ISSN 0147-9725 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Suffztui of tfis <^A/\axij[anA £)xnLt(io[ocj Lca[ oc.U.bj, fjnc. SEPTEMBER 1981 VOLUME 37 NUMBER 3 MARYLAND ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY, INC. Cylburn Mansion, 4915 Greenspring Ave • , Baltimore, Maryland 21209 STATE OFFICERS FOR MAY 9, 1981 TO MAY 8, 1982 President: Mr. John Cullora, 437 Paradise Rd . , Baltimore 21228 747-5870 First V.P.: Miss Martha Chestem, 10850 Faulkner Ridge Cir . , Columbia 730-1527 Second V.P.: Mr. James Stasz, RD 1, Box 70, Marion Station 21838 Treasurer: Mr. W. Gordon MacGregor, 5009 Greenleaf Rd . , Balto 21210 435-3044 Secretary: Mrs. Helen Ford, 408 Beach Drive, Annapolis 21403 267-8417 Exec. Secy: Mrs. Lettle Cullom, 437 Paradise Rd ■ , Baltimore 21228 747-5870 EXECUTIVE COUNCIL Mrs. Emily Joyce 1550 Ellsworth Ave., Crofton MD 21114 721-2339 Mrs. Joy Wheeler 531 Hampton Lane, Baltimore MD 21204 825-1204 Mrs. Geraldine Newton 5607 Woodhaven Court, Sykesville MD 21784 795-0664 Mr. Michael McClure 12237 Mt . Albert Rd . , Ellicott City MD 21043 531-6170 Mrs. Lola Oberman 6606 Melody Lane, Bethesda MD 20817 365-1058 Mrs. Virginia Kuykendall 9200 Good Luck Rd . , Seabrook MD 20801 459-0213 Mr . Cameron Lewis 1908 Applewood Rd . , Hagerstown MD 21740 791-2 516 STATE DIRECTORS Allegany : *Mr • Kendrick Hodgdon Mr. Robert Heigel Anne Arundel: *Mr . James W. Cheevers Miss Dorothy Mumford Miss Rhonda Brown Baltimore : *Mrs * Daniel B. Wheeler Mr . Robert Ringlet Mrs. Jean Worthley Dr . Roger Herriott Mrs. Martin Larrabee Dr . Philip Creighton Mr . Frank Bien Dr . Alan Ross Caroline: *Mr . Oliver Smith Mr. V. Edwin Unger Carroll: *Mrs . Geraldine Newton Dr. William Ellis Frederick: *Mr . John Helm III Mr . Kennedy Maize Harford : *Mr • Ellis Porter Capt . Lucille Wilson Mr . Eldred Johnson Howard : *Mr . Michael McClure Mr . Max Casper Mr . Paul Zucker Kent : *Mrs . Pat Wilson Mrs . Dorothy Mendinhall Montgomery : *Mrs . Lola Oberman Mr. Philip A. DuMont Mrs . Minette McCullough Mrs . Margaret Donnald Patuxent : *Mrs . Virginia Kuykendall Mr. Chandler S. Robbins Talbot : *Rev . Ivan Morrin Mrs. Lucille Spain Dr. Robert Trevor Washington : *Mr . Cameron Lewis Mrs . Norma Lewis Mrs . Dennie Winger Wicomico : *Mr . Hugh Hanson Mr. Karl Zickrick * Denotes Chapter President Active Membership (adults) Student Membership (full-time students) Junior Membership (under 18 years) Family Membership (Mr. & Mrs.) Sustaining Membership Life Membership Member -a t-Large 5.00 plus local chapter dues 2.00 plus local chapter dues 1.00 plus local chapter dues 6.00 plus local chapter dues 10.00 plus local chapter dues 200.00 (4 annual installments) 5.00 Cover: Nest of Cliff Swallow inside barn (see page 122). Photo by Nancy D. Rowe. MARYLAND BIRDLIFE l>. Volume 37 September 19 8l Number 3 COMMON GALLINULE BREEDING IN HOWARD COUNTY Joanne K. Solem On June l8, 1981, Paul Leifer discovered a nest with 8 eggs in edge vegetation in a pond within the harness racing track at the Laurel Race- way. He could not identify the species definitely, so he returned on June 21 with other individuals. The following observers stationed them- selves along the north and east edge of the pond while Paul made his way to the nest: G. Gantt, D. Mignogno, R. Patterson, J. Solem, and H. Wier- enga. Within a minute or two a Common Gallinule (Galt'inula chloropus) emerged at the pond edge and alternately flew and walked until it reached the track. It walked across the track and stayed there until a horse and sulky exercising on the track frightened it over the guard rail and out of sight. The nest still contained 8 eggs which were slightly warm. Their ground color was a creamy tan with purplish specks and blotches fairly evenly distributed. The eggs were a little more pointed at one end and were not arranged in any particular fashion in the nest. Robert Patterson measured each egg and found that they ranged from U.7 x 3.2 cm to 5*0 x 3.1 cm. The nest was constructed of last year's Narrow-leaved Cattail (Typha angusti. folia) leaves with some thin willow twigs (Satix sp.) in the base for support. The inside diameter of the circular nest was l6 cm with a maximum 6 cm depth. The height above water to the rim of the nest was 32 cm, and the compact mass of material measured about 15 cm in height. Duck Pondweed was floating nearby and the nest was surrounded by and anchored to Narrow-leaved Cattails. Subsequent visits yielded the following information on hatching: July 2 - 5=00 p.m. 8 eggs with cracks in 1 egg. July 3-2 chicks in the nest and U eggs, one of which was pipped. July k - 3 young in the water; 2 chicks in the nest (they subsequent- ly climbed into the water); 3 eggs remained, 1 of which was pipped. July 5 - noon. Paul saw no chicks, but heard several "plops" as of chicks dropping into the water. He observed 1 adult. The nest contained 2 eggs, 1 of which was pipped. July 6-1 chick was still in the nest. The nest was empty of shells and eggs. One adult was in the area vocalizing. The Laurel Raceway is located on U.S. Route 1 just north of Laurel, barely east of the Fall Line. 10617 Graeloch Road, Laurel, Maryland 20707 92 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 37 , No. 3 STATE-WIDE BIRD COUNT, MAY 5, 1979 David W. Holmes 'Tis the night before May Count And all through the state All the birders are wond'ring Why they're up so late. We have tapes and recorders , Binoculars , scopes. We have food and drink planned for And wildly high hopes. For while starting at dawn Is accepted convention, Owls , rails , and goatsuckers Need prior attention. Meeting places are set. We have land permissions Our organization Defies description. Our maps are all ready. Our check lists are set We've cameras and film, And boots for the wet. Clock’s set for 3:30. By midnight, we’re dead. Hoots , whistles , and squawks Now fly through my head. Our books include Robbins Pough Waterbird Guides , East Peterson, West, European besides. We wake up at 8! The alarm didn't ring? How could one forget To turn on the thing ! This bit of doggerel chronicles (with slight exaggeration — we actu- ally were up by six) one party's efforts to begin the descent into the swamps for another May Count. May the final verse never apply to you! Apparently, other parties had a few more wits about them, as seven counties reported pre^dawn starting times. But, birding then was a mixed pleasure since weather reports ranged from "cold" to "rainy.” Most reports mentioned a cool, clear, and breezy morning, becoming quite beau- tiful by afternoon when the birds go into hiding. A weak cold front had taken almost two full days to move through Maryland — finally leaving the state about dawn on May Count day so winds were not conducive to waves of spring migrants. If only it had been fall! However, the 339 birders did not seem to be discouraged. And the species total of 252 ties the previously reported high. The individual bird tally of 135 ,391 was average or below compared with number of party-hours in previous years. Birds were being counted somewhere in the state from 12:01 a.ra. until 11:00 p.m. Could there be a good reason for the lack of activity during that final hour? The county list totals need no explanation. If one has variety of habitat and enough observers, one compiles a big list (Dorchester County being the standard exception). No reports were submitted from Harford, Cecil, or Talbot Counties. The commercials for future improvements are fairly simple this year. This count may be made useful only if the participants keep track of party-hours. Comparisons between numbers of birds in different years reflect both numbers of birds and amount of effort. The most significant work that can be done with May Count results deals with summer resident September 1981 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 93 species that arrive before the first of May. Very direct comparisons can be made from year to year and conclusions can be drawn when the amount of effort can be taken into account. The migrant comparisons are of interest in determining the progress of that year's passage, and if correlated with weather conditions over many years, to study weather effects. Statistic- ally, other migrant comparisons are nearly impossible. Table 1. Summary of Observers and Species by Counties County No. of Obs. Species County No. of Obs. Species Baltimore 26 185 Howard 41 124 Kent 14 160 Queen Annes 3 123 Montgomery 67 158 Worcester 6 114 Prince Georges 18 157 Charles 8 111 Washington 27 155 Frederick 12 96 Anne Arundel 16 143 Wicomico 7 94 Caroline 39 136 St. Marys 2 86 Dorchester 2 135 Somerset 4 74 Garrett 21 130 Calvert 1 72 Allegany 23 124 Carroll 2 40 The other point that frustrated this year's compiler was the lack of details for unusual species. Charles Mullican in Frederick County and Henry Armistead in Dorchester County submitted complete descriptions of unusual birds seen on their respective counts. "Complete" means every thing the observer heard and saw: the viewing conditions, plumage char- acters, size, shape, any comparisons that could be made, and what the bird was doing when observed. This is not only appreciated; it is use- ful documentation of an out-of-the-ord inary occurrence. There was no question this time about the identification of any of the birds des- cribed; but there could be, and it is often helpful to be able to get additional opinions. The compilers for Garrett, Allegany, Montgomery, and Prince Georges Counties included at least some notice that a bird was unusual. It is nice to know a bird was "well seen" and who saw it, but often this in- formation does not answer enough questions. I have seen every birder I know make a mistake. The complete field notes produce confidence at both ends. Some birds for which this compiler would have liked field details are: Red-necked Grebe, Greater Scaup, Cooper's Hawk (because they are hard), Northern Phalarope , Black-headed Gull, Least and Willow Flycat- chers, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Philadelphia Vireo , Orange-crowned War- bler, Rusty Blackbird below the Piedmont, Pine Siskin, Fox and Lincoln's Sparrows. Tree Sparrow reports MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY THE BIRD to be believed! (Photo OK.) Some year, one may actually be here, but this bird on a May Count needs additional verification. From the birders' point of view, it was a nice May Count. The weather was mostly pleasant, birds were around although nowhere in 94 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 37, No. 3 great numbers, and a few rarities were turned up. It was a very average migration when compared with other years; the most notable occurrence was the combination of lingerers (look at the duck list) and early birds, which combined beautifully for our high species total. Just for interest look at which species were reported in numbers of fewer than ten and more' than 1,000. No species trends present themselves in that listing, but it is fun — like the day itself. And next year? Maybe we will really get up at 3:30 as planned. It would be interesting to do it — once. SUMMARY OF COVERAGE, BY COUNTIES GARRETT COUNTY (Garr.) 21 observers. 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. David, Hillel, and Seth Brandes, Marty Cook, Drew Ferrier, Charlotte and Dan Folk, Shiela Hughes, Annie and Grace Lichty, Bill and Nancy Neraith, Bill Pope, Fran Pope (compiler), Sallie Thayer, Bradley and Gary Yoder, Daisy, John, and Sam Yoder. ALLEGANY (Alle.) 23 observers. 5:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Brian Bucy, William Devlin, John and Myrna Eiser, Carl and Doris Ferguson, Charlotte Folk, Florence Giffin, Ethel and Robert Hiegel, Jon Jansen, Gail Malamphy, Dorothea Malec (compiler), Marc Malec, Paul Nazelrod, James Paulus, John Pfeiffer, Ann and T. Paul Smith, Mary Twigg, James Wilkinson, John Willetts, and Harriet Williams. WASHINGTON (Wash.) 27 observers. Laura Arant, Genevieve Beck, Dan Boone, Mr. and Mrs. Buterbaugh, Ross and Mary Corderraan, Don and Frances Cutchall, Barbara Dowell, Chuck Dupree, Steve Gniadek, Carl and Jeanette Hull, Robert and Mary Needy, Cam and Norma Lewis, Dave Patterson, Dorothy Ridenour, Doris Ruthraff, Susan Sindt, Janet Sponaugle, Marlin and Bertie Thurmond, and one unknown ob- server. FREDERICK (Fred.) 12 observers. Norman Chamberlain, Howard and Phyllis Hodge, Carolyn and Kennedy Maize, William Meredith, Charles Mullican (compiler), John and Ruth Richards, William Shirey, Linda Smith, and David Wallace. MONTGOMERY (Mont.) 67 observers. 