ISSN 0147-9725 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE mniiiiiii H3u.ffs.tLn of tfcs toVlarytand (D rnitfioLogicaP Society , ffn i mm SEPTEMBER 1987 VOLUME 43 NUMBER 3 MARYLAND ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY, INC. Cylburn Mansion, 4915 Greenspring Ave., Baltimore, Maryland 21209 STATE OFFICERS FOR AUGUST 1987 TO JUNE 1988 EXECUTIVE COUNCIL President: CDR Anthony White, 5872 Marbury Rd., Bethesda 20817 229-1641 Vice President: Richard J. Dolesh, 17800 Croom Rd., Brandywine 20613 627-6074 Treasurer: Emily Joyce, 816 Oak Trail, Crownsville 21032 923-6053 Secretary: Patricia J. Moore, 24600 Woodfield Rd., Damascus 21403 253-2796 Executive Secy: Joy Aso, 1250 4th St., SW, Wash. D.C. 20024 (202) 554-8529 Past President: Martha Chestem, 10850 Faulkner Rdg. Cr., Col. 21044 730-1527 STATE DIRECTORS Allegany: ♦Teresa Simons Mark Weatherholt Howard ♦Martha Chestem Jane H. Farrell Thomas Strikwerda Anne Arundel ♦Helen Ford Franklin Atwell Paul Zucker Baltimore Laddie Flyger ♦William Newman Jug Bay ♦Jean Tierney Joan Stephens John Cullom Graham Egerton Alex Hammer Kent ♦Martha Worle Margaret Duncan MacDonough Plant Robert Ringler Stephen W. Simon Joy Wheeler Montgomery ♦Henry Bielstein Margaret Donnald John Malcolm Lola Oberman Caroline ♦Mariana Nuttle Oliver Smith Patuxent ♦Sam Droege Chandler S. Robbins Carroll ♦Geraldine Newton Talbot ♦Lester Coble Jeff Effinger Frederick ♦Melvin Bennett Michael Welch Washington Steve Goodbred ♦Robert Keedy Harford ♦Dennis Kirkwood Pat Fetchero Mary Corderman Todd Holden William Russell Wicomico ♦Carol Broderick Lee Meinersmann * Denotes Chapter President Active Membership (adults) $ 6 Student Membership (full-time students) 2, Junior Membership (under 18 years) 1 Family Membership (Mr. & Mrs.) 8 Sustaining Membership ‘ 10. Life Membership 200 Member-at-Large (Maryland Birdlife only) .00 plus local chapter dues .00 plus local chapter dues .00 plus local chapter dues .00 plus local chapter dues ,00 plus local chapter dues .00 (4 annual installments) 00 Cover: Frank C. Kirkwood near his home in Jacksonville, Baltimore County. Photo by Brooke Meanley in 1936. BIRDLIFE VOLUME 43 SEPTEMBER 1987 NUMBER 3 MARYLAND’S PIONEER ORNITHOLOGISTS Brooke Meanley In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Frank C. Kirkwood of the Sweetair - Jackson- ville section of Baltimore County, and William H. Fisher and John Sommer of Baltimore were the most active ornithologists in Maryland. There were other birders, but they were mostly egg collectors, a hobby in vogue at that time. Some of their collections were in the old Maryland Academy of Sciences museum on Charles Street in Baltimore. I had the pleasure of knowing Kirkwood, Fisher and Sommer, all three of whom were winding down their careers as field ornitholo- gists just as I was beginning mine in the late 1920s. Because transportation in those days was not what it is today, most of the birding expeditions were made in the suburbs of Baltimore City, in Baltimore County, and to the Chesapeake Bay areas of Middle, Back, Gunpowder, and Bush Rivers. Carroll's Island and Grace’s Quarter were other bay shore areas fre- quented. Occasional trips were made to the Eastern Shore and Western Maryland. Frank Coates Kirkwood (cover photo) is the best known of Maryland’s pioneer ornithologists, primarily because of his book, A List of the Birds of Maryland , published by the Maryland Academy of Sciences in 1895. Kirkwood continued to be active in the field into the 1930s. There are many interesting notations in his book. He observed a pair of Passenger Pigeons {Ectopistes migratorius) in Dulaney's Valley, Baltimore County, on August 27, 1893, apparently his last sighting of that species. Another note in his book that was of special interest to me, as a one-time Baltimorean, was the report of Arthur Resler’s sighting of Lapland Longspurs (Calcarius lapponicus) in the City. "The blizzard drove a dozen of these birds into Baltimore City, where on Feb. 4, 5, and 10, ’95, they were seen in company with English Sparrows feeding in the bed of North Avenue, near Caroline St." Kirkwood also mentions the occurrence of Carolina Parakeets ( Conuropsis carolinensis) along the Potomac River in the mid-1800s. This record was originally from the Ault, vol. 5, p. 148. "In September, ’65, while gunning for Sora on the Potomac River, Mr. Ed. Derrick fired into a flock of strange birds flying overhead, killing several which proved to be Carolina Paroquets.” A specimen of a Yellow Rail (Cotumicops noveboracensis), a species rarely seen in Maryland, was given to Kirkwood on October 20, 1894. It came from a “mixed lot of birds, in a box sent from Back River Neck by a market gunner.” 64 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 43, No. 3 I was in the field with Mr. Kirkwood on a half dozen occasions, and on one such trip he showed me a nest of a Long-eared Owl (Asio otus) in the Jacksonville sec- tion of Baltimore County. William H. Fisher was one of the early bird photographers, and many of his photographs were made in the late 1800s. Mr. Fisher gave me a photograph of a Sora’s ( Porzana Carolina) nest, taken in the Bush River marsh on May 15, 1899. This photograph appeared in Bent’s Life Histories of North American Marsh Birds, and was the first of only three nests of that species found in Maryland. I also have a photograph of a Ruffed Grouse l Bonasa umbellus ) nest that he found a few miles north of Towson in Baltimore County. Mr. Fisher did quite a lot of birding in the late 1800s around Lake Roland, where I conducted my first bird studies when I lived in Ruxton. John Sommer was an egg collector, and had a general interest in birds. His collection was eventually given to the Maryland Ornithological Society. I recall the occasion that Mr. Sommer and I took a street car and then a bus from Baltimore to Randallstown, from where we walked several miles down into the Worthington Valley to see Upland Sandpipers (Bartramia longicauda), in the place where a few days earlier in May 1936, 1 had located two Upland Sandpiper nests only eight feet apart. I was also well acquainted with several other well known Maryland naturalists who were active at the turn of the century. Percy T. Blogg, owner of the Alpha Photo Engraving Company, was an all around naturalist, illustrator, and poet. He authored a delightful little book called There Are No Dull Dark Days (92 pages). One of the interesting tidbits in his book concerned Sidney Lanier, the famous southern poet who taught at Johns Hopkins University in the 1800s, and whose reclining statue is located beside the University along Charles Street. During the period that Lanier was lecturing at Johns Hopkins, he played the flute in the old Peabody Orchestra in Baltimore. He was interested in birds and nature, and a neighbor of his told Mr. Blogg that Sidney Lanier learned to mimic birds perfectly on his flute. Mr. Blogg’s book was published in 1944, at about the time that he passed away. When it was published, it sold for $2.50. In the early 1970s, a friend of mine found a copy in mint condition in a used book store for 32 cents. Two years later I saw the book advertised in a nature book catalog at $60.00, and a year later at $80.00! Bruce Overington of Laurel was a good friend of mine who collected bird speci- mens and prepared them as museum study skins. He worked with W. Brvant Tyrrell conducting a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) nesting survey for the National Audubon Society in the 1930s. Bruce climbed to all of the nests to record their contents for Tyrrell’s report. In his later years he remained active, and helped Robert E. Stewart in a nesting survey of Red-shouldered Hawk {Buteo lineatus) populations in the Patuxent River floodplain forest between Laurel and Bowie; he continued climbing trees to examine nests until he had a bad fall and broke his arm. Bruce’s bird collection is housed in the Maryland Science Center at Harbor Place, in Baltimore. It was a privilege for me to have been one of those who bridged the gap between Maryland’s pioneer ornithologists and the present-day birders. P. O. Box 87, Fishers ville, Va. 22939 September 1987 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 65 THE SEASON SPRING MIGRATION, March 1— May 31, 1987 Robert F. Ringler It was a season marked by the early departure of waterfowl, the late lingering of shorebirds and no important