MARYLAND BIRDLIFE

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Volume 19

SEPTEMBER 1963

Number 3

]

THE MARYLAND ORNITHOLOGICAL t SOCIETY, INC.

Cylburn Mansion, U915 Greenspring Ave., Baltimore 9, Maryland

STATE OFFICERS

Presidents Mrs. Edward Mendinhall, R. D. 2, Chestertown
First V.P.* Mr. Melvin H. KLeen, 339 Talbot Ave., Laurel
Second V.p* Mrs. Gordon Taylor, 75 Broadway, Frostburg
Treasurer* Mr. T. S. Carswell, R. D. 1, Chestertown
Rec. Sec'y- Mrs. Katherine Bauer, Royal Oak
Exec. Sec'y* Miss Mildred F.Cole, 1*201 Belraar Ave., Balt. 6

778-0826

PA5-6867

079-6791

778-2693

RI5-2731

HA6-0190

Mrs. Gladys Cole
Dr. Howard Hodge
Miss Estella Everett
Mr. G.L. Gardner
Mr. David Bridge
Mrs. Carol Scudder
Mrs. Bertha Poe

VA3-2650

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

629 Valley Lane, Tew son 1*

U36 W. Greenwood Rd., Linthicum Hgts.ST9-3687
Bel Air TE8-9839

Chesraar, Chestertown 778-21*71*

8A Ridge Road, Greenbelt GRl*-6l93

Rte. 2, Federalsburg Denton 290- J

Academy Ave., Owings Mills TE3-2989

STATE TRUSTEES

Allegany Co.: ♦Mr. John Workneister
Miss Nan Livingstone
Anne Arundel* ♦Cmdr. E. P. Wilson
Mrs. Willard Luff
Baltimore* ♦Mr. Cecil R. Ryan

Mr, Compton Crook
Mr. Percy Jones
Mr. Chandler S. Robbins
Mrs. Gladys Cole

Caroline: ♦Mrs. Carol Scudder

Mr. Marvin W. Hewitt
Frederick* flMrs. Mary S. Motherway

Dr. Howard Hodge

♦Chapter President

$ 2.00 plus local chapter dues

Harford Co.*etrs. Grace H. Wright
Miss Estella Everett
♦Mr. G. L. Gardner
Mr. T. S. Carswell
♦Mr. Melvin ELeen
Mr. David Bridge

Kent Co.:
Patuxent:

Soldier * s
Delight j

Talbots

Mrs.

*Mrs. Bertha Poe
Mr. Fred, Roelecke

♦Mr. Robert L. Steith
Gardner Tillinghast

Active membership (adults)
Junior "(under 18 years)
Family membership
Sustaining membership
Life membership
Out-of-state menfc er ship

.90 plus local chapter dues

3.00 plus local chapter dues
9*00 plus local chapter dues

100.00 (payable in l* annual installments)

2.00 (MARYLAND BIKPLEFE only)

C Oij'T-tliTS , SiiPTiWjjR 1963

Audubon’s Shearwater Seen at ocean City Samuel H. Dyke 67

The Season— April, Lay, June 1963 Chandler S. Robbins 68

First Maryland Nest of House Finch Lei Garland 78

In iuemoriam; n.rs. William T. Dixon, 78

Ethan Allan Andrews, Jr., Charles H. Rolb, Sr. 79

Announcement, State-wide Hawk Count 79

Bird Camp ’ 53 Nan Livingstone 79

Junior Nature Camp Report Charlotte L. Lawson 80

Greetings from the President Dorothy a. Lendinhall 81

Co riling Events 62

COVER: Cooper's Hawk Photo by Anderson Martin

HEADINGS: by Irving E. Hampe, Art Editor

MARYLAND BIRDLIFE

cjua.xti.xlij (jj tfiz

cA/{a%y[and OuiLttiotocjLcaC JSociztt], Lfnc.

Cyihurn Mansion, 491 b Greenspring Ave., Baltimore 9, Md.

Volume X9 SEPTEMBER 1963

AUDUBON'S SHEARWATER SEEN AT OCEAN CITY

Samuel B. Dyke

Numl

mm

An oceanic storm acconpanied by rain and easterly winds on June
2-3, 1963, brought several pelagic species dose inshore at Ocean City,
Maryland. On June 2, a day of northeasterly winds and rain squalls,
six Wilson* s Petrels were seen near the mouth of the inlet. Far off-
shore, a lone, dark shearwater, possibly a Sooty, was in sight for a
few seconds, and then lost from view in the wave troughs.

The main storm with torrential rain and winds up to 46 m.p.h. ,
passed Ocean City about noon on June 3. Late that afternoon the rain
had ended, but the wind was still blowing strongly from the east when a
single Audubon's Shearwater ( Puffinus lhe rainier!) was observed at close
range in the inlet. The bird was first noticed as it flew seaward down
the inlet. It then turned north along the coast for a short distance be-
fore heading out to sea. The white underparts contrasted sharply with
the solid dark coloration of the upper plumage. Most distinctive was the
bird's manner of flight - rapid wingbeats with short glides - quite
different from that of the larger shearwaters, its small size ( for a
shearwater) was noted in conparison with several Least Terns feeding in
the inlet.

Farther offshore, two Greater Shearwaters ( P. gravis) were observed
flying north along the coast. Later in the day, a pair of Northern
Phalaropes flew north over the inlet. No petrels were observed on June
3, but on June 4, a warm day with southeast winds, three Wilson’s
Petrels were feeding Just offshore from the inlet.

Audubon's Shearwater nests from Bermuda and the Bahama Islands
through the Lesser Antilles to islands off Tobago; also in the eastern
Atlantic, the Pacific, and the Indian Ocean. According to the A.O.U.
Check-List, it ranges north to the latitude of North Carolina (occasion-
ally farther),- and has been recorded on the coasts of Massachusetts, New
York, New Jersey, Virginia, South Carolina, Florida, and Texas. Except
for a sight observation at Charleston, S. C., on May 19, 1939, all
previous records from continental United States have been obtained be-
tween July 24 and August 31, generally during coastal storms. Although
there has been no previous report from Maryland, careful observation
along the coast during late summer storms may show that this small shear-
water is more than Just an "accidental" member of our avifauna.

P. 0. Box 805, Salisbury

68

MARYLAND BIRDLIFE

Vol. 19. No. 3

APRIL, MAY, JUNE, 1963
Chandler S. Robbins

The drought was the most characteristic aspect of the spring migra-
tion period, although it may have had little immediate effect on bird
populations in Maryland. Of the 23 weather bureau stations that compar-
ed their precipitation with long-term averages, every one showed a
deficiency in April, these deficiencies ranging from 1 to 4 inches.
Crisfield had only 0.01 inch of rain for the entire month. In May, only
Salisbury and Snow Hill recorded more rainfall than normal, while most
stations reported a deficiency of over 2 inches. Heavy showers in cen-
tral Maryland in June broke the drought only temporarily in that part
of the State. Temperatures ranged from one -half to one and one -half
degrees above normal In April, and 1 to 2 degrees below normal in May.

A heat wave on the heels of local shower activity raised temper-
atures suddenly on Apr. 2-3, while gentle southwe sterly winds assisted
in bringing migrants into our area. So sudden was the warming on the
2nd that sunny Laurel recorded a maximum of 87 ° that day while Belts -
ville, just 5 miles away, did not get above 57 °. A rapidly moving cold
front on the 4th halted migration for just a day.

Note in Table 1 that 12 days passed between the sighting of the
first (8) Black-and-white Warblers in the Pocomoke (Apr. 6) and the
next arrival date. There was good reason for the delay, and this same
reason explains the scarcity of other arrival records during the period
Apr. 7-17* A cold front passed south through Maryland on Apr. 7, and
for the next ten days the blocking action of a persistent low pressure
area in the Maritime Provinces prevented the usual periodic passage of
weather systemsfrom west to east across the continent. Maryland was
caught in the outer circulation of the Maritime Low, giving us light
but steady northwesterly winds and subnormal temperatures. On Apr. l6
the Low finally moved out to sea; the High that had been stalled west
of the Appalachians drifted rapidly eastward, and In its wake south-
westerly winds and warm temperatures were restored to the South and
Middle Atlantic States. There was a great rush of migrants into Mary-
land during the next four days.

During the rest of April and the month of May, the normal alterna-
tion of favorable and unfavorable weather took place without any other
long period of cold northwesterly winds to dam up the migration long

September 1963

MARYLAND BIKDLIFE

6 9

enough to produce a heavy influx with the return of spring-like weather.
Consequently, there were many days when migrants were easy to find, but
no days when they were exceptionally abundant.

As usual, record-breaking dates and high counts are underscored
for the benefit of those who wish to keep their copies of Birds of Mary -
land up-to-date.