5:00 a.m. to 8:40 p.m. John Bazuin, Jr., Louise Berry, Chip Bonde , Larry Bonham, Rich Bray (com- piler), Jeremy Browne, Bob and Ellen Caswell, Pixie Christy, Dick Cleve- land, Alice and Paris Coleman, Don and Margaret Donnald, Bill Eliot, Glen Funkhauser, Heather, Mary, Robert and Tony Futcher, 0. Jerome Glass, Gregory Gough, Delores Grant, Bob Hahn, Malcolm Hodgdon, Harry Hogan, Linda Hollenberg, Les Holtschlag, Marylin Hopkins, Vince Jones, Stella Koch, Manuel Lerdau, Nancy and Stuart MacClintock, Jack Mahool, Louise Marsh, Donald and Mieke Mehlman, Helen Meleny, Ed Mirsky, Ann Mitchell, Harvey and Marion Mudd, Lola Oberman, Jo Osterhaus, Albert and Hattie Parks, Cynthia Penland, Ella Pfeiffer, Aline Pinkard, Irene Ritch, Cherly and Leslie Roslund, Cecile Roth, Nick Schliapin, Peter Steinbach, Jean Steinberg, Margaret Sickels, Wayne Sieck, Grace Sims, Jeff Smith, John Weske, Claudia Wilds, Jeannie Wilkins, Frank Witebsky , Ann Wonnscott, and Paul Woodward. Table 2. Statewide Bird Count, May 5, 1979 Species Garr Alle Wash Fred Mont Howa Carr Balt AnAr Pr.G Char Cal V St. M Kent QuAn Caro Dorc Wico Somr Wore TOTAL Common Loon 15 1 1 _ 1 1 5 1 1 _ 3 3 2 _ 3 _ 37 Red -necked Grebe - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 Horned Grebe 3 - - - - 1 - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - 5 Pled-bllled Grebe 1 - - - - - - - 1 2 * Northern Gannet 17 171 Double-cr. Cormorant - - - - i - 1 9 22 - 11 - 140 4 - - 45 - - 500+ 733+ Great Blue Heron - - 1 2 4 2 - 27 19 19 55 - 2 30 11 21 27 2 5 1 22S| Green Heron 4 5 17 4 19 8 - 35 9 17 1 1 3 5 7 6 14 3 13 10 181 Little Blue Heron - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - 1 Cattle Eg ret - - - - - - - - 3 - 3 7 2 3 4 3 4 6 15 6 56 Great Egret - - - - - - - - 1 - 1 - 1 1 - - 23 - - 3 30 Snowy Egret - - - - - - - - 2 - - - 2 - 1 - 20 - 11 10 47 Louisiana Heron - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 - - - 1 4 Blk-cr. Night Heron - - 1 - 1 - - 4 - 1 - - - - - - 1 - - - 8 Yellow-cr. Nt. Heron - - 1 - 1 - - 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - 4 Least Bittern - - - - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - 2 - - - 3 American Bittern - - - 2 1 - - 1 1 1 - 6 Glossy Ibis - - - - 2 - - - - - - - - - - - 2 - 1 7 12 Mute Swan - - - 1 - - - - - - - - - 10 1 - - - - - 12 Whistling Swan 3 1 - - - - - 4 Canada Goose 2 - 21 4 20 27 - 16 1 130 11 - - 352 18 1 75 - 19 15 712 Snow Goose - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - - 1 - 2 Mallard 26 16 118 12 119 108 - 255 37 42 8 - 6 120 32 29 25 3 13 6 975 Am. Black Duck - - 4 - 11 - - 8 9 11 1 - 4 8 15 8 35 9 2 2 127 Gad wall - - ■ - - - - - 3 - 8 - - - - - - 7 - - - 18 Common Pintail - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - 1 Green-winged Teal - - - - - - - - - 5 - - - - - - 8 - - 13 Blue-winged Teal 6 - 2 - 24 - - 11 - 18 2 - 2 1 - - 30 - - 96 American Wlgeon 5 5 Wood Duck 31 51 132 9 100 12 - 82 17 39 5 - - 6 - 21 4 1 - 1 511 Red head 1 1 Ring -necked Duck - 4 1 - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - - - 6 Canvasback - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 - - - - 3 Greater Scaup - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 - - - - - 2 Lesser Scaup 1 4 1 1 - - - - 6 - 1 - - - - - - - - - 23 Buf flehead 2 - - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - - 3 Old squaw 1 1 White-winged Scoter 1 1 Ruddy Duck 5 - - - - - - 1 - - - - - 2 - - - - - 8 Common Merganser - - - - 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 B o' (D >1 VO oo vO Ui BIRDLIFE Table 2 (cont.). Statewide Bird Count, May 5, 1979 vc O' Species Carr Alle Wash Fred Mont Howa Carr Balt AnAr Pr.G Char Calv St.M Kent QuAn Caro Dorc Wico Somr Wore TOTAL Red-br. Merganser _ _ 1 _ 1 _ _ 2 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - - 4 Turkey Vulture 19 17 115 36 123 81 1 80 5 30 12 4 5 94 111 275 40 55 32 12 1149 Black Vulture - 1 2 3 25 2 - 4 - 1 3 - 2 15 3 2 1 - - 1 65 Sharp-shinned Hawk - 2 3 2 1 1 1 8 4 2 1 - - 1 1 2 1 - - - 30 Cooper's Hawk 2 - 3 - - - - 1 1 1 8 Red-tailed Hawk 1 6 10 1 23 10 - 4 3 8 5 1 1 13 6 6 4 2 1 1 106 Red-shoulder. Hawk 1 - 2 10 33 31 - 15 15 14 3 1 - 1 1 2 - - - - 129 Broad-winged Hawk 3 21 25 2 6 3 4 8 1 2 1 - - 1 1 - - - - - 78 Golden Eagle - - - - “ “ - - “ “ 1 “ " 1 Bald Eagle 1 - - - 1 - - - - 2 1 - - 5 - - 10 - - 1 18 Northern Harrier 1 2 2 1 1 1 - 4 - 1 - 1 - - - 2 4 - 2 - 22 Osprey 1 7 7 7 17 2 1 18 11 7 12 1 10 23 21 6 35 2 5 9 202 Peregrine Falcon - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - “ “ ~ “ " ~ 1 Merlin - - - - 1 - - 1 - - - 1 /- 2 - - “ “ “ 1 6 American Kestrel 5 4 15 9 7 5 - 19 2 6 - 1 ■' 2 1 2 3 - - - 1 82 Ruffed Grouse 8 3 11 22 Bobwhite - 5 20 - 33 11 - 52 29 31 5 6 7 36 8 85 20 10 9 3 370 Ring-neck. Pheasant - - 25 12 6 17 - 49 1 110 Wild Turkey 3 1 - - 1 - - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - 6 King Rail - 1 “ - - - 2 - “ 2 5 3 * 13 Clapper Rail 1 1 Virginia Rail - - - - - - - 9 12 1 - - - 7 - 1 41 “ 71 Sora - - - - - - 6 2 - - 2 - 10 - “ 20 Black Rail - - - - - - - 1 1 - - - - - - - 6 - - - 8 Common Gallinule - - - - - - - 5 - 2 - - - - - - 2 - - - 9 American Coot 2 - - - - - - 1 2 4 - - 1 - - - - - - - 10 Am. Oystercatcher - 15 15 Semipalmated Plover - - - - - - - - 1 6 - - - 52 - 1 5 18 - 1 84 Killdeer 27 18 75 11 9 24 - 61 6 12 5 - 1 4 9 20 2 2 10 2 298 Black-belly Plover - - - - - - - 4 1 4 - - - 3 - - 1 - - 27 40 Ruddy Turnstone 10 10 American Woodcock - 1 11 - 2 2 - 36 8 4 3 1 - 12 6 - 13 - - - 99 Common Snipe 4 - - 5 1 - - 15 - 10 - - - 2 - 2 - - - - 39 Whlmbrel - 1 1 Upland Sandpiper 3 - - 1 - - - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - 5 Spotted Sandpiper 28 13 38 6 62 39 - 115 28 61 9 - 1 4 2 8 1 6 15 5 441 Solitary Sandpiper 3 6 12 57 33 26 - 85 23 35 4 - 1 6 6 2 - 14 - 1 314 Willet 30 4 - 182 216 Greater Yellowlegs 6 - 21 15 3 2 - 54 10 29 2 - 2 20 7 50 50 5 - 9 285 Lesser Yellowlegs 18 3 15 31 7 3 - 48 27 34 8 - 3 15 7 6 15 4 - - 245 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Table 2 (coat.). Statewide Bird Count, May 5, 1979 Spec les Carr All e Wash Fred Mont Howa Carr Bolt AnAr Pr.C Char Calv St. M Kent QuAn Caro Dorc Wlco Somr Wore TOTAL Purple Sandpiper 21 21 Pectoral Sandpiper - - 2 - - - - 2 5 1 - - - 18 - 6 - - - - 34 White-rumped Sandp. - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - 7 - - - - - - 8 Least Sandpiper 2 4 2 - - 6 - 44 10 8 - - - 146 2 18 55 50 - - 347 Dunlin - - - - - - - 13 - - - - - 3 - 1 300 - - 141 458 Short-b. Dowltcher - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - 2 - - 2 5 Semipalm Sandpiper - - - - - - - 30 - 5 - - 8 61 - 35 2 - - - 141 Sanderling - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - 280 281 Northern Phalarope 1 1 Cr. Blk-back. Cull - - - - - - - 31 3 - - - 2 2 - - 2 - - 4 44 HerrLng Gull - - - - 1 - - 2496 327 1 6 - 6 188 2 1 45 3 23 21 3120 Ring-billed Gull 90 87 2 - 3 - - 3603 861 51 237 5 191 723 86 107 11 10 - 130 6197 Black-headed Gull - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 Laughing Gull - - - - - - - 230 631 - 24 9 150 266 729 1153 250 160 42 500 4144 Bonaparte’s Gull - - 1 - 1 - - 11 - - - - - - - - - - - - 13 Forster's Tern - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - - - 2 - - 3 Common Tern - - - - - - - 3 - - - - - - 4 - 2 - - 380 389 Little Tern - - - - - - - 6 - - - - 3 - 1 - 73 - - 36 119 Royal Tern - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 - - 1 2 7 - 9 21 Caspian Tern 2 - - - - - - 65 2 - 69 Black Tern 2 - 1 - 5 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 8 Black Skimmer 49 49 Rock Dove 8 84 400 53 230 315 10 2288 54 128 53 2 - 106 58 71 8 - 15 - 3883 Mourning Dove 21 46 330 74 343 270 4 336 118 111 43 9 24 79 30 136 40 20 14 4 2052 Yellow-bill. Cuckoo - - 2 1 19 5 - 19 14 14 3 - 2 2 7 16 13 4 2 2 125 Black-billed Cuckoo - - - - 8 5 - - - 2 - - - - - - - - - 1 16 Barn Owl 1 - - 1 - 4 - 6 - - - - - 1 - - 2 - - - 15 Screech Owl 2 1 5 - 1 - - - - - - - - 8 4 1 1 - - - 23 Creat Horned Owl 2 - 2 - 1 - - 1 2 1 - - - 7 1 4 - - 1 - 22 Barred Owl 2 - 9 - 10 4 - 3 2 5 3 - - 5 3 8 2 - - - 56 Chuck-will ' s-widow - - - - - - - 8 1 - - - 4 11 4 1 4 - - 2 35 Whip-poor-will - 6 4 - 8 8 - 10 1 4 1 - 2 2 1 17 2 - - 1 67 Common Nighthawk - - 2 - 7 1 - 2 - 1 - - - - - 3 - - - - 16 Chimney Swift 29 294 542 153 385 131 - 798 85 171 18 10 - 88 33 214 22 16 11 9 3009 Ruby-thr Hummingbd 1 1 4 4 11 9 - 2 1 1 - 1 - 7 2 6 3 - 3 - 56 Belted Kingfisher 5 4 18 9 12 7 - 11 1 4 2 - - 1 1 7 - 3 - 1 86 Common Flicker 30 32 106 26 78 67 - 67 31 20 2 - 1 28 U 46 12 6 4 3 570 Pileated Woodpkr 3 14 34 3 45 2 - 3 5 6 2 - - 1 1 6 8 1 - - 134 Red-bellied Woodpkr - 25 84 21 167 84 1 82 48 50 18 6 1 51 23 72 9 5 - 1 748 Red-headed Woodpkr 2 3 9 - 20 - - 3 - 1 - - - 1 - - 2 - - - 41 September 1981 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Table 2 (cont.). Statewide Bird Count, May 5, 1979 vO 00 Species Carr Alle Wash Fred Mont Howa Carr Balt AnAr Pr.C Char Cal v St.M Kent QuAn Caro Dorc Iwico Somr Wore TOTAL Vellow-b. Sapsucker _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 3 _ _ _ . _ . 3 Hairy Woodpecker 10 7 9 1 16 10 - 15 7 1 1 2 - 10 1 7 2 - - - 99 Downy Woodpecker 25 30 68 16 103 48 1 69 19 28 3 2 1 31 13 38 1 3 - 1 500 Eastern Kingbird 2 3 59 8 66 24 - 67 17 24 7 - 1 20 14 38 32 4 4 5 395 Gt. Crested Flycat. 2 6 32 - 47 1 - 23 12 21 5 - - 20 9 33 23 13 4 1 252 Eastern Phoebe 9 29 44 8 58 22 2 29 1 6 8 2 2 6 6 34 - - 5 2 273 Acadian Flycatcher - - - - 13 2 - 1 1 1 2 - - 1 - 6 - 1 - - 28 Willow Flycatcher - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - 1 Least Flycatcher - - - - 1 - - - - - - - - 2 - - - - - - 3 Eastern Pewee 1 - - - 17 1 - 4 1 - 1 - 1 5 - 11 - - _ _ 42 Olive-sided Fly. - 1 1 Horned Lark 1 - 10 - 2 - - 8 - - 2 1 1 4 3 28 3 1 - 1 65 Tree Swallow 97 231 174 40 522 76 - 213 158 101 37 48 - 71 14 221 300 45 15 10 2373 Bank Swallow 12 1 82 - 50 10 - 273 190 22 - 8 8 14 90 37 100 5 - - 902 Rough-wg. Swallow 15 49 122 29 364 29 13 127 49 17 1 - - 27 5 37 - 5 - _ 889 Barn Swallow 255 394 744 103 1587 320 2 1137 460 582 198 34 58 380 214 437 475 136 95 228 7839 Cliff Swallow 19 9 26 - 11 8 16 277 5 3 - - - - - 1 1 _ - _ 376 Purple Martin 52 7 167 14 168 82 - 99 47 25 10 19 33 46 12 206 70 6 10 2 1075 Blue Jay 56 91 305 42 612 283 1 597 390 100 27 6 9 89 34 174 65 41 11 9 2942 Northern Raven 7 - 6 13 American Crow 216 160 336 168 585 318 14 568 249 123 135 13 31 64 101 174 65 41 44 3 3384 Fish Crow - 2 30 11 32 7 - 58 22 18 7 1 12 - 20 20 12 21 1 36 310 Blk-cap. Chickadee 98 19 40 157 Carolina Chickadee - - 60 14 221 108 3 193 75 87 18 3 5 44 16 163 20 18 4 3 1055 Tufted Titmouse 22 83 164 31 254 126 - 158 66 66 28 3 12 36 17 83 13 22 8 3 1195 Whlte-br. Nuthatch 35 14 16 3 33 12 - 12 - 7 1 - - 2 - 1 - 1 - _ 137 Red-breast. Nuthatch 3 - 6 - 2 1 - 3 - - ■- - - 2 - 3 - - _ _ 20 Brown-headed Nut. 1 - 2 - 2 2 7 Brown Creeper 5 2 2 - 1 - - 1 - 1 - - - - - 1 - - - 13 House Wren 33 17 144 45 284 87 2 110 18 18 1 - - 27 3 14 19 5 2 3 832 Bewick's Wren - - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 Carolina Wren - 7 33 12 46 18 - 33 26 10 7 1 7 17 15 22 12 4 3 1 274 Marsh Wren - - - - - - - 99 10 2 1 - - 6 4 1 55 - 1 2 181 Northern Mockingbird - 17 69 21 120 76 2 156 59 59 20 3 20 63 19 83 20 16 15 5 843 Gray Catbird 17 18 173 42 257 263 3 244 71 83 9 3 2 50 27 65 18 8 24 39 1416 Brown Thrasher 6 12 146 10 36 37 1 39 25 17 5 2 2 28 8 84 8 2 10 3 481 American Robin 363 318 728 157 404 286 5 637 195 128 43 19 27 231 49 324 100 79 35 43 4189 Wood Thrush 20 10 113 19 141 94 - 171 45 46 23 2 2 99 28 102 18 14 2 4 953 Hermit Thrush - - 1 - 1 1 - 3 1 7 Swalnson’s Thrush - 1 - 6 - - 4 3 1 - 1 - - - - - - - - 16 < o OJ -'■j u> BIRDLIFE Table 2 (cont.). Statewide Bird Count, May 5, 1979 Species Garr Alle Wash Fred Mont Howa Carr Balt AnAr Pr.G Char Calv St.M Kent QuAn Caro Dorc Wlco Somr Wore TOTAL Cray-cheeked Thrush _ _ _ 1 _ 1 _ _ _ . _ 2 Veery 3 1 1 - 18 3 - 10 4 2 - - 2 - - - - - - 2 46 Eastern Bluebird 21 15 88 32 33 41 1 44 1 38 12 1 2 7 - 7 - - - _ 343 Blue-gray Gnatcat. 29 73 191 17 440 112 - 164 46 33 20 - 1 69 8 24 8 8 3 - 1246 Golden-cr. Kinglet 1 - 3 - - - - 1 - 2 - - - - - - - - - - 7 Ruby-cr. Kinglet 28 14 23 4 8 5 - 9 4 7 - - - 2 1 - - - - - 105 Water Pipit - - 23 3 4 10 - - - - 40 Cedar Waxwing - 21 24 6 125 52 - 5 52 46 27 1 - - - - - 6 - - 365 Loggerhead Shrike - - 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 Starl lng 102 144 1000 125 866 462 10 2545 363 263 53 10 40 654 63 658 150 356 99 Ill 8074 White-eyed Vlreo 1 4 14 6 120 59 3 102 87 54 25 6 1 69 13 51 25 18 14 12 684 Yellow-thr. Vlreo - - 10 - 17 6 - 12 9 3 5 - - 2 2 11 1 2 1 _ 81 Solitary Vlreo 15 10 - 11 - - 2 2 2 1 - - - 8 1 1 1 1 - _ 53 Red-eyed Vlreo 4 29 73 2 229 66 3 266 221 114 143 17 17 104 27 108 20 18 14 5 1480 Philadelphia Vlreo - - 1 - - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - _ 2 Warbling Vlreo - 3 43 2 36 1 - 4 1 - - - - 3 1 2 - - - _ 96 Blk-S-whlte Warbler 3 1 11 - 62 11 2 99 25 32 29 1 1 18 11 26 5 4 - 1 342 Prothonotary Warbler - 3 6 - 18 - - 1 9 8 8 - 2 5 3 24 3 8 3 _ 101 Worm-eating Warbler - 13 19 - 11 - - 16 2 1 1 1 - 2 - 1 2 2 - _ 71 Colden-wlnR. Warbler - 3 8 - 1 - - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - 13 Blue-winged Warbler - - 3 - 22 15 1 17 4 11 2 - - 3 - 1 1 - - _ 80 Tennessee Warbler 1 1 3 - 4 - - 1 1 1 - 12 Orange-crowned Warb. - - - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - _ _ 1 Nashville Warbler 2 4 3 - 1 - - 1 6 2 - - - 3 1 - - - _ _ 23 No. Parula Warbler 3 32 61 - 213 26 3 70 64 53 40 1 1 6 8 5 2 2 2 592 Yellow Warbler 29 34 25 3 39 24 - 106 11 29 10 - 1 47 1 5 12 5 11 1 393 Magnolia Warbler 1 8 1 - - - - 1 - 1 1 - - 3 - - - 1 - _ 17 Cape May Warbler 1 2 11 1 24 1 - 5 - 5 - - - 1 4 3 - - - - 58 Blk-thr. Blue Warb. 8 - 9 - 34 1 - 9 3 - - - - 1 - 1 - - - - 66 Yellow-rumped Warb. 52 48 1140 59 1103 193 6 1183 258 250 51 1 2 226 211 67 50 41 - 9 4950 Blk-thr. Green Warb. 19 1 4 - 6 2 - 3 - 1 - - - 5 - - 2 - - - 43 Cerulean Warbler 1 4 76 - 22 2 - 3 1 - - - 1 - - 2 - - - - 112 Blackburnian Warb. 4 - 3 1 1 1 - 4 - 2 - - - - - - - - - - 16 Yellow-thrtd . Warb. - 1 12 - 18 1 - 2 - - 1 - - 3 1 2 1 4 - - 46 Chestnut-aided Warb. - 1 - - 7 - - 8 - 3 - - - 5 1 - - - - - 25 Bay-breasted Warb. - - 2 - 2 - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - - - 5 Blackpoll Warbler - - - - 14 - - 7 5 10 1 - - 5 1 - - - 3 - 46 Pine Warbler - 3 15 - 1 2 - 14 14 9 6 1 2 9 7 19 70 13 - 6 191 Prairie Warbler 2 2 39 - 36 34 - 42 40 22 24 - 1 14 2 6 10 - 9 2 285 Palm Warbler - - 4 - - 2 - 1 2 - - - - - 1 - - - - - 10 to to September 1981 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Table 2 (cont.). Statewide Bird Count, May 5, 1979 Species Garr Alle Wash Fred Mont Howa Carr Balt AnAr Pr.G Char Calv St.M Kent QuAn Caro Dorc Wlco Somr Wore TOTAL Ovenblrd 7 1 19 _ 36 25 _ 44 25 29 36 4 4 10 2 24 35 23 18 4 346 No, Waterthrush 5 4 13 - 27 - - 11 6 3 - - - 1 - 2 - - - - 72 La. Waterthrush 2 29 18 2 19 5 2 25 1 2 6 - 1 1 1 3 - 5 - 3 125 Kentucky Warbler - - - - 4 6 - 2 13 1 4 - 1 4 2 9 - 4 - - 50 Common Yellowthroat 4 5 23 70 28 201 185 4 379 149 97 33 9 2 142 31 70 140 16 13 4 1641 Yellow-br. Chat - 2 10 3 20 16 - 15 24 15 5 - - 4 1 15 17 3 - - 150 Hooded Warbler 2 2 - - 2 13 - 3 52 8 9 3 - - - - - 4 - - 98 Wilson'a Warbler - - - - 1 - - 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 Canada Warbler - - - - - - - 1 1 1 - - - 1 - - - - - - 4 American Redstart U 25 110 5 91 32 1 74 46 48 1 2 - 3 1 1 1 1 4 2 452 House Sparrow 75 158 500 128 156 215 - 584 52 99 58 30 65 79 30 341 45 52 22 7 2686 Bobolink. 