MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Su[[eHh oj~ thz <^A/[axij[and Gxniifi o £°s icu[ <^oci£.hj, One. SEPTEMBER 1969 Volume 25 Number 3 Maryland Ornithological Society, Inc. Cylburn Mansion, 491 5 Greenspring Are., Baltimore, Maryland 21209 State Officers President: First V.P.: Second V.P.: Treasurers Secretary: V, Edwin Unger, West Central Ave. f Federalsburg 21 632 754-2291 Dr. Edgar E. Folk, III, 11 55 Ave. "A". Perry Point 21902 642-6591 Chandler S. Robbins, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel 20810 776-4880 Winfield Henning, 104 N. University Ave., Federalsburg 21632 75S-9883 Mrs. Edwin C. Gras, 125 Academy St., Annapolis 21401 263-4708 Executive Council Mrs. Joshua W. Rowe, Box 348, Glen Am Rd., Glen Arm 21057 665-7207 Barclay E. Tucker, Rte. 3, Box 308, Bel Air 21014 838-6269 Mrs, Edward Mendinhall, "Daasite", R. D. 2, Chestertown 21620 778-0826 Carl Carlson, 5706 Lone Oak Drive, Bethesda 20014 365-3836 Dr. Lawrence Zeleny, 4312 Van Buren St., Hyatts villa 20782 927-3971 Joseph A. Robinson, Box 92, St. Michaels 21663 745-9438 Charles Baker, Route 3* Zion Road, Salisbury 21801 749-3627 State Trustees Allegany: ♦Kendrick T. Hodgdon Mrs. Kendrick I. Hodgdon Anne Arundel: ♦Mrs. Edwin C. Gras Mrs. Will 1am C. Parades Baltimore: *Mrs. Joshua W. Rowe Mrs. Raymond Geddes, Jr. Rodney B. Jones Mrs. Robert E. Kaestner Mrs. Martin G. Larrabee Mrs. Edward A. Metcalf A. MacDonough Plant Chandler S. Robbins Caroline: *A, J. Fletcher Mrs. Percy Scudder Frederick: ♦Mrs. Mary S. Motherway Dr. Howard Hodge Harford: * Barclay E. Tucker Frank A. Buckley Kent: ♦Mrs. Edwin Mendinhall Mrs. A. J. Delario Mrs. Thomas S. Carswell Montgomery: ♦Dr. J. Whu Oberman Carl W. Carlson Edward Goods tein Patuxent Rossmoor: Talbot: Wicomico: ♦Dr. Lawrence Zeleny ELwood L. Fisher ♦Richard H. Rule Miss Agnes T. Hofftaam *Mrs. C. D. Delphey, Jr, Joseph A. Robinson Mrs. Joseph A. Robinson ♦William L. Johnson Charles Baker * Chapter President Active Membership (adults) Junior Membership (under 18 years) Family Membership (Mr. A Mrs.) Sustaining Membership Life Membership Out-of-State Membership $ 2.00 plus local chapter dues •5° plus local chapter dues 3.00 plus local chapter dues . 5*00 plus local chapter dues 100.00 (payable in 4 annual installments) 2.00 ( Maryland Birdlife only) COVER: Marsh at Irish Grove Wildlife Sanctuary Photo by Okey McCourt MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Volume 25 MARYLAND BIRKLIFE Number 3 STATUS AND BEHAVIOR OF COLOR-BANDED WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES AT BALTIMORE Hevvey Braakbill From 19^ through the spring of 1 969 I color-banded 77 White-breast- ed Nuthatches ( Sitta carolinensis ) in northwestern suburbs of Baltimore — Howard Park, Dickeyville and Larchmont. This banding, and general observation, have shown that the species is chiefly a winter resident in these places, with an occasional bird or pair permanently resident and summer occurrences otherwise rare. Information has also been obtained on various other facets of the species' life history. No nuthatch that I have banded has ever been reported away from Baltimore. Permanent residency and permanent mating Four birds have shown permanent residency and a pair of them perman- ent mating as well. A female banded September 19* 19^8* and a male banded January 1, 19*J9, were paired from at least March 12, 1949, through the female's final date of March 24, 1951* and during that time were seen regularly. A male banded on my feeder May 20, 1956 , was seen about a quarter- mile away in September and October, and at the feeder again in November and in March and April of 1957. A female banded July 15, 1951* was seen regularly to July 5 , 1952, then went unseen until September 17, 1953* °n which date she was rebanded and disappeared. Perhaps a fifth bird was resident, though there was a big gap in my sightings of it too. This one, a male banded December 8, 19^, was seen through June 21, 1947 , but then not again until May 8 to June 6, 1948, Permanent residency and permanent mating have also been reported in New Hampshire (Whittle, 1925 * 65 ) and Massachusetts (Osborn, 1930). In New York State Butts (1927:3^1 ) found permanent residency, but (1931*70) only one possible instance of permanent mating; he believed, though, that the changes in mates by his birds were caused by disappearances, not 8 divorces." 