Migration tables . Extreme arrival and departure dates for the
spring of 19^3 are summarized by counties in Tables 1 and 2. With a
few exceptions, the species with the largest number of counties report-
ing migration dates were chosen for inclusion in the tables. The dis-
advantage of this manner of selection is that the species for which only
a few dates are reported, and of which we have the least knowledge of
normal occurrence in various parts of the State, seldom show up in the
tables. This is especially true of rails, shorebirds, marsh wrens and
those sparrows that are rare or of local occurrence. Two-thirds of
Maryland’s counties are represented in the arrival table, and half are
included in the departure table . A few records were submitted from the
remaining counties, but not enough to justify adding more columns to
the tables. The following members deserve special recognition for the
large number of migration dates they contributed to these tables: Alle -

gany County- -Anders on J. Martin; Washi ngton County--Mrs. Lloyd Mallonee,
Dr. R. S. Stauffer, Sterling W. Edwards; Frede rick County — Dr. John W.
Richards, Dr. Fritz Scheider, Sterling W. Edwards; Balti more City and
County--C. Douglas Hackman, Mrs. Robert E. Kaestner, Mrs. Richard D.

Cole, Mrs. Carl Lubbert; Harfo rd (Rock Run Sanctuary) --C. Douglas Hack-
man, Mel Garland; Howa rd — Mrs. George C. Munro, Morris Collins; Mont-
gomery — David and Margaret Bridge, John H. Fales, Lucille V. Smith,

Mrs, James Cooley, John S. Weske; Prince Georges — Vernon Kleen, Ted
Stiles, Chandler Robbins; Anne Arundel, Prof. Harold Wierenga, Prof, and
Mrs. David Howard, Mrs. W. L. Henderson, Mrs. Gail Tappan; Calve rt (Plum
Pt.)--John Fales; St_. Marys--James Banagan, Vernon Kleen; Ceci l — Vernon
C. Rossman, Allen R. Stickley; Carol ine - -Marvin W. Hewitt, Mrs. A. J.
Fletcher, “Mrs. Alicia O'C. Knotts; Talbo t --Jan Reese, Richard L. Kleen;
Dorch ester (Elliott Is.) — John S. Weske; Lower Eastern Shore (Worcester
and Wicomico) — Samuel H. Dyke, Dr. Fritz Scheider, Mel Garland.

Loons , Petrels . The following notes on Common Loons were supplied
by Douglas Hackman. An early Common Loon was migrating over Cylburn
Park, Baltimore, on Apr . 6. The peak flight over Rock Run Sanctuary and
White Marsh took place from Apr. 13 through May 12, with a high count of
6k individuals over the sanctuary on Apr. 21. A most unusual summer stray
the first for the Maryland Piedmont, was a Common Loon seen diving, and
occasionally calling, at Conowingo Lake on June 29 . The peak migration
of Red-throated Loons was noted on Apr. 7 when Samuel H. Dyke estimated
2,000 in 3 hours flying northward at Ocean City. The last inland migrant
was seen over White Marsh on Apr. 26, flying quite low- -about 500 ft.
(Hackman). In addition to the record -early Wilson's Petrels mentioned in
Mr. Dyke's feature article on the Audubon’s Shearwater, one was seen from
shore at Ocean City on June 15 — also earlier than any previous Maryland
arrival (Dr. Fritz Scheider).

Table 1. Spring Arrival Dates , 1963

•<3

O

Median __ Counties

Species 1959 19^6 196l 19^2 19^3 Alle Wash F'red Balt Harf Howd Mont Pr.G Anne Calv StMa Cecl Caro Talb Dora LES*

Common loon -- -- -- -- 4/13 0 0 4/23 4/ 6 4/13 -- 4/1*4/13 3/28 -- 4/ 7 -- 0 -- 4/19

Green Heron -- 4/l4 4/25 4/22 4/25 -ft C 5/ 3 4/21 0 5/ 4 -- 4/25 4/28 -- 4/20 4/30 4/17 4/l8 --

Broad-winged Hawk 4/29 4/26 4/22 4/17 -- -- 4/l8 4/l6 4/13 -- 4/28 4/ 5 4/l8 05/40 G 0 04/6

Bald Eagle -------- 0 Q 0 0 0 0 4/25 4/25 4/5 05/4-- C 3/l0 --

S potted Sandpiper 4 /29 5/ 2 5/ 2 4/30 4/24 -- 5/ 5 5/ 4 4/l9 4/20 -- 4/24 4/19 4/21 0 5/ 3 5/ 2 4/25 4/21 -- 4/28

Solitary Sandpiper 41 5/ 1 5/ 6 5/ 25/2 0 0 5/ 4 4/19 5/ 4 '5/ 4 4/14 4/lB 4/21 6 5/ 4 0 5/ 4 5/20 4/30 4/20

Least Sandpiper -- -- -- 5/ 2 *0' 0 0 5/ 4 0 0 0 5/ 2 $/ 2 0 4/29 0 5/ 4 5/ 4 4/30 4/21

Lesser Yellowlegs -- -- -- 5/ 2 4/l6 0 0 4/l8 000 4/l4 4/1$ 4/ 1 0 4/29 0 3/29 --

Laughing Gull -- -- -- 4/11 4/l6 0 0 0 0 5/ 40 0 0 4/l6 -- 4/l4 5/ 4 0 4/ 9 4/27 3/31

Yellow-billed Cuckoo 5/ 2 4/26 g / 65/25/4 5/18 5/85/4 0 5/12 5/ 45/4 4/27 5/4 05/95 / 2 4/27 4/27 4/27 4/26

Black-billed Cuckoo 5 / 65 / 25 / 65 / 55/4 0 0 0 0 5/ 4 5/ 4 0 5/7 0 0 0 5/4 5/31 0 0 5/5

Chuck-will’s widow -- -- 4/26 4/28 5/30000000000 4/27 05/4 4/19 5/6 5/3

Whip-poor-will 4/l8 4/22 4/23 4/25 4/i8 5/ 1 -- 5/7 5/ 1 4/ 7 4/l8 4/i8 4/l8 5/4 0 4/21 4/i4 4/16 -- -- 4/18

Common Nighthawk 5/ 25/75/85/85/8 5/85/4 5/10 5/ 9 5/io 5/l9 5/ 5 4/19 5/l4 0 0 5/ 9 5/ 5 5/ 6 5/12 4/30

Chimney Swift 4/ 10 4/l6 4/2Q 4/03 4/i4 -- 4/ 5 4/ll 4/15 4/13 5 / 2 4/l4 4/ 10 4/l4 4/19 4/ 5 4/l4 4/l8 4/ 6 -- 4/17

Ruby-thr . ••uiaui -.gbir J 5/ _ 2 _ 4/26 5/ 2 4/29 5 / 4 4/24 5/ 4 -- 4/28 4/27 4/25 '”4/27 5/ 4 5/12 4/20 5/ 4 4/20 4/30 5/ 8 5/ 4

Red-headed Woodpecker -- -- -- 5/ 4 0 0 4/28 5 / 4 5/19 5/4 -- -- 4/26 04/65/4 0 -- 0

Eastern Kingbird 4/24 4/23 4/25 4/27 4/26 4/26 5/ 3 4/23 5/ 4 4/27 5/45/4 4/20 3/29 5/12 4/19 4/26 4/19 4/21 — 4/19

Gt. Crested Flycatcher 5/ 2 4/27 4/26 5/ 2 4/26 5/ 45/35/ 45/4 4/26 4/27 4/28 4/20 4/20 4/20 4/21 4/30 4/26 4/21 -- 4/20

Acadian Flycatcher 5/35/65/65/55/4 -- -- 5/11 4/29 5/55/45/45/9 5/l6 5/45/95/95/4 5/ 4 5/15 5/ 4

Least Flycatcher 47 71 77 77 5/“4 77 77 5/11 4/27 5/11 5/ 4 4/28 5/ 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5/12

Eastern Wood Pewee 5/ 2 5/ 65/65/ 55/4 -- -- 5/3 4/20 5/45/45/45/35/4 5/19 5/ 45/2 4/20 -- 5/15 5/ 4

Bank Swallow -- -- -- 4/27 4/27 0 05/45/4 05/4 4/26 4/17 4/ 6 4/l4 5/ 4 4/26 04/7 0

Rough-winged Swallow 4/l4 5/ffi 4/ B 4/20 4/ 12 0 5/45/44/2 4/13 4/l8 -- 4/9 3/31 -- 4/ 5 4/26 4/ 2 -- -- 4/l2

Cliff Swallow -- -- -- --5/3 <3 5/ 4 5/ 4 0 0 ft 4/28 5/ 2 5/ 2 0 0 5/ 4 0 0 0 0

Blue Jay 77 77 4/25 4/27 4/24 ~ 77 -7 77 4/19 4/27 -- 4/20 4/20 -- 5/45/2 -- 77 77 77*

House Wren 4/l6 4/l6 4/24 4/2 6 4/20 4/l8 4/19 4/20 4/15 4/21 4/27 4/21 4/l8 3/24 4/20 -- 4/26 4/24 -- -- 4/lQ

Catbird 4/24 4/25 4/2? 4/27 4/27 5/ **4/29 4/27 4/28 5/ 4 4/22 4/22 4/l8 3/29 5/ 4 4/l6 4/30 4/26 -- 4/26 4/19