22 il 28 - 514 98 - 1704 2140 92 1 25 - - 20 320 3 - - - 4978 Eastern Meadowlark 64 12 68 13 23 23 - 43 8 10 6 3 8 14 1 31 30 1 1 ' 1 360 Red-wing. Blackbird 435 86 600 151 414 219 - 1744 405 222 127 32 86 670 213 940 1000 55 84 135 7666 Orchard Oriole - 2 11 2 11 3 - 9 4 7 1 1 - 9 5 37 30 4 7 1 144 Northern Oriole 4 12 108 9 60 9 1 35 4 3 5 - - 9 8 32 1 - - 1 301 Rusty Blackbird 1 5 1 - 5 - - - 1 1 - - - 1 - - - - - - 15 Boat-tailed Grackle 25 - 4 189 218 Common Crackle 294 289 1600 323 690 356 6 926 271 229 331 44 271 562 354 1055 1200 230 131 291 9453 Brown-head. Cowbird 126 103 220 29 237 80 - 226 46 29 41 29 10 52 14 75 40 15 4 85 1461 Scarlet Tanager 3 14 28 2 40 17 - 26 36 26 21 3 1 13 19 20 6 3 - 4 282 Summer Tanager - - - - - 3 - - 1 2 3 1 - - - 5 10 1 - - 26 Northern Cardinal 41 112 360 63 499 350 12 408 213 102 42 17 5 133 44 196 55 24 23 11 27 20 Rose-br. Crosbeak 20 4 19 - 68 3 - 15 3 2 1 - - 2 1 3 1 - - 5 147 Blue Crosbeak - - 11 1 2 - - 4 8 3 - 1 - 4 5 22 12 2 - - 75 Indigo Bunting 1 14 49 7 82 7 - 23 17 26 12 - 3 8 1 4 7 4 5 4 274 Evening Crosbeak 28 8 4 - - - - 5 6 4 5 - 2 - 7 - 2 2 1 74 Purple Finch 28 61 245 12 88 6 - 59 - 2 - - - 3 1 5 - - - 1 511 House Finch 11 34 90 6 11 3 - 36 8 1 - 1 - 1 - - - - - 1 203 Pine Siskin 2 - 2 American Goldfinch 91 510 1300 268 1059 382 6 714 255 210 48 5 3 104 34 79 15 8 10 4 5105 Rufous-sided Towhee 103 44 200 10 155 124 3 223 57 43 19 4 6 35 27 66 35 11 9 23 1197 Savannah Sparrow 2 - 2 - 4 6 - 62 29 10 - - - 3 8 5 16 - - 4 151 Grasshopper Sparrow - 2 37 1 8 7 - 7 2 10 - 1 2 4 1 5 2 - “ 89 Henslow's Sparrow - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 11 “ “ 11 Sharp-tailed Spar. - - - - - - - 1 1 - - - - - - - 5 - - - 7 Seaside Sparrow - - - - - - - 5 6 - - - - - - - 50 - “ “ 61 Vesper Sparrow 9 1 28 1 - 1 - 22 - 1 - - - 3 2 2 - - - 70 Northern Junco 6 1 9 - 5 - 1 - - 2 - - - 2 - 3 - - 1 30 ChippinR Sparrow 222 161 190 41 115 87 1 178 24 44 12 1 3 52 47 75 55 11 24 4 1347 100 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Table 2 (cont.). Statewide Bird Count, May 5, 1979 Species Garr Alle Wash Fred Mont Howa Carr Balt AnAr Pr.G Char Calv St.M Kent QuAn Caro Dorc Wico Somr Wore TOTAL Field Sparrow 43 18 107 35 93 47 _ 54 22 13 5 _ _ 19 6 13 5 _ 2 1 403 White-crowned Spar. 4 5 34 4 7 1 - 1 - - - 1 2 7 1 6 - - - - 73 White-throated Spar. 48 106 205 78 364 221 7 358 200 74 13 3 2 99 38 125 2 5 2 12 1962 Fox Sparrow - 1 - 1 - - - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 Lincoln’s Sparrow - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - - - - 1 Swamp Sparrow 33 4 6 2 10 4 - 109 7 3 - - - 5 - 2 - - - 1 186 Sons Sparrow 142 101 175 92 185 152 - 329 79 64 7 16 2 29 13 23 25 9 1 2 1446 Total Species 130 124 155 96 158 124 40 185 143 157 111 72 86 160 123 136 135 94 74 114 252 Total Individuals 4136 15619 L6967 161 1 0189 2496 1390 3315 6158 1098 135391 4758 296C 7515 30008 5330 517 7450 9621 1894 3818 Party-hours : foot 44 42 65 21 194 97 2 6CH 57 58 25 7 2 10 15 36 2 2 4 7 750 car 32 20 23 4 22 15 0 17+ 10 7 13 ? 12 30 12 42 20 14 5 2 300 boat 3 3 total 76 62 86 25 216 112 2 77+ 67 68 38 7 17 40 27 78 22 16 9 10 1053 Party-miles: foot 29 42 42' 23 156 70 2 38+ 44 51 23 6 2 30 9 35 2 2 3 3+ 612 car 313 92 312 7 ! 231 122 0 193+ 81+ 160 221 ? 150 315 149 460 199 83 51 57+ 3264 boat 17 17 total 342 134 354 9E 387 192 2 231+ 125+ 228 244 6 152 345 158 495 201 85 54 60+ 3893 Starting Time 0530 0500 0500 0300 D430 0525 0400 0700 0600 0400 1201 1201 Ending Time 2230 2130 2040 2100 2130 2100 2005 1400 2200 2045 2200 2330 Total Observers 21 23 27 12 67 41 2 26 16 18 8 1 2 14 3 39 2 7 4 6 339 September 1981 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 101 L02 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 37, No. 3 HOWARD (Howa.) 41 observers. Marty Chestera, Eileen and John Clegg, Frances Ehlers, George and Mary Hall, Edith and Sarah Haviland, Pat Jackson, Alice and Terry Kretz, Anu , Marcia, and V. Krishnamoorthy , Betsy Lawrence, Paul Leifer, Clio and Jerry Leonard, Grazina and Mike McClure, Linda McDaniel, Sybil McKennon, Don Morris, Marjorie Mount joy, Rosamond Munro , Frances Nahrgang, Dorothy Rauth, Shirley Reed, Frederic and Nan Rhinelander, Chan and Jane Robbins, Evelyn Roberts, Jo Solem, Earl Strain, Joan Varga, Mark Wallace, Jack Whyte, Cathy and Leroy Williamson, and Paul Zucker. CARROLL (Carr.). 2 observers. Bob Jarboe and Robert Lyon. BALTIMORE (Balt.) 26 observers. 3:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Tom Andres, Jeff Bickart, Warren Bielenberg, Rick Blom, Ed Boyd, John Cullom, Marion Glass, Bob Jarboe, Hank Kaestner, Peter Kaestner, Peter Knight, Robert Lyon, Paul Noell, Jim Orgain, Patsy Perlman, Mike Resch, Rob Ringler (co-compiler), John Robinson, Alan and Barbara Ross, Doug Santoni , Steve Sapperstein, Steve Simon, Jim Stasz, Charles Swift, and Peter Webb. David Holmes (co-compiler). ANNE ARUNDEL (AnAr.) 16 observers. 4:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Ann and Bill Anderson, Danny Bystrak, Barry Cooper, P. A. DuMont, Ellen Gizarelli , Paul Leifer, Kirk King, John Maloney, Ben Pagac, L inda Pivacek, William Sladen, Sarah Symington, B. Tappan, Hal Wierenga, F. Wilbur. Compiled by David Holmes. PRINCE GEORGES (Pr-G.) 18 observers. 5:25 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Becky and Stan Anderson, Sam Droege, Bruce Fitch, Gary Hensler, Ed Klmmer, Elwood Martin, Betty and Bruce Newman, Jim Nichols, Paul Nistico, Robert Patterson (compiler), Ron Patterson, George Powell, Chan and Eleanor Robbins, Mike Sorensen, and Charles Williams. CHARLES (Char.) 8 observers. 4:00 a.m. to 8:05 p.m. Fred and Karen Burggraf, Keith Linville, Paul Nistico, Chris Oates, Olive Sorzano, Andrew Wilmot, and George Wilmot (compiler). CALVERT (Calv.) 1 observer. 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. John Fales. ST. MARYS (St.M.) 2 observers. 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Alden and V. Ray Taylor. KENT (Kent) 14 observers. Joe and Margaret Blair, Frank Deerker, Arlene Delario, Maggie Duncan, Jim Gruber, Bud Hudson, Charles Humphreys, Kritz Keer, Dale Lowery, Dorothy and Ed Mendinhall, Floyd Parks (compiler), Pat Wilson. QUEEN ANNES (QuAn.) 3 observers. 4:00 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. David Holmes (compiler), Clark Jeschke, Lee McCollough. CAROLINE (Caro.) 39 observers. Annabelle, Elsie, and Irene Bilbrough, Margarethe Butenschoen, Elizabeth September 1981 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 103 Cannon, Kristi Cliff, Elsie Collison, Ethel and Wilber Engle, A. J., Roberta, and Robin Fletcher, Donna, Inez, and Joe dime, Marvin Hewitt, Anna Jones, Alicia Knotts, Carmen and Roberta Leggett, Kathleen and Kathy Ann McKee, Mariana Nuttle, Douglas Pyle, Rick Radis, Brian Rafferty, Wilbur Rittenhouse, Elaine and Thomas Robbins, Carlene Schmick, Carol and Joan Scudder, L. T. Short, Christian Snyder, Isabel Todd, V. Edwin Unger, Steve Westre, Irene Wheatley, and David Williams. DORCHESTER (Dorc-) 2 observers. 12:01 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Henry T. Armistead (compiler), Edward W. Marshall III* WICOMICO (Wico.) 7 observers. Maurice and Meriom Davis, Hugh and Sally Hanson, Charles Vaughn (com- piler), Gail and Daphne Vaughn. SOMERSET (Somr.) 4 observers. Polly Batchelder, Ralph and Laura French, Martha Simpkins. Compiled by Charles Vaughn. WORCESTER (Wore.) 6 observers. Peggy Bohanan, Hugh Hanson, Mary Humphreys, Charles Vaughn, Ann and Richard Wilder. Hawk Migration Association of North America announces PEREGRINE FALCON PRINT by John W. Taylor 16” by 20” Signed, Limited Edition, Full Color $20 ppd members; $30 ppd nonmembers HMANA Membership $8 annually (inc. decal, 2 Newsletters + ) Checks payable to: HMANA 254 Arlington St. Medford, MA 02155 allow 4-6 Weeks delivery MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 37. No. 3 104 NORTHERN HARRIER NEST IN DORCHESTER COUNTY, 1981 Hal Wierenga On June 6, 1981, while at the Elliott Island marshes in Dorchester County, Maryland, I observed a pair of Northern Harriers (Circus cyaneus. repeatedly depositing small loads of grasses or reeds at the same spot ii a seemingly endless expanse of tidal marsh. The site was about six mile: southwest of Henrys Crossroads, about one-half mile southwest of Savannal Lake, and about one-quarter mile west of the road from Vienna to Elliott The marsh was principally a broad monotonous stand of needlerush (Juncus roemerianus) with a thin understory of Salt Meadow Cordgrass (Spartina patens) and Spike Grass (Distichlis spicata) and a few small, scattered patches of open water. On June 12, I again saw the adult female performing there in a simi- lar fashion, but this time she appeared to be mixing a few rodents in wil her loads of grasses. I returned on June l4 to look more closely, and after a two-hour search, I found the nest, which contained four large chicks ranging from about 3 weeks to at least 4 weeks in age. The nest was located atop an old flattened muskrat house and was well covered with freshly deposited vegetation. The nest mound was aboui 1-5 feet high in the center of a clearing about 5 feet square. Radiating out from the clearing were four well-formed trails about 10 inches wide and leading out about 3 feet into and under the adjacent vegetation. Each of the chicks was found hiding at the end of one of these tunnels, beautifully shaded and camouflaged under the marsh vegetation. I was fortunate enough to discover the first chick from about 10 feet away, so I proceeded to slowly circle the site without getting any closer in hopes of minimizing my disturbance and not leaving a scent trail for predators to follow directly to the nest. From that distance, the youngest chick appeared to be still mostly downy, although its emerging flight feathers were conspicuous on its wings. Plumage devel- opment was graduated up to the oldest bird, which was well feathered throughout with just a trace of down on its crown and back. The nest was not revisited, so the final fledging success was undetermined. During my visit to the nest, I was not threatened by any aggressive actions by either parent bird. The female circled placidly the whole time, never closer than about 50 yards. The male called frequently and dive-bombed a passing Bald Eagle, an Osprey, and several Turkey Vultures, but not me. And he was at all times at least a quarter of a mile away. On June 7 and June 12, I also observed a pair of harriers carrying grass near the Deal Island Wildlife Management Area in Somerset County, where a nest with eggs and young was found in 1980, also in a predomin- antly needlerush marsh. This indicated that perhaps harriers were nest- ing again near Deal Island in 1981. 1216 Tyler Avenue, Annapolis, Maryland 21403 Sent ember 1981 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE m SPRING MIGRATION, MARCH 1 - MAY 31, 1981 Robert F. Ringler Temperatures were inconsistent this spring, with variations from the norm of -1.6°, +3.2°, and -1.7° for March, April, and May respectively. The April heat wave (88° in Rockville on the 28th) produced some unusual- ly early arrivals, but frequent rainfall often made birding difficult. March was two inches below normal for precipitation, but April had +3 A inch and May +1 inch. Persistent easterly winds may have contributed to the generally lackluster passerine migration by moving the birds west of their regular paths. The last substantial snowfall was on March 21 -in the mountains, while the remainder of the State received only traces. Even on the Alle- gheny Plateau all snow had melted by the end of the month leaving food supplies readily available for all species. Many thanks again go to all the contributors who made these reports possible: Garrett - Fran Pope, Sallie Thayer. Allegany - Chris Ludwig, Jim Paulus, Jim Wilkinson. Washington - Dan Boone, Barbara Dowell, Leontine & Truman Doyle, Robert Keedy, Alice Mallonee, Dinnie & Harold Winger. Frederick - David Wallace. Carroll - Rick Blom, Betsy Reeder. Baltimore - Warren Bielenberg, Peggy Bohanan, Bob Dixon, Hank Kaest- ner, Eddie Slaughter, Jim Stasz. Harford - Barbara Bilsborough, Dennis Kirkwood. Howard - Brenda & Michael Bell, Jon Boone, Russell Chandler, George Chase, Martha Chestem, Fred Cowden, Chuck Dupree, Georgia Eacker, Jane Farrell, Kris Krishnamoorthy , Anne Llewellyn, Grazina & Mike McClure, Helen Miller, Rosamond Munro, Fran Nahrgang, Nan Rhinelander, Tom Sauer, Jo Solem, Earl Strain, Eva Sunell, Mark Wallace. Montgomery - Larry Bonham, Margaret Donnald, Mi eke Mehlman, John, Michael, & Paul O'Brien, Bob Warfield, Erika Wilson. Prince Georges - Ric Conn, Bill & Floyd Hayes, Paul Leifer, Woody Martin, Bob Patterson, Chan Robbins, Danny Bystrak. Anne Arundel - Alex & Helene Hammer, Wayne Klockner, Dotty Mumford, Hal Wierenga. Charles - Paul Nistico, Olive Sorzano, Andrew & George Wilmot. io6 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 37 s No. 3 Calvert - Walt Kraus. St. Marys - Jim Clark, Ernie Willoughby. Kent - Jimmy Gruber, Floyd Parks. Caroline - Catherine Adams, Ethel & Wilber Engle, Krystal Eckert, A. J. & Roberta Fletcher, Inez Glime, Marvin Hewitt, Alicia Knotts, Kathleen McKee, Mariana Nuttle, Ken O’ Brian, J. Powell, Wilbur Ritten- house, Christian Snyder, Walter Steward, Steve Westre. Talbot - Terry Allen, Ed & Ester Burns, Lester Coble, Jeff & Lauren Ef finger, Dick Kleen, Aron Marshall, Donald Meritt, Jan Reese, Kathy Trever . Lower Eastern Shore - Henry Arraistead, Carl Perry, Charlie Vaughn. Loons , Grebes . Twelve Common Loons were on Deep Creek Lake, Mar. 27 (Pope). At Ft. Smallwood Wierenga and Blom counted 620 Common Loons for the season with peak days of 123 on Apr. 18 and 120 on Apr. 28 . A Red- throated Loon was at Masonville in Baltimore City, Apr. *4-7 (Ringler, et al.), another at North Beach-Fairhaven , Apr. 20 (Kraus), and one on Tria- delphia Reservoir, Apr. 26 (M. Wallace). A Red-necked Grebe was at Ocean City, Mar. 8-21 (J. B. Bazuin, et al.). A pair of Eared Grebes at Masonville, Apr. L -15 (Blom, et al.) will be reported separately. A Pied-billed Grebe was found in a yard in Hagerstown and released on Big Beaver Creek (Doyle). Tubenoses , Cormorants , Anhi nga . Pelagic birders counted 6 Sooty Shearwaters and 200 Wilson's Storm Petrels off Ocean City on May 16 . A Great Cormorant at Martinak State Park, Mar. 7-1^ (Slaughter, et al.), will be reported separately. Reports of Double-crested Cormorants were varied and interesting. Wierenga noted the first migrant at Ft. Small- wood, Mar. 2, and 15 there on May 12. Also on the bay were 3 at Patuxent Naval Air Station, Mar. 27 (Clark), 50 at Deal Island, Mar. 29 (Armistead, Perry, Ringler), and l 6 o near Bellevue, Apr. L, and 210 there on Apr. 21 (Armistead). At Pt. Lookout on Apr. 5 John Gregoire estimated 2,000 cor- morants and Jack Abbott estimated 3»000 at Heron Island Bar, also in St. Marys County, on the 7th. This is a well-known staging area for cor- morants in spring migration. Other sightings were Lo in Kent County, Apr. 8 (Parks), 700 at Denton, Apr. 15 (Westre), 1 on Broadford Reservoir, Garrett Co., Apr. 15, and L there on May 2 (Pope), 1 at Edwards Ferry, Montgomery Co., May 2 (Bonham), 23 in Charles County, May 3 (Wilmot, et al.