Laddie Flyger, Dr. V. F. Flyger, Mary W. Goldman, Katherine Keeley, H. Elizabeth Slater, Lorina Wendt. 16. Kent Island, Queen Annes County. 5:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Observers together. Martha Dubois (compiler), Grace Hoge. 17. wye Mills, Talbot County, including roadside observations en route through Queen Annes County from Bay Bridge. Intermittent obser- vations throughout the day at Bird Haven on V.'ye Landing road. Mr. and Mrs. Carl Lubbert. 18. St. Michaels, Talbot County. 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. 2 miles on foot, 110 in car. Observers together. Richard L. KLeen (compiler), Meade Lloyd, Ronald Soul3man, James Voshell. 19. Caroline County. 4:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. 22 observers. Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Fletcher (compilers) , A. Bilbrough, D. Bilbrough, E. Bllbrough, I. Bilbrough, W. Bright, M. Butenschoen, E. Cannon, M. Hewitt, N. Hewitt, A. Knotts, M. Messix, T. Moore, E. Poore, T. Robbins, C. Scudder, J. Smith, L. Smith, L. Somers, M. Thompson, V. 7,/right. 20. Ocean City and Pocomoke Swamp, Worcester County. 11 party- miles on foot, 82 by car. 33 observers. Dr. Richard Tousey (compiler), Philip DuMont and Harriet Sutton, leaders, D. C. Audubon Society. 21. Lutherville, Baltimore County. 27 species, including the only Hermit Thrush for the day. Shirley Geddes, Marge Murison. 48 MARYLAND BIHDLIFB Vol. 14,. No. 2 22. Frost burg, Allegany County, May 2. 22 species. 3. V. Edwards, Jr. 23. Allegany County, May 4. 653 Individuals of 81 species In 6 hours. Approximately same area and observers as on May 3. 24. Frederick to Catoctin Mountain, May 4. 44 species. 2 to 7 p.m. Observers together. Mabel Hbyler and William N. Shlrey. 25. Mockton and vicinity, Baltimore County, May 4. 67 species. Stephen !¥. Simon. 26. Cylburn Wildf lower Preserve, Baltimore, May 4. 25 species. Shirley Geddes, Marge Mur Ison. 27. Robbins Nest, 3 acres near Laurel, Prince Georges County, May 4. 274 individuals of 72 species in 4 hours. Chandler 3. Robbins. 28. Howards' residence, Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, May 4. 359 individuals of 45 species. Prof, and Mrs. David Howard. 29. Plum Point, Calvert County, May 4. 41 species in 6 hours. John H. Fales. Patuxent Research Refuge, Laurel AN INLAND DOVEKIE Haven Kolb On February 28, 1958 Jean Bedell, a student at Dundalk High School, Baltimore Comity, Maryland, brought to school a live bird that she had found at her home the evening before. It was a Dovekie ( Plautus alle) in winter plumage. Since it seemed quite lively I took it home, in- tending to band and release it on one of the nearby tidal rivers. How- ever, on the following morning the bird was dead. Miss Bedell reported that the Dovekie had been found in the yard in front of her home in Dundalk. Rain was falling and the bird could not fly. It waddled and fluttered away when approached, but after it had paddled through a puddle it was caught. The plumage was soaked with water, a rather odd condition in such a thoroughly marine bird. The reason for this became plain, however, when the specimen was skinned, for there was no trace of fat anywhere on the body. It was discovered further that the stomach was empty and the large pectoral muscles were much shrunken. It seems evident that this specimen, a female, starved to death and had probably been inland far a number of days. Perhaps it had come in on the persistent northeast winds of the great snowstorm of February 15-16. t The only previous inland Maryland record of which I am aware is one reported by Gilliard during the great Dovekie influx of November 1932 (Murphy and Vogt. Auk 50: 325-349, 1933). 