waves of migratory songbirds. Compare this year’s median arrivals and departures with the medians for the past ten years (Table 1). Still there was abundant exciting birding to be found throughout the state. Many thanks to the people who made the effort to communicate their observations to me and make this column possible. Observers: Henry Armistead, Chris Beaton, Peggy Bohanan, Larry Bonham, Ed Boyd, Mike Bryan, Martha Chestem, David Czaplak, Lynn Davidson, Bob Dixon, Margaret Donnald (banding at Adventure Sanctuary), Ethel Engle, Jane Farrell, Roberta Fletcher (reporting for Caroline County), Mark Garland, Jim & Patricia Gruber, Alex Hammer, Dick Hegner, Marvin Hewitt, Jim Hill, Bob Hilton, Kye Jenkins, George Jett, Hank Kaestner, Greg Kearns, Ray Kiddy, Dennis Kirkwood, Walter Kraus, Chris Ludwig, Alice Mallonee, Bob & Pat Melville (banding near Bristol in Anne Arundel County), Dotty Mumford, Rosamond Munro, Bill Murphy, Mariana Nuttle, Paul Nistico, Michael O’Brien, Peter Osenton, Jim Paulus, Kyle Rambo, Jan Reese, Mike Resch, Sue Ricciardi, Wilbur Rittenhouse, Barbara Ross (banding at St. Timothy’s near Stevenson), Ron Runkles (banding at Laurel Grove in St. Marys County), Bob Schutsky, Carol Scudder, Steve Simon, Teresa Simons, Jo Solem (reporting for Howard County), Jim Stasz, Sallie Thayer (banding near Oakland and Mt. Nebo), Mary Twigg, Charlie Vaughn, Dave Walbeck, Mark Wallace, Robert Warfield, Pete Webb, Hal Wierenga, Erika Wilson, Mark Wright. In the text banded birds are listed with no observer but may be referred to the people noted above for each station. The following locations, unfamiliar to some readers, are identified by county: Back River (Baltimore), Bradenbaugh (Harford), Church Hill (Queen Annes), Cove Point (Calvert), Cylburn (Baltimore City), Downsville (Washington), Eastern Neck (Kent), Elliott (Dorchester), Flag Ponds (Calvert), Fort McHenry (Baltimore City), Fort Smallwood (Anne Arundel), Fulton (Howard), Georgetown Reservoir (District of Columbia), Germantown (Montgomery), Green Ridge (Allegany), Hains Point (District of Columbia). Hart - Miller (Baltimore), Hooper Island (Dorchester), Hughes Hollow (Montgomery), Hurlock (Dorchester), Jug Bay (Anne Arundel), Lake Elkhorn (Howard), Lake Roland (Baltimore), Lander (Frederick), Laurel Grove (St. Marys), Liberty Reservoir (Carroll only), Love Point (Queen Annes), Madonna (Harford), Masonville (Baltimore city), Mt. Nebo (Garrett), Nolands Ferry (Frederick), North Beach (Calvert), North Branch (Allegany), Oldtown (Alle- gany), Pennyfield (Montgomery), Piney Run (Carroll), Pinto (Allegany), Piscataway (Prince Georges), Point of Rocks (Frederick), Remington Farms (Kent), Rocky Gap (Allegany), Spring Gap (Allegany), Stevenson (Baltimore), Swan Point (Kent), Tanyard (Caroline), Triadelphia (Howard only), Tuckahoe State Park (Caroline only), Violet’s Lock (Montgomery). 66 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 43, No. 3 Abbreviations: PNAS — Patuxent Naval Air Station, St. Marys County; PWRC — Patuxent Wildlife Research Center; WMA — Wildlife Management Area; “ + ” means additional observers. Loons , Grebes. Single Red-throated Loons were seen in the bay off Calvert County from April 6 through May 2 (Stasz). Jenkins saw 3 Red-throateds at Loch Raven on April 6, 2 were at Point Lookout on April 19 (Davidson, Wierenga) and 3 were seen off Hains Point on April 25 (Czaplak). In Charles County single Red- throated Loons were at Poraonkey on May 2 (Nistico, Cora Fulton) and at Waldorf on May 23 (Jett). This is an unusual number of Red-throated Loons away from the coast. The first migrant Common Loons were 1 flying north past Love Point on March 24 (J. Gruber), 3 at Flag Ponds on March 28 (Stasz) and 2 at Cambridge on March 28 (Czaplak). Largest numbers of Common Loons observed were 55 at Rocky Gap on April 4 (Kiddy), 20 on Loch Raven on April 6 (Jenkins) and 18 on Liberty Reservoir on April 18 (Wright); flying birds were 54 at Fort Smallwood on April 19 (Murphy), 81 at Hart - Miller on April 19 (Ringler + ), 45 near Stevenson on April 22 (Ross) and 7 at Seneca on May 21 (Garland). Late Common Loons included 1 on Rocky Gorge Reservoir, Howard County on May 10 (Farrell), 1 on Savage River Reservoir, Garrett County on May 16 (Simons), 1 on Liberty Reservoir on May 21 (Wright), 1 on Loch Raven on May 22 (Simon), 3 at Swan Point on May 30 (J. Gruber), 2 at Hart - Miller on May 31 (Kaestner) and 1 in DC on May 31 (Czaplak). An early migrant Pied-billed Grebe was at Piney Run on March 5 (Wright) while the most reported was 12 on April 5 at PNAS, where the latest migrant was seen on May 19 (Bryan). The largest groups of Horned Grebes were 400 in the North Beach - Chesapeake Beach area from late March to early April with 214 remaining on April 21 and 1 on May 8 (Stasz), 250 in the Chester River off Eastern Neck on March 25 (J. Gruber), 138 at PNAS on April 5 (Bryan), and 67 elsewhere in St. Marys County on April 9 (Wilson). Other Horned Grebes included an injured bird at North Beach on May 22 (Stasz), 6 at Pinto and 4 at Rocky Gap on April 5 (Simons, Kiddy), 9 on Lake Elkhorn on April 6 and 5 on April 28 (Hegner), 8 on Loch Raven on April 8 (Simon), 12 in DC on April 28 (Czaplak) and 1 at North Branch on May 5 (Kiddy). Red-necked Grebes were found in only two locations this spring with the most being at PNAS beginning with 3 on March 15, peaking with 13 on March 22 and the last 4 on April 5 (Bryan); the only others were 2 at Mason- ville in Baltimore on March 22 (Ringler). Stasz observed a single Eared Grebe at North Beach from April 13 through May 2. Gannets, Pelicans , Cormorants. The last report of Northern Gannets was 5 immatures off Ocean City on May 16 (Resch). An American White Pelican in breeding plumage was seen at Point Lookout on April 19 (Davidson, Wierenga) and perhaps the same bird was seen on May 19 just across the bay from there at Smith Island (Joan McKiernan). Ron White saw Brown Pelicans off Assateague on May 16-17 and Resch saw 4 immatures off Ocean City on May 17. Great Cormorants continue to increase in the state with more spring reports than ever before. There was an immature at Chesapeake Beach on March 3 (Stasz), an immature at Ocean City from April 12 (Davidson + ) through April 27 (Ringler), 1 at Point Lookout on April 19 (Davidson, Wierenga) and 1 flying over Hart - Miller on May 17 (Kaestner + ). The first Double-crested Cormorant of the season at Rock Hall was seen on March 3 and numbers peaked there with 250 on April 15 (J. Gruber). At Sandy Point the first 2 were on March 22 (Czaplak) and the high was 200 on April 15 (Davidson). Other concentrations of Double-crests were 250 at Chesapeake Beach on April 6 (Stasz), 564 in St. Marys County on April 9 (Wilson), 18 in Talbot County on April 20 (Reese), 120 at Hart - Miller on May 9 (Ringler + ) and 50 in DC on May 22 (Czaplak). September 1987 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 67 Herons, Ibis. American Bitterns were again scarce with the only reports 1 at Deal Island WMA on April 12 (Davidson + ), 1 at Pinto Marsh on April 19 and May 1 (Simons), and 1 at Lily pons on the very late date of May 13 (Wilson). Stasz noted 5 Least Bitterns at Cove Point on May 10. The high count of migratory Great Blue Herons was 10 at Lake Roland on March 24 (Bohanan + ); 20 were at Jug Bay on May 11 (Mumford) and an impressive 100 at Hart - Miller on May 31 (Ringler + ) where none are known to nest. Reports of Great Egrets were numerous and wide- spread with 2 at Deal Island WMA on March 28 (Czaplak), 1 at North Beach on April 4 (Kraus), 1 in Talbot County on April 5 and 12 (Reese), 6 at Point Lookout on April 9 (Wilson), 1 at Nolands Ferry on April 12 (Warfield), 1 at Denton on April 18 (Hewitt) and May 2 (Nuttle), 1 in DC on May 2 (Czaplak), 5 at Jug Bay on May 11 (Mumford) and 1 at North Branch on May 23 (Paulus). Snowy Egrets were equally well-reported with 1 in Calvert County on March 24 (Kraus), 1 at Deal Island WMA on March 28 (Czaplak), 2 near Madonna on April 4 (Kirkwood), 3 at Tanyard on April 12 (Ringler, Engle), 1 at Rock Hall on April 21 (J. Gruber), 1 at Lake Roland on May 2 (Bohanan + ), 1 at PWRC on May 3 (Osenton), 1 at Fort Smallwood on May 5 (Murphy), 3 at Jug Bay on May 11 (Mumford), 14 at North Beach on May 16 (Kraus) and 3 at Hart - Miller on May 24 (Kaestner + ). Czaplak found an early Little Blue Heron and 3 Tricolored Herons at Deal Island WMA on