}, 21 at Sandy Pt., May 11 (Wierenga), 36 at Carroll Island, Baltimore Co., May l 6 , and 15 there on May 29 (Ringler, Blom). An Anhinga at Ft, Smallwood on May 9 (Blom, Orgain) will be reported separately. Herons . Based on an aerial survey, estimated pairs of breeding Great Blue Herons were 300 at Nanjemoy Creek, Charles Co., 200 at Bluff Pt., St. Marys Co., and 50 on the Patuxent River (Abbott). Armistead, Perry, and Ringler counted 77 Great Blue Heron nests on Bloodsworth Is- land, Mar. 28, and 22 at Deal Island Wildlife Management Area, Mar. 29. Reese reported that the colony on Poplar Island is down to 50-70 pairs as a result of erosion. Martin noted three other nests in Anne Arundel County near Bowie. An early Green Heron was at Back River, Apr. L (Ring- ler). Migrant Little Blue Herons were seen at Ft. Smallwood, Apr. l 6 (2), Apr. 29 (M, and one each on May 12 and 25 (Wierenga). Other Little September 1981 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 107 Blues of note were at Bozman, Talbot Co. on May 2 (Kleen, et al.) and 2 flying over Nistico's house in Bryans Road, Charles Co., May 15 . The earliest reports of Cattle Egrets were 3 in Kent Co., Apr. 1 (Parks), 1 at Patuxent WAS, Apr. 2 (Clark), and at Glencoe, Apr. 4 (Kaestner). Others of note were 17 at Sandy Pt . on Apr. 20 (Wierenga), 1 at Tanyard on Apr. 22 (E. Engle), 3 at Edwards Ferry on May 2 (Bonham), 12 at Lake Elkhorn near Columbia on May 11 (Sunell), 3 in the Belfast Valley of northern Baltimore County, May l4 (Kaestner), and 1 to 3 on various dates from Apr. 18 to May 31 near Stevenson (Stasz, Dixon, et al.). A Great Egret was at Patuxent NAS on Mar. 27 (Clark), 2 at Ft . Smallwood on Apr. 1 (Wierenga), 1 at Masonville on Apr. 4 (Ringler), 1 at Preston on Apr. 12 (E. Engle), 4 at Denton on Apr. 28 (Nuttle), and 1 at Germantown on Apr. 30 (Warfield). A Snowy Egret was at Ft. Smallwood on Mar. 29 as were single Louisiana Herons on Apr. 11 and 29 (Wierenga). The first Yellow- crowned Night Heron was reported from Sycamore Landing on the Potomac, Mar. 28 (Hayes'). Leifer and Bob Patterson sighted a Least Bittern near Laurel on May l 8 , only the second Howard County record. Six American Bitterns were at Deal Island WMA, Mar. 29 (Armistead, et al.), and one near Upper Marlboro on May 12 (Conn) was quite late for a migrant. Ibises . Glossy Ibis were widely reported away from the coast this spring beginning with 2 very early birds at Masonville, Mar. 21 (Ringler, et al.). Others were 2 at Patuxent NAS, Apr. 17 (Clark), 8 at Sandy Pt., Apr. 23 (Wierenga), 3 at Piney Run Park, Carroll Co., Apr. 30 (Reeder), 1 at Loch Raven, Apr. 29 to May 6 (Dixon, et al.), 3 at Black Marsh, May 10 (Kaestner); and at Ft . Smallwood there were 22 on May 7> 2 on the 12th, and 24 on the l4th (Wierenga). An adult White Ibis was seen at Ocean City on Apr. 4 by Kathy Klimkiewicz and B. C. Leverman. This is the first record of an adult in the State. Swans , Geese . Mar. 22 was a major migration day for Whistling Swans as l 6 l were seen on Rocky Gap Lake in Allegany County (Paulus) and 400 were flying over Piney Run (Ringler, et al.). Canada Geese showing further signs of breeding in the State were 2 pairs seen courting at the north end of Loch Raven, May 9 (Stasz), a pair with 6 downy young on Graves Run near Prettyboy Reservoir, May 13 (Haven Kolb), and 4 at the Piscataway Wastewater Treatment Plant, May 25 (Nistico). On May 1 there were 27 Brant at the Ocean City Inlet (Ringler). On May 8 Woody Martin observed a Barnacle Goose as it circled twice over the ponds at Patuxent WRC, called, then flew out of sight. All records of this species in the State are presumed escapes. On Mar. 25 there were 2,000 Snow Geese in the Denton area including 25 "Blues" (R. Fletcher). One hundred Snow Geese remained in Caroline County near Greensboro on Apr. 15 (Steward). Dabbling Ducks . At Deal Island WMA on Mar. 29 an impressive 390 Gadwall were seen by Armistead, et al. At the same location Reese and Meritt found 3 Northern Pintails on May 6 and estimated 135 Blue-winged Teal . The latter number was eclipsed by the 150 Blue-wings in the Elliott Island area on Apr. l4 (Klockner). Armistead and friends counted 121 Green-winged Teal in southern Dorchester County on May 2, rather late for such a large number. The Cinnamon Teal at Blackwater that was seen by many remained at least to Mar. 22. Wilson reported 75 Median Table 1. Spring Arrival Daces, 1981 Species 10-y r 1981 Garr Alle Wash Pred Carr Balt Harf Howa Mont Pr.G AnAr Char Calv St .M Kent Caro Talb Dorc LES Common Loon 4/12 4/12 3/27 4/15 0 4/12 4/20 4/21 4/18 3/26 4/12 4/16 0 3/29 3/28 3/29S Horned Grebe 3/15 3/21 0 0 — 0 0 3/21 0 3/27 3/21 0 3/16 3/28 2/28 2/ 8 0 0 3/28 3/29S Pled-blLled Grebe 3/18 3/11 3/11 — 3/17 0 3/ 3 3/31 0 2/26 2/28 0 3/25 0 3/14 0 3/10 2/26 — 0 3/29S Double-cr. Cormorant 4/14 4/ 4 4/15 0 — 0 0 4/23 0 — — 0 3/21 — 0 3/27 4/ 8 4/L5 4/ 4 3/19 3/29S Great Blue Heron 3/18 3/15 4/ 4 — 2/ 8 3/ 8 — — — 4/ 1 3/29 — 3/13 3/ 2 3/15 3/25 Creen Heron 4/18 4/15 5/ 2 — 5/ 1 4/11 4/20 4/ 4 4/12 4/l0 4/16 4/20 4/ 9 4/15 — 4/11 5/ 2 4/22 4/ 19 Little Blue Heron 4/27 4/24 0 0 0 0 0 4/24 0 0 0 0 4/16 5/15 0 0 0 0 5/ 2 0 4/ 5 Cattle Egret 4/10 4/23 0 0 0 5/ 2 — 4/ 4 0 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 4/20 4/30 5/ 2 4/ 2 4/ 1 4/22 4/ 3 4/24 4/11 Great Egret 4/14 4/ 1 0 0 0 0 0 4/ 4 0 0 4/30 3/29 4/ 1 5/ 2 0 3/27 5/ 2 4/12 3/27 3/28 3/29S Snowy Egret 4/17 4/ 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3/29 0 4/20 4/11 4/19 — 4/ 4 3/28 3/29S Glossy IblB 4/15 4/23 0 0 0 5/ 2 4/30 3/21 0 0 0 0 4723' 0 0 4/17 0 0 0 4/24 3/29S Whistling Swan 3/ 6 2/26 3/13 3/17 0 0 3/ 3 2/24 3/15 2/21 2/24 2/18 — 0 — 0 2/28 Canada Goose 3/ 2 2/23 3/ 1 2/24 — — 2/22 2/16 — — 2/28 2/17 — 2/28 — 2/22 2/28 2/19 __ Gadwall 3/ 9 3/16 3/15 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 2/28 3/23 — 0 3/16 0 0 0 0 3/28 Common Pintail 3/ 3 2/27 0 0 3/ 1 0 2/22 3/21 3/23 2/20 2/26 0 2/28 0 0 0 — 0 2/16 3/28 Green-winged Teal 3/20 3/22 3/15 3/15 3/29 3/29 0 — 0 3/26 3/22 3/ 1 — 0 0 0 3/17 0 3/28 Blue-winged Teal 3/22 3/27 3/15 3/25 3/29 3/22 4/20 3/21 4/11 4/ 8 4/ 4 3/ 8 4/23 3/22 3/ 7 4/ 1 3/28 3/29S American Wlgeon 3/ 5 3/16 3/31 3/17 3/29 3/15 2/22 — 0 — 2/28 3/22 3/25 0 3/ 7 0 3/13 0 Wood Duck 3/ 9 2/28 3/ 6 2/21 3/ 1 2/27 — 2/21 — 3/29 2/21 2/28 3/15 — — 3/15 2/24 3/28 Redhead 3/ 7 3/ 1 3/15 3/ 3 0 0 2/22 — 0 3/ 4 2/24 3/ 5 2/28 0 3/ 1 2/ 8 0 0 — 0 0 Ring-necked Duck 3/ 6 3/ 4 3/ 4 3/ 1 0 0 2/22 — 0 2/20 2/26 3/ 4 3/14 2/23 3/ 7 3/21 ”5714" 0 — 0 3/29S Canvaaback 3/14 2/22 0 0 3/ 1 0 2/22 — 0 2/22 0 — — 0 3/ 1 0 2/15 0 LesBer Scaup 3/ 6 3/ 7 3/28 3/12 3/ 7 0 — — 0 3/12 2/17 — — 2/27 3/ 7 2/ 0 3/18 0 __ _ Common Goldeneye 3/ 3 2/25 0 0 3/ 1 3/ 1 2/22 2/21 0 2/ 5 0 — — — 3/ 1 0 0 — — Buf flehead 3/12 2/28 4/ 5 4/15 0 0 2/22 — 0 2/21 2/28 — — 2/19 3/ 1 0 3/14 0 — Oldsquaw 3/22 4/ 4 4/ 4 0 4/ 5 0 0 — 0 4/ 4 0 0 0 0 3/ 1 — 0 0 — — 3/29S Hooded Merganser 3/ 7 3/ 9 3/ 3 0 3/ 1 3/15 2/22 3/21 0 2/23 2/28 3/10 — 3/22 3/16 3/21 0 0 0 3/ 6 3/ 9 Common Merganser 3/ 4 3/ 1 3/ 1 0 3/ 1 3/14 2/22 — 0 21 5 3/ 1 — 0 2/28 0 0 0 0 Red-breast Merganser 3/15 3/ 6 3/15 3/ 7 0 0 3/ 3 2/ 5 0 3/17 4/16 — 3/ 4 — 3/ 1 2/ 8 3/31 0 3/ 6 0 Turkey Vulture — 3/ 1 2/26 2/21 — 3/ 7 — 2/28 — — — 3/ 1 3/ 1 3/20 — Sharp-shinned Hawk 3711 3/29 — 4/ 3 4/ 1 3/29 — — — 3/29 — 37T 3/ 2 — 3714 — — — — — Red-tailed Hawk 2/28 3/ 3 3/15 — — 3/ 7 3/ 3 2/28 2/25 — Red-shouldered Hawk — 3/ 2 3/13 — — 3/ 8 — 2/22 — — 3/ 1 — 3/ 4 — 2/28 Broad -winged Hawk 4/17 4/ 9 — — 4/18 4/ 8 4/28 4/ 9 — 3/28 3/28 4/ 8 4/ 8 — 4/19 — 4/30 0 4/27 Northern Harrier — 3/14 — 4/ 2 0 4/18 0 3/28 — 2/28 3/ 1 2/18 3/13 0 3/14 — 4/ 1 0 __ Osprey 3/26 3/21 4/13 — 3/26 3/29 4/15 3/21 — 4/n 3/29 3/21 3/17 3/21 — 3/20 3/ 9 3/22 3/ 7 3/ 9 3/29S Merlin — — 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3/21 0 4/ 7 0 4/25 0 0 — 0 4/24 0 American Kestrel 3/ 3 3/ 7 3/ 1 3/31 — 3/ 7 2/25 3/15 — — 3/19 — 2/25 — 3/ 7 Sora 4/27 5/ 2 0 0 0 5/30 0 5/ 2 0 0 0 0 5/ 2 0 0 0 5/ 2 0 5/12 5/ 2 0 Common Galllnule 5/ 4 5/ 2 5/ 2 0 4/25 0 0 — 0 — 5/ 2 0 5/ 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 5/ 2 5/ 2S American Coot 4/16 3/31 4/ 1 3/15 — 0 0 — 0 4/ 1 0 3/23 — 0 0 0 3/31 0 0 4/ 9 3/29S Semlpalmated Plover 5/ 5 5/ 2 5/16 5/ 4 0 5/16 0 5/ 1 0 0 5/11 0 4/29 0 0 0 4/28 5/ 3 5/ 2 4/24 5/ 1 Killdeer 2/20 2/20 3/ 1 2/18 — 3/ 8 3/15 2/21 — 2/19 2/16 2/22 2/28 3/ 1 3/31 3/29 Black-bellied Plover 5/ 2 5/ 2 — 0 0 0 0 5/ 2 0 0 5/ 2 0 3/17 0 3/16 5/ 9 5/ 2 0 5/ 4 4/24 Creater Yellowlegs 3/24 3/30 4/27 0 4/ 5 3/15 4/27 4/ 6 — 3/31 4/19 3/ 8 3/27 4/12 4/20 4/ 1 3/29 3/15 3/28 3/29S Lesser Yellowlegs 4/16 4/ 1 4/27 — 0 3/29 — 4/10 — 4/ 1 — ”4/23 3/31 4/ 8 3/14 ' ' 4/ 1 3/15 4724 Solitary Sandpiper 4/30 4/20 4/27 4/19 4/24 4/10 4/18 4/18 4/20 4/22 4/19 4/21 4/18 4/28 0 5/ 1 Spotted Sandpiper 4/27 4/19 4/ 5 — 4/24 4/ 4 — 4/12 — 4/12 4/18 4/21 4/23 4/26 4/20 4/16 4/25 American Woodcock 2/28 2/25 4/ 5 2/25 4/ 4 — — 2/21 — 3/12 2/21 2/27 — 2/18 3/14 2/15 2/18 3/28 2/ 6 Common Snipe 3/13 3/14 3/19 — 3/ 5 3/ 8 — 3/15 0 0 2/28 3/29 3/14 — 2/20 3/22 3/28 3/11 3/ 6 3/29S Short-bill Dowltcher 5/ 4 5/ 2 — 0 0 — 0 5/ 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 4/26 ~TTT 0 0 5/ 4 5/ 2 5/ 1 Semipalm Sandpiper 5/ 4 5/ 2 5/17 5/ 2 0 4/10 0 0 0 4/25 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 0 5/16 5/ 2 4/28 5/ 2 4/20 5/ 2 5/ 2 Least Sandpiper 5/ 1 4/25 4/27 4/30 0 4/26 0 4/25 — 0 — 0 4/24 0 4/ 8 4/30 4/20 3/28 White-rump Sandpiper — 5/ 2 0 — 5/ 2 0 0 5/16 0 0 0 4/30 0 0 5/16 __oJ 5/ 2 0 0 4/24 — U> 108 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol, 37, No Hc( ] ian Tahle L (cone.). Spring ArrLvnl DateB , 1981 Species 10-yr 1981 Garr Alle Wash Fred Carr Balt Harf Howa Mont Pr.C AnAr Char Calv St.M Kent Caro Talb Dorc LES Pectoral Sandpiper 4/13 3/28 4/ 1 0 3/15 0 3/31 0 3/26 __ 3/29 3/27 0 3/14 „ 4/ 1 4/30 3/22 Dunlin 4/28 5/ 1 4/29 5/ 6 0 — 0 0 0 0 0 5/ 2 — 0 3/14 0 5/ 1 0 5/ 4 3/28 — Laughing Cull 4/ 9 4/ 1 0 0 0 0 0 4/ 4 0 0 0 0 3/18 5/ 2 3/18 4/ 3 4/ 1 4/ 2 4/ 1 4/24 3/29S Bonaparte's Gull 3/31 3/30 4/ 4 4/ 4 3/ 8 4/11 4/20 2/28 0 0 — 0 3/17 0 — — — 0 3/25 0 — Forster's Tern 4/24 4/29 0 0 0 0 0 4/ 7 0 0 0 0 4/29 0 5/12 0 0 5/13 0 — 3/29S Common Tern 5/ 1 5/ 2 0 0 0 0 0 "4727 0 0 5/ 2 0 5/16 0 5/10 5/ 2 5/ 2 0 5/ 1 5/ 2 4/ 9 Little Tern 5/ 4 5/ 2 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 0 0 5/11 0 5/16 5/ 2 0 0 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 Caspian Tern 4/28 4/24 4/27 0 0 0 0 4/ 7 0 0 0 — 4/ 1 0 5/12 0 0 0 0 4/24 — Yellow-billed Cuckoo 5/ 6 5/ 2 — — 5/ 1 — — 5/ 2 — 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/31 — 5/ 1 5/ 2 4/21 5/ 2 5/ 2 Block-billed Cuckoo 5/ 6 5/ 7 5/20 — 5/ 2 — — 5/16 — 5/ 7 5/ 2 5/ 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 5/ 7 0 0 Chuck-will ' b - widow 5/ 3 5/ 2 0 0 5/ 2 0 0 5/ 2 0 0 0 4/20 4/28 — — — 5/ 2 5/ 2 4/20 5/ 2 5/ 2 Whip-poor-will 4/24 4/16 4/19 — 4/16 — 4/20 — 4/10 — 4/11 — 4/11 — — 4/19S Common Nlghthawk 5/ 6 5/ 7 — 5/ 4 — — — 5/10 5/14 5/ 4 — — 5/ 2 5/12 5/22 — 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 — Chimney Swift 4/18 4/14 — 4/27 4/25 4/ 3 — 4/ 4 -- 4/19 4/16 4/11 3/27 4/21 — — 4/14 4/19 4/12 — 4/14W Ruby-thr Hummingbird 4/30 4/30 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 — 5/ 1 5/ 2 4/26 4/21 4/21 4/19 4/28 5/ 9 5/ 2 4/17 4/18 4/19 5/ 2 4/19 Belted Kingfisher 3/15 3/14 4/ 6 4/ 5 21 6 3/ 8 — 2/13 — 3/18 — — 4/ 3 — 3/14 — ”2/22“ — Common Flicker 3/18 3/28 4/ 8 3/29 3/28 3/ 8 — 3/27 3/29 4/ 4 3/15 3/29 3/27 3/29 3/ 7 — 3/ 1 — — 3/ 2 — Yellow-bel Sapsucker — 4/ 2 3/30 4/ 3 4/ 2 3/14 0 3/31 0 4/12 3/28 4/ 2 4/ 5 4/11 0 0 — 0 — 0 — Eastern Kingbird 4/28 4/24 4/30 — — 4/18 — 4/25 — 4/26 4/24 4/23 4/23 4/23 — 4/23 4/ 5 4/30 4/12 4/24 4/25W Gt Crest Flycatcher 5/ 1 4/29 