5915 Meadow Road, Baltimore 6 June 1958 MARYLAND BIRDLIFK 49 CATTLE EGRETS NESTING IN MARYLAND Jacob M. Valentine, Jr. I have been interested in the Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis ) since my arrival at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge about 3 years ago. These birds have been regular summer residents on the refuge since 1953. We have suspected the Cattle Egret was nesting in the area, but none was found at the heronries at Hog Creek, near the south end of Wallops Island, Virginia, nor on Hog Island, farther down the coast. The Cattle Egret was first observed in Maryland on April 25, 1953, when a group from the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club led by Chandler 3. Robbins and David A. Cutler saw a single individual at Heine's Pond near Berlin. The only subsequent Maryland records prior to 1958 were at Bucktown on May 1 and May 8, 1955 (Elols Rogers, Philip A. DuMont, Earl Stecher, and others), near Easton on May 6, 1957 ( fide A. J. Fletcher), and at Mills Island in southern Chincoteague Bay, where up to 5 indi- viduals were counted in June 1957 (Neil Hotchkiss and others) . Robert Stewart, Allen Duvall, and Chandler Robbins tried in vain to locate nests of this species on June 12, 1957. I first visited the Mills Island colony on May 12, 1958, but saw no Cattle Egret. I estimated the following numbers of other birds in the nesting colony: 300 Snowy Egrets, 200 Black-crowned Night Herons, 20 to 30 each of Louisiana Heron and Glossy Ibis, 20 Common Egrets, and 15 Little Blue Herons. On May 27 I revisited the heronry and found a Cattle Egret nest containing 2 young and 3 eggs. The eggs were almost white but with a slight bluish cast; one was 44 mm. in length. I saw the adult bird go to the nest and brood the young and eggs. The nest was about 8 feet up on a long branch of a small red cedar. On May 29 I returned to the heronry and by setting up a blind near the first nest I was able to find 3 other nests. Several days later I set up the blind slightly beyond these nests. From this position I saw Cattle Egrets return to 5 other nests. On June 6 I again moved the blind farther south and found 2 additional nests, making a total of 11. Two of the nests had young on this date, the others contained eggs. At 7:00 p.m. (E.S.T. ) on June 6 I counted over 50 Glossy Ibises circling overhead. Trom, inside my blind I counted the following nests within about 50 feet: 77 Snowy Egrets, 3 each of Black-crowned Night Heron, Louisiana Heron, Cattle Egret, and Common Egret, and 1 Little Blue Heron. On June 15 there were 12 Cattle Egret nests, 6 of which contained nest- lings. One or 2 nests had been abandoned. Six of the young were banded on this trip, and I plan to band as many of the others as I can. It is difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish nestling Cattle Egrets from Snowy Egrets. The 2 Cattle Egret nestlings I examined (about 15 to 17 days old) had dark green to black beaks with yellow tips; the feathers and down were white; the legs were dark green with yellowish posterior surface and yellow to dark green feet; the skin was yellow to yellow-green. Occasionally the young Snowy Egret will have a bright yellow beak, which makes it doubly confusing. Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge P. 0. Box 62, Chincoteague, Virginia 50 MARYLAND BIHDUFE Vol. 14, NO. 2 JaNUART, FEBRUARY, MARCH, 1958 Chandler 3. Robbins The month of January, with temperatures 2fe° to 6° below normal, ushered In a critical period for wintering birds, not only In Maryland, but throughout the southeastern United States. While record warmth was being enjoyed in the western United States and mild weather was occurring in eastern Canada, the whole Southeast was in the grip of Arctic air from mid-January until the late arrival of spring. To understand this abnormal temperature distribution, one must visualize some of the changes that took place in atmospheric circulation over our continent. About 6-g- or 7 miles above the earth there is a peculiarity of air circulation that may be likened to the Gulf Stream in the Atlantic Ocean. Discovered only 15 years ago, this ever-changing ribbon of high-speed winds is known as the jet stream. Between late December and early February the Jet stream shifted from its summer posi- tion along the Canadian border to its winter position over the Gulf States; this shift was accompanied by an abnormal increase in westerly winds in the Gulf area, and by the formation of a tremendous high pres- sure cell of record-breaking proportions that