88 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 25. No. 3 Home ranee My long-mated pair was seen commonly, both summer and winter, in an irregular, well-wooded residential area of Howard Park about 500 by 310 yards in its extreme dimensions , This would be, at most, about 32 acres* Butts (1931:65) found territories at Ithaca, N.Y., to vary from 25 to 48 acres, depending on the amount of woods. When his first mate finally disappeared, the male of ay pair acquired a new one and maintained at least the same east-west range. Butts likewise (1931*70) reported the same area occupied all year and (1931:71) found that when one member of a pair disappeared the survivor remained on the same territory, where a new mate was obtained. Winter residents Regarding as winter residents birds making observed stays of 3 months or more, winter residents were banded as early as August 19 and September 12 and as late as December 11. Some have stayed as late as May 3 and 6. Month Banded Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Males 1 2 3 IT 2 Females —1731 Month Last Identified Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May 1 2 3 T" 5 2 2 3 4 3 - The longest winter stays I have observed have been: August 19 to March 2 1 96 days, male October 16 to April 18 — 186 days, male November 6 to May 6 184 days, male October 26 to April 6 — 1 63 days, female Sex ratio In Howard Park and Larchmont I trapped on my feeding shelves and caught practically every nuthatch that came there; in Dickeyville I trap- ped only intermittently, but randomly. At each place males far outnum- bered females: Males Females Unsexed Howard Park 19 10 Dickeyville 6 1 1 Larchmont 26 14 Totals 51 25 "T At Summerville, S.C., a catch of 7 males and 1 female during a 7- year period was reported (Mason, 1942:122). However, at Island Beach, N.J., the Operation Recovery catch one fall was only 15 males to 3^ females (Murray, 1966:356). Sexual dominance At the feeding shelf, males commonly but not invariably show domin- ance over females. In the winter of 1 968-69 I paid particular attention September 1969 MARYLAND BTRIILTFE 82 to this. One male drove one female off my shelf 5 times and chased her about it another time; in addition she herself showed subordination by 7 times fleeing as he arrived and 4 other times coming only after he left. On the other hand, I 6 times saw the two present together without any show of hostility, and sometimes these two birds made feeder visits during periods when no other nuthatches were coming, this indicating that they were travelling together. Despite that association they apparently were not a pair, for I last saw the male on March 16 but the female was pres- ent through April 6. During that spring period the female 5 times showed subordination to a different male, and 30 once did a second female. Similarly, in 1963-64 one male showed dominance over one female 7 times; she was last seen January 24 but he was present through May 3 and in January and March showed dominance over a second female though I once saw these two travelling together, apart from any others. Judging from those observations, it is not safe to assume that a male and female which associate in winter are paired. It may be that in the instances above pairs really were formed and then were disrupted by deaths, but this possibility seems to be discounted by the following: Dominance within a pair Scanty observations suggest that there is no dominance within a pair. The one resident pair that I have had long enough to yield data were to- gether on my feeder on March 26, 27, Aptil 9 and May 11 in 19^9, and on March 12, April 2, October 15 and November 11 in 1950. A few times in May and June of both years the male seemed to follow the female to the shelf, so it may be that at this season she was dominant. However, I never saw a clear show of dominance by either bird. Age The greatest age I know to have been reached was about 4 years; a male banded January 1, 19**9, was seen through March 9, 1952. Another male and a female attained about 3 years. Far greater ages are on record; for instance, a New Jersey bird reached about 10 years (Cooke, 1946:69). A possible courtship flight In Howard Park on January 1, 1951 t at 11 a.m., a male high in a tree sang two short songs, then flew 40 yards or so to another stand of tall oaks and for a few seconds dashed crazily in and out among these, now high, now low, at terrific speed. Then it disappeared. I could see that the bird was a banded one but could not make a complete identification; undoubtedly, though, it was the male of what was then my resident pair, for those two were the only nuthatches I saw in the