March 28. An adult Little Blue was up the bay at Fort Smallwood on May 5 (Murphy) and single Tricolored Herons were at North Beach on April 20 (Stasz) and Hart - Miller on May 31 (Ringler + ). The first Cattle Egrets of the season were noted on the western shore at Piscataway on April 12 (Nistico) and 17 at North Beach on April 13 (Stasz) followed by 1 at PNAS on April 20 (Rambo), 1 at Sandy Point on April 21 (Davidson), 8 in western Howard County on May 13 (Wallace) and 2 in DC on May 31 (Czaplak). The earliest Green-backed Herons were singles at Piscataway on April 12 (Nistico), Rock Hall on April 15 (J. Gruber) and in Calvert County on April 18 (Stasz). An adult Black-crowned Night-Heron was unusual at Lake Roland on March 24 (Bohanan + ); 21 were at Masonville on April 19 (Ringler), 3 at PNAS on April 30 (Rambo), 18 birds with 12 nests at the National Zoo on May 9 (Czaplak) and 70 at Deal Island WMA on April 27 (Ringler). The first Yellow-crowned Night-Heron of the season was at Lake Roland on March 29 (Kaestner) and singles were seen on Mattawoman Creek in Charles County on May 2 (Nistico) and May 25 (Jett). Early Glossy Ibis were 4 at Bozman, Talbot County on March 31 (Ernie Burns); 21 were near Assateague on April 12 (Davidson + ), 2 at Hart - Miller on April 19 (Ringler + ), 2 at Fort Smallwood on April 19 (Murphy), 1 at Point Lookout on April 19 (Davidson, Wierenga), 1 at Jug Bay on April 19 and 27 (Mumford, Beaton), 3 at North Beach on April 22 and 6 on April 26 (Stasz), 25 at Greensboro on May 2 (Hewitt) and 1 in Charles County near Charlotte Hall at some time in May (Jett). Swans, Geese. Massing for the northward flight were 10,000 Tundra Swans near Chestertown on March 1 (Grubers). Other swan concentrations were 400 at Loch Raven on March 15 (Kaestner), 93 on a farm pond in western Howard County on March 15 (Chestem), 100 flying over Germantown on March 18 (Warfield) and 37 flying over Lilypons on March 22 (Wilson). Late migrants were 1 at Hurlock on April 14 (O’Brien), 6 at Ruthsburg, Queen Annes County on April 16 (Grubers), at Piscataway on. April 25 (Nistico), 2 at Jug Bay on April 27 and 1 on May 2 (Mumford), 1 on Scarboro Creek in Worcester County on May 2 (Ringler) and 1 in DC on May 9 (Czaplak). The 2 Greater White-fronted Geese at Gaithersburg were last seen on March 5 (Wright). Few Snow Geese were reported after February with the last being 1 at Denton on March 17 (R. Fletcher) and 1 at Piney Run on March 68 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol.43.No-3 Table 1. Median Arrival and Departure Dates, Spring 1987 Median Median Arrivals Departures Species 10-Yr 1987 10-Yr 1987 Common Loon i 4/4 4/2 5/14 5/30 Pied-billed Grebe 3/16 3/18 5/3 5/17 Horned Grebe 3/20 3/14 5/4 5/14 Double-crested Cormorant 4/2 3/25 5/31 6/2 American Bittern 4/11 4/12 5/4 5/2 Great Egret 4/7 4/11 - - Snowy Egret 4/12 4/11 - - Little Blue Heron 4/20 4/18 - - Cattle Egret 4/11 4/12 - - Green-backed Heron 4/17 4/19 - - Glossy Ibis 4/12 4/15 - - ■ Tundra Swan 3/2 2/16 4/2 3/20 Snow Goose - - 4/7 3/24 Canada Goose 2/27 2/20 5/2 4/16 Wood Duck 3/6 3/6 - - Green-winged Teal 3/18 3/18 4/28 4/26 Northern Pintail 3/1 2/15 4/4 3/21 Blue-winged Teal 3/21 3/22 5/6 5/11 Northern Shoveler 3/16 3/10 4/12 4/12 Gadwall 3/11 3/8 4/26 4/10 American Wigeon 3/9 3/8 4/20 4/12 Canvasback 3/2 3/1 4/5 3/29 Redhead 3/5 3/2 3/27 3/15 Ring-necked Duck 3/8 3/3 4/16 4/21 Greater Scaup - - 4/5 4/22 Lesser Scaup 3/7 3/14 4/29 4/28 Oldsquaw 3/20 3/22 4/11 4/24 Surf Scoter - - 4/23 4/26 White-winged Scoter - 3/21 4/19 4/18 Common Goldeneye 2/25 2/19 4/8 4/4 Bufflehead 3/9 3/6 4/28 4/24 Hooded Merganser 3/8 2/22 4/13 4/11 Common Merganser 3/2 2/6 4/8 4/12 Red-breasted Merganser 3/18 3/15 5/7 5/9 Ruddy Duck 3/19 3/22 5/6 5/6 Osprey 3/21 3/15 - - Northern Harrier 3/4 3/6 5/5 5/8 Sharp-shinned Hawk 3/14 3/6 5/6 5/8 Cooper’s Hawk 3/13 3/6 - - Broad-winged Hawk 4/15 4/16 - - Merlin - - 5/4 5/5 Sora 4/26 4/17 - - Common Moorhen 4/29 4/27 - - American Coot 3/18 3/7 5/3 5/2 Black-bellied Plover 5/2 4/27 5/27 5/29 Semipalmated Plover 5/5 5/2 5/27 6/11 Kilideer 2/28 2/17 - - Greater Yellowlegs 3/28 3/29 5/12 5/18 Lesser Yellowlegs 4/7 3/30 5/11 5/23 Solitary Sandpiper 4/20 4/18 5/16 5/22 Spotted Sandpiper 4/21 4/22 5/27 5/27 Ruddy Turnstone - - 6/2 6/14 Red Knot. - - 6/1 6/21 September 1987 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 69 Table 1 (cont.). Median Arrival and Departure Dates, Spring 1987 Species Median Arrivals 10- Yr 1987 Median Departures 10- Yr 1987 Sanderling 4/21 _ 5/25 6/13 Semipalmated Sandpiper 5/4 5/5 6/2 6/15 Least Sandpiper 4/23 4/21 5/18 5/25 White-rumped Sandpiper 5/6 5/7 6/1 6/14 Pectoral Sandpiper 3/31 3/30 5/5 4/26 Dunlin 4/18 4/12 5/31 6/6 Short-billed Dowitcher 4/27 4/20 5/28 6/18 Common Snipe 3/15 3/20 5/4 5/2 American Woodcock 3/6 2/15 - _ ■ Laughing Gull 4/2 3/30 - - Bonaparte’s Gull 3/30 3/31 5/3 5/4 King-billed Gull 2/24 2/9 - - Caspian Tern 4/14 4/14 - - Royal Tern 4/20 4/11 - - Common Tern 4/19 4/14 _ _ Forster’s Tern 4/24 4/12 - _ Least Tern 5/4 5/9 - - Black Tern 5/9 5/9 _ _ Black-billed Cuckoo 5/7 5/8 _ _ Yellow-billed Cuckoo 5/3 5/3 _ _ Common Nighthawk 5/7 5/11 - _ Whip-poor-will 4/23 4/17 - - Chimney Swift 4/15 4/17 - - Ruby-throated Hummingbird 4/30 4/27 - - Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 3/27 3/27 5/2 5/2 Eastern Wood-Pewee 5/3 5/2 _ _ Acadian Flycatcher 5/3 5/4 _ _ Willow Flycatcher 5/17 5/21 - - Least Flycatcher 5/3 5/2 - 5/21 Eastern Phoebe 3/17 3/13 - _ Great Crested Flycatcher 4/30 4/26 _ _ Eastern Kingbird 4/24 4/21 - - Purple Martin 3/30 3/28 - Tree Swallow 3/26 3/29 _ _ N. Rough-winged Swallow 4/9 4/2 _ _ Bank Swallow 4/21 4/18 _ _ Cliff Swallow 4/25 4/14 _ _ Barn Swallow 4/5 3/29 _ _ Red-breasted Nuthatch - - 5/4 5/3 Brown Creeper 3/24 3/27 4/26 4/20 House Wren 4/20 4/21 - - Winter Wren - - 4/23 4/22 Golden-crowned Kinglet 3/25 3/19 4/11 4/12 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 4/10 4/10 5/7 5/9 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4/11 4/11 - - Eastern Bluebird 2/23 2/21 - - Veery 5/1 4/27 5/22 5/17 Gray-cheeked Thrush 5/11 5/18 5/24 5/30 Swainson's Thrush 5/3 5/2 5/26 5/26 Hermit Thrush 4/10 4/11 5/5 5/2 Wood Thrush 4/25 4/27 _ _ American Robin 2/22 2/19 - _ Gray Catbird 4/27 4/23 - - 70 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol.43, No. 3 Table 1 (cont.). Median Arrival and Departure Dates, Spring 1987 Species Median Arrivals 10-Yr 1987 Median Departures 10-Yr 1987 Brown Thrasher 4/11 4/12 _ - Water Pipit 3/15 3/15 5/4 5/2 Cedar Waxwing - - 5/28 5/28 White-eyed Vireo 4/20 4/27 - - Solitary Vireo 4/20 4/22 5/6 5/6 Yellow-throated Vireo 4/29 4/29 - - Warbling Vireo 4/29 5/2 - - Red-eyed Vireo 4/26 4/29 - - Blue-winged Warbler 4/29 4/28 5/12 5/10 Golden-winged Warbler 5/2 4/26 - - Tennessee Warbler 5/4 5/7 5/21 5/17 Nashville Warbler 5/1 5/2 5/15 5/19 Northern Parula 4/20 4/20 - - Yellow Warbler 4/26 4/28 - - Chestnut-sided Warbler 5/3 5/2 5/20 5/19 Magnolia Warbler 5/3 5/2 5/24 5/24 Cape May Warbler 5/3 5/3 5/17 5/18 Black-throated Blue Warbler 5/2 5/2 5/18 5/20 Yellow-rumped Warbler 4/12 4/11 5/14 5/15 Black-throated Green Warbler 5/1 4/29 5/18 5/21 Blackburnian Warbler 5/3 5/2 5/20 5/29 Pine Warbler 3/17 3/21 - - Prairie Warbler 4/24 4/24 - - Palm Warbler 4/13 4/11 5/4 5/2 Bay-breasted Warbler 5/5 5/4 5/23 5/24 Blackpoll Warbler 5/5 5/3 5/29 5/29 Cerulean Warbler 4/30 4/25 - - Black-and-white Warbler 4/19 4/18 - - American Redstart 4/27 4/23 5/30 5/31 Prothonotary Warbler 4/22 4/27 - - Worm-eating Warbler 4/29 4/27 - - Ovenbird 4/21 4/18 - - Northern Waterthrush 4/28 4/26 5/24 5/20 Louisiana Waterthrush 4/8 4/3 - - Kentucky Warbler 5/1 5/2 - - Mourning Warbler 5/18 5/18 5/30 6/1 Common Yellowthroat 4/20 4/24 - - Hooded Warbler 4/28 4/28 - - Wilson’s Warbler 5/6 5/2 5/20 5/21 Canada Warbler 5/6 5/2 5/27 5/25 Yellow-breasted Chat 5/1 5/2 - - Summer Tanager 5/2 5/2 - - Scarlet Tanager 4/29 5/1 - - Rose-breasted Grosbeak 5/2 5/2 5/20 5/17 Blue Grosbeak 5/1 5/2 - - Indigo Bunting 4/30 4/30 - - Rufous-sided Towhee 3/30 4/3 - - American Tree Sparrow - - 3/20 3/22 Chipping Sparrow 4/1 3/29 - - Vesper Sparrow 4/7 4/5 - - Savannah Sparrow 3/29 3/31 5/10 5/8 Fox Sparrow 2/27 2/21 3/31 3/24 Lincoln's Sparrow 5/5 5/2 5/23 5/23 September 1987 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 71 Table 1 (cont.). Median Arrival and Departure Dates, Spring 1987 Median Median Arrivals Departures Species 10-Yr 1987 10-Yr 1987 Swamp