Wood Thrush 4/26 4/23 4/25 4/26 4/21 4/25 5/ 3 4/28 4/21 4/20 4/21 4/20 4/l8 4/l8 5/4 4/28 4/22 4/19 4/21 -- 4/l8

Hermit Thrush -- -- -- -- 4/l2 -- -- -- 4/21 4/l4 4/l4 -- 4/94 / 9 -- -- 3/29 --

Swai ns on ' s Thrush 5/ 4 5/ 1 5/ 6 5/ 5 5/10 0 0 5/11 5 / 6 5/12 5/ 4““5/ll '5/ 3 5/ 4 5/12 0 4/29 -- 0 77 57XI

Gray-cheeked Thrush -- -- -- -- 5/10 0 05/4 4/29 5/l8 0 -- 5/ll 5/ 4 5/12 0 5/ 2 5/ 9 0 5/16 5/ll

Veery 5/ 25/75/65/25/4 o 0 5/ 4 -- 5/ 4 5/ 4 4/28 5/10 4/28 5/19 5/95/25/7 0 --

Ruby-crowned Kinglet 4/ 7 4/12 4/15 4/l4 4/13 3/22 -- — 4/ 3 4/l6 4/13 4/15 4/13 4/13 4/20 -- 3/29 4/22 -- -- 4/ 6

Water Pipit , -- -- -- 3/10 3/9 0 0 -- 3/ 7 3/ 9 0 -- 3/ 9 3/ 9 0 0 0 0 3/25

White-eyed Vireo 4/26 5/ 4 4/24 4/26 4/22 0 6 5/ 45/4 4/21 4/27 5/ 4 4/l8 4/18 5/ 4 4/18 "'4/22' 4/20 "4/21 4/29 4/ lb

Yellow- throated Vireo 5/ 1 4/28 4/28 4/28 5/ 4 0 0 5/ 4 5/ 4 -- 5/ 4 4/25 4/23 4/22 5/45/45/4 4/27 0 0 4/21

Solitary Vireo 5/2 -- 4/27 5/ 5 4/23 0 0 0 4/ 3 0 4/l8 4/28 4/l8 5/30 0 5/ 4 0 0 0

Red-eyed Vireo 4/26 4/27 4/28 4/29 V 28 -- 5/45/45/4 4/28 5/ 4 V 28 4/22 4/28 5/ 4 4/27 5/ 2 4/20 4/21 4/27 4/22

Warbling Vireo -- -- -- --5/2 05/45/4 4/30 0 0 4/28 0 4/21 06/45/2 0 4/21 0 5/4

OJ

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Table 1. Spring Arrival Dates, 1963

Median Counties

Species 1959 i 960 1961 1962 1963 Alle Wash Fred Balt Harf Howl Mont Pr.G Anne Calv StMa Cecl Caro Talb Pore LES*

Black- &-white Warbler 7/l8 4/l7 4/2 6 4/26 4/23 5/ 4 -- 5/ 4 4/24 4/21 5 / 4 4/20 4/l9 4/22 4/20 5 / 4 4/26 4/l8 5 / fa 4/6

Prothonotary -- 5 / 1 4/29 4/28 '4/# 0. 5/15 0 0 4/20 0 4/20 4/19 5/ 4 0 0 4/30 4/19 5/ 4 5/ 3 4/20

Worm-eating Warbler 5/25/75/65/55/3 -- 5/45/4 0 5/l8 5/ 4 4/28 4/26 5/ 4 0 0 5 / 2 0 0 4/27 4/26

Golden-winged Warbler -- -- -- — -- 5/ 4 5 / 4 -- 0 0 0 5/ 5 0 5 / 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Blue-winged Warbler 5/25/75/65/55/4 o o 5/45/45/55/4 4/28 4/27 5/4 0 0 5 / 4 5 / 4 4/28 o 4/27

Tennessee Warbler 71 71 — 71 5 / 3.1 0 0 5/11 0 0 5/26 5/ 9 5/10 5/26 0 0 ' 0 0 0 0 57ll

Nashville Warbler -- -- -- -- i/_. 05/45/4 0 0 4/24 0 4/24 5/40 0 O O 0 0 4/20

Parula Warbler 4/l8 4/20 4/25 V 2 8 k]&> -- 5/21 5 / 4 5 / 45/4 4/24 4/20 4/l4 4/l8 4/20 4/l8 5/15/4 4/28 -- 4/l8

Yellow Warbler 4/2 6 4/24 4/29 4/29 7/3° 7/26 5/ 7 4/27 5/45/45/4 4/20 4/28 4/21 4/20 5 / 4 4/30 5 / 45/4 -- 4/27

M agnolia Warbler 5 / 4 5/11 5/ 7 5/ 5 5/7 5/7 5/ 4 5/ 4 0 5/ 4 5/ 4 5/ll 5/15 5/4 0 0 5/ 2 0 5 / 4 -- 5 / 5

Cape May Warbler 5 / 3 5 7 1 5/ 7 5/ 5 5/ 4 0 0 5/ 4 5/ 9 0 0 5/11 4/28 5/ 4 0 0 5/ 2 0 0 0 ~

Black- thr. Blue Warbler 5 / 2 5 / 2 5/65/55/7 5/45/4 5/11 5 / 45 / 45/4 4/28 5/65/2 0 05/25/45/4 5/15 4/27

Black- thr .Green Warbler 5 / 2 -- 5/6 4/30 5/ 4 3 / 45 / 45/4 0 4/28 5 / 4 4/15 5/ 35/4-0 0 0 0 0 0 4/27

Cerulean Warbler -- 5/75/65/2 5 / 4 5 / 4 -- 5/4 0 4/27 5/ 4 4/25 -- 5/ 4 0 0 5 / 4 0 0 0 5 / 5

Blackburnian Warbler 5/ S -- 5/6 5 / 5 5/ 4 5 / 4 05/7 0 05/7-- 4/28 5/7 0 05/4 5/23 0 5/15 5/ 5

Yellow- throated Warbler 74 IT 77 V/lg 7/16 0 0 5/ 7 0 6/ 1 0 4/28 0 4/18 4/20 4/18 0 4/13 7/ 6 -- 5/T

Chestnut-sided Warbler 5/ 25/75/65/55/7 5/4 -- 5/4 0 0 5 / 4 4/28 4/27 5/45/4 0 5/ 1 5 / 4 0 0

Bay-breasted Warbler -- -- -- -- 5 / 12 0 0 5/l4 0 0 5/l2 5 / 12 -- 5/ 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 5/ll

Blackpoll Warbler 5/65/75/85/55/8 0 0 5/12 5/4 o 5/12 5 / 45 / 45/4 5/12 5/18 5/75/9 0 5/15 5 / 5

Pine Warbler -- 3/31 3/24 3/40 q q 3/24 0 0 3/25 4/ 8 -- 3/19 0 0 -- -- 3/l6

Prairie Warbler 4/25 4/23 4/25 4/26 4/30 5/ 4 5 / - 5/ 4 5 / 4 4/27 4/27' 4/28 5 / 3 4/27 5/ 7 5 / 2 4/26 4/21 4/22 71 4722

Palm Warbler - 4/ 7 0 4/28 0 0 3/16 0 3/31 4/13 4/7 0 0

Ovenbird 4/26 4/25 5/ 3 4/26 4/30 5 / fa __ 5 / fa 4/28 5 / 45/2 4/25 4/22 4/21 5 / 45/4 4/30 4/21 -- -- fa /18

Northern Water thrush 5/ 2 4/29 4/26 5/55/45/4 C 5/ll 4/24 0 5 / 45/4 4/25 4/29 05/4 4/30 5/4 0 g/ 3 4/27

Kentucky Warbler 4/30 5/ 7 5/ 4 5/ 1 5/ 4 — -- 5 / 45 / 45 / 45 / 45 / 45 / 35 / 55/4 5 / 4 5 / 4 5 / 1 4/28 5/ 5 5/1

Yellowthroat 4/15 4/17 4/24 4/28 4/21 5/ !l 3/ 4 4/20 4/23 4/20 4/25 4/28 4/17 4/21 5/ 4 4/21 4/26 4/19 4/21 77 47iB

Yellow-breasted Chat 5 / 2 4/30 4/30 5 / 45/4 5 / 45 / 55 / 45/4 4/26 5/2 -- 4/24 5 / 4 5 / 45/2 4/26 4/20 5 / 4 5/ 4 4/29

Hooded Warbler 4/29 4/28 5 / 4 4/26 4/28 -- 05 / 45/4 05/4 4/28 4/22 4/22 4/20 5/40 0 0 0 4/23

Wilson's Warbler -- -- -- -- 5/l4 0 C 5/l4 0 5/l2 0 -- 5/6 5/l4 0 0 0 0 0 0 5/ll

Canada Warbler 5 / 2 5/10 5/ 7 5/ 8 5/ 4 5/ 9 0 5/ 4 5/ 4 5/ 4 5/ 4 5/ 5 4/30 5 / 7 5/12 0 5/ 2 5/ 6 0 5/15 5/ll