area that day. Such flights made by a Red-breasted Nuthatch ( Sitta canadensis ) in early April were called "courtship (?) flights" by their observer (Well- man, 1933); and Bent (1948:23), quoting that account, flatly calls them courtship flights. After them a female joined the male and the two in- 90 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Yol. 25. vestigated holes in trees. My bird's sate was not in evidence, and X have found no record of such a performance by the White-breasted Nuthatch. The temperatures on and for several days before January 1 were only 1 to 4 degrees above normal; not enough, one would think, to induce courtship activity on such a date. Redirected pecking Four White-breasted Nuthatches that patronized one of my feeders did redirected (or possibly displacement) pecking nearby on some occasions when, upon approaching it, they found other birds on it or me standing too close to it. This feeder was a 20-inch-square shelf at a window of a shingle- sided house. Coming to it, nuthatches often alit first on the wall about 3 feet away, then flitted to the shelf. But under, circumstances like those mentioned they sometimes — by no means always— delivered 2 to 17 hard pecks on the shingles before coming on, or while waiting "for the coast to clear"; rarely, they then flew away instead of coming cm. It seemed unmistakable that they were venting on the shingles hostility they felt toward the other birds or me for being in their way; once, indeed, after coming on to the shelf a female displayed at the Tufted Titmouse ( Parus bicolor ) already there— and was driven off the shelf by it. Other species that I saw provoke the redirected pecking were the House Sparrow ( Passer domes ticus ) , Cardinal ( Richmondena cardinalis ) , Carolina Chicka- dee ( Parus carolinensis ) and Downy Woodpecker ( Dendrocopos pubes cons) . Curiously, although X operated this feeder from 1946 to raid-1955* I noted the redirected pecking only between January 1, 1951* and February 22, 1953. It was not seasonal; the 23 days on which I observed it fell in every month of one or more of the years indicated except June, August and December. The birds that did it were a resident pair, a resident fe- male, and a female winter resident. Writing this species' life history for Bent (1945:1-12), Winsor Mar- rett Tyler says (p.9), referring to Massachusetts, that it sings every month in the year. In Baltimore I have heard song in every month, but not in every month of any one year; the nearest to that was 19^* every month but September. March and April have been the months of most song in my area, June and November those of least song. In my experience, only males sing. Tyler also says (p.9) • "In winter, singing is confined to the early morning hours,— soon after sunrise— and even during the spring it is rare, before the first of April, to hear a nuthatch sing in the after- noon." My notes show four "exceptions to the rule"; on December 21, 1948, January 23, 19^9, January 28, 1951. and February 1, 1959* I heard from 2 to 12 songs at hours ranging from 1 to 3*30 p.m., E.S.T. In 1952 a bird gave songs that were much more rapid than normal, and MARYLAND BIRILIFE September 1969 21 squeaky instead of nasal in quality; they reminded me of a sewing machine needle flying up and down. I heard them August 28 and 29, then on Sep- tember 12 I color-banded a male and during December several times saw him give such songs — now usually with lesser degrees of squeakiness— -and also normal ones. On April 12, 1954, a bird that had been singing in one tree gave a long song during a 50-yard flight to another tree, and did more singing there. This bird had apparently been about for several days and I had banded him on April 11, but I did not see him after April 12; apparently he was a migrant. During various years I have counted the number of notes in 591 songs, heard throughout the year. The number ranged from 1 to 25. Of the total, 501 were of 5 to 13 notes. The commonest lengths were 9, 8 and 10. Songs longer than 10 notes were most common in the periods Feb- ruary to mid- April, August to mid-September, and December 21 -January 10. Frozen maple sap eaten One March day I saw a male break off and eat a quarter-inch long sap icicle that had formed on a Norway maple. The tree had been trimmed sev- eral weeks earlier, but not all the cuts had been sealed. Warn weather made the sap flow, then a turn of cold produced the icicle, I tasted the ice and found it slightly sweet. References Bent, A. C. 1948. Life histories of North American nuthatches, wrens, thrashers and their allies. U.S. Nat. Mus . Bull . 