stagnated over Baffin Island and northern Greenland. Clockwise circulation around this High swept relatively warm air from the North Atlantic onto the coasts of eastern Canada, Polar air from the arctic shores of western Canada, on the other hand, was forced sharply southward by the blocking action of the High, and, as a result, there were long periods of subnormal temper- atures In the Southeastern States. Both the formation and the routing of storm systems frequently are associated with the position of the jet stream. Hence, when the jet stream became firmly established over the Gulf, which is a favorable area for storm development, cyclonic storms formed with monotonous regularity; these storms moved up the Atlantic coast and brought high winds and heavy precipitation to our State. Be- cause the storm centers passed to the east of us, the counter-clockwise circulation around these centers caused our strong winds to be from the north. The high incidence of strong winds from a northerly quadrant, together with the ample supply of Arctic air continually flowing in from the far North, produced February and March storms of unusual severity. By far the most disastrous period for our avian population was the middle third of February. The combination of heavy snow, persistent hieh winds, and low temperatures led to a dramatic struggle for survival by June 1958 MARYLAND BIHULIFB 51 birds of all but the most hardy species. We humans may brag about the snowfall of 15 to 22 inches that fell in a 50 -mile -wide band through Washington, Laurel, and Parkton on February 15-16; or the drifting snow that blocked main arteries for two days and buried country roads under drifts of 6 or 8 feet for up to a week; or the lightning that accom- panied 58 m.p.h. gusts over Annapolis during the initial phase of the storm. For birds the minimum temperatures of -17° and -12° at Oakland on the 12th and 17th, respectively, were not so serious in themselves as was the fact that for two straight weeks the temperature remained below freezing, day and night, in parts of Garrett County. Even in the Baltimore suburbs (Friendship Airport) the mercury stayed at or below the freezing mark for 10 consecutive days. If we knew how many song and game birds died as a direct result of the prolonged cold and heavy snow cover in mid-February, we certainly would be shocked. Reliable estimates of mortality could not be made, for most observers were confined for several days to the general vici- nity of their feeding stations and so were not in a position to observe the effects of the storm on those birds that had to make their own liv- ing. During the February storm Brown-headed Cowbirds visited feeding stations in many Coastal Plain localities, and also as far inland as Fairplay in southern Washington County (Mrs. Alice lfallonee) . Some mem- bers noted an Increase in the numbers of such birds as Cardinals, Slate - colored Juncos, Tree Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows and Purple Finches on feeding shelves. Along with the song birds came hawks and owls that were unable to find the usual supply of rodents and birds in their cus- tomary haunts. A Horned Owl was shot in the back yard of a residence in Newcomb by a character who begrudged the loss of a few of his sparrows. Many of the less hardy birds failed to pull through the severe weather, even though they ate at feeding stations. Single Baltimore Orioles dis- appeared from feeders in Rockville (Hilda Smith) and Annapolis (Prof, and l!rs. David Howard) Just after the storm. Two well-fed Carolina tfrens disappeared at Catonsville (Elisabeth Komianos) . Several birds that were unaccustomed to feeding stations were stunned or killed by flying into picture windows. Jimmie' Voshell at St. Michaels saw a Mockingbird and a Slate-colored Junco fall over dead at his feeder. A Blue Jay, hard pressed for food, was seen killing a junco. Vultures were seen feeding on frozen Yfhistling Swans in Talbot County. And there was a report that unsportsmanlike hunters illegally shot thousands of waterfowl during the period when road and water travel were completely halted by snow and