Sparrow _ 5/9 5/12 White-throated Sparrow - - 5/14 5/17 White-crowned Sparrow - - 5/9 5/10 Dark-eyed Junco - - 5/3 5/1 Bobolink 5/2 5/2 5/20 5/24 Red-winged Blackbird 2/20 2/11 - - Rusty Blackbird 3/15 3/14 5/4 5/2 Brown-headed Cowbird 2/27 2/23 - - Orchard Oriole 4/29 4/30 - - Northern Oriole 4/29 4/30 - - Purple Finch - - 5/6 5/7 Common Redpoll - - 4/1 3/11 Pine Siskin - - 5/8 5/10 Evening Grosbeak - - 5/6 5/3 24 (Wright). The last Brant of the season were 2 at Ocean City on April 26 (Ringler) and surprisingly on May 2 there were 3 on Back River Neck (Earl Palmer + ) and 15 at the Back River sewage plant (Ross). The Grubers estimated flocks of Canada Geese flying north over Chestertown at 2000 on March 1, 20,000 on March 7 and 150 on April 22. Warfield noted 275 over the Germantown/Seneca area on March 6. A pair with 4 downy young was on a farm pond in southern Worcester County on May 2 (Ringler). Dabbling Ducks. Warfield noted some early migrant Wood Ducks at Seneca on February 16 and Point of Rocks on February 21. Concentrations of Wood Ducks were seen on March 15 with 18 at Rocky Gap (Simons) and 80 at Loch Raven (Kaestner); in Howard County on the Patuxent River a female with 6 downy young was seen on April 23 (Nicholas Short). Green-winged Teal of local interest were 4 at Piney Run on March 9 (Wright), 8 at PNAS on March 15 (Bryan), 4 at North Branch on March 16 (Simons) and 9 at Lilypons on March 22 (Wilson). Best counts of Green- wings were 50 at Cove Point on March 14, where there was a late bird on May 10 (Stasz), 22 at Remington Farms on March 18 (Grubers), 90 at Blackwater on March 29 (Czaplak), 300 at Jug Bay on April 10 (Mumford, Ricciardi, Beaton) and 50 in Talbot County on April 19 (Reese). There were 250 Mallards on a pond near Cumberland on March 15 (Twigg) and 2 broods of young were at the Hurlock sewage lagoons on April 26 (Ringler). High counts of Northern Pintail were 350 at Cove Point on March 15 (Stasz) and 115 at Remington Farms on March 18 (Grubers). Also on March 15 there were 5 pintails at Cumberland (Twigg) and 1 at Pinto Marsh (Simons) and at Jug Bay there were 10 on March 22 (Mumford + ). Early Blue-winged Teal in Allegany County were single birds seen on March 16 at North Branch (Simons) and Pinto (Twigg). High counts of Blue-winged Teal around the state were 50 at Jug Bay on April 10 (Mumford, Ricciardi, Beaton), 45 at Hughes Hollow on April 11 (Czaplak), 26 at Pinto on April 14 (Kiddy), 8 on Centennial Lake in Columbia on April 18 (Ringler) and 9 in Talbot County on April 19 (Reese). Late Blue-wings were 2 at Lilypons on May 13 (Wilson) and 2 at North Branch on May 27 (Simons). High counts of Northern Shovelers were 125 at Remington Farms on March 18 and 98 there on April 4 (Grubers) and 100 at Deal Island WMA on March 28 (Czaplak). Other Shovelers of interest were 2 at PNAS on March 1 (Bryan), 2 at North Beach on March 5 (Kraus), 1 at Cove Point on March 72 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 43, No. 3 14 (Stasz), 2 at Pinto Marsh and 6 at North Branch on March 16 (Simons), 7 at Jug Bay on March 22 (Mumford + ), 3 at Hughes Hollow on April 11 (Czaplak), 4 at Hurlock on April 26 (Ringler) and a very late single straggler at Deal Island WMA on May 16 (Davidson, O’Brien + ). There were very few reports of Gadwall but these included 2 at Piney Run on March 19 (Wright) and 18 at Masonville on March 22 (Ringler). A male Eurasian Wigeon was at Deal Island WMA from March 8 through April 5 (Garland + ). Modest concentrations of American Wigeon this spring were 58 at Loch Raven on March 6 (Simon), 20 at Liberty Reservoir on March 18 (Wright) and 80 at Deal Island WMA on March 28 (Czaplak); other reports were 5 at North Beach on March 5 (Kraus), 2 at North Branch on March 6 (Simons), 6 at Rocky Gap, on March 15 (Twigg), 15 at Jug Bay on March 22 (Mumford + ), 11 in DC on March 25 (Czaplak) and single late birds at Hart - Miller on May 9 (Ringler) and Deal Island WMA on May 16 (Davidson, O’Brien). Aytkya Ducks. Canvasbacks staging for the northbound flight were 750 at Kent Narrows on March 5 and 300 at Comegys Bight on the Chester River on March 6 (J. Gruber) and 400 at North Beach on March 23 where hundreds remained through April 11 but no birds were present the following day (Stasz). Of lesser note were 4 Canvasbacks at Piney Run on March 19 (Wright), 40 at Cambridge on March 29 (Czaplak), 1 at North Branch on April 11 (Simons), 1 at Sandy Point on April 21 (Davidson), an exceptionally late drake on the Patuxent River at Benedict on May 7 (Nistico) and a later 1 in DC on May 9 (Czaplak). The latter birds are probably non- breeding stragglers that may have summered locally. March 15 was the best day for Redheads when 20 were seen at Loch Raven (Kaestner), 1 at Rocky Gap (Twigg) and 4 at PNAS (Bryan); 1 was on Liberty Reservoir on March 18 (Wright). Concentrations of Ring-necked Ducks were inland as expected with 120 at Loch Raven on March 15 (Kaestner), 612 at Liberty Reservoir on March 18 with 31 remaining on April 7 (Wright), and 220 at PWRC on March 21 (Osenton). Other Ring-necks were 1 at Pinto on March 2 (Simons), 40 at North Branch on March 16 (Simons), 25 at Denton on March 24 (Hewitt), 30 at Deal Island WMA on March 28 (Czaplak) and 3 there on May 3 (Ringler), 1 at Hart - Miller on May 16 (Webb) and 1 drake throughout May at Hurlock (Ringler + ). Large flocks of Greater Scaup were reported in Kent County with 350 off Worton Point on March 20 (J. Gruber) and in Calvert County with 1500 at North Beach on March 23 (Stasz). Greater Scaup at unusual locations were 1 drake at Cumberland on March 1 (Kiddy), 2 in DC on March 21 (Czaplak), 4 at Georgetown Reservoir on April 23 (Hilton) and 1 at Kent Narrows on May 2 (Davidson). There were several major concentrations of Lesser Scaup. In Kent County Jim Gruber estimated 2000 off Swan Point on March 3, and 15,000 on the Chester River on March 6 increasing to 20,000 on March 25. There were about 500 Lessers at North Beach on March 23 (Stasz) and 4000 at Hart - Miller on April 12 (Kaestner + ). Other Lesser Scaup included 26 at Rocky Gap on April 2 (Twigg), 109 in St. Marys County on April 9 (Wilson) and 200 in Talbot County on April 12 (Reese). Other Diving Ducks. Gruber also found large flocks of Oldsquaws in the northern bay with 2500 at Love Point on March 5 increasing to 3000 on March 24, and 4500 at Swan Point on March 11. Other flocks were 375 at PNAS on March 22 (Bryan), 1000 at North Beach on March 30 (Stasz) and 700 at Cambridge on March 29 (Czaplak). In Allegany County Simons found 1 at Rocky Gap on March 15, and 29 there on April 5. Another Oldsquaw was on a pond in southwestern Howard County on March 25 (Wallace), 10 in DC on April 7 and 5 there on April 28 September 1987 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 73 (Czaplak), 55 in St. Marys County on April 9 (Wilson), 50 in Talbot County on April 12 (Reese), 1 at North Branch on April 16 (Kiddy), 1 at Druid Lake in Baltimore on April 20 (Bohanan), PNAS on May 3 (Rambo), and at North Beach Stasz counted an extraordinary 32 lingering on May 8 and 1 on May 13. As usual scoters were little reported. A Black Scoter was at Cambridge on March 27 (Czaplak) and 2 at Hooper Island on May 9 (Armistead + ). There were 3 Surf Scoters at Point Lookout on April 19 (Davidson) and 1 in Calvert County on May 2 (Stasz). There were 35 White- winged Scoters at Eastern Neck on March 6 (J. Gruber), 2 at Rocky Gap on April 5 (Simons, Kiddy), 100 in Talbot County on April 12 (Reese), 1 in DC on April 23 (Czaplak) and 2 on the Potomac at Violet’s Lock on April 23 (Bonham). There were 350 Common Goldeneyes off Swan Point on March 3 and 400 off Rock Hall on March 6 (J. Gruber), 10 at Rocky Gap on March 15 (Simons) and 35 at Cambridge on March 29 (Czaplak). The last flocks of Buffleheads reported were 500 at North Beach on March 30 (2 remained on May 7 — Stasz), 292 in St. Marys County on April 9 (Wilson) and 24 in DC on April 10 (Czaplak). The last flocks of Hooded Mergansers were 16 at Piney Run on March 5 (Wright), 14 at Rocky Gap. on March 15 (Simons) and 15 females at Deal Island WMA on April 11 (Ringler); single late migrants were in Howard County on April 29-30 (Bill Phillips) and on Mattawoman Creek, Charles County on May 25 (Jett), the latter perhaps a nesting bird or summering non-breeder. Among the reports of Common Mergansers were 5 at Piney Run on March 5 (Wright), 