195. Butts, W. K. 1927. The feeding range of certain birds. Auk 44; 329-3 50. Butts, W, K. 1931* A study of the chickadee and White-breasted Nuthatch by means of marked individuals, Bird-Banding 2;59-?6. Cooke, M. T. 1946 Returns of banded birds: some recent records of in- terest. Bird- Banding 1 7 : 63-7 1 . Murray, B. G. , Jr. 1 966 . Migration of age and sex classes of passerines on the Atlantic coast in autumn. Auk 83:352-360. Osborn, R. A. 1930 Interesting history of two White-breasted Nuthatch- es. Bird-Banding 1:142, Wellman, G. B. 1933. The courtship flight of the Red-breasted Nuthatch. Auk 50:112. Whittle, H. G. 1925. Notes from a Peterboro N.H., banding station. N.B.B.B.A . Bull . 1:63-65. 2620 Poplar Drive, Baltimore 21207 92 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 25, No. 3 APRIL, MAY, JUNE, 1969 Chandler S. Robbins An uneventful spring migration period was followed by a normal breeding season. Temperatures averaged slightly above normal and preci- pitation below normal. The normal northeastward movement of High and Low pressure systems from the Mississippi Valley to the Atlantic Coast did not materialize until after the peak migration period had passed. As a consequence, the great surges of migration that customarily take place in the warm sector between a departing Low and an arriving cold front were not evident here this spring. Songbird arrivals tended to be late. There were many days when the numbers of transients were moderate, but no great flight days. Several distraught observers even suggested that "Silent Spring" was upon us. The warbler species whose main spring pathway follows the Mississippi Valley were especially scarce in Maryland this spring. These include the Golden-winged, Nashville, Tennessee, Magnolia, Blackburnian, Chestnut - sided, Bay-breasted, Wilson's and Canada Warblers. None of these species can be considered rare in Maryland in May; yet I do not know of anyone who saw all 9 of them here this spring. The Bay -breast and Wilson's were missed on the State-wide Bird Count, May 3; the Golden-wing was not reported all spring except on May 3- The Convention list for May 9-H lacked the Golden-wing, Nashville, Blackburnian, Bay -breast and Wilson's. I had the privilege of being afield all day on May l4 (Seneca to Ocean City) with Jeff Swinebroad and Will Russell; with a list of 189 species we missed 2 of the above warblers and saw or heard a combined total of only 23 individuals of the other 7 species. Four days later, when I was in eastern Massachusetts, I saw the same numbers of these warblers in ray mother's little back yard plus a few acres of a nearby cemetery. I men- tion this to illustrate how migrants can slip through, over, or around Maryland almost unnoticed, and arrive in normal numbers in states to the northeast of us. The earliest and latest migration dates reported this spring are listed by counties in Tables 1 and 2, with the counties arranged from northwest to southeast. The great majority of the dates were supplied by the following observers, whose cooperation is gratefully acknowledged here: Garre tt County— Glenn Austin, Billie Taylor, Dick Douglass, John Workmaister; Alleg any — Ken Hodgdon and the Garrett County observers; Washi ngton — Mrs. Alice Mallonee, Dr. Ralph Stauffer, Carl Carlson and the September 1969 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 93 Eckstines; Frede rick --Dr. and Mrs. John Richards, William Shirey, Sarah Quinn, Carl Carlson, Mrs. A. L. Hoffman, Mr. and Mrs. E. T. McKnight; Balti more City and County--Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bo-wen, Mrs. Robert E. Kaestner, Mrs. Carl Lubbert, Douglas Hackman, Stephen W. Simon, Haven Kolb, David Holmes, Mrs. Richard Cole, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Bohanan, Burton Alexander; Harfo rd County--David Smith, Joseph Pannill, Douglas Hackman, Dr. Edgar Folk: Howa rd --Mrs . Dorothy Rauth, Morris Collins, Mrs. G. C. Munro, George Robbins; Montg omery --Robert W. Warfield, Mrs. John Frankel, Paul Woodward, Philip DuMont, Mr. and Mrs. James Cooley; Prince Georges — Elwood Martin, Dr. Lawrence W. Murphy, Mr. and Mrs. C. S. Robbins, Melvin Kleen, Arthur Alexander, Dr. and Mrs. B. C. Getchell, Brooke Meanley, Ralph Andrews, Jerry Longcore, Duncan McDonald, Danny and Paul Bystrak; Anne Arundel — Prof, and Mrs. David Howard, Prof. Harold Wierenga, Paul and Danny Bystrak, Dr. Lawrence Murphy; Calve rt — John