ice. Richard KLeen estimated that the land bird population in Talbot County v/as cut 50 percent by the February storm. He says, "Everyone is report- ing dead birds/* Jimmy Vo3hall counted ten dead birds, not yet disposed of by predators, as he walked from his home to St. Michaels on Feb, 17. A covey of Bobwhite that had contained between 15 and 20 birds was re- duced to 8 birds during the storm (KLeen) . Unfortunately, the February storm was not just a local catastrophe. David Ludlura in the April issue of Yfeatherwise says that ^..no storm of the present century combined the magnitude of areal extent and the in- tensity of frozen precipitation as did the Great Snowstorm of Mid-Febru- ary 1958. " It probably will take several years for the bluebirds, 52 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 14, No. 2 phoebes, Killdeer, House Wrens, Carolina Wrens, Boownites, Field Sparrows, Cardinals, Tree Swallows and birds of other half-hardy spe- cies of similar wintering range to recover from the effects of the weather of early 1958. Comparison of this year’s State-wide Bird Count with that of last year will show the reduction in numbers of birds of most of these species* The heavy vret snowstorm of March 19-20, although it caused far more inconvenience to mankind, through depriving 300,000 homes of power and . 1,000,000 homes of telephone service in Maryland and Delaware, had com- paratively little effect on bird survival. In the first place, this storm was not accompanied by severe temperatures or high winds; second- ly, those birds most subject to winter mortality already had perished in the mid-February storm; and thirdly, continued cold weather had pre- vented any great influx of spring transients from farther south. Aside from the temporary lack of the utilities on which we rely so heavily, we shall remember this storm most for the extraordinary density of the sticky snow and the consequent excessive damage to evergreen trees and shrubs. The high moisture content (more than twice the normal density) of the snow gave it a distinct bluish cast similar to that seen in glaciers; at the normal ratio of 10 inches of snow to 1 inch of (melted) precipitation, the 5g inches recorded at Conowingo would have meant a snow depth of feet! Actually the greatest depth officially reported was 33 Inches, at Mount Airy. Arrival dates (general) • Table 1 gives the earliest arrival dates reported for selected early spring migrants in 10 counties representing all parts of Maryland. In the table the counties are arranged from northwest to southeast. Bi many places, especially on the Eastern Shore, most of the early migrants are of species that winter there so commonly that the arrival of additional individuals is difficult to detect; for these birds, a "7P* is inserted in the table to show that wintering birds obscured arrival dates of transients. Note that such species as the Osprey, Eastern Phoebe, Purple Martin, Brown Thrasher, Rufous-sided Towhee, and Chipping Sparrow are not listed. These birds arrived so much later than normal that they were held for in- clusion in the April-May arrival table. Herring and Ring-billed Gulls are included in a migration table for the first time. Migration of these species generally is obscured by local movements, especially in tidal areas; note that there is little correlation between their arrival dates in the various counties. In interpreting the table, one should consider the following facts: (1) the early spring migrants normally appear first in the warmest parts of the State and then gradually spread to the northern and western sec- tions as the weather moderates; (2) this "moderation" proceeded unusu- ally slowly in the spring of 1958; (3) a species such as the Common Grackle* which winters commonly on the Eastern Shore, is likely to be detected earlier in migration in the Piedmont of Baltimore County where migrants will not be confused with wintering birds; (4) severe winter weather can oreate the impression of migration by forcing birds to con- Jua# 1958 MAHXLAHD BIRDLUE 53 oentrate at feeding stations; note that flicker dates in Frederick and Baltimore Counties coincided with the two heaviest snow storms; (5) severe weather apparently also pushed some species farther south than usual. Ornithologists frequently have suspected that severe weather causes some songbirds to move southward even .after the close of the fall migration period but they seldom are able to prove that this actually is the case. Note the cluster of Tree Sparrow records immediately after the February storm— especially those in Caroline and Talbot Counties, where the species usually does not occur. Table 1.