10 at PNAS on March 15 (Bryan), 24 at Loch Raven on March 20 (Simon), 10 at Jug Bay on March 22 (Mumford + ), 1 on Woodmark Lake, Howard County on April 9 (Grazina McClure), 2 at Hart - Miller on April 12 (Kaestner + ), 4 at Rocky Gap on April 17 (Simons), in Montgomery County on April 23 (Bonham), 2 in DC on May 2 (Czaplak) and an extremely late 1 at Point Lookout on May 12 (Rambo). There was a spectacular fallout of Red-breasted Mergansers on March 15 that included 279 in Allegany County (160 at North Branch, 52 at Rocky Gap, 6 at Pinto, 45 at Cumberland and 16 at Spring Gap) seen by Simons, Twigg and Kiddy; and 450 at Loch Raven (Kaestner). Other reports were of 100 at Seneca on March 19 (Warfield), 50 at Sandy Point on March 22 (Czaplak), 26 at Rock Hall on March 24 (J. Gruber), 18 in DC on April 18 and 1 there on May 30 (Czaplak), 4 at Cove Point on May 10 (Stasz) and 4 at Assateague on May 18 (O’Brien). Notable Ruddy Ducks were 150 in DC on March 24 (Czaplak), 325 at Masonville on March 25 (Ringler), 6000 at Hart - Miller on April 12 and 120 still there on May 17 (Kaestner + ), 8 at Pinto on April 25 and 1 on May 27 (Simons) and a drake on Little Queenstown Creek in Queen Annes County on May 31 (Ricciardi, Beaton). Diurnal Raptors . Observers at Monument Knob on South Mountain had some spectacular hawk-watching this spring and the results are summarized in Table 2. Warfield counted 23 Black Vultures and 12 Turkey Vultures sitting in one tree near Lander on March 20. Rare in Allegany County were single Black Vultures at Rocky Gap on March 22 and on the C & O Canal below Spring Gap on March 29 (Kiddy). Engle observed a Black Vulture nest with 2 eggs at Ganey’s Wharf in Caroline County on April 13. Thayer saw 18 Turkey Vultures migrating at Swallow Falls on March 12 and Stasz saw 1 at Cove Point on March 14. The earliest Ospreys this year were 1 at PNAS on March 4 (Rambo), 1 at Sandgates, St. Marys County on March 6 (Runkles), 1 at Denton on March 8 (Short), 1 in Talbot County on March 8 (Reese), inland in Howard County on March 15 (Chestem), and 1 at Jug Bay on March 16 (Kearns) where there were 5 on March 22 (Mumford + ). Other reports of note were 1 in DC on March 31 (Czaplak), 33 in St. Marys County on April 9 (Wilson), on the Youghiogheny River in Garrett County on April 19 74 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 43, No. 3 (Thayer), 4 at Loch Raven on April 20 (Simon), 1 at Carey Run Sanctuary on April 25 (Kiddy + ) and in Howard County on May 16 (Solem). A Swallow-tailed Kite was seen flying over the Monocacy River near Greenfield Mills on May 17 (Steve Sober). The first successful Bald Eagle nest on the lower Susquehanna River since 1961 was near Darlington and 3 young were banded there on May 30 (Schutsky). A wandering adult Bald Eagle was at Gaithersburg on May 16 (O’Brien). Late migrant Northern Harriers were an immature male in northern Baltimore County on May 9 (Stasz, Ringler) and 1 in Talbot County on May 11 (Reese). Also birds that were probably late migrants were a Sharp-shinned Hawk at Pocomoke Swamp on May 11 (Wilson) and a Cooper’s Hawk at Flag Ponds on May 10 (Stasz). A pair of adult Red-shouldered Hawks was observed exchanging places on a nest at Fleming Mill Pond, Somerset County on April 11 (Ringler). Davidson reported the first Broad-winged Hawks of the season, 7 at Fort Smallwood on April 11 while Ross saw over 100 passing over Stevenson on April 22. The last Rough-legged Hawk of the season was an immature light phase at Elliott on April 14 (O’Brien). Reese observed 7 migrant American Kestrels in Talbot County on April 12. Merlins received above average reporting this spring with Stasz noting about 10 single birds in Calvert County from March 23 through April 11. Other Merlins were 2 at Point Lookout on April 19 (Davidson, Wierenga), 1 in DC on April 19 (Czaplak), 1 at Hart - Miller on April 19 (Ringler + ) and May 2 (Webb + ), 1 at Assateague on April 30 (Warfield) and 1 at Cedar Hall Wharf on the Pocomoke River, Worcester County on May 2 (Ringler). An adult Peregrine Falcon was seen at Conowingo during the first two weeks of March (Schutsky) and an immature was at PNAS on April 9 (Rambo). Table 2. Hawk Migration at Monument Knob, Spring 1987 Species Total First Last Best Days Osprey 539 3/29 5/13 Bald Eagle 9 3/6 5/8 Northern Harrier 116 3/8 5/9 Sharp-shinned Hawk 462 3/6 5/11 Cooper’s Hawk 26 3/6 5/3 Red-shouldered Hawk 64 3/1 5/6 Broad-winged Hawk 2326 4/14 5/9 Red-tailed Hawk 644 3/1 5/13 Golden Eagle 1 4/2 American Kestrel 67 3/3 5/7 Merlin 3 4/8 4/18 Peregrine Falcon 1 4/23 Unidentified 504 Total 4761 3/1 5/13 195 on 4/19, 56 on 4/22, 50 on 4/21 1 on 9 dates 12 on 4/9, 10 on 4/8, 4/21 & 5/3 91 on 4/22, 53 on 4/26, 37 on 4/27 6 on 4/8, 4 on 5/3 15 on 3/6, 11 on 3/23, 6 on 3/18 1035 on 4/22, 489 on 4/21, 340 on 4/23 99 on 4/8, 74 on 3/6, 49 on 4/7 9 on 4/11, 6 on 4/22 & 4/23 2 on 4/8 1225 on 4/22, 606 on 4/21, 400 on 4/26 This table was compiled by S. C. and L. J. Shoemaker from 207 hours of observation on 58 days by many observers. Chukar, Turkeys , Rails, Crane. The Chukar seen by Bea Newkirk in Howard County on May 2 was certainly an escapee from a local game farm. Simons reported 24 Wild Turkeys on Green Ridge on March 24 and Warfield saw 2 at Point of Rocks on March 25. Armistead and party heard 28 Black Rails in southern Dorchester County on May 9. Single King Rails were in Calvert County on April 17 (Stasz) and Tanyard on May 6 (Engle). Stasz heard his first Virginia Rail of the season in Calvert County on March 27, 2 were at Pinto Marsh on April 17 (Simons), September 1987 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 75 there was a fresh window kill in Columbia on May 1 (Hegner) and 1 bird was heard migrating over Rockville at night on May 22 (O’Brien). Simons found 2 Soras at Pinto Marsh on April 17 and May 11, and 1 was at Sandy Point on May 5 (Davidson, Wierenga). Migrant Common Moorhens away from known nesting areas were single birds at Lake Elkhorn in Columbia on April 26 (Hegner) and at PWRC on April 27 (Osenton). Other moorhens were 1 at Deal Island WMA on April 27 (Ringler), 1 at Tanyard on May 6-26 (Engle) and 2 at Sparrows Point on May 9 and 31 (Ringler), all known breeding areas. Simon found 490 American Coots at Loch Raven on March 20 and 329 still there on April 10; 14 were at Piney Run on March 28 (Wright) and late migrants were singles at Deal Island WMA on May 3 (Ringler) and Sandy Point on May 5 (Davidson, Wierenga). A Sandhill Crane was seen flying over Little Bennett Regional Park in Montgomery County on May 2 (Ed DeMoll, Carol Pickett). Plovers. Interesting reports of Black-bellied Plovers were 1 at Deal Island WMA on April 27 (Ringler), 2 at North Branch on April 28 (Paulus + ) and 1 there on May 27 (Simons), 2 near Sandy Point on May 2 (Davidson), 75 at Ocean City on May 18 (O’Brien), 27 in a field in Wicomico County near Powellville on May 24 (Ringler) and a remarkable 1 on the roof of an office building in Lanham on May 29 (Don Simonson). Lesser Golden-Plovers are always rare in spring but 10 were at Jug Bay on April 10 (Mumford, Ricciardi, Beaton) and 2 at Hart - Miller on May 16 (Ricciardi, Webb). Reports of Semipalmated Plovers included 5 at Jug Bay on May 11 (Mumford), 3 at Lilypons on May 13 (Wilson), 26 at North Branch on May 15 (Paulus), 50 at Hart - Miller on May 17 (Kaestner + ), 25 at Blackwater on May 18 (O’Brien), 27 at North Beach on May 18 (Stasz), 1 at Rockville on May 21-22 (O’Brien), 52 at Ocean City on May 23 (Ringler) and 25 at Hurlock on May 24 (Ringler). Very rare away from the coast in spring was a Piping Plover at Cove Point on May 2 and 8 (Stasz, Boyd). The only flocks of Killdeer reported were 28 at Church Hill on March 10 (J. Gruber) and 25 at Bradenbaugh Flats on March 11-18 (Kirkwood); young were out of the nest near Wango in Wicomico County on April 26 (Ringler). Oystercatchers, Stilts, Avocet A pair of American Oystercatchers with 3 downy young were in Ocean City on May 23 (Ringler) and a single oystercatcher flew over the impoundments at Hart - Miller on May 31 (Ringler + ) for the northernmost record in Chesapeake Bay. There were 2 Black-necked Stilts at Blackwater on May 2 (Armistead + ) and 2 at Deal Island WMA on May 16 (Davidson, O’Brien + ). At the latter site Wierenga found 6 stilts on May 25 and 1 apparently sitting on a nest on May 26. Another stilt found its way to Cove Point on the western