Fales; Ceci l--Dr . Edgar Folk; Kent - -Mr . and Mrs. Edward Mendinhall, Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Delario, Dr. D. Z. Gibson, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Ruhnka, Mr. and Mrs. Clark Webster, Carl Westerdahl; Carol ine --Marvin W. Hewitt, Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Fletcher, Mrs. Ethel Engle, Mrs. Alicia Knotts, V. Edwin Unger; Talbo t -- Richard L. Kleen, Jan Reese, John Valliant, Jeffrey Effinger; Dorch ester -- Henry T. Armistead, William C. Russell; Somerset (Irish Grove Wildlife Sanctuary) — Mrs. Richard D. Cole, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Hackman, Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Hackman, Mel Garland, V. Edwin Unger; Wicom ico — Samuel Cimino, Ruth Denit, Dr. Harvey Hall, Mildred and William Johnson, Gertrude Oakman, Eugene Redden, Samuel H. Dyke; Worce ster --Samuel H. Dyke, V. Edwin Unger, Dr. Donald Messersmith, Jan Reese, Kevin T. Mullen, David Holmes, Dickson Preston, Robert Warfield. Shearwaters , Petrels , Cormorants . A Sooty Shearwater was seen from Assateague Island on May 11 "(m.O.S. Convention), although a boat trip offshore on the preceding day yielded not a single shearwater or petrel. On May 2b, however, McKnight and party found 20_ Sooty Shearwaters (a new high for the State) and 15 Wilson's Petrels off Ocean City. Flocks of 71 and 32 Double -crested Cormorants passed over Irish Grove Wildlife Sanc- tuary below Marion on Apr. 2 6, flying northeast (Hackmans): if they con- tinued on this course they would head up the Pocomoke River and reach the coast north of Ocean City. Herons and Ibis . Jackson Abbott estimated 400 Great Blue Heron nests on Poplar Island on Apr. 23 and 20 Common Egret nests on Bodkin Island, Queen Annas Co., on May 5 (Audubon Field Notes). An early Cattle Egret was seen in Kent County on Apr. 4 (Edward Mendinhall). During the next five weeks this species was found in all Eastern Shore counties ex- cept Queen Annes. High counts were 15 at Preston on May 7 (Rebecca Voshell), 38 in Southern Dorchester County on May 3 (Harry Armistead), and 50 at Marion on Apr. 2 6 (Mel Garland, Gladys Cole). The last Cattle Egrets sighted away from the nesting colonies were at Greensboro on May 28 (Marvin Hewitt) and Plum Point on June 3 and July 10-11 (John H. Fales). Other sightings west of the Bay were: Sandy Point State Park (Apr. 19, Harold Wierenga) and Baltimore County (May 3 Count). Four Yellow-crowned Night Herons were in their nesting area in the Potomac bottomland west of Seneca as early as Apr. 13 (Robert W. Warfield). After the first sighting at Lake Roland at the north edge of Baltimore on May 1 (Rosalie Archer), Median Table 1. Spring Arrival Dates, 1969 Species 10 -yr 1969 Alle Wash Fred Balt Harf Howd Mont Pr.G Anne Calv Cecl Kent Caro Talb Dorc Somr Wico Wore Common Loon .. 4/21 0 0 4/23 4/12 V25 0 4/19 5/ 1 „ .. 4/l4 4/ 5 4/19 5/ 3 4/26 0 Homed Grebe 3/31 0 0 0 4/31 — 4/22 3/29 0 3/23 0 . 4/ 7 0 0 0 — Pied -billed Grebe — 3/26 0 0 0 4/20 -- 3/2 6 3/ 1 4/11 3/25 0 0 0 0 Double -cr. Cormorant -- 4/2 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4/19 0 0 0 4/ 7 Si 3 4/26 0 3 Great Blue Heron -- 4/ 4 4/ 5 3/i4 -- 4/ 1 3/23 -- — 4/16 4/ 4 4/26 -- Green Heron 4/23 4/22 -- — 5/ 3 4/27 — vw 4/19 *- 4/i8 5/ 7 — 4/10 4/18 4/19 5/ 3 4/26 4/13 — Cattle Egret — 4/30 0 0 0 5/ 3 0 0 0 0 4/19 4/21 4/17 4/ 4 5/ 3 5/24 5/ 3 4/26 Si 3 -- Common Egret — 5/ 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 4/19 5/ 3 0 0 0 Si 3 0 4/ 4 5/ 3 4/27 Q 5/ 3 Snowy Egret -- 5/ 3 0 0 0 5/ 3 0 0 . 0 0 5/ 3 0 0 0 0 4/ 7 Si 3 4/ 5 0 5/ 3 Am. Bittern -- 4/22 0 0 0 0 0 0 4/30 4/13 4/12 0 0 si 3 0 0 5/ 3 4/ 9 1 Glossy Ibis -- 4/19 0 0 0 0 0 0 4/i9 0 4/ 18 0 0 0 6 0 57 3 4/ 9 0 5 / 3 Broad -winged Hawk 4/22 4/25 4/27 — — 4/17 4/25 4/16 4/19 4/30 4/26 0 0 0 4/21 0 Si 3 ' 0 0 0 Semipalmated Plover -- 5/ 3 0 0 0 0 0 5/ 9 0 0 5/ 3 0 0 0 5/15 5/ 3 Si 3 0 0 Spotted Sandpiper 4/30 4/27 0 5/ 3 4/20 4/20 0 4/22 4/12 5/ 3 4/22 3/30 5/ 3 5/ 3 Si 3 4/20 Si 3 4/27 0 5 / 3 Solitary Sandpiper 5/ a 5/ 3 0 0 3/26 4/29 0 ,5/ 3 4/19 5/ 3 5/ 3 0 0 S 3 5/ 2 0 5/ 3 0 0 -- Greater Yellowlegs 4/ 8 4/26 0 0 5/ 3 4/29 0 4/22 4/ 6 5/ 3 4/ 5 0 0 5/ 3 ZfW 4/ 4 5/ 3 3/23 0 5/ 3 Lesser Yellowlegs — 5/ 1 0 0 5/ 3 5/ 1 0 0 4/2 5 0 4/29 0 0 5/ 3 — 4/20 5/ 3 0 0 Pectoral Sandpiper — * — 0 0 5/ 3 0 0 0 0 5/10 0 0 0 0 0 0 5/ 3 0 4/ 7 -- Least Sandpiper 5/ 3 0 0 5/ 3 5/ 3 0 5/ 9 5/ 3 5/10 5/ 3 0 0 5/ 3 -- 5/13 Si 3 0 0 -- Dunlin -- n 3 .ft . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3/25 0 0 0 5/20 5/13 5/ 3 0 0 5/3 Semipalmated Sandpiper — 5/ 3 0 0 0 5/ 2 0 5/ 1 0 0 5/ 3 0 0 5/ 3 5/n 5/13 5/ 3 0 0 Laughing Gull — 5/ 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4/23 Si 3 0 Si 3 4/12 4/19 Si 3 4/26 5/ 3 5/ "3 Bonaparte's Gull — -- ; S 0 0 4/ 5 0 0 3/30 0 4/ 3 0 0 0 0 3/17 — 0 0 -- Common Tern — Si 3 0 0 0 5/ 3 0 0 5/ 3 0 0 0 0 0 — 4/18 Si 3 4/26 0 5 / 3 Least Tern — 5/ 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5/ ? 0 0 3/ 3 0 5/13 5/ 3 0 0 5 / 3 Yellow -billed Cuckoo Si 4 5/ 3 4/27 3/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 4/26 5/ 2 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 6/l4 — 5/ 3 St 3 5/10 Black-billed Cuckoo 5/ 5 5/ 4 4/27 0 5/ 3 5/ 6 0 5/ 5 0 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5/10 Chuck-will's widow 5/ 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 4/2 6 0 4/29 Si 4 0 0 5/ 3 5/ 5 Si 3 4/27 4/28 5 / 9 Whip -poor -will 4/21 4/26 4/22 — 4/26 5/ 3 5/ 3 4/25 Si 3 4/27 4/24 4/19 0 Si 3 — 4/26 5 / 9 Com. Nighth&vk Si ? 5/ S 5/ 3 0 5A3 5/ 4 5/ 8 0 5 / 8 0 0 5/15 — 5/ 3 0 -- 5 > 9 Chimney Swift 4/15 4/i6 — 4/iB 4/19 4/14 — V29 4/13 4/11 4/16 4/ 6 4/16 -- TTY? "W 5/ 3 4/26 4/20 Ruby-thr. Hummingbird 4/30 5/ 3 — 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 2 -- 5/13 5/ 3 5/10 5/ 3 4/27 Si 3 4/27 4/29 4/27 5/ 3 4/27 -- 5/10 Yellow-shaft Flicker — 3/28 4/27 3/21 4/ l 3/18 — — 3/i6 4/ 8 3/25 4/ 6 Red -headed Woodpecker — 5/ 3 0 5/ 3 5/ 3 4/28 0 0 5/ 3 0 — 0 0 5/ 3 Si 3 5/14 0 0 5/10 Eastern Kingbird 4/26 4/28 4/27 5/ 3 3/ 3 4/24 -- 4/21 4/28 4/28 4/29 5/ 4 s( 3 4/28 4/23 4/18 5/ 3 4/26 5 / 3 5 / 3 Gt. Crested Flycatcher 4/20 5/ 3 5/ 3 573 5/ 3 T72S“ 5 / 3 5 / 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 Si 3 4/26 5 / 2 4/29 5/ 3 5/ 3 — 5 / 3 Acadian Flycatcher Si 4 5/ 3 — 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 2 5/ 3 4/27 -- — 4/28 5/ 3 — 5 / 3 — Traill's Flycatcher — — 0 0 5/17 5/31 0 — 5/10 — 0 ' 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Least Flycatcher — — — 5/ 3 0 5/17 0 5/10 5/14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 E. Wood Pewee 5/ t 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 — 5/ 3 — 5/ 5 5/ 3 Si 7. . .5/ 3 Igftl 4/28 -- 4/27 Si 1 ..-5/. 3.. -- 5 / 3 -- Bank Swallow 5/ 3 0 0 4/22 0 5/ 3 5/ 3 ^4726 4/22 4/13 0 5 / 3 Si 3 0 5/ 3 0 0 -- Rough -winged Swallow 4/l4 4/22 Si 3 5/ 3 4/20 4/15 -- 5/ 3 4/19 — 4/ 3 — -- 4/24 4/ 5 — Si 3 — -- — Bam Swallow 4/ 8 4/11 4/12 4/17 5/ 4 4/10 4/13 4/ 2 4/18 4/ll 4-/10 4/16 -- 3/31 4/ 4 -- 4/26 4/11 -- Purple Martin 3/2T 4/10 5/ 3 4/ll 5/ 3 4/ 7 4 / 5 5/10 4/ 6 4/ 9 4/12 4/11 — 4/ 5 3/22 Blue Jay 4/2? 4/24 4/27 — 4/19 4/29 4/19 — 4/21 4/29 — -** 4/10 House Wren 4/21 4/22 5/ 3 ' U/iS 4/18 V 15 4/27 5/ 2 T7l9 4/12 4/26 4/20 — 4/24 4/26 __ — Long-billed Marsh Wren 5/ 3 0 0 0 5/ 3 0 0 4/30 5/ 3 4 / 3 -- 0 0 5/ 3 0 5/ 3 4/26 0 -- Catbird 4/27 4/28 4/27 4/28 4/28 4/22 5/ 3 4/2 6 4/30 5/ 1 4/26 4/13 Si 3 5/ l 4/2^ 4/27 5/ 3 4/26 4/29 5 / 3 Brown Thrasher 4/ 7 4/ 8 5/ 3 4/15 4/ 8 4/ 3 4/ 7 3/29 4/ 1 4/ 8 3/22 -- 4/15 4/ 4 4/18 — 4./26 — Wood Thrush 4/25 4/30 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 4/17 4/3° 4/27 ?/ 7 _4/22_ 4/27 4/20 J>L JL ..5/. .3. _4/25_ 4/20 5 / 3 — 4/19 ?/ 3 U> MARYLAND BIKDLIFE Vol. 2 $, No Hermit Thrush 4/ 8 V 7 4/ 8 4/ 8 __ 4/14 3/23 4/17 Swains on's Thrush 5/ 6 -- 0 0 0 5/ 3 0 0 5/ 3 5/ 9 5/ 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -- Veery 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 -- — 4/29 -- 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 4 5/ 3 -- 0 5/15 0 0 0 0 — Blue -gray Gnatcatcher Vi 4 4/ll 5/ 3 — 4/20 4/11 — 4/ 9 4/ii 4/il 4/24 4/13 -- — 4/11 -- — 4/26 4/11 -- Bub y -crowned Kinglet 4/12 b/lf — 4/10 V8 -- 4/19 — 4/13 4/ 8 4/ 6 Cedar Waxwing — 4/24 4/27 5/ 3 5/ 3 4/16 4/21 5/ 3 — 4/;i ; 4/ 6 — — 3/31 5/ 3 Loggerhead Shrike -- 3/20 0 5/ 3 0 3/21 c 0 3/ 8 0 a /11 3/23 0 0 3/18 0 — — 0 -- White-eyed Vireo 4/26 4/29 0 0 -- 4/26 5/ 3 4/19 5/ 3 4/19 4/29 4/20 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 6 4/20 5/ 3 4/26 4/24 5 / 3 Yellow -throated Vireo 4/26 4/29 — 5/ 3 5/ 3 4/26 5/ 3 4/29 4/19 4/26 4/26 4/26 -- 5/ 3 5/ 3 — 5/ 3 — — 4/21 Solitary Vireo 4/26 0 0 0 4/27 0 bjk 0 0 4/ 8 0 0 0 4/26 0 0 c 0 0 Red -eyed Vireo 4 / 28 ”" 5/ l 4/27 5/ 3 5/ 3 4/29 5/ 3 5/ 1 5/ 1 “4725“ 4/26 " 4/2 '' 17~F 5/ 3 4/27 5/ 3 5/ 3 — 4 '26 5 ■' 3 Warbling Vireo 5/ 2 5/ 3 -- 5/ 3 4/27 5/ 3 5/ 3 0 5/ 3 0 4/26 0 4/28 5/ 3 5/ 3 -- 0 0 0 0 Black-Si -white Warbler 4/22 4/20 -- 5/ 3 4/22 -- 4/19 5/ 3 4/ 8 4/26 4/ 8 -- 5/ 3 4/18 5/ 3 5/ 3 -- 4/11 — Prothonotary Warbler 4/26 5/ 3 5/ 3 0 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 0 4/19 5/ l 5/ 3 0 0 5/ 3 4/18 5/ 3 5/ 3 0 4/20 4 /21 Worm-eating Warbler 5/ 2 ? — 5/ 3 4/29 -- 4/28 5/ 3 4/2 6 5/ 3 0 0 & X 3... 