— Spring arrival dates, 1958 Species Carr Alle Wash FTed Mont Balt Pr*G Anne Caro IBS* Whistl’g Swan 3/24 3/26 3/16 3/24 3/24 W Canada Goose 3/35 — — 7/18 3/24 3/18 3/ 9 3/24 3/ 5 3/16 Killdeer — 4/12 — 2/21 2/28 3/23 3/ 6 3/20 — W Herring Gull — 5/2Q — 3/ 6 — 3/29 2/ 9 2/15 — w Ring-bil Gull — — — — 3/28 3/29 3/ 2 3/15 3/16 Mourning Dove 3/15 4/ 3 2/26 3/ 1 2/25 3/18 3/20 3/ 9 3/ 4 W T-s Flicker 5/10 4/ 9 4/ 9 2/16 3/10 3/20 4/14 4/ 7 W w Robin 3/28 2/11 3/11 2/16 2/15 2/ 2 2/ 7 2/ 6 2/12 2/ 4 Water Pipit — — — 3/17 2/28 — 3/24 2/ 4 — W Redwing 3/ 6 3/ 6 2/26 2/25 2/28 2/12 3/ 2 2/ 4 W W Com Crackle 4/ 4 3/ 8 2/24 2/26 — 2/17 2/28 2/22 3/12 w B-h Cowbird — 4/13 2/17 2/28 2/22 3/ 4 3/ 2 2/16 W w Eve Grosbeak -- 3/15 2/17 1/25 2/ 8 2/ 8 2/ 8 1/31 3/ 7 1/22 Purple Finch — 4/24 3/ 4 — 2/ 3 2/ 9 l/u 2/25 — W Pine Siskin — — 2/16 — — 2/26 1/12 — 1/13 R-s Towhee — 5/ 3 4/17 — — 3/29 3/30 3/29 W W S-c Junco — 3/29 2/16 3/ 5 3/ 5 3/22 3/ 6 W W w Tree Sparrow W W W W W 2/19 2/ 1 2/IQ 2/19 2/16 Fox Sparrow — 3/ 3 — 3/ 4 2/28 2/19 3/ 3 2/ 7 3/11 3/ 8 * = Lower Eastern Shore (Talbot, Dorch », Som ., Wico., & Wore. Cos*) More than 50 members contributed arrival’ dates for Table 1. With- out this fine cooperation the table would be meaningless because there would be too few observations to indicate migration trends. For every date included in the table, 3 or 4 later or equal dates were received; the more reports we have, the closer we can come to knowing the actual beginning of migration in each part of the State* It is not feasible to acknowledge the contributions of each member, mrich as they are ap- preciated; we can, however, list those observers who submitted 3 or more of the dates that appear in the final version of the table: Garrett County, Daniel Folk; Allegany Co .. Charlotte Richardson; Washington Co., Alice Mallonee; Frederick Co ., s. Edwards, R. Sundell, j.j Richards; Montgomery Co ., Seth Low, Katherine Goodpasture; Baltimore Co ., Stephen Simon, Elizabeth Ko^ianos; Prince Georges Co., Chandler Robbins; Anne Arundel Co., Vera Henderson, Elise Tappan, David and Marguerite Howard: Caroline Co., Roberta Fletcher, Marvin Hewitt; Lower Eastern Shore (Talbot, Dorchester, Wicomico, Somerset and Worcester Counties), Richard Kleen, Samuel Dyke. 54 MARYLAND BIRDLOB Yol. 14, No. 2 Waterfowl . There was a heavy northwestward movement of Whistling Swans on a broad front between the Potomac and Susquehanna Yalleys, Mar* 16-28* . The largest flights of Canada Geese were reported on Mar. 18, 24-26, 28, and Apr. 4 and 10 (Mrs. A. L. Hoffman, Dr. John W. Richards and others) * Redheads and Ring-necked Ducks were unusually scarce at Gibson Island but more than 5,000 Canvasbacks fed along the Bay shore of the island during the freezing weather in February (Mrs. Gail Tappan, Mrs* W. L. Henderson)* Rarities included the first Talbot County records of the Mute Swan, near Royal Oak on Mar. 23 (Dr. Thomas Ambler, R. L. KLeen), and Shov^ler on Mar* 30 (Kleen and Yoshell), and the second Caroline County observation of the European Widgeon, at Ridgely on Mar. 15 (C* Guthrie, R. B. and A* J. Fletcher, M* W* Hewitt). The King Eider, the commoner of the two species of eiders that reach tidewater Maryland, was seen at the Ocean City inlet on Jan. 12 (Samuel H. Dyke). 