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 4/29 5/ 1 5/ 2 4/21 4/23 5/ 2 4/29 4/27 — 5/ 2 4/28 4/ 9 4/24 4/24 4/18 Eastern Phoebe 3/18 3/20 3/l 6 3/19 3/28 3/14 — 2/16 3/29 3/21 2/24 2/27 3/27 — 4/20 — 3/28 2/26 3/29 3/28 3/29S Acadian Flycatcher 5/ 5 5/ 1 — — 5/ 2 5/ 2 — 5/ 1 5/ 2 5/ 1 4/26 4/29 — 4/27 — 5/ 2 5/ 1 4/28 — — 5/ 2 Willow Flycatcher 5/20 5/18 — — — 5/20 5/14 5/18 — — 5/ 2 — 5/24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Least Flycatcher 5/ 6 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 0 0 4/30 0 5/16 5/ 2 0 0 0 5/31 0 0 0 0 0 0 Eastern Pewee 5/ 5 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 — — TT~2 — 5/11 5/ 2 4/30 — 5/12 5/ 9 -- 5/ 2 4/29 5/ 4 4/24 5/ 2 Tree Swallow 3/29 3/28 4/ 4 3/31 4/ 1 3/28 — 4/ 5 — 3/28 3/ 1 2/26 3/13 3/ 1 4/18 — 3/ 1 3/26 3/18 3/28 3/29S Bank Swallow 5/ 1 4/18 4/30 — — — 0 4/11 4/12 5/ 1 4/21 — 4/18 — 4/18 — 4/19 — 4/ 1 — 4/19S Rough-winged Swallow 4/17 4/ 8 4/15 3/31 3/28 4/ 4 4/21 3/31 4/18 4/23 3/29 — 3/31 5/ 2 4/18 — 4/ 8 0 4/20 3/31 4/ 7 Barn Swallow 4/ 7 4/ 8 4/15 — 4/18 4/ 4 — 3/28 4/12 4/ 1 4/12 — 3/29 4/ 1 4/18 4/11 3/29 4/ 9 4/ 5 3/28 4/18 Cliff Swallow 5/ 3 4/26 4/27 5/ 2 4/25 4/26 -- 4/26 5/ 2 4/26 4/26 5/ 2 4/ 9 0 4/18 5/ 2 0 0 4/19 0 0 Purple Martin 4/ 3 3/31 4/30 4/ 7 3/28 4/ 4 — 4/ 7 — 4/ 1 — 3/27 3/13 3/29 4/18 4/12 3/31 3/28 4/ 3 3/28 3/29S Brown Creeper — 3/18 3/ 1 — 3/18 3/ 8 3/15 3/29 0 3/11 3/ 1 4/ 7 — 0 0 0 4/16 House Wren 4/21 4/21 4/26 4/28 4/24 4/18 4/18 4/18 4/29 4/20 4/16 4/ 1 4/25 4/27 — — 4/21 4/17 4/23 4/24 4/19S Marsh Wren 5/ 2 4/30 0 0 0 0 0 — — 0 57“2 5/ 2 4/20 0 — 5/ 2 4/30 4/29 — 3/28 4/19S Cray Catbird 4/25 4/28 4/29 4/28 4/30 — 4/29 4/24 4/29 4/24 4/28 4/29 4/28 4/29 — — 4/22 4/30 4/26 — 4/19 Brown Thrasher 4/ 8 4/ 5 4/ 1 — 4/ 7 4/ 7 — 4/ 1 — 4/ 4 4/ 5 3/29 4/ 9 3/22 4/18 — 4/ 1 3/16 '""4/ 9 4/24 4/ 8 American Robin 2/22 2/20 2/26 2/15 2/25 3/13 3/ 1 5 2/17 2/10 2/20 2/ 7 2/16 3/ 1 — 2/28 — 2/15 — 2/11 3/ 2 — Wood Thrush 4/23 4/24 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 1 5/ 2 4/29 4/23 — 4/24 4/17 4/24 4/23 4/27 — — 4/12 4/18 4/23 4/24 4/23W Hermit Thrush 4/13 4/ 7 4/ 7 0 4/ 4 4/ 7 0 3/15 0 0 4/15 — 0 3/20 — 0 4/14 — — 0 4/ 8 Swalnson's Thrush 5/ 6 5/ 2 0 0 0 5/16 0 5/ 2 0 5/ 2 4/27 — — — 0 0 0 0 0 5/ 2 5/ 2W Cray-cheeked Thrush 5/ 9 5/16 0 0 0 5/16 0 5/17 0 5/25 5/15 ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Veery 5/ 3 5/ 2 5/ 6 5/ 2 5/ 2 0 — 4726 5/ 2 5/ 1 4/27 4/29 5/ 2 5/ 3 — 0 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 0 0 Eastern Bluebird 2/25 3/ 4 3/ 4 — 2/15 3/ 8 — — 2/ 7 — 3/29 3/23 3/ 4 — 2/28 — 2/14 — 2/ 3 3/28 — Blue-gray Cnatcacch 4/12 4/ 8 4/12 — 4/11 4/10 4/12 4/ 5 4/19 4/ 8 4/ 5 4/ 8 4/ 5 4/ 5 4/20 4/ 4 4/ 7 4/ 7 4/12 4/24 4/ 7 Colden-cr Kinglet 3/25 3/21 3/30 — 3/29 3/14 3/15 3/29 2/16 2/15 3/ 1 — 4/ 5 — 3/27 — — 3/16 — 3/28 — Ruby-cr Kinglet 4/10 4/10 4/26 — 4/ 1 4/10 4/12 4/ 7 — 4/10 4/20 4/17 4/ 5 3/ 3 ~mr — 4/ 1 — — 3/28 — Water Pipit 3/23 3/11 0 3/15 4/ 4 3/ 8 0 2/24 0 0 2/28 0 3/17 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 Loggerhead Shrike — — 0 0 3/29 — 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 3/15 3/24 0 0 White-eyed Vlreo 4/22 4/22 5/ 2 — — — — 4/28 4/26 4/18 4/22 4/19 4/23 4/12 — 4/24 4/18 4/16 4/28 4/24 4/18 Ye 1 low- 1 hr Vlreo 4/30 5/ 1 5/ 2 — 5/ 1 — 5/ 5 5/ 2 5/ 6 — 4/26 4/23 4/29 4/26 — 5/ 2 4/26 5/ 2 5/ 1 — 4/18 Solitary Vlreo 4/26 4/12 4/ 9 — 4/ 4 — 0 4/24 0 4/l7 4/11 4/16 4/12 0 0 0 4/12 0 — 0 4/ 5 Red-eyed Vlreo 4/30 4/24 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 1 5/ 2 — 4/24 — 4/28 4/26 4/19 4/26 4/24 — — 4/18 4/17 4/19 4/24 4/18 Warbling Vlreo 5/ 1 4/29 — 5/ 2 4/22 4/18 — 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 4/25 4/29 5/ 2 0 — 0 4/25 4/26 0 0 0 Black-6 -white Warb 4/22 4/16 4/11 — 5/ 1 — — 4/19 — 4/18 4/14 4/ 7 4/11 4/12 4/20 — 4/ 8 4/26 4/19 4/24 4/ 7 September 1981 MAE Y LAND BIRDLIFE Median Table 1 (cont.). Spring Arrival Dates, 1981 Species 10-yr 1981 Garr Alle Wash Fred Carr Balt Harf Howa Mont Pr.G AnAr Char iCalv St.M Kent Caro Talb Dorc LES Prothonotary Warbler 4/24 4/22 0 0 4/22 0 0 0 4/18 4/24 4/24 4/28 _ 4/22 4/20 4/22 4/24 4/18 Worm-eating Warbler 5/ 2 4/26 — 5/ 2 5/ 1 5/ 2 5/ 4 4/25 — 4/26 4/26 4/24 5/ 2 5/ 3 — — 4/12 5/ 2 4/19 4/24 4/18 Golden-wing Warbler 5/ 3 5/ 2 4/29 5/ 2 5/ 2 0 0 4/30 0 0 5/ 2 5/ 2 0 51 2 5/16 0 5/ 2 0 0 0 0 Blue-winged Warbler 5/ 3 4/30 0 5/ 2 5/ 1 5/ 2 5/ 2 4/30 5/ 2 4/27 4/23 4/24 4/25 51 3 — 51 2 4/23 5/ 2 4/22 4/24 4/19 Tennessee Warbler 5/ 5 5/ 2 0 5/ 2 5/ 2 0 0 5/ 2 0 5/ 2 4/30 5/ 2 5/14 0 5/17 0 5/ 2 0 51 4 0 0 Nashville Warbler 5/ 2 5/ 2 4/27 5 ) 2 5/ 2 0 0 5/ 2 0 5/ 2 4/30 4/24 0 0 — 0 5/12 0 51 7 0 0 N. Parula Warbler 4/25 4/19 4/27 — — — 4/30 — — 4/18 4/12 4/16 4/26 4/11 — — 4/28 4/27 4/19 — 4/ 8S Yellow Warbler 4/26 4/26 4/30 4/28 4/25 51 2 4/29 4/27 4/26 4/24 4/24 4/29 4/23 4/26 — 4/17 4/28 4/20 4/21 4/24 — Magnolia Warbler 5/ 5 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 4/30 4/29 5/ 3 4/30 0 — 0 5/ 2 0 5/10 0 — Cape May Warbler 5/ 4 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 0 — 0 5/ 2 37T 4730 5/ 2 0 5/ 9 0 5/13 0 0 0 0 Black-thr Blue Warb 5/ 4 5/ 1 5/ 2 5/ 2 17T — 0 4/27 4/29 ~ 5/ 1 5/ 2 4/29 4/28 4/26 0 5/ 2 5/ 2 0 4/22 — 5/ 2W Yellow-rumped Warb 4/15 4/12 4/27 4/13 4/25 3/28 — 4/ 7 — 4/ 4 4712 4/11 — 4/12 — — 4/ 1 — 4/12 — — Black-thr Green Warb 5/ 4 4/30 4/27 5/ 2 4/25 0 — 4/30 5/ 2 4/30 4/30 4/26 4/29 5/ 2 0 0 5/ 2 — 4/30 0 51 2W Cerulean Warbler 5/ 3 4/30 5/ 2 — 4/25 — — 4/30 5/ 2 5/ 2 4/25 4/30 4/30 0 0 51 9 5/ 2 0 5/1 0 0 Blackburnian Warbler 5/ 5 5/ 2 5/ 7 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 0 — 0 5/ 2 4/29 4/30 51 2 0 0 0 5/13 - 51 2 0 0 Yellow-thrtd Warbler 4/17" 4/T9 — 0 4/11 4/10 — 4/ 8 0 5/ 1 4/21 — "4/29 — 4/19 — T/l9~ 5/ 2 4/12 4/19 4/ 7 Chestnut-elded Warb 5/ 5 5/ 2 4/29 5/ 2 5/ 2 0 0 4/30 5/ 2 — 5/ 2 5/ 1 5/ 2 5/ 3 — 51 2 5/ 1 0 5/ 8 5/ 2 0 Bay-breasted Warbler 5/ 7 5/ 2 5/ 2 0 5/ 2 0 0 0 0 — 4/29 — — 0 — * 0 5/12 — 5/24 0 0 Blackpoll Warbler 5/ 5 5/ 2 0 0 5/ 2 — 0 4/29 0 5/16 5/ 2 4/28 5/ 1 5/ 2 5/17 0 5/ 8 5/ 7 5/ 2 0 5/ 2 Pine Warbler 3/17 4/ 1 0 4/ 4 4/ 4 — — 4/ 4 4/17C 3/27 — 3/28 2/27 3/14 — — 3/31 4/ 1 3/22 3/23 4/ 7 Prairie Warbler 4/25 4/24 4/12 — 4/18 4/18 4/29 4'/27 " 4/26 4/27 4/24 4719 "4/24 4/12 — — 4/27 51 2 4/21 5/ 2 4/19 Palm Warbler 4/15 4/12 0 0 — 0 4/18 4/ 6 4/15 4/14 4/11 — 4/10 0 4/12 0 4/ 8 0 — 0 — Oven bird 4/24 4/24 4/28 5/ 2 5/ 1 5/ 2 — 4/26 5/ 2 4/22 4/24 4/18 4/26 51 2 5/ 2 51 2 4/16 4/18 4/19 4/24 4/18 Northern Waterthrush 5/ 1 5/ 2 — 5/ 2 4/24 0 0 4/26 4/29 5/ 2 4/20 5/ 2 4/27 0 0 51 2 — 5/ 2 — 5/ 2 51 2W Louisiana Waterthr 4/ 7 4/10 4/12 4/ 9 4/ 4 4/18 — 4/11 4719 4/ 2 47“4 4/ 2 4/11 4/ 5 — — 4/ 8 4/16 4/19 — 4/ 5 Kentucky Warbler 5/ 3 5/ 1 5/ 4 — 5/ 2 — — 5/ 2 5/ 2 '4/26' 4/30 4/28 4/29 5/ 2 — 5/ 2 51 1 4/28 51 1 4/27 4/ 18 Common Yellowthroat 4/21 4/20 5/ 2 4/28 — — 4/23 4/ 9 4/25 4/24 4/19 4/21 4/18 4/26 — — 4/16 4/20 3/29 4/19 4/18 Yellow-breasted Chat 5/ 4 5/ 2 5/14 5/ 2 5/ 2 — 4/27 4/28 37”2 5/ 2 5/ 2 4/29 5/ 2 5/ 2 — 51 2 4/28 5/ 2 4/30 5/ 2 Hooded Warbler 5/ 1 4/29 4/28 5/ 2 5/ 2 — — 4/27 5/ 2 4/24 4/29 4/29 4/26 51 2 51 2 51 2 — — 5/ 1 4/24 4/18 Wilson's Warbler 5/ 6 5/ 2 0 0 5/ 2 — 0 — 0 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 — 0 0 0 5/12 — 0 0 5/ 2W Canada Warbler 5l 7 5/ 2 “5710" 0 -571“ 5~1 0 4/30 5/ 8 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ i 5/ i 0 5/16 0 5/16" — 5/18 0 0 American Redstart 5/ 1 4/29 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 — 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 4/24 4/25 4/29 5 / 2 5/ 2 — — 4/29 — — 0 4/18 Bobolink 5/ 5 5/ 2 4/30 5/ 2 5/ 2 — 0 4/30 5/ 5 5/ 2 51 2 5/ 2 51 2 0 0 5/ 2 5/ 2 51 3 51 1 5/ 2 51 2S Red-winged Blackbird 2/22 2/20 — 2/18 3/ 1 2/15 2/22 2/ 4 2/25 2/10 2/16 — — 3/ 3 3/ 1 — — — — 3/ 2 — Orchard Oriole 5/ 2 4/29 0 5/ 2 5/ 1 5/ 2 — 4/29 5/ 2 4/27 5/ 2 4/24 4/23 4/23 51 2 5/ 2 4/22 4/26 4/20 4/24 51 1 Northern Oriole 4/30 4/28 5/ 2 5/ 2 4/26 4/28 4/28 4/29 5/ 2 " 4 / 3 O 4/25 5/ 2 4/29 4/26 5/12 — 4/25 4/28 5/ 1 4/24 — Rusty Blackbird 3/ 8 3/22 — 0 — 3/15 0 — 3/31 3/ 1 2/24 — 3/24 3/20 0 0 — 3/26 3/28 0 — Common Crackle 2/24 2/17 — 2/16 2/14 2/15 — 2/17 2/25 — 2/10 2/19 — 3/ 4 3/ 1 Brown-headed Cowblrd 3/ 4 3/ 1 2/ 4 — — 3/14 — — — — 2/20 — — — 3/ 1 3/ 2 — 5/ 1 4/29 5/ 2 4/27 5/ 2 5/ 2 4/29 5/ 1 5/ 2 4/30 4/24 4/19 4/29 4/28 5/ 2 5/ 2 4/28 4/24 4/25 4/24 4/18W Summer Tanoger 5/ 5 5/ 2 5/ 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5/ 2 — 5/ 9 — — 5/ 2 0 4/29 5/2 4/24 4/ IB Rose-br Grosbeak 5/ 4 5/ 2 4/24 5/ 2 5/ 2 4/28 0 5/ 2 0 5/ 2 5/ 2 — 51 2 5/ 2 — 5/ 2 5/13 0 4/25 5/ 2 51 2 Blue Grosbeak 5/ 5 5/ 1 0 0 5/ 2 5/14 — 4/29 — — 5/ 2 4/30 4/27 5/ 2 5/21 5/ 2 4/28 4/30 5/ 1 4/30 51 2 Indigo Bunting 5/ 1 5/ 1 4/29 5/ 2 5/ 1 5/ 2 4/29 4/18 5/ 2 5/ 1 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 4/30 5/10 5/ 2 4/28 51 1 4/30 4/24 — Purple Finch 2/23 4/14 — — 4/18 4/21 0 4/11 0 3/29 — — 4/ 7 — 4/23 — — RufouB-slded Towhee 3/24 4/ 2 3/19 4/ 2 4/ 2 4/11 — 4/ 1 — — 4/ 5 — 4/ 3 3/18 3/16 — 3/19 — 4/12 — 4/ 7 Savannah Sparrow 3/22 3/28 4/30 3/31 — 3/29 — 3/21 0 3/26 3/ 8 — 4/16 0 3/ 8 — 3/ 2 — 3/29 3/28 3/29S Grasshopper Sparrow 5/ 2 5/ 2 — — 5/ 2 3/29 — 5/ 2 — 5/ 2 5/ 2 — 5/ 2 51 2 5/12 5/ 2 4/16 51 2 4/25 4/24 — Vesper Sparrow 4/ S 4/ 8 4/ 8 4/ 8 4/ 1 4/18 — 4/ 4 — 4/28 — — 4/12 0 3/14 0 4/ 1 — 0 0 — Chipplnn Sparrow 4/ 4 4/ 1 3/30 3/23 .3/30 4/18 — 4/ 3 -- 4/ 1 4/ 5 — — 3/21 4/18 — 4/ 3 3/16 4/ 3 4/19 — White-crown Sparrow 5/ 3 4/11 4/30 0 — 4/26 — 0 4/22 — — 0 0 — 4/ 1 3/15 3/29 — -- Fox Sparrow 3/ 4 2/24 0 0 2/19 3/ 7 0 2/16 0 2/18 2/19 2/26 2/24 — 3/ 1 — 0 2/28 0 0 0 Lincoln's Sparrow — 5/ 3 5/ 1 5 1 4 5/ 2 0 0 5/14 0 0 4/22 0 0 0 5/11 0 0 0 0 0 0 Swamp Sparrow 4/15 4/ 9 4/30 4/28 — ■VI? — 4/ 9 — 3/29 4/15 -3 L.I.. — -ILL. — 4/12 A/. 9. . — uo 110 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol . 37. No September 1981 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 111 American Wigeon on the Potomac River near Hughes Hollow on Mar. 2 9. A drake Northern Shovel er was on the lake at Herrington Manor on Apr. 5 (Pope). A female Wood Duck with 5 downy young was at Lake Roland on the early date of Apr. 25 (Ringler) and a total of 43 Wood Ducks was counted at Lilypons, May 22 (D. Wallace). Diving Ducks . Concentrations of Redheads have been scarce in recent years, so 50 at Piney Run on Mar. 7 (Blom) and 34 at Mountain Lake Park on Mar. 15 (Pope) were notable. Pope also counted 64 Ring-necked Ducks at Turkey Neck on Deep Creek Lake, Mar. 31. Armistead and Perry estima- ted 720 Canvasbacks at West Ocean City on Mar. 9- Unusually late among the divers were two Canvasbacks at Eastern Neck, May 18 (Parks), a flightless Lesser Scaup at Carroll Island, May l6 (Ringler, Blom), and single Buffleheads at Deal Island WMA, May 6 (Reese, Meritt) and in Howard County, May 25 (Leifer). Out of place in the mountains were 11 Oldsquaws on Broadford Reservoir, Apr. 4, 5 there the next day (Pope), and on the latter date another on the pond at Blairs Valley, Washington Co. (Boone). A Harlequin Duck and a King Eider were at Ocean City during the period Mar. 9-22 (many observers). Another Harlequin Duck, an immature male, was at Ocean City, May 1-3 (Ringler, et al.). Thirteen White-winged Scoters at Piney Run on Apr. 12 and 3 at Greenbrier State Park the same day (Keedy) were exceptional at those locations— Single Ruddy Ducks remained at Lake Elkhorn in Columbia, May 15 (Ludwig), and at Masonville, May l6 (Ringler). On May 14 Wierenga counted 32 Red-breasted Mergansers passing Ft. Smallwood. Another lingered at Piscataway, May l6 (Nistico). The hybrid duck previously reported remained at Annapolis through Mar . 19 ■ Vultures and Hawks . Hal Wierenga, ably assisted by Rick Blom and occasionally other observers, conducted an unprecedented spring hawk watch at Ft. Smallwood Park in northeastern Anne Arundel County at the mouth of the Patapsco River. The group amassed an amazing total of 9,828 raptors migrating along the bay despite missing several weeks during the early part of the season. Particularly impressive were the totals of vultures, accipiters, Ospreys, and Merlins as noted in Table 3-A. Also surprising was the relatively unknown late migration of most species which has gone unrecorded in the past because observers tend to drift off to other birding pursuits. Anyone interested seriously in hawkwatching should contact Hal about this unique site. In Allegany County 2 Black Vultures were at Rocky Gap, Mar. 8 (Wil- kinson), and 7 were flying over Oldtown on Mar. 15 (Paulus). Ethel Engle counted l6 Black Vultures at Tanyard, Caroline Co., Mar. l4-l6. A Swal low- tailed Kite was reported from Sugarloaf Mountain, May 25, by Steve Steimel. Paul O'Brien reported a very late Northern Goshawk at Rockville, Apr. 22. The Hayes's observed a Cooper's Hawk in Prince George's County on May 20, which would be rather late for a migrant. Haven Kolb found a Red-shoul dered Hawk nest with 2 young near Prettyboy on May 15. Woody Martin found that the Red-shouldered Hawks nesting along the Patuxent River produced 1.9 young per pair this year, the third best year in his 11 years of checking the nests. A kettle of 35 Broad-winged Hawks was floating over Seneca on Apr. 12 (Ringler, Blom, Table 2. Spring Departure Da tea, 1981 Median Species 10-yr 1981 Carr Alle Wash Fred Carr Bait Harf Howa Mont Pr.C AnAr Cha r Calv St.M Kent Caro Talb Dorc LES Common Loon 5/ 9 5/10 __ __ 5/ 2 0 5/14 6/ 7C 5/26 5/21 __ 5/27 __ A/20 5/ 2 A/22 0 5/ 2 5/ 9 5/10 Horned Grebe 5/ 2 A/21 0 0 5/ 2 0 0 A/21 0 3/27 — 0 — — A/20 5/ 2 0 0 A/18 — 5/ 2 Pled-bLlled Grebe — 5/ 2 5/ 6 5/ 2 — 0 A/12 5/ 2 0 4/15 5/ 2 0 5/ 2 0 3/21 0 4/16 — 5/2 0 5/ 6S Dbl-cr. Cormorant 5/17 5/14 5/ 2 0 5/ 2 0 0 5/29 0 5/ A 5/ 2 0 6/ 5 5/2A 0 5/ 2 5/ 2 — 5/2A 6/ 6 — Whistling Swan 5/ 2 A/19 3/15 — 0 