American Redstart 4/26 4/30 7/30 4/29 7/30 5/4 5/ 3 5/ 4 4/l8 4/27 5/ 7 4/21 4/18 4/24 5 / 45 / 45/2 5/14 4/28 4/27 4716
Bobolink 5/95/75/65/5 5/li 0 0 5/11 0 5/18 -- 5/18 5 / 2 5/10 05/35/4 0 0 -- --

Orchard Oriole 5 / 25/2 4/26 5 / 45/2 0 — 5/4 4/29 0 5 / 45/4 4/22 4/30 5/45/4 4/26 4/21 5 / 4 -- 4/29

Baltimore Oriole -4/ 2 9 4/30 4/28 5 / 1 4/28 4/28 5/ 3 4/21 4/27 5/75/4 4/21 4/28 5 / 3 5/19 5 / 4 4/26 4/23 5/ 4 -- 4/26

Scarlet Tanager 7/27 7/26 4/26 4/30 5/ 1 --5/7 5 / 3 5 / 4 5 / 4 5 / 1 4/27 4/22 4/22 5/75/45/1 4/26 4/21 -- 4/20

Summer Tanager 5 / 2 5 / 4 ' 5 / 6 5/ 5 5/ 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 4/28 5/19 0 5/ •+ 5 / 4 4/24 5 / fa fa /27 5 / 2

Rose-breasted Grosbeak 5/ 2 4/30 5/65/55/4 5 / 45/4 5/ 45 / 45 / 45/4 4/28 5/35/4 0 5/ 9 5 / 2 0 0 5/15 5 / 4

Blue Grosbeak 5 / 2 -- 4/30 5 / 2 4/28 0 0 0 0 0 -- -- 4/ 1 4/2? 0 5 / 8 0 05/4 4/28 4/29

Indigo Bunting 5 / 2 4/30 4/30 5/15/4 -- 5 / 45 / 45/4 -- 4/29 7/25 7/20 5/45/7 4/20 5 / 15/4 4/21 5/12 5 / 6

Grasshopper Sparrow -- 4/22 4/30 4/28 5 / 4 -- 4/21 5/ 4 4/15 -- 5/ 3 7/26 4/21 5/18 4/19 5/3 0 5/ 95/4 -- 5/4

♦Lower Eastern Shore (Worcester & Wicomico Counties)

5?T^TX?T V ! , T £961 Zia cs^dao

J2

MARYLAND BIEDLTFE

Vol. 19, No. 3

Cattle Egret . Last year (Md. Birdllfe 18: 76-77) ve devoted more
than a page to the unprecedented spring invasion of Cattle Egrets into
15 of Maryland's 23 counties. This spring, in spite of special Bearch-
irg by observers, only the following records were obtained away from the
coastal nesting areas: Six at Garland Lake on Apr. 9 (Roberta B. and

Robert E. Fletcher) provided the first record for Caroline County, and
2 at Rock Point on Apr. 10 (S. S. Lancaster) and 2 at Port Tobacco on
Apr. Ik (Mrs. James Cooley) added this species to the Charles County list.
The first one for 1963 in Talbot County was seen on Apr. 2 6 (jan Reese ) 7
followed by a peak of 17 on Apr. 30 (John Wanuga) and k last birds on
June 1 (Reese). John Weske found 5 at Bestpitch in Dorchester County on
Apr. 29, and on the same day James Banagan saw his first of the year in
St. Marys County. Fourteen of the 17 birds on the Statewide Count on
May 4 were from the Worcester County nesting colonies, leaving just 3
birds as the contribution from the rest of the State; a year ago, 39
individuals were counted on May 5 outside of Worcester County. Two of
the May 4 birds were in Cecil County, adding this last Coastal Plain
county to the recorded range of the Cattle Egret in Maryland. Thus in
ten years and nine days after this invader was first detected in Mary-

Table 2. Spring Departure Dates, 1963

Species

Common Loon
Whistling Swan
Canada Goose
Common Snipe
Solitary Sandpiper

Median Counties

I960 Tg5T 1962 T963 Fred Balt Harf Howd Mont Pr.G Anne St.M Cecl Caro Pore LEE*

4/l4
4/30 4/29

5/ 5

5/ 5
4/28
5/ 6
5 / 4

- 5/17
5/5 5/18

- 5/ 3
5/20 5/ 8
4/22 4/22
4/26 5/ 3
5/24 5/26

- 5/22
5/20 5/20

4/15 4/10

5L15LA

5/ 4
4/10

0 0

5/11 5/16
0 5/T

5/12 5/ 4
4/28 0
5/ 6 -
0 5/4

5/18 -

5/ 4 5/19 5/18 5/ 4
-- 4/27
5/ 4 4/15
0 5/4

5/12 6/11
6 /

3/2 9 5/ 4
3/25 6/ 9
5/2 0
5/18 5/11
5/lB 5 /h

5/4 0 5/6 5/12

4/29 - 5/3 3/24
5/ 76/6 5/17 4/21
5/ 4 4/11 5/ 4 --
0 - - 5/18

6/16 5/18

- " 5/ 3 -

Greater Yellowlegs
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Blue Jay-
Brown Creeper
Hermit Thrush

- 5 / 6
4/17 -

- 5/8
4/13 5/ 1
4/27 4/24
3725 5/22'

- 5/23
5/18 5/18
4/10 4/l4
4/27 5/ 6

0

5/30 --

4/29 5/ 4
5/11 5/30
0 5/15

- 5/15

5/n 5/ 4

0

-- 4/23
5/4 5/5
4/14 --
5 / 4 -
5/26 5/23
5/18 o
5/19 --
4/19 4/15

5/45/4

5/ 4 4/17

- 5/26

5/12 4/27
4/28 5/ 4
5/30 5/31
5/31 6/ 2
5/30 5/31

-- 4/10

4/28 5/ 6

5 / 4
5/ 4 5/11
- 4/ 7
5/ 5 4/28
6 / 1 0
0 0
5/21 5/ 9
4/10 4/ 2
5/ 4 4/11

4/22 4/21
4/26 4/28
5/22 5/24

0 5/22

5/22 5/21
4/ 8 -
5/ 4 4/22

- 5/19
0 0

0 0

- 5/17
5/lQ 5/ 9.

0 5/iT
-- 5/23

0 0

5/26 6/ l

5 / 3 5 / 12
5/30 5/n
5/30 5/12
5/15 5/11

Swainson's 'Thrush
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Veery

Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby- crowned Kinglet

- 5 / 4
0 5/11
5/15 5/14

0 5/11
5/25 5/14
5/ 6 5/12

Blue -winged Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Black- thr -Blue Warbler
tfyrtle Warbler

5/22 5/18 -- 5/24
5 / 75/9 - 5/12
5/16 5/14 5/20 5/20
5/ S 5/ 9 5/17 5/ »

5/30 5/19
5/11 5/ 9
5/19 5/12

.5/11 .

5/ 19 0

5/19 0

5/30 0
5/19 0
6/ 96/6
0 5/ 4

5/25 5/15
5/19 5/29
5/30 5/29
5/23

575
5/26 -
0 0
5/24 5/23
5/4 5/4

5/24 5/30
5/12 5/22
5/12 5/31
5/12 5/ 6
5/12 -

5/25 5/26
5/22 5/22
5/14 5/24
6/4 6 / 2
5/55/4
5/25 5/31
5/24 5/22
5/25 6/ 2
5 / 185/31
5/23 6/53
5/12 5/16
2/11 3/12
4/28 4/26
5/ 4 5/10
5/ 8"W
5/11 --
5/14 5/16
3/23 4/ 1
6 / 1 5 /19
5/22 5/27

5716 ' 6

5/20 6/ l
5/24 0
5/21 0
5/ 16 5 / 7 .
5/14 0
5/20 0
5/16 0
5/13 0
6/ 2 5/22
4/28 4/28

5/13 --
5/16 0
5/21 0

6 / a -

5/19 --
5/19 5/ 9
3/25 0
5/ii 0

5/7 0

5/21 5/ 9
3/21 3/20

5/ g l 0

5/16 -

Black- thr . Green Warbler -I 5/ 8

Blackburnian Warbler
Chestnut -sided Warbler -* 5/ 9

Bay -breasted Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler 5/30 6/ 3

- 5/23
5/2?