7/alter Booth identified 13 species of water- fowl at Tfciadelphia Reservoir during the period; the Pintail was the only species that was appreciably more common there in spring than it was the previous fall. Hawks and Owls . Although the Golden Eagle was missed on this year’s Christmas Count, an adult bird appeared at Blackwater Refuge later in the winter and remained at least until March 23 (Dan Gibson) * Observers in tidewater localities continued to report Short-eared Owls in larger numbers than in most winters. Woodpeckers . Dan Gibson reported that a Pile ate d 'Woodpecker was present on a farm near Still Pond in northern Kent County for the first 10 days in March—the first occurrence recorded for that Eastern Shore county* This is the third county added to the Pileated’s Maryland range in the past couple of years. Positive records are lacking for only four counties (Carroll, Howard, St. Marys, and Cecil), and none of these counties is more than 5 miles away from the present range of the species. Stray birds even are invading suburban areas of Montgomery County, as. evidenced by observations of John FbJ.es on Mar. 13 at Hillandale and Mar. 21 at Silver Spring. Dick Douglass reported that both the Downy and Hairy Woodpecker were more common than usual in Allegany County. Chickadees , Titmice, Nuthatches . Black-capped Chickadees con- tinued to be common locally except on the Coastal Plain. The only report from the tidewater area was from Gibson Island, where none was . seen after the February storm (Mrs. Henderson and Mrs. Tappan). Both this species and the Tufted Titmouse were unusually common in the Cumberland area (Douglass) • Red-breasted Nuthatches wintered through- out the State, but in small numbers; although Christmas Count figures ran as high as 39 individuals (St. Michaels), there was only one later observation of more than a single bird. Mockingbirds, Wrens, Warblers . There were three unusual (and nnfT MQCftnfl-Pnl ) attempts at wintering in the western counties: a Mockingbird frequented a Frostburg feeding station until Feb. 10 (the commencement of sub-zero temperatures— Charlotte Richardson) ; a House June 1958 MARYLAND BIKDLIFE 55 Wren was seen several times in January at Emmitsburg (John Richards); and a Western Palm Warbler was found on Jan. 8 at Frederick (Robert Sundell). Grosbeaks, Juncos , Snow Buntings . In the previous SEASON report we showed that Evening Grosbeaks reached most Maryland counties in Oc- tober 1957* The great majority of these birds apparently soon moved on to the south and there were no feeding station reports until mid-winter* With the onset of cold weather, however, a second gradual influx reached Maryland, as shown by the wide spread of arrival dates at feeding sta- tions. Except in Cumberland, where John Vforkmeister and others had flocks of 40 to 50 birds at a time, there were generally only 5 to 20 individuals in a flock* An Oregon Junco took up residence at Rodney Jones* feeding station in Pikesville in February. It was trapped for banding, and was closely examined in the hand. This species so close- ly resembles our common Slate-colored Junco that field identification seldom can be made with certainty. . Only three previous Maryland re- ports have been accepted. Prof* and Mrs. David Howard reported that 4 Snow Buntings were seen on an Avid Avista* field trip to Sandy Point on Mar. 1. Six Snow Buntings were present at 'frladelphia Reservoir in December, but only 1 was still present in March. This one was located last on Mar. 27, which is the second latest departure date for the State (Walter Booth). Patuxent Research Refuge, Laurel BOOK REVIEW Murray, Joseph James. THE BIRDS OF ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY, VIRGINIA. Virginia Avifauna No. 1 Dee. 1957. 59 pp, 50V from F. R. Scott, 115 Kennondale Lane, Richmond 26, Va. This booklet summarizes 30 years of observations by Virginia's keenest amateur ornithologist. Rockbridge County, which lies about 100 miles south of the southern tip of Garratt County, Maryland, boasts an altitudinal range of 719 to 4,000 feet In a linear distance of only 7 miles. This is nearly twice the range of any Maryland County On the other hand, the largest body of water in Rockbridge County 1 b but 15 acres in area. In climate, as well as in bird life, its closest counterpart In Maryland is Allegany County. Five pages of introduction describe the topography, location, and climate of the county, and tell the reader that "264 species