0 — A/19 3/15 4/19 — — 5/ 2 0 3/21 0 5/ 2 A/18 3/20 5/ 9 — Canada Goose 5/ 5 5/ 2 — 6/ A — 5/ 2 — — — 3/25 5/10 5/25 5/ 2 A/10 A/26 — 5/ 2 5/25 5/ 3 — — Snow Goose — — 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5/ 2 A/15 0 3/28 5/ 2 Cadwall A/26 5/ 2 3/15 0 0 0 0 5/ 2 0 0 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 0 3/21 0 0 0 0 5/ 2 5/ 2 Common Pintail 5/ 3 3/25 0 0 — 0 3/22 3/21 3/23 3/12 5/ 2 0 — 0 0 0 5/17 0 — 3/28 — Creen-wlnRed Teal A/29 3/31 3/31 3/15 — 3/29 0 — 0 3/26 5/16 5/ 2 — 0 0 0 5/ 2 0 3/29 5/ 9 — Blue-winged Teal — 5/ 2 5/ 2 6/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 — 5/22 5/ 2 A/ 8 5/ 3 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 3 3/21 5/ 2 5/ 3Q ITT ITT — — American Wlgeon A/19 3/31 A/ A — — 3/15 3/22 3/21 0 5/12 3/29 5/ 2 — 0 3/ 7 0 A/ 1 0 3/29 5/ 2 A/ 7 Northern Shoveler A/15 A/15 A / 5 0 0 0 0 A/ll 0 5/ 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 A/19 0 3/29 4/2A 0 Redhead A / 6 3/27 3/31 — 0 0 3/22 3/21 0 3/ 2 A 3/ 7 — 5/ 2 0 A/18 — 0 0 3/29 0 0 Ring-necked Duck A/15 A/ 5 A/ A 5/ 2 0 0 3/22 A/ A 0 5/14 3/29 5/ 2 — 5/ 2 3/21 — — 0 5/ 2 0 4/ 5 Canvasback A/15 5/ 2 0 0 — 0 — 5/ 2 0 5/ 2 0 5/ 2 5/ 9 0 A/18 0 5/18 0 4/ A 3/28 5/ 2 Greater Scaup — A/20 0 0 0 0 3/22 A/20 0 0 0 0 5/ 9 0 A/20 5/ 2 5/ 2 0 0 0 — Lesser Scaup 5/ 1 A/21 5/ 2 5/ 2 A/22 0 3/22 5/16 0 3/12 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 — A/20 — 3/18 0 A/17 3/28 A/ 5 Common Goldeneye A/27 A/21 0 0 — — — A/21 0 2/ 7 0 — 5/ 3 A/20 — 0 0 5/ 2 3/28 — Buff lchead 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 0 0 — A/27 0 5/25 5/ 2 A/16 5/ 2 — A/20 0 5/ 2 0 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 Oldaquaw A/12 A / A A/ 5 0 A/ 5 0 0 A/ll 0 A/ A 0 0 0 0 3/16 5/ 2 0 0 -a7“4~ 3728 3V29S Ruddy Duck 5/ 5 5/ 2 5/ 2 — 5/ 2 0 0 5/16 0 5/2A 5/ 2 0 5/ 2 4/26 0 0 5/18 0 3/29 5/ 3 — Hooded Merganser A/20 3/27 A/ 5 0 — A/15 3/22 5/ 2 0 3/25 3/29 — A/27 3/22 3/16 3/21 0 0 0 — — Common Merganser A/ 9 3/22 3/ 1 0 — 3/ 1 A 3/22 A/ 9 0 A/ A 5/ 2 3/ 8 0 5/ 3 3/21 0 3/21 0 0 3/28 0 Red-br Merganser 5/ 5 5/ 3 A / 5 — 0 0 — 5/ 2 0 5/ A 5/ 2 5/16 5/16 5/ 3 3/21 — 5/ 2 0 5/ 5 0 — Rough-legged Hawk 3/30 A/2A 0 0 A/23 A/15 0 — 0 0 5/ 2 0 3/13 0 A/25 — 3/15 0 0 5/ 2 5/ 2W Northern Harrier — 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 0 — 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 — 5/26 0 3/21 — 5/17 0 A/26 — — Merlin — 5/ 2 0 0 5/ 2 0 0 0 0 0 5/ 2 0 5/14 0 A/25 0 0 5 / 2 0 A/ 24 5/ 2 American Coot 5/ A 5/ 2 A/20 5/ 2 5/ 2 0 0 5/ 2 0 6/ 5 0 3/23 5/ 2 0 0 0 A/22 0 0 A/ 9 5/ 2 Scmlpalmated Plover 5/26 5/20 5/17 6/ 2 0 5/30 0 5/23 0 0 0 0 5/11 0 0 0 6/ 4Q — 5/ 4 5/ 9 — Black-belly Plover 5/23 5/19 5/16 0 0 0 0 5/31 0 0 5/18 0 5/19 0 A/20 5/15 5/21 0 5/ A 6/ 6 6/14 Greater YeLlowlegs 5/ 8 5/13 5/18 0 5/ 2 5/27 0 5/23 5/ 2 5/17 5/ 9 5/ 2 5/16 5/17 — 5/ 9 5/17 5/ 2 5/25 5/ 9 5/ 2U Lesser Yellowlegs 5/ 8 5/ 9 5/18 6/ A 0 5/22 5/ 2 5/23 5/ 2 5/14 5/ 9 5/ 2 5/ 9 5/11 — 5/ 2 5/ 5 5/ 3 5/ 7 5/ 9 — Solitary Sandpiper 5/12 5/16 5/17 5/31 5/ 2 5/22 0 5/29 5/ 2 5/17 5/16 5/ 2 5/16 5/ 3 5/2A 5/ 2 5/14 0 5/17 5/ 2 5/10 Spotted Sandpiper 5/22 5/30 — — — 5/30 — 5/31 — 5/31 — 5/25 6/ 5 5/17 5/31 — 5 / 24 — 5/2A — — Ruddy Turnstone 5/29 — 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6/ 3 — 0 5/25 6/ 6 — Common Snipe 5/ 5 5/ 2 5/ 2 A/28 5/ 2 5/ 2 — 5/ 2 0 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 — — — A/19 5/ 3 5/ 2 5/ 9 5/ 2W Short-bllL Dowitcher 5/27 5/ 7 5/18 0 0 5/20 0 5/ 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 A/26 5/ 2 0 0 5/ A 5/ 9 6/14 Sander ling — — 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5/10 6/ 3 5/ 2 0 0 0 — SomLpalm Sandpiper 5/26 5/28 5/18 6/1A 0 5/30 0 6/ 7 0 5/25 — 5/25 5/30 0 5/16 — 5/21 5/ 3 — 6/ 6 6/14 Least Sandpiper 5/18 5/17 5/17 5/31 0 5/27 0 5/31 5/ 2 5/16 5/ 5 — 5/19 0 5/10 5/ 2 5/18 5/ 3 5/17 5/ 9 — Pectoral Sandpiper 5/ 8 5/ 2 5/ 7 0 5/ 2 5/22 0 5/ 2 0 0 5/ 2 5/ 2 — 0 5/2A 5/ 2 5/ 8 5/ 3 5/ 6 5/ 9 — Dunlin 5/22 5/21 5/17 5/ 7 0 5/22 0 5/31 0 0 0 0 5/19 0 — 0 5/17 0 5/24 6/ 6 — Ring-billed Gull — 5/23 — — — 5/13 0 5/23 — 6 / 2 — — — 5/31 — — 5/18 Bonaparte's Gull 5/ 3 5/ 2 5/16 0 — A/ll — 5/ 2 5/ 2 0 5/ 2 5/ 2 6/ A 0 — 5/ 2 5/ 2 0 4/23 0 5/ 2 Caspian Tern — — — 0 0 0 0 6/ 7 0 0 0 — 6/ 9 0 5/12 0 0 0 0 6 / 6 — 112 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol , 37 . Mo Tabic 2 (cone.)- Spring Departure Dates, 1981 Median 10-yr 1981 Garr Alle Wash Fred Carr Balt Hnrf Howa Hont Pr.G AnAr Char Cnlv St.M Kent Caro Talb Dare LES Black Tern _ — 0 0 0 5/20 0 0 0 5/12 0 0 5/11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Yel-bel Sapsucker 5/ 2 4/30 5/ 2 — 5/ 3 5/ 2 0 4/27 0 4/18 5/ 2 5/ 2 — 4/11 0 0 4/15 0 4/22 0 — Red-breast Nuthatch 5/ 5 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 3/22 4/29 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 8 5/ 4 5/ 2 — — 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 3 5/ 2 — Brown Creeper 4/24 4/25 — — 5/ 2 3/25 3/22 4/ 7 — 4/18 5/ 2 — — 0 0 0 5/ 2 5/ 3 — — — Winter Wren 4/26 — 5/ 2 — 4/ 4 — — 4/28 — — — — — 3/15 0 — — — Hermit Thrush 5/ 4 5/ 2 — — — 4/ 8 0 5/13 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/10 — 0 — 4/25 0 5/ 2 5/ 2 4/26 0 5/ 2W Swainson's Thrush 5/24 5/25 0 0 0 5/16 0 6T4 0 5/25 5/30 5/24 6/ 2 5/24 0 0 0 0 0 5/25 — Gray-cheek Thrush 5/22 5/24 0 0 0 5/16 0 5731 0 5/25 5/23 5/24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Vecry 5/19 5/24 — — — 5/24 — — 0 5/18 5/23 5/26 6/ 2 5/14 5/31 0 5/17 — 5/25 0 0 Golden-cr Kinglet 4/16 4/11 3/31 4/ 4 5/ 2 5/ 2 — 4/11 V 2 5/ 2 — 4/11 — — 3/27 — 4/12 — — 3/28 — Ruby-crown Kinglet 5/ 6 irr 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 4/26 5 } 8 S/2b 5/ 2 ~57~r “57T “57T ~rur "7712“ T/“2 ~3 TT 4/22 4/26 4/24 — Water Pipit 5/ 4 5/ 2 0 0 5/ 2 5/20 0 5/ 6 0 0 0 0 5/ 2 0 0 0 0 0 5/ 2 0 4/18 Cedar Waxwing 5/21 5/28 — — — — — 6/ 4 6/ 8 — — 5/25 5/30 5/24 — — — — 5/11 — — Solitary Vireo 5/ 6 5/ 2 — 5/ 2 5/ 2 — 0 5/ 2 0 5/ 2 5/ 2 — 5/ 6 0 0 0 5/ 2 0 5/ 3 0 0 Blue-winged Warbler 5/ 9 5/11 0 — — 5/14 — — — 5/11 5/25 — 5/ 2 5/ 3 5/17 — 5/13 5/ 9 — 5/ 9 — Tennessee Warbler 5/18 5/23 0 — 5/17 0 0 5/24 5/16 5/23 5/23 5/27 5/14 0 5/17 0 5/24 0 5/ 4 0 0 Nashville Warbler 5/10 5/15 — — 5/16 0 0 — 0 — 5/ 9 5/13 0 0 5/23 0 5/18 0 5/ 7 0 0 Magnolia Warbler 5/22 5/23 — — 5/17 5/ 9 0 5/24 0 5/21 5/25 — 5/19 0 5/31 0 5/24 0 5/10 0 5/24 Cape May Warbler 5/13 5/21 5/ 7 — — — 0 5/24 0 — 3727 — 5/24 0 5/ 9 0 5/18 0 0 0 0 Black-thr Blue Warb 5/16 5/15 — — — 5/16 0 5/24 — — 5/24 5/14 5/ 9 — 0 — 5/13 0 5/12 5/20 5/24 Yellow-rump Warbler 5/14 5/15 6/ 3 5/ 5 5/17 5/ 3 5/ 2 5/17 5/ 3 5/17 5/13 5/21 5/ 17 5/10 — 5/ 2 5721 5/ 2 ITT 5/ 9 5/ 6S Blk-thr Green Warb 5/14 5/17 — — 5/17 0 5/17 5/17 — 5/24 — — 5/ 9 5/ 3 0 0 5/13 5/28 5/25 0 0 Blackburnian Warbler 5/16 5/24 — — — — 0 5/24 0 — 5/24 — — 0 0 0 5/27 5/24 5/ 4 0 0 Chestnut-sided Warb 5/17 5/18 — — 5/17 0 0 5/14 — 5/23 5/24 — — — 5/31 — 5/18 0 5/ 8 — 0 Bay-breasted Warbler 5/20 5/23 5/ 2 0 5/16 0 0 5/23 0 5/17 5/24 5/24 5/19 0 5/23 0 5/12 5/23 5/26 0 0 Blackpoll Warbler 5/31 5/25 0 0 5/19 5/16 5/24 6/ 2 0 5/29 5/25 5/29 5/28 5/18 5/24 0 5/30 — 5/24 0 5/25 Palm Warbler 5/ 4 5/ 2 0 5/ 5 5/16 0 0 4/23 0 4/14 5/ 2 — 4/28 0 4/12 0 5/ 2 0 5/ 2 0 0 Northern Waterthrush 5/19 5/24 — — 5/17 0 0 5/24 5/29 5/17 5/25 5/24 5/24 0 0 — 5/17 5/21 5/25 5/ 9 5/25 Mourning Warbler 5/26 — 0 0 0 0 0 5/30 0 0 373T 0 5/24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Wilson's Warbler 5/24 5/20 0 0 5/16 5/31 0 5/23 0 0 5/24 5/20 5/20 0 0 0 5/12 5/23 0 0 0 Canada Warbler 5/26 5/24 — 0 5/17 0 0 6/ 4 5/13 6/ 6 5/31 5/24 5/24 0 5/23 0 5/30 5/23 5/ 30 0 5/24 American Redstart 5/29 5/28 — — 5/25 5/31 — 3751 3729 5/25 3726 3725 5/24 — 5/31 — 5/30 5/23 5/30 0 5/24 Bobolink 5/16 5/20 — — 5/17 5/20 0 6/ 7 0 5/17 5/23 5/20 6/ 9 0 0 — 5/20 — 5/ 6 5/ 9 5/22 Rusty Blackbird 5/ 6 5/ 2 5/ 6 5/ 2 4/25 4/10 0 — 0 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 — 3/22 0 0 5/ 2 — 3/28 0 0 Rose-breast Grosbeak 5/19 5/24 — — 5/17 5/ 9 0 5/24 5/17 5/24 5/25 5/25 5/24 — 5/22 — 5/26 0 5/25 — — Evening Grosbeak 5/ 5 5/ 6 5/ 6 5/ 2 5/ 3 3/14 0 5/12 0 4/30 5/14 5/ 5 5/13 5/ 6 4/26 5/15 5/14 — 5/ 7 4/24 5/ 6S Purple Finch 5/ 5 5/ 2 — 5/ 4 5/ 6 5/ 2 0 5/ 8 5/ 2 5/ 6 5/ 6 5/20 5/ 2 5/ 2 4/20 5/ 2 4/26 4/27 5/ 4 — 5/ 2 Pine Siskin 5/ 5 5/ 9 6/ 1 5/ 2 5/17 5/ 9 0 5/14 0 5/ 2 5/ 9 5/20 5/30 5/ 4 3/29 5/ 9 2/26 5/ 2 5/16 — 5/24 Savannah Sparrow 5/ 8 5/ 9 — 5/ 2 — 4/18 — 5/16 0 5/ 2 5/23 5/13 5/ 9 0 — 5/ 2 5/20 5/ 2 4/19 5/ 9 5/ 9S Northern Junco 5/ 3 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 4/26 5/ 2 5/ 2 — 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 4/23 3/29 — 5/ 7 5/ 4 5/15 3/28 4/19 Am Tree Sparrow 3/24 3/28 4/ 2 — — 3/28 2/22 3/21 — 4/ 4 — — 0 0 0 0 — 0 — — 0 White-crown Sparrow 5/ 9 5/ 8 5/17 5/ 2 5/19 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/22 5/ 2 5/ 9 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 7 0 0 5/ 2 5/ 5 5/ 5 5/ 2 5/ 9 5/10 White-throat Sparrow 5/12 5/17 5/21 5/ 5 5/12 5/17 5/ 8 5/24 5/14 5/17 5/23 6/ 5 5/24 5/23 5/12 — 5/ 8 5/ 5 5/19 5/25 5/ 6S Fox Sparrow 4/ 8 3/25 0 5/ 2 4/12 3/15 0 3/24 0 4/ 8 4/15 3/18 3/29 3/22 3/21 3/20 0 3/26 0 0 0 Lincoln’s Sparrow — 5/23 5/22 0 0 0 0 5/24 0 0 5/25 0 0 0 5/14 0 0 0 0 0 0 Swamp Sparrow 5/ 9 5/ 4 - - 5/17 - - 5/18 5/ 9 5/ 2 5/17 5/ 5 5/ 9 — — 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 2 5/ 3 5/ 2 — September l 9 8l MARYLAND BIBDLIFE 113 ll4 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 37, No. ^ TABLE 3. Migrant Raptors, Spring 1981 3 -A Fort Smallwood Park Species Total First Last Turkey Vulture 1,186 3/13 6/ 5 Black Vulture 15 3/15 5/l4 Sharp-shinned Hawk 5,153 3/13 5/30 Cooper’s Hawk 224 3/13 5/26 Red-tailed Hawk 186 3/13 6/ 5 Red-shouldered Hawk 205 3/13 5/14 Broad-winged Hawk 1,479 4/ 8 6/16 Rough-legged Hawk 1 3/13 Bald Eagle 12 3/15 6/ 9 Northern Harrier 221 3/13 5/26 Osprey 509 3/27 6/ 5 Peregrine Falcon 5 3/15 5/10 Merlin 71 4/ 7 5/14 American Kestrel 551 3/13 5/21 Unidentified 10 Total 9,828 3/13 6/16 Highest Counts 157 on 3/29; 117, 3/13; 116, 3/15 6 on 3/15; 4 on 3/29 787 on 4/29; 640, 4/28; 464, 4/27 37 on 4/28; 21, 4/29; 18, 4/21 4l on 3/13; 26, 3/15; 16, 3/29 50 on 3/13; 45, 3/29; 32, 3/15 171 on 5/25; 132, 4/27; 130, 4/29 Dark phase 3 on 6/4; 2, 5/13; 4 ad., 8 im. 37 on 4/29; 21, 4/28; 20, 5/12 53 on 5/7; 50, 5/12; 37, 5/3 1 also on 4/29, 5/3, & 5/5 17 on 4/27; 13, 5/12; 10, 5/7 59 on 4/2; 56, 3/27; 49, 4/15 60 days, 34l hours 164 hawks/day, 29 hawks /hour 5.7 hours/day of coverage 1.5 observers /day . 3-B Sandy Point — Annapolis Area Species Total First Last Highest Counts Turkey Vulture 81 3/ 1 5/ 9 24 on 3/11; 13 on 3/1 and 3/9 Sharp-shinned Hawk 21 3/ 2 5/ 9 4 on 3/4, 3 on 3/3, 3/11, 4/l4 Cooper's Hawk 3 3/11 4/l4 2 on 3/11 Red-tailed Hawk 4l 2/25 3/19 32 on 3/11, 4 on 3/10, 2 on 3/14 Red-shouldered Hawk 2 3/ 4 3/11 Broad-winged Hawk 6 4/14 5/ 2 4 on 4/l4, 2 on 5/2 Northern Harrier 1 3/30 Osprey 17 3/17 5/H 4 on 4/25 and 5/2 Peregrine Falcon 1 5/ 2 Merlin 4 4/2 6 5/11 3 on 5/11 American Kestrel 45 2/25 5/11 13 on 3/11, 7 on 4/l6, 5 on 3/10 Total 222 2/25 5/11 25 days, 39 hours Reeder ) . In Kent County , Parks found a dark-phase Rough-1 egged Hawk on Mar. 10 and a light-phase bird on Mar. 15. Coble observed Rough-legs in Dorchester County at Taylors Island and Christ Rock in addition to Black- water during the period Feb. 8 to Mar. 25. Late Rough-legs were reported from Frederick County where Wilkinson saw one hovering over a field along 1-70 north of Middletown on Apr. 15, from Keedysville on Apr. 23 (Doyle), Calvert County at Fishing Creek Marsh through Apr. 25 (Kraus), Wicomico County on May 2 (Vaughn), and Blackwater (2 birds). May 2 (Armistead, et al. ). An adult Golden Eagle was at Blackwater, Mar. 7 (Kleen, et al.). September 1981 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 115 Hal Wierenga manning the hawk lookout at Fort Smallwood Park, spring 1981 Photo ty Rick Blom and an immature was near Bellevue, Apr. 21 (Armistead). In Kent County three were observed on Mar. 22 and one on May 2. Another immature was reported on the latter date at Dan's Rock, Allegany Co. (Paulus). Sightings of Bald Eagles include an adult near Berlin, Mar. 9 (Armistead, Perry), an adult over Arnold, Anne Arundel Co., Mar. 29 (Klockner), an adult at Lilypons, Apr. 4 (D. Wallace), and 2 at Tanyard, Mar. 30 through May 27 (E. Engle) . The Chesapeake Bay Bald Eagle Nesting Survey found 51 active nests in Maryland; these hatched 53 young, 4l of which were banded. This seems to be a normal reproductive rate. On May 9 in southern Dorchester County, 17 Northern Harriers were counted by Armistead, et al. , certaiftly the center of the State's breeding popula- tion. Among the early Osprey reports were 2 in Talbot County, Mar. 7 (Reese), 1 at Eastern Neck, Mar. 9 (Parks), 1 at Patuxent NAS, Mar. 20 (Clark), 2 on 'Carroll Island, Mar. 21 (Blom, et al. ) , and 1 at Denton, Mar. 22 (O'Brian). Armistead and party counted 59 in southern Dorchester County on Mar. 28. A Peregrine Falcon was at Horn Pt. on the Choptank, Mar. 16 (Meritt). Other sightings may be referred to local release programs with one at Patuxent NAS, May 22 (Clark), and one in the Chesapeake Beach area throughout the season. Merlins were observed on Apr. 2k at Blackwater (Armistead) and Cedar Grove Beach (Coble) and on Apr. 25 at Fishing Creek Marsh (Kraus). The daily and seasonal Merlin counts at Ft. Smallwood are unprecedented for the spring (see Table 3-A) . Il6 MARY LAUD BIRDLIFE Vol. 37, No. 3 Gallinaceous Birds. Ruffed Grouse vere first heard drumming in Washington County on Apr. 4 (Boone) and in Garrett County, 3 at Friends- ville, Apr. 12 (Pope). Armistead et al. counted 6 Ring-necked Pheasants in southern Dorchester County where released birds seem to be surviving rather well. Fran