5/28 6/ 1

- 5 / 4

- 5/24

- 5/23
5/19 5/26

5/27

Is-
0
0

5/20 -

5/23

0

5/12

5/25 5/30
4/27

5/25 5/11

0

5/25 -
- 5/12

5/17 5/25
5/16 5/14
0 0

4^#§
0 0
5/ 3 5/15

Palm Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
Wilson’s Warbler
Canada Warbler
American Redstart

5/18 5/16
5/17 -
5/25 5/18
- 5/23

5/11 o
0 5/23

5/26 0
5/26 5/23

- 5/20
5/30 -

0 3/9

5/ 4 3/23
5/H 4/ 6
5/4 4/28

0 0
6/ 3 5/15
0 0
5/29 5/22
-- 6/ l

Bobolink -- -- 5/17 5/23

Rose-breasted Grosbeak 5/ 75/9 5/15 5/l6
Evening Grosbeak 5/ 7 4/21 5/ 6 3/10

Purple FIkpIs 5/ 4 5/ 4 5/ 5 4/28

Savannah Sparrow 5/75/65/5 5/lQ

= ' 4/30 4/28

5/26 5/23
5/26 --

0 3/27
4/21 5/ 4
- 5/4

4/27-4/28"

0

0

1/16 0
0 0

- 5/ 4

5/21 5/13

Slate -colored Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Fox Sparrow

Lincoln's Sparr ow

4/22 5/ 6
5/17 5/ 7
5/16 5/14
-- 4/6

5/16 5/14 5/13 5/15 5/26 5/ 9

3/2 6 3/23 -- 3/23 4/13 4/ 3

-- - -- - 0 5/31 5/11 0

5/14 5/ 7 5/ 5 5/11 5/11 5/ 8 5/26 -

■0 0 0 6-
5/ 4 5/ 4 4/27 5/ 4

Swamp Sparrow

*lower Eastern Shore (Worcester, Wicomico* and Dorchester Counties)

September 1963

MARYLAND BIRDLIFE

73

land, it had reached all but four of Maryland's counties: Carroll and the

3 western ones. At the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center near Laurel,

Lois Horn saw 2 on May 5> Vernon Kleen saw 2 late stragglers on June 5, and
Frank McGilvrey viewed one on June l4.

Other Herons , and Ibis . Small numbers of other southern herons, as
well as the Cattle Egret, over-shoot their nesting range during the
spring migration period, so each year we expect a few reports that are
of local interest. In that category this year we find 2 Common Egrets
at Seneca on May 11 (Robert W. Warfield), a Snowy Egret at Denton on Apr.

9 and 2 on the next day (Marvin Hewitt), an immature Little Blue Heron
at Annapolis, Apr. 21 to May 1 (Prof, and Mrs. David Howard), a Glossy
Ibis in the Seneca area on May 11 and May 12 (Warfield), and a Glossy
Ibis in the Elliott Island marsh on May 19 (John Weske). On a trip to
Bloodsworth Island on June 28 ,' !Mr. Weske counted 5 Little Blue Herons and
8 Yellow-crowned Night Herons.

Swans and Geese . Whistling Swans lingered late in small numbers at
several Eastern Shore localities: Aside from single birds in 4 counties

on the Statewide Bird Count, May 4, there were 3 at Savannah Lake on May
3 (Weske), 10 in Cecil County on May 4 (Stickley), 10 at Kent Narrows on
May 31 (Warfield), 3 in the Chester River on June 15 (R. Ruhnka), and 4
in Talbot County June l 6 (Reese).. Mr. Hackman’s counts of migrating
Canada Geese over Rock Run Sanctuary included peak departures of 102
birds in 2 flocks on Apr. l 6 , 147 in 4 flocks on Apr. 17, 762 in 9 flocks
on Apr. 19, 120 in 1 flock on Apr. 21, 582 in 8 flocks on Apr. 28, and
a final flock of 25 on May 5 . On June 6 Mr. and Mrs. Charles Williamson
and Marvin Hewitt saw a flock of more than 40 flying over Greensboro,

Mr. Ruhnka noted 30 in the Chester River on June 15, and Edward
Mendinhall saw 6 in Chesapeake Bay at Damsite on June 26 . Two Brant
were still at Tilghman on May 9 (Reese), and 2 dozen at Hoopersville on
May 12 (Weske).

Ducks . As usual, the stray ducks that remained into late May and
June were mostly diving species; but a few dabbling ducks remained until
early May. Among these were 2 male and 2 female Green-winged Teal in
the Elliott Is. marsh on May 3 (Weske), a female Green-wing at Blackwater
Refuge on June 22 (Dr. Fritz Scheider), and a few pintails and American
Widgeon on the Statewide Bird Count. Late divers included Canvasback
at Sandy Point on May 18 (Prof. Wierenga), a Ruddy Duck at Elliott on
May 6 (Weske), 6 Common Mergansers in the Susquehanna River at Rock Run
on May 4 (Garland and Mrs. Basil M. Gregory), and a Red-breasted Mer-
ganser and an Oldsquaw at Tilghman on June l 6 (Reese).

Hawks . Broad -winged Hawks arrived early; the peak, such as it was,
came early; and no count of consequence was noted after Apr. 20. The
earliest bird was seen at Beltsville on Apr. 5 (John H. Fales). Bonnie
Dee Mogavero counted 56 hawks, mostly Broad -wings, over Cylburn Park in
2 hours on Apr. 18; the next highest count was of 15 at Rock Run the
next day (Hackman). On both May 6 and June 22, John Weske saw a male
and a female Marsh Hawk over the Elliott marsh, suggesting the possibil-
ity that they are nesting there. Only 2 Cooper's Hawks and 5 Sharp-

74 MARYLAND BIRDLTFE Vol. 19, No. 3

shinned Hawks were reported all spring except for the 3 and 4 individ-
uals listed on the Statewide Bird Count.

Rails and Gallinules . On June 15 John Weske heard a Sora in the
Elliott Marsh, where they have not previously been recorded in mid-summer.
In the same area, at the usual spot near Pokata Creek, he first heard 2
Black Rails on Apr. 29. On May 12 while searching for other possible
localities for Black Rails he heard 2 individuals at Hooper sville . His
largest count of Common Gallinules in the Elliott marsh was 3 on May 8.

A Purple Gallinule was seen at Patuxent Research Center on May 20 (Frank
McGilvrey) .

Shorebirds . We shall attempt to make up in this paragraph for some
of the deficiency of shorebird records in the migration tables. Most of
the reports came from Ocean City (Dr. Scheider if not otherwise specified),
Elliott (John Weske), Tilghman (Jan Reese), and Sandy Point (Prof. Wier-
enga). Semipalmated Plovers were present from May 2 (Sandy Point) and May
4 (Choptank by Hewitt) through May 26 (6 at Lilypons in Frederick County
by Robert Warfield), June 1 (5 at Tilghman), and June 9 (l migrating at
night over Elliott). Black-bellied Plovers were noted from Apr. 28 to
May 20 (Tilghman). Ruddy Turnstones were not seen until May 4 (9 at
Ocean City), but were identified in Worcester, Dorchester, Anne Arundel
and Talbot Counties (peak l8 at Tilghman on May 20 ), and remained through
June 1 (8 at Tilghman). A very late Solitary Sandpiper was noted at
Patuxent Research Center on June 11 (Fred Schmid). Sandy Point (May 20 )
was the only locality reporting Willet outside of its breeding areas in
Dorchester and Worcester Counties. Knots were found only at Ocean City,
May 11 -June 15, with a peak of ll6 on June 9 (Dyke). The White -rumped
Sandpiper, a very late spring transient, occurred between May 28 (Elliott)
and June 15 ( 29 at Ocean City). The latter observation by Dr. Fritz
Scheider is not only the latest for spring, but the highest spring count
on file for the State. Least Sandpiper dates ranged from Apr. 29 (Col-
tons Point by James Banagan) and Apr. 30 (Elliott) to May 20 (6 at Tilgh-
man); and Dunlin dates away from the coast, where they winter, were from
May 5 (Sandy Point) to May 30 (4 at Tilghman). Short -billed Dowitchers
were seen along the coast from May 10 to June 15 and along the Chesapeake
from May l6-( Tilghman) to May 20 (Sandy Point), The abundant Semipalmat-
ed Sandpiper reached Garrett County as early as May 4 (Carey Run Sanctuary
by Billie Taylor), and was last found at Elliott on June 6 (24 birds) and
Ocean City on June 15 (6). The only Western Sandpipers spotted were at
Tilghman on May 20 and at Ocean City on the record-breaking date of June
15 (Dr. Scheider).

Phalaropes . Jack Linehan discovered £ Northern Phalaropes at Chesa-
peake City on May 4, breaking both the arrival date and the highest
spring count for this swimming shorebird. David Bridge had a female
under observation almost all day on May 12 at the 28th Street flats in
Ocean City, where he showed it to scores of other people and tried des-
perately but unsuccessfully to capture it for banding. Two Northerns were
found at Ocean City on June 3 (Dyke), and a female was seen near Fair
Hill in- Cecil County on June 3-5 by Mrs. Mary Cundiff, Allen Stickley
and others, for the latest Eastern Shore date.

September 1963

MARYLAND BIRDLIFE

J1

Jaegers, Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers . In the August issue of Audubon
Field Rotes (17:396) is the report of a record-breaking date for a Glau-
cous Gull at Ocean City on May 12 by W. R. Russell — also 3 Parasitic
Jaegers on the same day by Russell, David A. Cutler and J. K. Meritt. A
Laughing Gull wandered up the Susquehanna River as far as Rock Run on
May k--the first record for that area- -Garland and Mrs. Gregory. Inland
records of the Common Tern are seldom reported from Maryland, so the
following are of special interest: A flock estimated at 100 was migra-

ting up the Potomac at Seneca on Apr. 12 (Warfield), and kO were seen
flying northwestward over Big Savage Mountain, Garrett County on May 19
(David and Margaret Bridge). Caspian Terns are regular in small numbers
in spring along the Chesapeake, but seldom are seen in the Piedmont of
Maryland. The observation of 4 over the Susquehanna River within a mile
of Conowingo* Dam on Apr. Ik (Hackman and Garland) may stimulate others
to watch the Susquehanna as a possible migration pathway for the Caspian
Tern. A late Caspian was at Ocean City on June 15 (Dr. Scheider).