shore of the bay for the second consecutive year on May 17 (Stasz). The earliest spring record of American Avocet in the state was established this year with 1 in worn non- breeding plumage at Lake Elkhorn in Columbia on March 15 found independently by Hegner and Don & Martha Waugh and photographed by others later that day. Tringine Sandpipers, Curlews, and Turnstones. The first reports of Greater Yellowlegs for the season were 1 at Sandy Point on March 22 (Czaplak) and at PNAS on March 24 (Rambo). High counts of Greaters were 100 at Jug Bay on April 10 (Mumford, Ricciardi, Beaton) and, inland, 12 at North Branch on April 25 (Simons). Late individuals were 1 at Jug Bay on May 25 (Mumford) and 4 at North Branch on May 29 (Simons). The first Lesser Yellowlegs were 1 near Church Hill on March 12 (P. Gruber), 1 at Denton on March 24 (Hewitt), at North Beach on March 28 (Kraus) and in Howard County on March 30 (Wallace). High counts of Lessers were 18 in DC on April 25 (Czaplak), 14 at North Branch on April 25 (Simons), 30 at 76 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 43, No, 3 Jug Bay on May 2 (Mumford), 25 at Hart - Miller on May 2 and 9 (Ringler + ) and 8 at Liberty Reservoir on May 9 (Wright). Late birds were 1 at Tanyard on May 27 (Engle), 1 at North Branch on May 29 (Paulus) and 2 at Hart -Miller on May 31 (Ringler + ). An early Solitary Sandpiper was at North Branch on April 11 (Simons) and a peak count of 73 was there on May 6 (Paulus), 1 remaining on May 27 (Simons). Another notable count of Solitaries was 30 at North Beach on May 12 (Stasz). The first Willets reported were 3 at Stump Point Marsh in Wicomico County on April 12 (Ringler). On Chesapeake Bay a Willet flew by Fort Smallwood on April 29 (Murphy), 1 was at North Beach on May 15 (Stasz) and 2 at Hart - Miller on May 17 (Kaestner + ), and most unusual was 1 on the north shore of National Airport in DC on May 30 (Czaplak). The first reports of Spotted Sandpipers were at Piscataway on April 12 (Nistico), 1 at Masonville on April 15 (Dixon) and in Howard County on April 18 (Ludwig); peak counts were 30 at North Beach on May 12 (Stasz) and 25 at Hart - Miller on May 24 (Kaestner + ). The only reports of Upland Sandpipers were 1 at Frostburg on May 2 (Walbeck) and 2 at PNAS on May 6 (Rambo). The only report of Whimbrel for the season was 24 flying over Hart - Miller on May 24, which was also the date of the high count of 34 Ruddy Turnstones there (Kaestner + ). Calidridine Sandpipers. Michael O’Brien found 18 Red Knots on Assateague and 23 at Ocean City on May 18 for the high count of that species for the season; the only report for the bay was 1 at Hart - Miller on May 31 (Ringler + ). Stasz found 18 Sanderlings at Cove Point on March 14 and 12 there on March 28 for the best counts away from the ocean. The first Semi pal mated Sandpipers of the season were 3 at Loch Raven on May 1 (Simon); the best counts were 70 at North Beach on May 12 (Stasz), 600 at Hart - Miller on May 17 (Kaestner + ), 40 at Blackwater on May 18 (O’Brien), 150 at Hurlock on May 24 (Ringler) and 24 at North Branch on May 27 (Simons). High counts of Least Sandpipers were 54 at North Beach on May 3 (Stasz), 24 at Lilypons on May 13 (Wilson), 40 at Hart - Miller on May 17 (Kaestner + ), 15 at Hurlock on May 24 (Ringler) and 14 at North Branch on May 27 (Simons). White- ruin ped Sandpipers were scarcely reported with 2 at Hart - Miller on May 2 (Webb + ) and 11 there on May 24 (Kaestner +), and 2 at North Beach on May 12-15 (Stasz). The first Pectoral Sandpipers were 1 at Back River on March 29 (Davidson) and 1 at North Branch on March 30 (Simons); very mediocre high counts of 10 at Jug Bay on April 10 (Mumford, Ricciardi, Beaton) and 9 at North Branch on April 12 (Simons) were found. Quite late were 1 Pectoral at North Branch on May 11 (Twigg) and 2 at Fulton on May 17 (Solem, Farrell). The only report of Purple Sandpipers was 75 at Ocean City on May 23 (Vaughn + ). The 50 Dunlins at Deal Island WMA on March 28 (Czaplak) probably wintered there. More likely as the first migrants of the season were 1 in DC on April 4 (Czaplak), 5 in Talbot County on April 12 (Reese), 4 at Hart - Miller on April 12 (Kaestner + ) and 3 at North Beach on April 13 (Stasz). Best Dunlin counts were 20 at Jug Bay on May 12 (Kearns), 300 at Hart - Miller on May 17 (Kaestner + ) and 250 at Ocean City on May 18 (O’Brien). At North Branch 2 Dunlins were seen on May 5 (Kiddy, Twigg), 2 on May 19 (Twigg) and 1 on May 21 (Paulus). Single Dunlins were at Lilypons on May 13 (Wilson) and at North Beach on May 18 (Stasz). Rare in spring, a Stilt Sandpiper was near the Transquaking River in Dorchester County on May 9 (Armistead + ). Dowitchers, Snipe, Woodcock, and Phalaropes. Early reports of Short-billed Dowitchers, all single birds, were at North Beach on April 11 (Stasz), Blackwater on April 14 (O’Brien), Deal Island WMA on April 27 (Ringler) and West Ocean City on April 29 (Warfield). Flocks of Short-billed Dows were 8 at North Branch on May September 1987 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 77 12 (Paulus), 9 at Lilypons on May 15 (David Anderson), 26 at North Beach on May 15 and 18 there on the 18th (Stasz) and 66 at Hart - Miller on May 24 (Kaestner + ). An early Common Snipe was in Druid Hill Park in Baltimore on March 7 (Bohanan). High counts of snipe were 8 at Church Hill on March 19 (J. Gruber), 20 at Lilypons on March 22 (Wilson), 20 at North Beach on April 9 (Stasz) and 12 at Tanyard on April 12 (Ringler) all of which were surpassed by the 200 at Jug Bay on April 10 (Mumford, Ricciardi, Beaton). Late snipe were at Piscataway on May 7 (Nistico) and 1 at North Branch on May 11 (Simons, Paulus). Stasz found the first American Woodcock of the spring in Calvert County on February 22; and a woodcock in display flight was heard on the late date of May 23 near Berlin (Ringler). Single Wilson’s Phalaropes were a female at North Branch on May 11 (Simons, Paulus, Twigg), a male at Ocean City on May 23 (Ringler), at Hart - Miller on May 24 (Kaestner + ) and at Swan Creek in Kent County on May 31 (J. Gruber). Very rare in spring are sightings of Red-necked Phalaropes, but this year there was 1 at Hart -Miller on May 17 and 2 there on May 24 (Kaestner + ), a male at North Branch from May 27 through June 2 (Paulus + ), joined by a female on May 31 (Twigg) and June 1 (Paulus). Gulls. The first Laughing Gulls of the season were 1 at Easton on March 22 (Reese), 15 at Back River on March 29 (Davidson), 1 at Chestertown on March 30 (Grubers), 1 on March 30 in DC where there were 40 on May 9 (Czaplak) and 1 at Denton on April 3 (R. Fletcher). The only report of Franklin's Gull for the spring was an adult at Back River on April 18 (Cooper), the earliest for the state. Also at Back River an adult Little Gull was seen on April 12 (Kaestner) and 2 adults on the 18th (Cooper). Stasz saw a Little Gull over the bay at North Beach on April 13 and a Common Black-headed Gull on the 19th. Once again Back River was the major staging area for Bonaparte’s Gulls with numbers increasing from 30 on March 22 (Ringler) to 2000 on April 18 (Cooper). Across the bay in Kent County waters Jim Gruber estimated 250 on March 20. In western Maryland there was 1 at Rocky Gap on March 24 and 32 there on April 17 (Simons), and Bonies were also seen in Garrett County on April 6 (Thayer). In Howard County there were 15 near Fulton on April 4 (John Blaisdell) and 18 in the southwestern part of the county on April 16 (Wallace). In DC Czaplak noted the first Bony on March 31, a peak count of 121 on April 4, and a single bird lingering on May 10. Wilson counted 8 in St. Marys County on April 9. Other late birds were 14 at Sandy Point on May 5 (Davidson, Wierenga) and 1 immature at Ocean City on May 16 (Resch). The big counts of Ring-billed Gulls near the bay were 8000, mostly adults, in Talbot County on March 2 (Reese) and 7500, all immatures and sub-adults, at Hart - Miller on May 31 (Ringler + ). This is the typical timing for the different age groups to be flocking. Inland there were 279 Ring-bills counted in Allegany County on March 15 with 8 at North Branch, 21 at Rocky Gap, 22 at Pinto and 228 at Cumberland (Simons, Twigg, Kiddy), 160 at Loch Raven on March 20 and 200 there on May 8 (Simon), and 250 at Cumberland on May 1 (Twigg). Herring Gulls are usually scarce in western Maryland but they seem to be increasing as inland migrants. This spring at Rocky Gap there were 3 on April 4 (Kiddy), 11 on April 17 (Simons) and 3 on April 18 (Kiddy). The only report of Iceland Gull was an immature molting into first- summer plumage at Ocean City on April 25 (Ringler). Stasz saw 1 Lesser Black- backed Gull in Calvert County on March 11, 1 adult remained at Fort McHenry through March 22 (Ringler) and an adult in breeding plumage was in Wicomico County at Bivalve on April 12 (Ringler). The only Glaucous Gull reported was an immature at Calvert Cliffs on May 2 (Stasz, Boyd). Inland Great Black-backed Gulls included 15 at Denton on March 24 (Hewitt) and 1 on Loch Raven on April 3 (Simon). 