Pope counted 18 Wild Turkeys at Herrington Manor, Mar. 8, and Erika Wilson saw 4 at Hughes Hollow on Mar. 29. Al Geis and George and Carole Cleland observed a Wild Turkey on May 2 along the Patapsco River in Howard County between Henryton and Sykesville. There are no recent records for this part of the state and the origin of the bird is dubious. Rails . At Deal Island WMA on May 6 Reese and Meritt counted 2 King Rails, 20 Virginia Rails, 20 Comnon Gallinules, and li American Coots. On May l6 Woody Martin banded a Virginia Rail at Patuxent WRC where breeding is a possibility. Soras were noted at Sandy Pt. on Apr. 20 (Wierenga) and at Lilypons on May 30 (D. Wallace). The latter may have attempted breeding. Another Sora was found dead on May 12 by John Wanuga on his lawn near Easton. Two Black Rails were in the Elliott Island marshes by Apr. 26 (T. R. Baptist, T. V/. Burke), 1 at Truitt Landing, Worcester Co., May 2 (Ringler), 1 at Sandy Pt . on May 9 with 2 others on May 27 (Wierenga), and 1 on Tilghman Island, May 21 (Effinger). On the night of May 24-25 Armistead and Perry heard 9 Black Rails in the Elliott marshes. Interesting Common Gallinule records were of single birds in Washington County on Apr. 25 (Dowell), at Deep Creek Lake on May 2 (Pope), and near Pennyfield on the C & 0 Canal on May 9 and 10 (O'Brien, Wilson). Shorebirds . The earliest American Oysterca tchers were 8 at Ocean City on Mar. 9 and 2 at Hooper Island, Dorchester Co. on Mar. 28 (Armi- stead, et al.). Six Semi palma ted Plovers were at Mountain Lake Park on May l6 (Pope). An early Piping Plover was at Ocean City on Apr. 12 (Hayes'). Black-bel 1 ied Plovers appeared in a few unlikely places with 2 at Patuxent NAS on May 9 (Willoughby), 1 at St. Marys City on May 15 (Willoughby), 8 in a field near Gortner on May l6 (Pope), 1 at Davis Airfield in Montgomery County on May 18 (Wierenga), 4 at Sandy Pt. on May 19 (Wierenga), and 1 at Back River on May 31 (Ringler, et al.). Fifteen Whimbrels flying north past Ocean City on Apr. 19 (D. Boone) were exceptionally early. An impressive l8 Upland Sandpipers were in the Belfast Valley, Baltimore Co., Apr. 25 (Kaestner, et al.), 1 was at Ft. Smallwood on Apr. 28 (Wierenga), and 1 south of Oakland, May 31 (Bonham). Three early Greater Yellowlegs were at Upper Marlboro, Mar. 8 (Blom, et al.). At Pomonkey Creek, Charles Co., there were 33 Greater and 16 Lesser Yellowlegs on Apr. 27 (Wilraot). A high of 325 Lessers was at Blackwater on Apr. 24 (Armistead, Reese). The highest count of Solitary Sandpipers reported was 50 at the north end of Loch Raven on May 12 (Kaestner), and a late bird was at Back River on May 29 (Ringler). The first Will e tS were at Deal Island on Apr. 3 (Debbie Mignogno) and at Ocean City on Apr. 12 (Hayes'). Wierenga observed Willets at Ft. Small- wood on May 5 and May 10 (1 each day) and on May l4 and May 30 (2 each day), and at Sandy Pt. he saw 2 on May 2 and 1 on May 28. Another Willet was at Patuxent NAS on May 28 (Clark). Very early Spotted Sandpipers were at Lilypons, Apr. 4 (D. Wallace), and Deep Creek Lake, September 1981 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 117 Apr. 5 (Pope). Armistead and Perry counted 73 Ruddy Turnstones at Ocean City on Mar. 9 and noted 3 near Bellevue on May 25* Another Ruddy Turn- stone was at Sandy Pt., May 28 (Wierenga) . Fran Pope found a pair of Wilson's Phalaropes at Mountain Lake Park, May 17, and a single female was at Back River, May 31 (Ringler, et al.). A female Northern Phalarope was at Lilypons, May 20 (D. Wallace), for an extraordinary inland record. Clark noted a brood of American Woodcock at Patuxent NAS, May 7. A Cotnnon Snipe along Kings Run Rd. on Mar. 19 (Pope) was quite early for Garrett County while high counts of 49 at Blackwater on Mar. 28 (Armistead, et al.) and 50 at Lilypons Mar. 29 (D. Wallace) were normal. Notable reports of Short-billed Dowitchers were 1 at Loch Raven, May 3 (Dixon), 1 at Sandy Pt., May 11 (Wierenga), 4 at Lilypons, May 20 (D. Wallace), and a surprising 4£ at Mountain Lake Park, May 18 (Pope). Two Red Knots at Ocean City on May 1 (Ringler) tied the state arrival record and 2 at the North Beach marsh, May 10 (Kraus), and 3 at Sandy Pt., May 19 (Wier- enga), were unusual on the bay. A late migrating Sanderling was at Sandy Pt. on May 28 (Wierenga). Western Sandpipers were noted in Calvert County, May l6 (Kraus), and at Back River, May 20 (Stasz) . High counts of Least Sandpipers were 50 at Greensboro, Apr. 30 (Hewitt), 158 at the Choptank Bridge, Talbot Co., May 6 (Reese, Meritt), and 300 at Back River, May 1 6 (Blom, Ringler). Armistead found a Wh i te-rumped Sandpiper at Blackwater on the record-early date of Apr. 24 and 3 there on May 9. Another early White-rump was at Upper Marlboro, Apr. 30 (Conn). One- was at Chesapeake Beach, May l6 (Kravis), and 3 at Back River, May 16-20 (Blom, et al.). High counts for Pectoral Sandpipers were 300 in Kent County, Apr. 8 (Parks) and 125 at Blackwater, Apr. 24 (Armistead, Reese). Three Dunlins were at Back River, May 1 6 (Blom, Ringler), and 17 at Lilypons, May 20 (D. Wallace). Stilt Sandpipers are rare east coast migrants in the spring so the number and locations of the following reports are remarkable. One was at Harmon Landing, Worcester Co., May 2 (Ringler), 6 in southern Dorchester County the same day and 3 in that area on the 9th (Armistead, et al . ) , 1 at the Choptank Bridge, Talbot Co., May 4 (Ef finger, et al.), and 1 at Mountain Lake Park, May l6 (Pop^. A Ruff was photographed at the north end of Loch Raven, Apr. 27 to May 4 (Dixon, et al.) Jaegers , Gulls . Jon Janosik spotted 2 Parasitic Jaegers at Bozman, Talbot Co., on May 31. Single immature Glaucous Gulls were seen. May 5 S at Black Marsh (Stasz), and Sandy Pt., May 9 (Wierenga). At the Rock- ville landfill Wierenga noted an immature Lesser Black-backed Gull on Mar. 13; then at Sandy Pt. a sub-adult on Apr. 23 and May 2 plus an adult there on Apr. 25 and 26. Other Lessers were seen at Chesapeake Beach, Mar. l4 (Kraus), and Eastern Neck, Mar. 22 (Parks). The Lesser at Ft. McHenry remained through Apr. 20 (Bielenberg) . Approximately 150 Ring-billed Gulls were migrating northwest over Stasz's banding station near Stevenson on May 23- One Black-headed Gull was seen at Back River, Mar. 7 (Stasz, Ed Boyd) through Apr. 7 (Blom). Reese and Meritt esti- mated 800 Laughing Gulls at Deal island, May 6. Reports of Bonaparte's Gulls from the mountains included one near Harper's Ferry in Washington County, Mar. 8 (Boone), 30 at Rocky Gap Lake, Apr. 4, and 5 there on the 15th (Wilkinson), 1 at Lilypons, Apr. 11 (Keedy), and in Garrett County, single late migrants south of Oakland and at Mountain Lake Park on May l6 118 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 37, Mo. 3 (Pope). Two Little Gulls were at Back River on Apr. 7 (Blom) and 1 on the 9th (Stasz). Stasz also observed a Black-legged Kittiwake at Ocean City on Apr. 4. Terns, Skimmer . Rather early were 13 Forster's Terns at Deal Island WMA on Mar. 29 (Armistead, et al.). A Royal Tern at Ocean City on Mar. 21 (J. B. Bazuin) is the earliest for the State. On the bay Royals were noted as follows: 10 at Hooper Island, May 2 (Armistead, et al.), 15 in Charles County, May 3 (Wilmot), 2 at Sandy Pt., May 9, and 7 there on the 11th (Wierenga), and 2 near Bellevue, May 30 (Armistead). Fran Pope watched 5 Caspian Terns calling and flying over Broadford Reservoir on Apr. 27. Black Terns were reported more often this year than usual with 7 at Ocean City, May 2 (Ringler), 1 at Deal Island, May 6 (Reese, Meritt), 1 at Sandy Pt . , May 11 (Wierenga), 1 at Wilde Lake in Columbia, May 12 (Cowden), and 1 at Lilypons, May 20 (D. Wallace). The first Black Skimmer of the season was noted at Ocean City on Apr. 11 (Bonham). Owls . Wierenga heard 2 migrant Barn Owls over Annapolis on Feb. 27 and 1 on Mar. 31- He and Bob Patterson placed a nesting box for Barn Owls in an abandoned silo near Davis Airfield on Mar. 9 and on Apr. 5 the box contained a full clutch of 4 eggs. The first hatched on Apr. 19 and the last on Apr. 30. All 4 young were still in the nest at the end of the period. Wilber Engle noted an adult Barn Owl with 8 eggs at Tanyard on May 2. This is a very large clutch for one pair. Wierenga found a Great Horned Owl nest with 3 young at the National Arboretum on Mar. 1. The last Long -eared Owls were seen at Gude's Nursery, Mar. 21 (O'Brien), and Piney Run, Mar. 22 (Ringler). A migrant Short-eared Owl rested briefly on the beach at Ft. Smallwood, Mar. 15, before being chased across the mouth of the Patapsco toward Sparrows Pt. by several gulls (Ringler). One Saw-whet Owl remained at the National Arboretum through Mar. 7 (Wierenga) and one was found dead along Rt . 33 near Sherwood, Talbot Co., Mar. 27 (Marshall). Caprimulgids , Swifts , Woodpeckers . Wierenga flushed a Chuck-will 's- widow from a nest with one egg at Sandy Pt. on May 9 _, the earliest egg date for the' State. The first Whi p-poor-wi 1 1 S of the spring were heard on Apr. 11 at Patuxent NAS (Clark), Federalsburg (Glime), and Denton (Knotts). Three Chimney Swifts passed Ft. Smallwood on the record early date of Mar. 27 (Wierenga). Also at the latter park migrant Pileated Woodpeckers were seen on Apr. 2, May 4, and May 10. Flycatchers . An early Eastern Kingbird was near Easton on Apr. 12 (Kleen, et al . ) , and 2 late migrants passed Ft. Smallwood on May 30 (Wierenga). Exceptionally early Great Crested Flycatchers were found at Greensboro on Apr. 9 (Hewitt) and near Whaleysville on Apr. 18 (D. Boone). An Eastern Phoebe joined the host of early flycatchers by appearing at Laurel on Feb. 27 (Blom). Yellow-bellied Flycatchers were banded at Adventure Sanctuary near Potomac on May l8 and 26 (Donnald) and near Stevenson on May 30 (Stasz). An early Acadian Flycatcher was heard in Rock Creek Park, Montgomery Co., Apr. 26 (Wilson). Migrant Alder Flycatchers were seen and heard along Watts Branch in North Rock- ville on May 25 (O'Brien) and at Masonville on May 31 (Kaestner). Stasz MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 119 September 1981 banded an early Least Flycatcher near Stevenson on Apr. 30. An Eastern Pewee at Blackvater on Apr. 24 (Armistead, Reese) was also early. Olive- sided Flycatchers were found near Stevenson on May 2k (David Holmes, Dixon), and along Watts Branch on May 25 (O'Brien). Swallows . Two Tree Swallows were at Hughes Hollow on Mar. 1 (Wilson) and there was a March high of 200 at Ft. Smallwood on the 13th (Wierenga) . Paulus observed an early Rough-winged Swallow perched over the C & 0 Canal at North Branch, Allegany Co., Mar. 31. An early Barn Swallow was at Linkwood, Dorchester Co., Mar. 22 (J. B. Bazuin). An early Cliff Swallow flew over Cape St. Clair, Anne Arundel Co., Apr. 9 (Bob Augustine), and one near Bellevue, Apr. 19 (Armistead), was rare on the Eastern Shore. Fifteen Purple Martins at Ft. Smallwood, Mar. 13 (Wierenga), conclude the list of early swallows. Corvids , Chickadees . Blom and Wierenga estimated 25,000 Blue Jays passed Ft. Smallwood during three days at the end of April. The last migrating Blue Jay at Ft. McHenry passed on May 21 (Bielenberg) . Northern Ravens were widely reported with 1 near Oakland soaring with a Red-tailed Hawk and 1 at Swallow Falls, both on Mar. 15, 1 near Mountain Lake Park, 2 along Snaggy Mountain Road (all by Fran Pope), a pair at Rocky Gap in March and April with fledged young on May 2 (Wilkinson) , and 3 at Gambrill State Park, May 23 (Hayes'). A Fish Crow at Rocky Gap, May 2 (Wilkinson), was unusual in the mountains. The last report of lowland Black -capped Chickadees was of 2 at Lilypons on Mar. 15 (D. Wallace). The Doyles found a Carolina Chickadee nest with 6 eggs in a bluebird box at Boonsboro, Apr. 21. Creeper , Wrens . A Brown Creeper was singing along the Youghiogheny River, Apr. 6 (Thayer), and a late migrant was at Denton, May 3 (Knotts). A House Wren on Carroll Island, Mar. 21 (Ringler, et al.), may have been an early migrant or perhaps wintered. The only Bewick's Wren found this year was near Stevenson, May l6 (Stasz). A Carolina Wren along the Yough on Apr. 13 (Thayer) is evidence of the comeback being staged by that species in the mountains . Ethel Engle found a Marsh Wren at Tanyard, Apr. 29. Sedge Wrens were more plentiful than in any recent year with 1 at Irish Grove, Apr. 19 (D. Boone), 1 at Deal Island WMA, May 6 (Reese, Meritt), 2 at Black Marsh, May 10 (Kaestner), and 2 in the Elliott Island marshes from May 9 onward (Armistead, et al.). Thrushes , Shrikes , Vireos . An early Wood Thrush was at Seneca on Apr. 17 (Wilkinson). Wierenga's best night for thrush listening was in the morning on May 24 when he heard about 100 Swainson's Thrushes and 2 Veeries passing over Annapolis. A male Eastern Bluebird arrived at a nest box in Oakland, Mar. 4 (Pope). The only Loggerhead Shrikes reported this spring were at Denton, Mar. 15 (E. Engle), Easton, Mar. 24 (Allen), Boonsboro, Mar. 29 (Doyle), and near Piney Grove Church, Baltimore Co., May 31 (Stasz). Dan Boone counted about 20 Yel low- throated Vireos in Worcester County, Apr. 18. Early Solitary Vireos were on Sideling Hill, Washington Co., Apr. 4 (Boone), Pocomoke Swamp, Apr. 5 (Mignogno) , and along the Yough, Apr. 9 (Thayer). Doyle reported a Philadelphia Vi reo along Beaver Creek, Washington Co., May 22. An early Warbling Vireo was 120 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 37, No. 3 at Lilypons on Apr. 18 (Hayes') and David Wallace counted 13 along the C & 0 Canal in Frederick Co., May 31. Warblers . A Black-and-white Warbler along the Yough on Apr. 11 (Thayer) is the earliest ever for Garrett County. On a canoe trip from Porter's Crossing to Whiton Crossing in Worcester County Dan Boone esti- mated 