Single Black Terns were found at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center on
May 3 (Walter M. Booth), Ocean City on May 11 (Robbins and others), and
Seneca on May 12 (Warfield).

Cuckoos . Although Yellow-billed Cuckoos broke earliest arrival
dates in Prince Georges, Caroline, Talbot and Dorchester Counties on Apr .
27 (V. Kleen, Knotts, R. Kleen, Weske), they did not reach normal breed-
ing abundance until mid -June. The last one heard migrating was on June
15 at Elliott (Weske).

Nighthawks . Betsy Schaffer tied the State arrival date for the
Common Nighthawk when she saw 6 at College Park on April 19 , after four
days of favorable southwesterly winds through the Virginia lowlands.
Despite this auspicious start, eleven days passed before the next night-
hawk was sighted in Maryland (see Table l).

Woodpeckers . The only new location for the Pileated Woodpecker dur-
ing the three -month period was Fulton in Howard County, where Mrs. George
Munro saw one at her home. Red-headed Woodpeckers were widely reported
until mid -May, appearing in half of the Maryland counties.

Flycatchers . In the June issue (Md. Birdlife 19 : 52) we mentioned
the March 29 record of an Eastern Kingbird at Gibson Island; we have
since learned ( Audubon Field Notes 17: 385 , 393 ) that Eastern Kingbirds,
possibly of similar origin, were found at Weston, Mass, on Mar. 30 and
at Litchfield, Conn, on Apr. k. The next Maryland bird was not sighted
until Apr. 19 . Rock Run Sanctuary was the only place where all k Empi -
donaces were identified (and banded) this spring (Hackman and Garland) .

A Yellow-bellied Flycatcher was seen at Indian Springs on the record-
breaking date of June 6 by Dr. Fritz Scheider, who saw an Olive -sided
Flycatcher there on the same day. The only other Olive -side reported
was at Rock Run on May 12. The easternmost Least Flycatcher noted in
Maryland this summer was singing 2 miles south of Foxville on Catoctin
Mt. on June 23 (Dr. Scheider).

Swallows , Nuthatches, Creepers . Dr. R. S. Stauffer and Mrs. L. L.

76

MARYLAND BIRDLIFE

Vol. 19, No. .3

Mallonee reported. 13 Cliff Swallow nests this year at the usual site 'on
an old barn at Indian Springs, but they comment that this only known
site in Washington County may be destroyed soon when U. S. 40 is improved.
At least 4 pairs of White -breasted Nuthatches nested at the Patuxent
Wildlife Research Center, the fifth consecutive year they have nested at
this Coastal Plain location; formerly they nested here only irregularly.

As expected, Red-breasted Nuthatches were virtually unreported during
the spring; the only observation in the plural was of 4 birds at Patux-
ent Research Center on Apr. 9 (Peter Ames). Throughout May and June a
lone Brown Creeper sang on Robbins' study area (elevation 90 ft.) in the
Patuxent floodplain forest at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center,
ranging over about 40 acres daily; the same, or possibly another individ-
ual, was seen occasionally by Robbins and Vernon Kleen a half mile far-
ther down the river. The only Maryland nesting record is from an ele-
vation of 2700 ft. in Garrett County.

Wrens . A Bewick's Wren was well seen at Tilden Woods south of
Rockville on Apr. l4 (David Bridge); this was the only one reported east
of the mountains. On Catoctin Mt. Dr. Scheider found a summering indi-
vidual on June 9* Except for a single Short -billed Marsh Wren at Patux-
ent Wildlife Research Center on June 9, this species was found only at
Elliott Is. (Weske) and Ocean City (May 12, Robbinses).

Thrushes . The thrush migration was late, except for the early
arrival of Wood Thrushes. For the first time since 1956 the average de-
parture date for the Hermit Thrush was in May. Gray-cheeked Thrushes
were reported from most banding stations, but few observers saw them "in
the wild." At Patuxent on May 25, 27, 29 and 31, Robbins banded only
4 Gray-cheeks as compared with 33 Swainson's Thrushes; a year ago on the
same dates and with the same number of nets he banded 8 of each species.
The Rock Run banding totals for May 10-26, 1963 were 10 Swainson's and
1 Gray- cheek. Although the last transient thrushes seen were on June 1
and 2, Mr. Hackman heard 8 calls of migrating thrushes in 5 minutes on
the night of June 3 shortly after clearing set in after passage of the
coastal storm that had precipitated rain for the past two days. Fred
Hermann heard a Veery singing on June 17 where Powder Mill Road crosses
Paint Branch southwest of Beltsville; and on the same day John Fales
heard one near Silver Spring. As yet no nest has been found in this part
of the State. Bluebirds continue scarce in most parts of Maryland; John
Weske found pairs or single birds at only 3 places in Dorchester County
between Apr. 27 and June 2.

Bobolinks . This species arrived late and departed late. Peak es-
timates were 500 at Travilak, May 18 and May 21 (H. Lessig and Lucille
Smith) and 150 at Patuxent, May 20 (Bridge). One remained at Patuxent
through June 13, breaking the Maryland departure record by one day
(Bridge).

Warblers . Most reporters agreed that the warbler migration was
good, although the Golden-wing, Tennessee, Nashville and Black -throated
Green were scarce and weather conditions were not such that any exception-
ally heavy concentration of other species occurred. Arrival and depart-

September 1963

MARYLAND BIRDLIFE

77

ure dates tended to be a little on the late side. In Prince Georges
County the Golden-winged Warbler was missed for the first time in more
than 20 years, and there was but a single record of a Black -throated
Green. On the other hand, the number of Mourning Warblers reported was
double that of any previous spring season. At Rock Run alone, Hackman
and Garland banded 4 Mournings on May 19, 4 on May 25, 1 on May 26 and
1 on June 1. Five were banded in the Laurel -Patuxent area. May 15-31
(Glenn Austin, Robbins, Melvin Kleen), and 1 each at Rockville on May
25 and May 30 (Bridge). Only 3 of these 17 birds were females. Single
singing males were heard at Patuxent on May 30 and June 2 (Robbins),
and 2 in the Pennyfield area of Montgomery County on May 12 (Scheider);
at Catoctin Mountain there were 2 males on May 11 (Scheider), and a
female (Scheider) and a singing male (V. Kleen) on May 30. Total, 2 51
A Nashville Warbler singing at Catoctin Mt. on June 6 was the first of
this species ever noted in Maryland in June away from the Allegheny
Plateau (Scheider). The best count of nesting Vermivora warblers on
Catoctin Mt. (both north and south of Foxville) was obtained on June 9
by Dr. Fritz Scheider: l8 Blue-wings, 5 Golden -wings, 2 Brewster's

hybrids, and 1 Lawrence's hybrid. A Brewster's and a Lawrence's were
banded by Vernon Kleen, so these banded birds should be watched for in
future years. Cerulean Warblers apparently did not nest at Patuxent this
summer, although 2 males were seen there in May. On May 5 Hr* Scheider
saw a female Cerulean, doubtless a transient, in the Pocomoke Swamp.

John Weske found that Worm-eating Warblers are more common in Dorchester
County than had previously been thought; on May 3 he counted 21 individ-
uals at Cokeland and Henry's Crossroads. This is almost twice as many
as were found on the State -wide Count on the next day. The Yellow-
throated Warbler failed to return to Rock Run this summer, but Mr. Hack-
man found a singing male nearby at the mouth of Deer Creek.

Finches and Sparrows . The Howards just about had a monopoly on
Pine Siskins this spring; they saw them daily at their feeder from Feb.

14 to May 12, with a maximum of 14 birds on Apr. 12. At Cumberland,
Anderson Martin noted a peak of 1,000 American Goldfinches on Apr. 25-
Many of the color -banded White -crowned and Golden- crowned Sparrows that
had been flown from California to Patuxent in the fall and winter remain-
ed into early April. By the 26th only 2 of each species could be found
(Robbins). The last date for the Golden-crown was Apr. 30 (Lois M. Horn).
There were several late dates for native sparrows: a Savannah at Elliott

Is. on June 2 — late enough to suggest possible nesting (Weske); a
"grubby 1 ' 1 but fat female White -throated Sparrow banded at Rock Run Sanc-
tuary on May 26 (Hackman), a White-throat singing at Loch Raven on June
22 (Jerry Elgert) and another whose song was recorded at the Patuxent
Wildlife Research Center on July 11 (Robbins); a Lincoln's Sparrow band-
ed at Brookeville on the record date of June 1, and incidently, the fifth
one banded there this spring (Weske); 2 Swamp Sparrows banded at Rock
Run Sanctuary on May 26 (Hackman), and 1 banded at Patuxent on May 27
(Robbins).