0 5/ 3 0 5 / 5 5 / 3 Golden -winged Warbler -- -- — 5/ 3 0 0 0 5 / 3 5/ 3 0 5/ 3 0 0 0 0 a 0 d 0 0 Blue -winged Warbler 5/ 3 5/ 3 0 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 2 — 0 5/ 3 5/ 5 5/ 3 0 0 5/ 3 4/29 4/20 0 h & 0 4/21 Tennessee Warbler 5/11 0 0 0 5/10 V 5/n -- 5/ 3 5/14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 -'ll Nashville Warhler — 0 0 4/29 5/ 1 0 0 0 0 5/ 3 0 0 0 0 0 5/ 3 0 & 0 Parula Warbler 4/25 4/29 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 4/22 5^ 3 4/29 4/12 ,4/19- 4/26 4/13 5/. 3 -- 4 .'24 JX 41 — -- 4/21 Yellow Warbler 4/27 5/ 3 5/ 3 4/28 4/27 5/ 3 5/ T 4/19 5/ 3 5/ 3 4/19 5/ 3 4 / 15 " 5/ 3 4/26 5/ 3 "4/25 -- 5 1 3 Magnolia Warbler 5/ 4 5/ 3 0 5/ 3 0 5/ 3 O' 5/13 5/ 3 - 5/ 3 0 0 0 5/ 3 5/13 0 0 0 5/ 3 Cape May Warbler 5/ 4 5/ 3 0 0 5/ 3 5/ 3 0 5/ 5 5/ 3 5/ 2 5/ 4 0 0 0 0 5/ 3 0 0 0 0 Black -thr. Blue Warb. 5/ 2 5/ 3 0 0 5/ 3 4/30 0 5/ 8 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 -- 0 5/ 3 5/ 3 0 0 : 0 0 0 Myrtle Warbler 4/16 4/27 4/27 -- 5/ 3 4/22 5/ 3 5/ 3 Xjj_ 4/29 4/27 4/13 4/27 5/ 3 — 4/26 Black -thr. Green Warb. 5/ 2 5/ 3 -- -- 0 4/23 0 0 5/ 3 T72T 5/ 3 0 0 0 5/ 3 0 0 0 0 5' 1 3 Cerulean Warbler 5/ 3 5/ 3 — -- 5/ 3 — 5/ 3 -- 4/19 5/ 3 5/ 3 0 5/ 3 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0 Blackburnian Warbler 5/ 4 5/ 3 — 0 5/ 7 4/27 0 5/ 5 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 0 0 0 5/13 0 0 0 0 0 Yellow -throated Warb. 4/19 0 0 0 0 5/ 3 0 4/19 0 4/ 8 4/ 5 0 0 5/ 3 Chestnut -sided Warbler 5/ 4 5/ 3 5/ 3 — 5/ * 5/ 3 0 -- Xi — 41 1 0 0 xx_ 0 0 0 0 0 Blackpoll Warbler 5/^ 5/ 4 0 0 XX 5/ 2 0 5 / 4 5 / 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 7 0 f ■ 5 / 8 3 5/ 3 0 5' 4 5ao Pine Warbler 3/30 4/18 5/ 3 5/ 3 0 5/ 3 0 4/28 0 3/25 4/13 4/ 6 0 -- 4/ 3 — 4/11 4/26 — Prairie Warbler 4/25 4/26 5/ 3 -- 4/20 5/ 3 4/18 4/19 4/28 4/26 4/26 — 4 "]4 ! 4/19 5/ 3 5/ 3 4/26 4 ' 24 -- Palm Warbler 4/13 0 0 0 4/ 8 0 4/l4 4/ 9 -- 4/13 0 0 4/l4 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ovenbird 4/27 4/26 4/27 -- 5/ 3 4/20 5/ 3 4/27 4/19 4/19 4/26 4/26 5/ 3 — 4/16 XL 5 / 3 4/26 4/17 5- 3 Northern Waterthrush 5/ 2 5/ 3 0 0 5/ 3 4/20 0 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 0 0 0 5/ 3 5/ 3 0 0 0 Louisiana Waterthrush 4/14 4/10 — — 4/18 4/ 8 -- 4/ 6 4/19 4/13 4/ 7 4/ 6 5/ 3 — 4/ 9 -- 4/11 — 4/ 9 4/21 Kentucky Warbler 5/ 3 5/ 3 — 5/ 3 4/30 4/28 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 1 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 4/24 5/ 3 5/ 3 4/26 Yellowthroat 4/21 4/20 5/ 3 5/ 3 4/22 4/13 4/28 5/ 3 4/19 4/20 4/ 8 4/19 -- 5/ 2 4/l6 4/l8 4/ll 4/ 9 "*■ Yellow-breasted Chat 5/ 2 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 2 5/ 3 5/18 5/ 4 5/10 iZ 4 ;/i, -- — XX -- 5 7 3 — 5*10 Hooded Warbler 4/29 ^730^ 5/ 3 4/22 5/ 3 5/ 3 4/19 4/26 4/19 — 5/ 3 5/ 3 0 0 0 4/21 Wilson's Warbler 5/n 0 0 0 5/13 0 5/10 5/ 5 5/11 0 0 0 5/15 0 0 0 0 0 Canada Warbler 5/"i 5/ 8 0 0 0 5/ 3 0 5/ 8 5/10 5/ 3 5/ 3 — 0 0 5/14 0 0 0 0 5/11 American Redstart 4/29 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 4/22 5/ 3 5/ 6 5/ 3 4/20 4/26 4/26 5/ 3 — 5/ 6 — 5/ 3 — -- 4 -'21 Bobolink 5 / 6 0 0 0 ?/ 8 0 0 — 5/ 2 ji/k. 0 0 0 4/29 0 0 0 0 0 Orchard Oriole 57^ ITT - 0 5/ 3 5/ 3 4/26 5/ 3 5/ 1 5/ 3 5/ 1 T?29 4/26 "5730" 4/21 V25 5/18 5/ 3 4/27 — Baltimore Oriole 4/30 4/30 4/27 5/ 2 4/18 4/20 4/29 5/ l 4/19 5/ 3 4/27 5 / 3 4/30 5/ 8 4/27 5/ 3 0 0 5 / l -- Scarlet Tanager 4/28 5/ 1 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 4/22 — 4/26 4/19 4/29 4/26 5 / 3 4/26 5/ 3 4/27 5/ 3 5/ 3 -- 4 '26 5' 3 Summer Tanager 5/ 3 5/ 3 0 5/ 3 0 0 0 0 5/ 4 — 5/ 8 5/22 0 0 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 Rose -breasted Grosbeak 5/ V ?/ 3 5/ 3 ?/ 3 0 4/29 0 5/25 5/ 3 5/ii 0 0 0 ?/. 3 0 0 0 — Blue Grosbeak 4/3^~ 5/ 3 0 0 0 0 — 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 8 0 5/ 2 T72T 5/ 3 5/ 3 Indigo Bunting 5/ 1 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 4/27 5/ 1 5/ 3 4/30 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 — 5/ 1 5/ 3 5/ 3 — 5 / 3 -- Savannah Sparrow 3/30 0 0 4/20 4/ 9 0 0 3/17 — 3/15 4/ 6 0 4/27 5/ 3 3 ; 23 — -- Grasshopper Sparrow 4/30 5/ 3 — 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 -- 5/ 3 4/30 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ 3 -- -- White -crowned Sparrow 5/ 4 5/ 3 4/27 5/ 3 5/..X 4/28 0 4/28 4/1$ 5/1-4 0 0 0 5/.. 