200 Prothonotary Warblers on Apr. 18 . Early Worm-eating Warblers were in Kent County on Apr. 12 (Parks) and Talbot County on Apr. 19 (Reese). Armistead and Reese counted 8 of this uncommon species at Blackvater on Apr. 24. A Gol den-wi nged Warbler that remained near Stevenson, Apr. 30 through May h , was banded on the 3rd (Stasz). Another Golden-wing was in Calvert County, May l6 (Kraus). Dan Boone found a record-early Blue-winged Warbler in Hickory Swamp, Worcester Co., on Apr. 19 and a late singing male in Bear Swamp, May 2k. Michael O'Brien found a Brewster'S Warbler at Pennyfield, Apr. 25, Danny Bystrak banded a male Brewster's at Patuxent WRC, Apr. 30, and a female on May 1, and Dan Boone found another Brewster's at Indian Springs, May IT. An early Nashville Warbler was in Laurel on Apr. 2k (Blom, Reeder), and an early Northern Parula Warbler along Dividing Creek on Apr. 8 (Mignogno) . Reese and Meritt saw and heard a total of 35 Yellow Warblers at Deal Island WMA, May 6. A Cerulean Warbler at Windyhill, Talbot Co., on May 1 (Meritt) was rare on the Eastern Shore, as was one at Patuxent NAS, May 9 (Nistico, et al . ) . Another Cerulean was seen nest-building at Phoenix on the 9th (Stasz). Some interesting locations for Yel 1 OW-throated Warblers were 1 at Big Pool, Washington Co., Apr. 11 (Warfield), 1 at Ft. McHenry, Apr. 8 (Bielenberg) , and 2 at Rocky Gap, May 2 (Wilkinson). A male Prairie Warbler near Friendsville on Apr. 12 (Pope) was extremely early for the mountains. A Palm Warbler in Washington County on May l6 (Boone) was very late. It was a very good year for Northern Waterth rushes at Adventure Sanctuary where Margaret Donnald and crew banded their first of 91 for the season on Apr. 20. Another Northern Waterthrush was at Ft. Frederick State Park, Apr. 2k (Boone). The O'Briens found 3 Mourning Warblers along Watts Branch, Montgomery Co., May 23. Other Mourning Warblers were seen in Anne Arundel County, May 24, at Arnold (Klockner) and near the Annapolis Reservoir (Mumford) . Reese and Meritt counted 18 Yellow-breasted Chats at Deal Island WMA, May 6. Icterids , Tanagers . Thirty Bobolinks were along New Design Road near Buckeystown, May l4 (D. Wallace) . Paul Leifer found an Orchard Oriole nest with 1 egg on May 13 in Howard County. Armistead, et al. counted 139 Boat-tailed Grackles in southern Dorchester County, Mar. 28. Fran Pope found a pair of Sunmer Tanagers south of Oakland on May 2 with the male still visible through May 25. This species is quite rare above the Coastal Plain and all the more so in Garrett County. Finches . An early Rose-breasted Grosbeak was seen along the Yough on Apr. 2k (Thayer). Also early were Indigo Buntings in Towson on Apr. l8 (Betty Iber) and at Blackwater on Apr. 2k (Armistead, Reese). The higher counts of Evening Grosbeaks were 30 at Fran Pope's feeder in Mountain Lake Park, Apr. 8, and 44 at Ft. Smallwood, Apr. 27 (Wierenga) . This species lingered later than usual into May with 3 at Deal Island on the 6th (Reese, Meritt), 1 at Ft. Smallwood on the 13th (Wierenga), in September 1981 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 121 Kent County on the l^tth (Parks), and at Lilypons on the 15th (D. Wallace). The Hayes' found a Purple Finch at Beltsville on May 20. House Finch counts continue to increase with 256 at Ocean City, Mar. 9 (Armistead, Perry), 50 at Mountain Lake Park, Apr. 8 (Pope), 50 at Tanyard, Mar. 1 (E. Engle), and 20 at Greensboro, Apr. 7 (Hewitt). Pine Siskins also remained unusually late this year with 4 in St . Marys City on May 9 (Evelynne Merritt), 1 at St. Michaels on May 15 (Reese), at Beltsville on May 20 (Hayes'), Bear Swamp on May 2k (D. Boone), and at Arnold on May 30 (Klockner). Sparrows , Bunting . A Savannah Sparrow in Rock Creek Park, Mar. 8 (Wilson), may have overwintered. Others at Lilypons, Mar. 29 (D. Wal- lace), and near Cumberland, Mar. 31 (Wilkinson), were certainly early migrants. Late Savannahs were 2 at Deal Island WMA on May 9 (Ringler, et al.), 1 on Carroll Island, May l6 (Ringler, Blom), and 2 in Kent County, May 20 (Parks). Two Grasshopper Sparrows along New Design Road in southern Frederick County were slightly early. Mar. 29 (D. Wallace). There were 4 Henslow's Sparrows at Elliott Island, May 9 (Armistead, et al.). Two Sharp-tailed Sparrows and 20 Seaside Sparrows were at Sandy Pt., Apr. 20 (Wierenga). These are not breeders there and the last Seaside was seen on May 9- Other Seaside Sparrows were at Ft. Smallwood, Apr. 1? (Wierenga), at Ft. McHenry, Apr. 20 (Bielenberg) , and at North Beach, Apr. 20 (Kraus). Reese and Meritt estimated 50+ Seaside Sparrows at Deal Island WMA on May 6. Late Northern Juncos were at Denton, May 4 (Knotts), and at Bozman, Talbot Co., May 15 (fide Reese). Two Chipping Sparrows at a feeder in Arnold, Mar. 2 (Klockner), were unusual for winter. Another at Denton, Mar. l6 (Knotts), may have been a migrant or wintering bird. There were several notable late White-crowned Sparrows: 1 at West Ocean City, May 10 (Jim Cheevers , et al.), 1 in Washington County, May 19 (Wingers), 1 at Mountain Lake Park, May 17 (Pope), 2 at Ft. McHenry, May 20 (Bielenberg), and 1 near Stevenson, May 22 (Stasz). A late White-throated Sparrow was in Arnold, May 2k (Klockner). Late Fox Sparrows were at Williamsport, Washington Co., Apr. 12 (Mallonee) , and banded at Adventure, Apr. 15 (Donnald). Lincoln's Sparrows staged an unusually early migration into Maryland this spring. The first of l6 banded at Adventure for the season was an arrival record on Apr. 22 (Donnald). Danny Bystrak banded one at Patuxent WRC on Apr. 30. Another was along the Yough May 1-^ and banded on the 3rd (Thayer), and a second bird was banded there on the 22nd. Ludwig found single Lincoln's Spar- rows at Frostburg on May k and 5- Kraus found one in Calvert County, May 11 -lk. Two widely separated Swamp Sparrows may have been evidence of breeding. One was in Washington County, May 17 (Boone), and the other in Calvert County through May 31 (Kraus). The possibility of the former being a late migrant cannot be ruled out. The last Snow Bunting was at Sandy Pt . , Mar. 6 (Wierenga). Addendum - Omitted from the fall records for Vol. 37, No. 1 was a Northern Harrier near Madonna Aug . 31 , 1980 , (Kirkwood) the earliest fall record for Harford County. 3501 Melody Lane, Baltimore 21207 122 MARYLAND BIKDLIFE Vol . 37, No. 3 TALE OF A LATE CLIFF SWALLOW NEST IN A BARN Nancy D. Rowe "One swallow maketh not summer,"^ the old English adage warns; but one swallow family made our 1980 summer more interesting. On July 13 we were showing our grandchildren the many Barn Swallow (Hirundo mstica) nests clinging to the vertical sides of the old hand- hewn beams in the lower level of the bank barn when suddenly we spied a different mud nest, not cup-shaped but globular. It was, of course, none other than that of a Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota ) ; and, as if to confirm the fact, the buffy-foreheaded occupant peered out through the bottleneck entrance. However long she had been incubating the eggs was uncertain and could not be estimated until the nesting cycle was completed. % visits to the barn had been (and would be) irregular, but I knew the nest had not been there long. It was quite dry and was "roofed-over," indicating it might be several days old, since it o£ten happens that a female will lay her eggs before the top is complete. In any case, the eggs seemed to have-been laid rather late in the season, according to Robbins and Bystrak -5 whose "latest viable egg date" record for Maryland is June 2h . Two other aspects seemed unusual, l) The nest was not under the eaves on the outside of the building, as one would have expected, but on the side of a beam within the structure - perhaps its placement just three feet from the open side of the barn simulated an eave location to this pair of swallows. 2) Cliff Swallows are considered colonial nesters, yet this was the only nest of its kind in the barn or surrounding area. The area is Broadmead, a recently constructed retirement community north of Cockeysville, in Baltimore County, Maryland. The barn, silo and other outbuildings, remaining from the former estate and used now only for storage of equipment, are situated along the edge of Western Run's broad, open flood plain and about 100 yards from the meandering stream. For many years it had been a fine location for barn swallows, but in the fall of 1979 an unenlightened workman destroyed every nest in sight. Come spring, I98O, however, the birds returned and built 5^ new nests from scratch - or, should I say, mud. Little did they realize that the natural resources they would find would be superior, for heavy rains had coincided with post-construction pre-landscaping period of Broadmead to render the land more "mud" than "mead." The many resulting puddles and heavy clay soil met the swallows' requirements perfectly. A storm water collecting basin 200 yards from the barn offered additional mud and increased the generous supply of insects already in abundance above the flood plain meadow. Like the Barn Swallow's open nest, the Cliff Swallow's gourd-shaped nest is composed of hundreds of mud pellets stuck "against the wall, as September 1981 MARYLAND BIRD LIFE 123 careful as ever a^sailor, about to spin a yarn, deposited his chew on the mantlepiece. " They must be of the proper composition and consisten- cy to adhere to the beam and to each other, and yet not be so dry as to crumble, nor so moist and heavy as to cause the nest to sag or fall. High humidity during construction increases the latter possibility. Barn Swallows apply mud and grasses in seemingly alternating layers, whereas Cliff Swallows may mix only a little plant fiber or hair into theirs. (The few horse hairs in the Broadmead nest looked suspiciously like the hair we had placed on a tree for the orioles.) Both species' nests are constructed from bottom to top, pellet by pellet, row upon row. It has been estimated that over^l200 mud-carrying trips are required in building one Barn Swallow nest. Perhaps to help discourage intruders, the Broadmead Barn Swallows built their nests 1 1/2 inches from the ceiling, allowing just enough space to wing in and out themselves. Cliff Swallows, for the same pur- pose, are thought to extend the side entrance hole into a slightly down- curved neck 5 to 6 inches long, especially where House Sparrows (Passer domestieus) are present. Despite this feature, usurpation and destruc- tion of Cliff Swallow nests by this introduced species are said to be one of the maj,or causes of the decline in Cliff Swallow populations in this country. At any rate, though there were vestiges of nests the numerous House Sparrows had begun atop the beams , the sparrows apparently nested elsewhere. Determination of the exact "latest viable egg date" of the Broadmead Cliff Swallows is not possible, but a close approximation is: by calcu- lating back from the date the young left the nest, using the most recent information available (to me) regarding the length of incubation and nestling periods of the Cliff Swallow. According to Colin Harrison, incubation takes l6 days and the nestling stage lasts 23 days. July 13 July IT July 27 August 13 August IT August 18 August 19 RECORDS OF MY OBSERVATIONS Mud construction complete; adult within. Adult within. Adult (s) carrying food to nestlings. Ditto Ditto Young probably left nest; my opinion. No visit made. Nest empty (early morning). CALCULATION OF "LATEST VIABLE EGG DATE" Derived by deducting nestling and incubation periods from the date the young left the nest. Probable Possible Actual date(s) young left nest August l8 August 19 Minus 23-day nestling period Date eggs would have hatched July 26 July 27 Minus l6-day incubation period Date last egg would have been laid July 10 July 11 12k MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol . 37, No. 3 One can safely conclude, I believe, from this analysis that the latest viable egg date of this clutch exceeds the Robbins and Bystrak date of June 2k by about l 6 or IT days. Two postscripts to this account: all Barn Swallows had left their nests by August 21 and the Cliff Swallow nest had crashed to the floor by September 20, but not before I snapped a picture of it. (See cover.) As I write this, the Cliff Swallows are wintering deep in South America. Will they return and rebuild their nest? Might the young also return to start a "colony"? I'll let you know. FOOTNOTE REFERENCES 1. Heyvood, John. "Proverbes." From John Bartlett's Familiar Quota- tions , 12 ed. Boston; Little, Brown, 1951, P- l 6 . 2. Forbush, Edward Howe and John Bichard May. A Natural History of American Birds of Eastern and Central North America . New York; Bramhall House, 1939, PP- 332-333. 3. Robbins, Chandler S. and Danny Bystrak. Field List of the Birds of Maryland , 2nd ed. Baltimore; Maryland Ornithological Society, April 1977, p. 28. 4. Welty, Joel Carl. The Life of Birds. N.Y.; Alfred A. Knopf, 1968 , p. 279. 5. Harrison, Colin. A Field Guidje to Nests, Eggs and Nestlings of North American Birds. Great Britain; Collins, 1978, pp. 21 U -21 5 . Broadmead, 12801 York Rd., Cockeysville, Md. 21030 CONTENTS , SEPTEMBER 1981 Common Gallinule Breeding in Howard County State-wide Bird Count, May 5, 1979 Announcements Northern Harrier Nest in Dorchester County Spring Migration, March 1 - May 31, 1981 Tale of a Late Cliff Swallow Nest in a Barn Joanne K. Solem 91 David W. Holmes 92 103 Hal Wierenga 104 Robert F. Ringler 105 Nancy D. Rowe 122 MARYLAND BI R D L I F E Editor : Chandler S. Robbins, 7900 Brooklyn Bridge Road Laurel, Maryland 20707 (725-1176) Asst. Editor: Robert F. Ringler, 3501 Melody L. , Baltimore 21207 Production : Lettie Cullom Mail ing : Barbara Larrabee and committee