Migratory Bird Populations Station
Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel

78

MARYLAND BIRDLIFE

Vol. 19, No. 3

FIRST MARYLAND NEST OF HOUSE FINCH
Mel Garland

On May 15, 1963 Douglas Hackman discovered a singing male House
Finch ( Carpodacus mexicanus ) on the campus of Towson State College (for-
merly State Teachers College at Towson) in Baltimore County. He and
Compton Crook observed it again on May 22.

I heard the House Finch on June 9 during graduation excercises at
the College. Following the graduation program I saw the male passing
food to a female. Compton Crook joined me in watching this food passing
which was accompanied by much fluttering of wings and twittering by the
female .

Early the next morning I returned to the area with binoculars and
was rewarded with the same display of food passing. Shortly afterward I
was joined by Mr. Richardson, who keeps an eye open for birds on campus.
He offered to show me a nest he had found in the ivy on the heating
plant wall. We climbed to the roof, and by hanging over the side we saw
the nest, which was down about three feet and contained five birds.

On June 13 I returned to the area and again watched the male pass
food to his mate. She then flew to the nest and fed the young. I
checked ny pockets for bands, pliers, note pad and pencil, and hurried
up the ladders to the roof. Four well-feathered birds were banded. The
fifth made its way into the ivy covering the wall and escaped.

The banding was watched by the parent birds who flew low overhead
and then perched on the building ledge about ten feet from the nest.

The House Finch was first recorded in Maryland on April 6, 1958
(Marshall, Maryland Birdlife 14:96). Burton Alexander (ibid. 18:23)
listed other Maryland occurrences through March 17, 19^2 . Subsequent
observations have been mentioned in the Season reports ( ibid . 19:21, 53)
There Is no previous summer record or nesting record for the House Finch
In Maryland. ^ Burke Ave., Towson

IN MLkDitUM

MRS, WILLImM C. DIKCN of Chestertown, aid., died suddenly on
May 12, 1963, She was born in Savannah, Ga., spent her early life in
Philadelphia, After her marriage she moved to Kent County. She was a
valued member of the Kent County Chapter, M. 0. S., a former treasurer,
assisted in local banding operations, was a gifted writer and conver-
sationalist. Her other interests included membership in the Ches ter-
town Garden Club, the Kent County Historical , Society, the Society for
the Preservation of Historical Places. She contributed greatly to
the life of the community in every way. 3he will live long in our
hearts and memory.

September 1963 MARYLAND BTRDLIFE 79

ETHAN ALLAN ANDREWS, JR. passed away suddenly at Ms horns in Burton
on March 15th. We are grateful for his valuable contributions to the
growth and development of the Baltimore Chapter during his years of
membership.

CHARLES H, KOLB, SR. , one of the original members of the M. 0. S«,
died July 26th. He was bom in Lisbon, Reward County and traveled
extensively in Maryland. Mr. Kolb was a teacher and a principal in
the Maryland public schools before joining the faculty at Baltimore
City College. He was remembered by the members for his Interest in
all phases of nature.

STATE- WIDE HAWK COUNT

Members are urged to participate on Sept. 21 and/or Sept. 22 by
counting migrating hawks over any of the Maryland ridges or other con-
centration areas. Forms are available on request from C. S. Robbins.

BIRD CAMP *63

■Here coma the children I Here come the children t" sang Jean Taylor
as she gayly skipped around the pavilion awaiting the parking of the
buses. Buck Reynolds called the oampers' names and assigned them to
their respective leaders.

The one hundred twenty-sight children seemed to become easily
oriented. This was due to our well-trained staff of Senior Counselors
and well-adjusted Junior Counselors. The campers learned and accepted
graciously the necessary ground and cabin standards.

The adults realised careful planning would help these children be.
oome our clti sens of tomorrow. They planned their t ea ch i n g to bring
out the i^ortance of the natural resouces in that beautiful laboratory
(the Western Maryland *-H Center). The green woods, the lake, the
birds, the wild flowers and ferns, the a^jhibians, reptiles, memeals,
and water life were all taught in their natural setting. Other im-
portant and relaxing parts of the cuqp were the art activities featuring
the use of burlap, felt, shells, chalk, water colors, etc; the group
singing with a "natural” for a leader; the folk da n c in g under expert
guidance; swimming every day; games; and ”Skit Night*.

Resource conservationists who gave one teaching day were as
follows* Mr. William Naee, Soil Conservation, Oakland; Mr. Martin
Gordon, Soil Conservation, Cumberland; Hr. Paul Herndon, Natural Resource
Institute of Maryland, La Vale; and Mr. Joseph Hinke, Regional Game
Warden, Cumberland. ^

■It was a grand camp” was echoed time and again. The feelings of
all could well be summed into the words of Mary Milan ttolfe bubbling
happily "Mother, we banded 250 birds. Mother, it was the meet wonder-
ful camp. The food was delicious. I can't wait until next year."

Nan Livingstone

80

MARYLAND BIRDLIFE

Volt 12ju JSgfcJ

JUNIOR NATURE CAMP REPORT
Charlotte M. Lawson

On June 14 f 15, 16, 1963* the fourth Junior Nature Camp of the
Baltimore Chapter of the M.O. S. was held at Camp Waredaoa, Unity,

Maryland. There were fifty busy boys and girls with twenty-two adults
exploring the campsite for birds. Insects, reptiles, amphibians , and
plants.

The reports to date from the campers and counselors are that it was
our most successful Junior Nature Camp. The weather was good except for
a shower Friday evening which deprived us of a session with astronomers
from the Maryland Academy of Sciences. The time was well spent building
sixteen wren houses under the supervision of Burton Alexander and Bruce
Dwyer. Burton presented the sample house to Mr. Butts, owner of the
camp. Ife hope that we will have a house wren to add to our list next year.

Douglas Hackman identified Mr. Butts' "mystery* bird which he had
seen in the grass only this year. It was a Homed Lark with young.

There were seventy-seven species of birds identified during the weekend.

Two banding stations were maintained by Mel Garland and Jerry Elgert.

Of two birds with bands that were netted, one, an indigo bunting, was
banded in Ocean City, Md. , September 29, 1962, by Pan Mlnke.

Dr. Elizabeth Fisher and the amateur entomologists spent most of the
weekend around the lake. There they caught seven species of dragonflies.
The highlight among the butterfly collectors was the tagging of two
Monarch butterflies. Mrs. Norwood Schaffer, Director of the Cang>, had
received earlier one hundred tags from the University of Toronto so that
the junior members could participate in the research on migrating
Monarchs.

The herpetologists with the help of Mrs. J. David Staling collected
and identified many frogs and toads of different species. Rodney Jones
succeeded in uncovering the only snake, a ring-necked snake.

Our librarian, Mrs. Dixie Stollenwerck, went with Dr. and Mrs. Elmer
Worthley on the botany field trip to collect plant specimens to display
along with interesting books on the natural sciences.

Many of the campers took home with them ozalid and blue prints of
plants, plastic book marks, and electric bird and flower boards made with
the assistance of Susie Michel and her mother. Along with the crafts,
games, and posters, we were proud to exhibit Cathy Stealer’s prise-winning
science project on birds in her backyard.

The enthusiastic acceptance of the intensive work in the field of
the natural sciences during our Junior Nature Camp weekend has proven to
the foresighted members of the M. 0. S. that such activities among our
young people are of great value. It is our hope to have a campsite of
our own which will enable us to have more and longer periods of field
study for greater numbers of boys and girls.

Vfe want to thank all the members of the Baltimore Chapter of the
M. 0. S. who have helped to make the Camp a successful project.

233 Gaywood Rd., Baltimore 12

September 1963

MARYLAND BIRDLIFE

81

GREETINGS from the PRESIDENT
Dorothy A. Mendinhall

Greetings to you all and let me bring you up to date on a few
highlights of this year.

Do you remember the November 24th meeting at Cylbum, attended by
111 voting members when you voted unanimously to purchase a Sanctuary
in Garrett County? This was dedicated as "Carey Run Wildlife Sanctuary"
at 2 p, M, Sunday, June 9th, 1963, with a large attendance, mostly from
the western counties. During the spring and sumner extensive repairs
and improvements have been made. It is my hope that you will all Join
us there on October 3th and 6th. (See Coming Events)

And what a Convention we had at Ocean City on May 10, 11, 121
223 members and guests were in attendance 5 191 were adults and 3 2 were
Juniors. We were especially grateful to the Connors for their usual
gracious hospitality 1 to Chan Robbins and his excellent assistants
who provided us with a marvelous program of events. Among the leaders
were Vernon Kleen, Jan Reese, Elmer Worthley, Ted Van Velzen, Dick
Kleen, Mrs. Carl Lubbert and many others of our talented group whose
willingness to share their experience and knowledge is sought and
appreciated.

Three banding stations were in operation. One at North Ocean
City with Mel Garland in charge, assisted by Pan Minke and Andy Martin.
Here they banded 3 56 birds of 50 species. Ted Stiles and his father,

Ed, operated nets in Pocomoke Swamp and reported 86 birds of 28
species, while David Bridge ran shorebird nets and added 3 species.