and subspecies" of birds have been iden- tified in the county to the writer's satisfaction. The remainder of the volume con- sists of an annotated list of 243 species. Accounts vary from a single line in the case of the Tree Sparrow { "Winter resident; common; November 9 to April 9") to a little over a half page for the Black Vulture, Cliff Swallow, and Common Raven. Status, ex- treme dates of occurrence, and dates of nesting activity are given for all species. Trinomials are used throughout; dates and localities of collected specimens are gener- ally cited if two or more subspecies are believed to occur. A variety of Interesting information is included in some of the species accounts: calls and field marks (Black Vulture) , weight (Blue Goose) , flock size (primarily water birds), hunting kill (Turkey), food (Black-billed Cuckoo and Common Raven), Christmas Count figures (Blue Jay), size of nesting colonies (Cliff Swallow), nest height (Caro- lina Chickadee and Brown Thrasher), altitudinal limits (Carolina Wren, Starling, Car- dinal, Slate-colored Junco, tanagers, and several warblers) , nest construction (Parula Warbler), and an albino (Eastern Meadowlark). Rarities include the Mississippi Kite, Clapper Rail, Red Phalarope, Laughing Gull, and Lark Bunting. Expected, but not on the list, are Traill's Flycatcher and Henslow's Sparrow.— C .3. R. 56 MARYLAND BIHDUgg Vol. 14, No. 2 COMING EVENTS Sept, 6-21 Sept, 7 Sept, 19 Sept. 20-21 Sept, 27 Sept, 27-28 Oct. 10 Oct. 11 "Operation Recovery" nt Ocean City. Intensive bird banding and migration study throughout this period. Banders, moon watchers, bird weighers, and bird counters are needed. This is an excellent opportunity to brush up on your fall plu- mages. Those who stay for a week or more will be shown such rarities as the Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and Philadelphia Vireo. Participants who can _ help for only 1 or 2 days are urged to watch the weather forecasts and arrive immediately after passage of a cold front. Few birds will be moving on hot days. For details contact Chandler Bobbins , PA-5-1176 or Gladys Cole, VAlley 3-2650. Take flashlights, mosquito dope, thermos. Woods 1 Picnic, Annapolis. St. Conrad 1 s Friary, 9-1130 a.m. Bean soup and coffee at 101 Old Crossing Lane, 11:45-1:45. Sandy Point State Park and Conservation Trails, 2-5 p.m. Capt. & Mrs. J, S. M. Wood (Colonial 3-3229). Summer Tana- gers, shorebirds, banding operations* Avid Avists f monthly meeting, Annapolis. Travelers 1 Night at home of Carl & Bunny Long (Colonial 3-2575) , Beach Drive, Hillsmere Shores. Annual Statewide Hawk Count. Watch from any ridge-top in western or central Maryland, from any commanding position along the Fall Line, or from Bay-shore or coastal locations. Keep counts of each species by one-half hour intervals, 8 to 4, Standard Time. All-day counts preferred, but please report all short-period watches also — even if no ahwks are observed. Obtain report forms from and return them to Chandler Robbins, Patuxent Refuge, Laurel, Md. within 4 or 5 days of this period. Avid Avists* field trip to Patuxent Research Refuge, Laurel. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at 119 Archwood Ave., Annapolis, or at Patuxent Refuge main gate, Laurel-Bowie Road, at 8:15. Fall migrants. Comdr. E. P. Wilson (colonial 8-3692). Statewide Hawk Count, alternate dates. Too late for peak Broad-wing flight, but make a big effort to watch if' the wind is from the northwest or northeast. See Sept. 20-21. Baltimore monthly meeting, Pratt Library, 8 p.m. Avid Avists* field trip and picnic meeting at Sandy Point. Meet at 2 p.m. at 121 Spa View Ave., Annapolis. Will and Carrie May Conrad (Colonial 3-4676). ANNOUNCEMENTS — PI e afl e note the following OCTOBER 15 deadlines: The December issue will carry a complete MEMBERSHIP LIST. Send address corrections and telephone numbers to Mrs. Richard D. Cole, 624 Valley Lane, Tows on 4. Report all NEST RECORDS to Nr. and Mrs. A. J. Fletcher, R. D. 1, Box 301, Denton. Report HAWK COUNTS, July, August and September FIELD NOTES, and preliminary 1958 COUNTY LISTS to C. S. Robbins, RD 1, Box 323-A, Laurel.