3- XX 5/ 3 0 0 0 0 September 1969 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 96 MARYLAND BIRDLUFE Vol. 25 3 No. 3 Table 2. Spring Departure Dates, 19 69 Median Species 10 -yr 1969 Common Loon -ftf 9 5/ 8 Homed Grebe — 4/20 Double -cr. Cormorant Whistling Swan 4/21 5 / 6 Canada Goose 4/30 5 / 3 Fred Balt - 5/ 8 0 4/22 0 0 5/95/2 3/ 3. 5/ 3 Hovd Mont 0 4/22 3/26 0 0 0 4/13 .3/1.6 3/20 Pr.G Anne 0 0 0 0 0 4/11 3/19 5/ 3 Calv : Cecl 0 5/ 3 Kent Caro ‘ 0 3/23 0 0 0 5/21 3/21 5/13 5/ 5 Talt Pore 5/30 5/ 3 5/30 5/ 3 5/30 5/ 3 5/30 5/14 5/30 5 / 1 * Somr Wore 4/28 5/14 4/27 5/14 4/27 5/14 Pintail - 4/ 5 0 0 0 — -- V 5 — 5/1^ — 4/ 4 5/3 5/14 — — Green -winged Teal — 4/20 0 0 0 — - 4/ 3 — — 5 / 34/3 4/20 5/l4 -- — American Widgeon - 4/30 0 4/12 0 4/30 - 5/ 3 4/13 5 / 34/4 -- 5/25 — -- Ring -necked Duck — 4/12 4/13 4/12 0 -- 5/14 0 0 3/16 - 4/19 0 3/£3 -- Lesser Scaup Duck - 4/18 0 0 4/22 3/26 0 3/15 0 ■ 4/13 -- 0 5/55/3 0 -- Bufflehead — 4/22 0 4/22 4/22 -- 0 5/ 3 0 3/27 0 5/!5 -- 0 — Oldsquaw -- 0 4/22 0 0 0 4/ 3 0 0 — 0 5/ 5 — 0 — Ruddy Duck — 0 4/22 0 0 0 — 0 0 5/ 3 0 5/25 5/ 3 0 — Hooded Merganser - 4/13 4/13 0 4/ 1 -- 5/ 3 0 0 3/16 5/ 3 0 0 -- 0 — Common Merganser - 4/29 - 4/ 7 4/29 4/ 6 -- 5/3 0 ?/ 3 0 — 0 — 0 0 American Coot - 5/ 3 0 5/ 3 0 5T3 5/ 3 ~ — 5/ 3 5/ 3 0 -- Semipalmated Plover ■T> 5/27 0 0 5/27 0 0 0 0 0 : 5/22 5/31 5/25 0 6/13 Black-belly Plover -- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ; >/25 5/25 5/1* 0 5/1* Common Snipe 5 / 25/3 5/3 0 0 5/14 5/55/3 0 0 5 / 35/3 4/20 — 4/27 5/ 3 Spotted Sandpiper - 5/21 - 5/31 5/27 5/21 - 5/io 5/13 Solitary Sandpiper - 5/17 5/27 5/10 0 0 -- — 0 -- 0 5/11 Greater Yellovlegs - 5/ 2 0 0 0 -- 5/30 5/25 — 5/14 Least Sandpiper - 5/19 5/27 5/19 -- 0 0 -- 5/13 5/25 0 5/14 Dunlin -- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 : 5/20 5/13 5/25 0 5/14 Semipalmated Sandp. - 5/24 0 5/17 5/31 '0 0 — 0 ■ 0 5/24 5/30 5/25 — 5/i* Gt. Blk -backed Gull - 5/ 8 0 0 0 0 0 5/14 — 4/13 5/ 3 5/31 5/ 3 5/1* Ring -billed Gull - 5/ 3 -- 5/ 3 — 5/14 5/ 3 5 / 35/3 5/31 5/14 4/27 5/1* Bonaparte ' s Gull - 5/10 05/3 0 0 5/ 3 0 0 0 0 5/30 5/14 0 5/10 Yellow -belL Sapsucker4£4 -- - 5/ 3 - 5/ 3 - 4 / 3 Blue Jay 5/14 6/ 4 - 6/ 8 6/ 6 5/31 H 7 5/31 6/ l Red-breasted Nuthatch — 5/ 4 5/35/5 5/ 3 V25 5/13 - 6/ 1 -- 5 / 3 5/12 5/ 3 — — 5/10 Brown Creeper 4/22 4/13 - 4/ a; 4/ 6 5 / 3 - 4/ 8 4/21 4/13 — 4/20 Winter Wren — 4/23 5/ l 4/27 4/13 Hermit Thrush 4/28 4/28 - 5/ l — 4/ 8 - 5/ 3 4/26 -- 5 / 3 4/17 Swainson's Thrush 5/24 - 0 5/18 0 5/2* 5/30 5/21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -- Gray-cheeked Thrush 0 5/31 0 6/5 5/16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Veery - 5/15 - 5/20 — 5/14 5/22 - 5/14 — 0 1 5/16 0 0 0 5/10 Golden-cr. Kinglet 4/11 4/io - 4/l4 -- 5/ 3 4/ 3 4/26 4/ 6 3/21 Ruby-crown. Kinglet 5 / 25/3 5/ 3 5/ 3 4/19 5/ 3 - 5 / 8 4/26 -- 5 / 35/1 Cedar Waxwing - 5/21 - 6/ 4 5/24 5/21 5/27 4/20 ?/ 5 — — 5/10 Blue -winged Warbler 5/6 -- 5/13 0 0 0 5/ * 5/ 5 0 0 5/ 6 Magnolia Warbler 5/19 5/16 0 5/17 5/13 5/17 - 5/31 0 0 0 ; 5/16 5/13 0 0 Cape May Warbler 5/10 — - 5/17 -- 5/14 - 5/18 0 0 0 0 5/ 5 0 0 0 Black -thr. Blue W. 5/14 5/14 - 5/25 — 5/14 5/i4 5/15 5/n 0 5/ 6 0 0 0 0 Myrtle Warbler 5/10 5/13 - 5/17 .5/ 5 5/21 5/14 5/17 5 / 3 -- — 4/27 5/10 Black -thr. Green W. 5/11 - 6 5/15 0 5/21 - 0 0 0 1 5/i5 0 0 0 — Blackburnian Warb, ~ 5/15 - 5/15 — 5/14 6/ 7 5/18 0 0 0 : 5/13 0 0 0 0 Chestnut -sided W, 5/13 5/15 - 5/15 5/24 5/14 5/1* 5/15 0 0 0 ! 5/15 0 0 0 0 Bay-breasted Warb. -- 0 0 0 5/21 5/10 5/21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Blaekpoll Warbler 5/28 5/26 5/30 5/31 -- 5/26 5/26 6/ 4 5/22 0 , 1 °, ■ 5/ 8 5/30 -- 0 5/11 Palm Warbler 5 / 4 4/22 0 y/ T 4/14 5 / 4 4/29 4/13 0 0 4-i4 0 0 0 0 0 North. Waterthrush 5 / 1 ? 5/21 - 5/18 -- 5/24 5/25 5/24 0 0 0 : 5/18 5/21 0 0 5/11 Mourning Warbler -- © 5/30 0 5/26 5/25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Wilson's Warbler - 5/17 0 5/18 5/1 6 5/26 5/24 5/16 0 0 0 1 5/15 a 0 0 0 Canada Warbler 5/20 5/23 0 5/16 — ?/23 5/27 - 5/ 2 5 0 0 : 5/16 0 0 0 -- Bobolink 5/16 - 5 5/2CT 0 573T 5/14 -- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Rusty Blackbird - 4/24 — 4/17 -- 5/ 3 5/ 3 4/27 4/20 — 3/ 7 Evening Grosbeak 5/ 6 5 / 5 S'/ 3 5/29 5/ 3 5/ 3 5/ l 5/15 5/ 7 0 5 / 5 5/15 5/55/3 4/27 5/11 Rose-br. Grosbeak 5/12 5/11 0 5/22 5/25 5/21 5/ 8 5/11 0 0 0 — 5/ 5 0 0 5/11 Purple Finch 5/35/3 5/35/6 5/35/3 - 5/ 3 4/25 0 5 / 35/1 5/ 3 0