The observers reported 183 species as the total for the three days.

Our membership as we go to press is 765. Do hurry and renew your
membership and encourage others of your family to Join. We need to
grow.

Because of the delay in printing the June issue of Maryland Bird-
life the invitation to picnic with us at Damsite did not reach many
of you in time to be with us. This was a great disappointment as only
83 members and guests were present. Vfe enjoyed this company and wish to
express our special appreciation to those who came from afar* four from
Allegany Chapter, nine from Frederick and seven from Patuxent.

The Trustees met at this time and thanks to their approval ve now
have a mimeograph and typewriter which have been sorely needed.

Our Conservation Committee has been constantly on the alert for
opportunities to voice our opinion on the Assateague Island controversy.
As I was unable to attend the hearing at the Civic Center on August 15th,
Nancy Rowe ably represented the organization.

Now we look forward to the Woods* Picnic, Sept, 8, a full membership
rendezvous at Carey Run Sanctuary, Oct. 5 and 6 and interesting programs

82 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 19. No. 3

of activities for all Chapters. Let’s make the membership soar in
sixty-four.

Thanks to each and every one of you for your confidence and support
this past year. I hope you all feel as a valued member wrote "1 am
proud to be a member of this organization”.

R. D. 2, Chestertown

COMING EVENTS

Sept. 1 - Oct. 1 OPERATION RECOVERY at Ocean City. Contact Mrs. R. D.

Cole (VA3-2650) or C. S. Robbins (PA5-1176) for
details.

Sept. 1 - Oct. 31 (Weekends only) OPERATION RECOVERY at Rock Run
Sanctuary.

Sept. 8 ALLEGANY 8 A. M. Walk and breakfast, Carey Run
8 MOODS* PIOIIC RSVP. Capt. Wood C03-3229
Sept. 13 BALTIMORE Monthly meeting 8 P.M. Cylbum Mansion

14 BALTIMORE Lake Roland 8 A. M. Leader t Mrs. Kaestner DR7-

8990

15 ALLEGANY Picnic at home of Gilbert Miller 4 P. M.

15 BALTIMORE TWILIGHT FUNNELING OF CHIMNEY SWIFTS. Contact Mrs.
Joshua Rowe VA 5-3076

20 TALBOT Monthly meeting

21 BALTIMORE Rock Run Sanctuary from 8 A.M. Mr. D. Hackman
PATUXENT HAWK WATCH at Rocky Gorge Tower 8 to 4 Chandler S.

Robbins (PA5-1176)

21-22 ANNUAL STATE WIDE HAWK COUNT

22 TALBOT

24 PATUXENT

Oct.

29

2

2

3

TALBOT

BALTIMORE

KENT

FREDERICK

Oct. ^6

5-6

5

6

11

Breakfast hike 7 A, M. Meet St. Michaels School
Mr. & Mrs. Curtis, host and hostess
Monthly meeting 7*45 P. M. Equitable Trust , Main
St. Laurel. "Hawk Identification and Migration"
C. S. Robbins

Breakfast hike 7 A. M. Dick KLeen, host
Bird walk sponsored by Natural History Society
9*30 A.M. Mrs. Carl Lubbert, Leader. DR7-6346
Monthly meeting

Monthly meeting - Illustrated talk by Robert
Abraham

NEW JERSEY AUDUBON SOCIETY'S Nature Weekend at Cape May, N.J,
Make own reservations.

STATE M.O.S. Membership Rendezvous at Carey Run Sanctuary

STATE TRUSTEES Meeting 1*30 P.M. Carey Run

TALBOT Breakfast hike 7 A.M.

BALTIMORE Monthly meeting and dinner 6*30 P. M. Rodgers
Forge Church, Towson. Reservations by Oct. 1,

Mrs. Robert E. Kaestner, DR7-8990 Film, "Hawks
and Owls".

3*30 P. M. Covered Dish Supper and evening bird
walk. Carey Run Sanctuary.

12 ALLEGANY

September 1963

MARYLAND BIBILIFE

82

Oct. 13 TALBOT Breakfast hike ? A.M.

16 BALTIMORE HAWK STUDY CLASS at Cylbum 8 P. M. C. S. Robbins
18 TALBOT Monthly meeting

19-20 ALLEGANY HAWK MT. TRIP Leaders Anderson Martin
19-20 BALTIMORE HAWK MT, TRIP Leaders* Percy Jones (M04-2261) and
Dr. & Mrs. David Spring (CS 3-045 6) . Make own motel
reservations.

20 TALBOT Breakfast hike 7 A.M.

22 PATUXENT Monthly meeting 7*45 P.M. "Bald Eagle Investigations

in Alaska" , Dr. Nicholas Ohara.

23 TALBOT AUDUBON SCREEN TOUR

26 BALTIMORE BIRD BANDING DEMONSTRATION and GREENHOUSE TOUR

Qylbum 2 P. M.

2? BALTIMORE CHESAPEAKE & OHIO CANAL and POTOMAC RIVER. Meet
7*30 A.M. Hutzler's Westview

27 TALBOT Breakfast hike 7 A.M.

Nov. 1 HARFORD Dinner meeting 6*15 P. M. Churchville Presbyterian
Church. Speaker* Mrs. Richard D. Cole

6 KENT Monthly meeting

7 FRDDERICK Monthly meeting. Illustrated talk by Chandler

Robbins "Shore and Water Birds"

8 BALTIMORE Monthly meeting Pratt Library 8 P.M. Film:

"Birding in Trinidad, Tobsgo, Bon Aire and The
Virgin Islands" . Mrs. Bradley Fisk
9-13 NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY CONVENTION at Miami, Florida
New. Everglades Hotel. Make own reservations.

10 BALTIMORE LITTLE CREEK WILDLIFE AREA AND BOMBAY HOOK REFUGE
Leader* Mr. Cecil Ryan

15 TALBOT Monthly meeting

16 PATUXENT Monthly meeting 7*45 P. M.

17 TALBOT TRIP TO OCEAN CITY, Meet Easton Library 7 A.M.

20 ALLEGANY Monthly meeting. "What's Behind the Duck Short-

age?" Mr. Paul Herndon

24 BALTIMORE LEAKIN PARK. Leader* Mr. Cecil Ryan (WI4-4529)

30 BALTIMORE PATUXENT WILJMFE RESEARCH CENTER. Meet at Main gate
on Route 197, 8 A.M. Leader, Ted Van Velzen.

30 TALBOT AUDUBON SCREEN TOUR
Dec. 4 KENT Monthly meeting

5 FREDERICK Monthly meeting - Dinner at Francis Scott Key
Hotel

7 BALTIMORE KENT ISLAND Leaders: Mr. & Mrs. Carl Lubbert

13 BALTIMORE Monthly meeting Films: Mr. Stephen Simon

14 BALTIMORE BIRDING at the Andrew Simon's, Monkton
Dec. 19 - Jan. 1, 1964. CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT PERIOD

21 TRIADELFHIA RESERVOIR COUNT, Leader* Vernon Kleen,

22 ST, MICHAELS CHRISTMAS COUNT. Leader* R. L. Kleen.

26 ALLEGANY CHRISTMAS COUNT, Leader* Mrs. C. Gordon Taylor,

26 BLACKWATER CHRISTMAS COUNT. Leader* Chandler S. Robbins.

27 OCEAN CITY CHRISTMAS COUNT. Leader* Chandler S. Robbins.

28 CYLBURN CHRISTMAS COUNT. Leader* Mrs, Robert E. Kaostner.

29 KENT CHRISTMAS COUNT. Leader* Dr. Daniel Z, Gibson.

30 ROCK RUN CHRISTMAS COUNT. Leader* Douglas Hackman.

84

MaRYLAND BIRDLIFE

Vpl. 19, Mo. 3

Jan. 1
2
3

10

22

26

Feb. 5
14

CATOCTIN CHRISTMAS COUNT. Leader: Dr. John W. Richards.
FREDERICK Monthly meeting. Speaker; Mr. Russell K. Crater.
HaRFORD Dinner meeting.

BALTIMORE Monthly meeting.

ALLEGANY Monthly meeting.

BALTIMORE DRUID HILL PaRK and WaTERJOAL LaKE, 2:30 - 4:30 P.M.

6 P.M. Covered Dish Supper at Cylburn Mansion.

KENT Monthly meeting.

BALTIMORE Monthly meeting.

MARYLAND BIRD LIFE

Published Quarterly by the Maryland Ornithological Society, Inc.
to Record and Encourage and Study the Birds in Maryland
jEditor: Chandler S. Robbins, Patuxent Research Center, Laurel.

Editorial Board: C. Douglas Hackman, Vernon Kleen, Miss Nan Livingstone
Mrs. Jean Worthley.

Production: Gladys Cole, Mildred Cole, Mel Garland, Doug Hackman,

Lois Horn, Karen Johnson, Alice Kaestner, Dorothy
Mendinhall .

Hurry I Everyone is expected to be at Carey Run, Oct. 5-6. See you there.