78 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol.43, No. 3 Terns , Skimmers. The only reports of Gull-billed Tern were a surprising 1 over the Potomac River in DC on May 6 (Czaplak) and, at Ocean City, 2 on May 16 and 3 on May 18 (O’Brien + ). The earliest Caspian Terns for the season were 2 in DC on April 3 and 20 there on April 25 (Czaplak), 1 in Baltimore on April 4 (Ringler) and at PNAS on April 6 (Rambo). High counts of Caspians were 67 at Sandy Point on April 15 (Davidson) and 240 at Hart -Miller on May 9 (Ringler + ). Opposite Hart - Miller in Kent County there were 7 Caspians at Rock Hall on April 15 (J. Gruber). Caspian Terns have been increasing as inland migrants in recent years and the following reports bear this out: 2 at Loch Raven on April 16 and 3 there on May 1 (Simon), 1 at Lake Roland on April 18 (Bohanan + ), 5 at Lake Elkhorn on April 18 (Hegner, Hill), 1 at Rocky Gorge Reservoir on April 19 and May 2 (Farrell, Solem) and 1 at Jug Bay on April 19 and 27 (Mumford, Beaton). The first Royal Terns seen were in Calvert County on April 9 (Stasz), 10 at Ocean City on April 11 (Ringler) and 14 at Bivalve on April 12 (Ringler). This distribution indicates that there were probably earlier arrivals on the coast. Royals were also seen in Charles County on May 2-3 (Nistico) and 6 were at Elliott on May 10 (Wilson). The first Common Terns were 10 at Ocean City on April 11 (Ringler), increasing to 400 on May 18 (O’Brien). Other early Commons were 1 in Talbot County on April 12 (Reese), in Calvert County on April 14 (Stasz) and 1 in DC on April 16 and 8 there on May 10 (Czaplak). At Fort Smallwood 2 flew by on April 26 (Murphy), perhaps heading for Hart - Miller, where a Common Tern nest with 1 egg was found on May 31 (Ringler + ). Early Forster’s Terns were at PNAS on March 23 (Rambo) and in Calvert County on March 28 (Stasz). Inland Forster’s were 1 at North Branch on April 30 (Paulus, Simons, Kiddy), 3 in Caroline County at Choptank on May 4 (Engle) and 10 at Jug Bay on May 25 (Mumford). The only Black Tern seen this season was at Hooper Island on May 9 (Armistead + ). The first Black Skimmers at Ocean City were 15 on April 11 (Ringler). Cuckoos, Owls. Rarely seen in migration, single Black-billed Cuckoos were seen in southern Dorchester County on May 2 and 9 (Armistead + ) and at Hughes Hollow on May 21 (Garland) and May 22 (Ron Warren). A Great Horned Owl nest with 2 young was at Savage Park in Howard County on March 8 (Solem) and another with 1 young was at Tanyard on March 30 (Engle). Bob Fletcher found 2 young Barred Owls out of a Denton nest on May 1. Czaplak saw 2 Long-eared Owls and 1 Northern Saw-whet Owl at the National Arboretum on March 14. The last reports of Short-eared Owls were 3 at Deal Island WMA on March 28 (Czaplak), 2 at Fishing Bay WMA on April 10 (Walbeck) and 1 at Cove Point on April 11 (Stasz). Another Saw-whet Owl remained at Church Hill through March 22 (Bob Folker + ). Caprimulgids, Swifts, Hummingbirds, Woodpeckers. The earliest Common Nighthawk for the year was 1 in Cumberland on April 24 (Twigg). Chuck-wilPs- widows heard in interesting locations were 1 at Accokeek on May 2 (Nistico) and 1 near Ship Point in Calvert County on May 11 (Rambo). The first Whip-poor-wills this year were 1 heard near Westover in Somerset County on April 11 (Ringler), in Charles County on April 17 (Nistico) and at PNAS on April 21 (Rambo). A Whip- poor-will netted near Bristol on May 2 had been banded there exactly one year earlier on May 2, 1986. Czaplak noted 2 extremely early Chimney Swifts in DC on March 31 and Reese saw 1 in Talbot County on April 13. Bill Scudder saw an exceptionally early Ruby-throated Hummingbird at Concord on March 31, 1 was at Fort Smallwood on April 19 (Murphy) and at PNAS on April 22 (Rambo). An adult Red-headed Woodpecker remained at a feeder in Howard County from March 24 through May 9 (Munro), 6 were at Tuckahoe State Park, Caroline County on April September 1987 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 79 22 (Rittenhouse) and a lingering individual was near Easton on May 22 (Reese). There were no reports of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers after the May Count on the 2nd. Flycatchers. The only reports of Olive-sided Flycatchers came from western Maryland with 1 at Cumberland on May 20 (Twigg) and 1 banded at Mt. Nebo on May 21 (Thayer). Yellow-bellied Flycatchers were banded near Bristol, May 9-31, 1 was banded at Adventure on May 22, 1 was seen at Allen’s Fresh on June 7 (Jett) and 1 was seen singing at Great Falls on June 8 (Floyd Murdoch + ). Most of the few Yellow-bellies that pass through Maryland in the spring are found in late May and the bird banded on the 9th is exceptionally early. A Willow Flycatcher was a rarity for Caroline County at Tuckahoe State Park on May 24 (Steve Ford + ). A “Traill’s” Flycatcher type that was banded near Bristol on May 10 was very early. Czaplak found single Least Flycatchers in DC on May 2 and 9. Other migrant Leasts were 1 at Schooley Mill Park, Howard County on May 17 (Solem + ) and 1 on Sugarloaf Mountain on May 21 (Garland). Early Eastern Phoebes were 1 at Baltimore on March 6 (Bohanan), 1 at Lander on March 7 (Warfield), 1 at Oldtown on March 8 (Kiddy) and 2 at Tuckahoe State Park on March 8 (P. Gruber). An early Great Crested Flycatcher was on Green Ridge on April 23 (Simons). Two extra- ordinarily early Eastern Kingbirds were seen at PNAS on March 24 (Rambo, Bryan); routinely early arrivals were seen on April 19 with 2 at Point Lookout (Davidson, Wierenga), 1 at Denton (Nuttle) and others in Charles and Prince Georges counties (Nistico). The peak of the kingbird migration occurred on May 5 when Murphy estimated 100 flying by Fort Smallwood. Swallows. Early Purple Martins were 1 at Denton on March 19 (Nancy Morgan), 10 at Deal Island WMA on March 28 (Czaplak) and 2 at Chestertown on March 28 (Grubers). March reports of Tree Swallows were 1 at Rocky Gap on the 21st (Kiddy), 3 at North Branch on the 21st (Simons), 10 at Jug Bay on the 22nd (Mumford + ), in Montgomery County on the 23rd (Bonham), in Calvert County on the 23rd (Stasz), at Fort Smallwood on the 25th (Ringler), 3 at Liberty Reservoir on the 30th (Wright) and 20 in DC on the 30th (Czaplak). High counts of Tree Swallows were 200 at North Branch on March 31 (Simons), 600 at Tanyard on April 13 (Wilber Engle), 1000 at Jug Bay on April 19 (Mumford, Beaton), hundreds at Hart - Miller on April 19 (Ringler + ) and 740 in DC on April 25 (Czaplak). Late migrants were 1 at Easton on May 24 (Ringler) and 10 at Jug Bay on May 25 (Mumford). In DC Czaplak saw his first Northern Rough-winged Swallow on March 30, and 30 were there on April 25. The state arrival record for Bank Swallow was broken on March 29 with 1 at Chestertown (Grubers). Other early Bank Swallows were 1 at North Branch on April 18 (Kiddy) and in Calvert County the same day (Kraus). High counts of Banks were 120 in DC on April 25, 110 on May 20 and only 5 on May 21 (Czaplak), and 40 at Jug Bay on May 25 (Mumford). Stasz saw a very early Cliff Swallow in Calvert County on April 11; others of note were 2 at the McKeldin area of Patapsco Valley State Park on April 14 (Wright), 1 at North Branch on April 17 (Kiddy) and 1 in DC on May 20 (Czaplak). The first Barn Swallows were at PNAS on March 23 (Rambo), 1 in DC on March 25 (Czaplak), in Calvert County on March 28 (Stasz), in Charles County on March 28 (Nistico) and 1 at North Branch on March 30 (Simons). The only notable high count of Barn Swallows was 350 in DC on April 25 (Czaplak). Corvids , Nuthatches , Creepers. Murphy estimated 8200 Blue Jays passing Fort Smallwood on May 5; other observers noted a heavy flight on May 9-10. In 80 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 43, No. 3 Allegany County the first migrant Fish Crows of the season were 1 at Cumberland on March 17 (Twigg), 1 at North Branch on March 28 and 1 heard at Spring Gap on March 29 (both Kiddy). Simons found 2 Northern Ravens on Green Ridge on March 24 and April 23. The last Red-breasted Nuthatches of the season were 4 in DC on May 3 (Czaplak), 2 at Greenbelt National Park on May 9 (Davidson), 2 on Kent Island on May 9 (Davidson) and 1 in Talbot County on May 10 (Reese). There were no reports of migrant Brown Creepers after the May Count on May 2. Wrens , Kinglets. The first House Wren of the season was 1 heard at Lake Roland on April 18 (Ringler + ). A late Winter Wren was at Morgan Run Environmental Area on May 6 (Wright). Stasz and Boyd found a Sedge Wren in Calvert County on May 2, the only unusual report of the spring. Out-of-place Marsh Wrens found on May 2 were single birds on the C & 0 Canal in Allegany County (Kiddy) and in Howard County (Solem, Farrell). A late Golden-crowned Kinglet was in Howard County on April 19 (Zucker). Large numbers of Ruby-crowned Kinglets were noted at Lake Roland on April 18 (Ringler + ) and on the C & 0 Canal in Allegany County on April 25 (Kiddy). Late Ruby-crowns were in Howard County on May 7 (Farrell), 3 in DC on May 9 (Czaplak), 1 at PWRC on May 9 (Osenton) and 1 banded at Mt. Nebo on May 10 (Thayer). Thrushes, Mimids. Eastern Bluebirds were reported as more numerous than in the past on the lower Eastern Shore. Extraordinarily early was a Veery seen at Greensboro on April 9 and 18 (Hewitt) while the next reports were 1 at Glover- Archbold Park in DC on April 26 (Hilton) and banded at Adventure on April 29. The high single count of Veeries for the season was 21 in DC on May 9 with 23 Swainson’s Thrushes the same day (Czaplak). Reports of Gray-cheeked Thrushes were 4 banded at Adventure, May 18-30, banded near Bristol on May 24, 2 at Rockville on May 29 (O’Brien) and 1 in Constitution Gardens on May 31 (Czaplak). The peak of migration for Hermit Thrushes was on April 22 when Czaplak found 8 in DC. Late Hermit Thrushes were banded at Adventure on May 9, 1 banded near Stevenson on May 10, and 1 near Cumberland. on May 17 (Simons). An early Wood Thrush was banded at Adventure on April 22. The best report of American Robins was 116 at Pinto on March 16 (Twigg). The first migrant Gray Catbirds were 1 at Greensboro on April 20 (Hewitt), in Howard County on April 22 (Solem) and banded at Adventure on April 23. Of interest was a catbird caught at Stevenson on May 3 that had been banded there on August 30, 1980. Reese found 25 catbirds in Talbot County on May 9, a good number for that county. A Brown Thrasher in Calvert County on March 6 (Kraus) probably wintered locally while 1 in Charles County on March 21 (Nistico) may have been a migrant. A thrasher in DC on April 2 (Czaplak) was certainly a migrant. Pipits, Waxwings, Shrikes. The only flocks of Water Pipits reported were 17 at North Branch on March 15 (Simons) and 105 near Keysville in Carroll County on May 2 (Wright). Late pipits were in Calvert County on May 7 (Stasz) and 1 in DC on May 9 (Czaplak). Migrant flocks of Cedar Waxwings that were notable included 140 in DC on May 10 (Czaplak), 75 in Talbot County on May 17 (Reese) and 150-200 in Columbia on May 21 (Farrell). Reese also saw 5 waxwings in Talbot on June 2 when the last migrants are passing through the state. There were 2 reports of Loggerhead Shrikes in Caroline County: 1 at Mt. Zion on March 9 (Scudder) and 1 at Bethlehem on May 6-7 (Engle). Vireos. The first report of White-eyed Vireos for the season was of 2 at Point Lookout on April 19 (Davidson, Wierenga). Exceptionally early were 2 Solitary September 1987 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 81 Vireos on Green Ridge on March 29 and 3 there on April 11 (Simons); 1 was at Pennyfield on April 11 (Czaplak), 1 at Mt. Nebo on April 18 (Thayer), 1 in Talbot County from April 30 through May 7 (Reese) and 3 in DC on the rather late date of May 9 (Czaplak). An early Warbling Vireo was at Downsville on April 16 (Mallonee). Rare on the Coastal Plain were 1 Warbling Vireo at Bryans Road, Charles County on May 5 (Nistico) and 2 in Talbot County on May 7-9 (Reese). The first Red-eyed Vireo of the season was very early in Howard County on April 17 (Boone) and the latest that was identified as a migrant was 1 on the Mall in DC on May 30 (Czaplak). Vermivora and Parula Warblers. A Blue-winged Warbler at Cumberland on April 26 (Twigg) was the first reported this spring; 1 was banded at Adventure on April 30; and 1 at Mt. Nebo on May 10 (Thayer) was a rare find for Garrett County. The first Golden-winged Warblers were both in Allegany County: 1 at Cumberland on April 26 (Twigg) and 1 at Pinto on April 27 (Simons); 1 in Talbot County on May 7 (Reese) was a rarity on the Eastern Shore. All reports of Brewster’s hybrids were from Garrett County with 2 banded at Mt. Nebo on May 10 (Thayer) and 1 at Wolf Swamp on May 15 (Simons). Always rare in spring, an Orange-crowned Warbler was observed singing at Pinto on April 26 (Simons) and 1 was banded at Adventure on May 2. The last of the migrant Nashville Warblers were in Howard County on May 20 (Solem) and 1 in DC on May 21 (Czaplak). Very early Northern Parulas were 1 at Greensboro on April 4 (Hewitt) and 1 at Fleming Mill Pond, Somerset and Worcester counties, on April 11 (Ringler). Dendroica Warblers. Czaplak’s IQ Chestnut-sided Warblers in DC on May 9 were the most reported, and 1 in Baltimore County on May 28 (Simon) was the latest. An exceptionally early Magnolia Warbler was at Chestertown on April 22 (J. Gruber), and 15 in Talbot County on May 9 (Reese) was a good count there. Early Cape May Warblers were a male at Spring Gap on April 25 (Kiddy) and 1 in Talbot County on April 30 (Reese). Also early was a Black-throated Blue Warbler at Finzel Swamp on April 22 (Twigg); Czaplak found 20 in DC on May 9 and late birds were banded at Adventure on May 23 and seen in Calvert County at Hickory Hills on May 27 (Kraus). Impressive counts of Yellow-rumped Warblers were 200 at Jug Bay on April 19 (Mumford, Beaton), 25 on Green Ridge on April 23 (Simons) and 100 in Talbot County on May 7 (Reese) where Reese also saw a late migrant on May 23; this was surpassed by a singing male near Queenstown on May 31 (Ricciardi, Beaton). Early Black-throated Green Warblers were 1 on Green Ridge on April 23 (Simons) and 1 at Schell-Laurel in Garrett County on April 26 (Thayer); late birds were 1 at Deer Park in Carroll County on May 21 (Wright) and 1 in Talbot County on May 27 (Reese). Reese found 5 Blackburnian Warblers in Talbot County on May 9 and a late migrant there on May 28. Other late Blackburnians were 1 on Green Ridge on May 29 (Simons) and 1 at Tuckahoe State Park on May 31 (Nuttle). The first Yellow-throated Warbler of the season was 1 in Talbot County on March 29 (Reese); and 1 in DC on April 12 (Czaplak) was a rarity there. There were several interesting reports of Pine Warblers, beginning with the first apparent migrant in Charles County on March 8 (Nistico). Thayer found 1, March 20-24, in Garrett County where they are rare. Wright found 6 Pine Warblers in Carroll County at Deer Park on March 28. Frances Ehlers had 1 visit her Howard County feeder on April 3-5. Best counts of Pine Warblers were 28 on Green Ridge on March 24 (Simons) and 30 at Jug Bay on April 19 (Mumford, Beaton). Very early Prairie Warblers were 1 at Hughes Hollow on April 11 (Czaplak) and in Baltimore County on April 12 (Simon). Best reports of Palm 82 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 43, No. 3 Warblers were 3 at Remington Farms on April 11 (J. Gruber), 1 at Deal Island WMA on April 12 (Davidson + ), 4 at Lake Roland on April 18 (Bohanan + ), 3 (1 banded) at Laurel Grove on April 19 (Runkles), 3 at North Branch on April 25 (Simons) and 3 there on April 26 (Kiddy), 5 along Little Deer Creek in Harford County on April 28 (Kirkwood) and single late birds in DC on May 8 (Czaplak) and in Allegany County on May 9 (Kiddy). Thayer observed Bay-breasted Warblers in Garrett County, May 4-24, and late migrants elsewhere were 1 in Talbot County on May 24 (Reese), in Howard County on May 27 (Hegner) and banded at Adventure on May 28. An early Blackpoll Warbler was in St. Marys County on April 28 (Runkles), 8 were in Talbot County on May 22 (Reese) and a late one was in Howard County on June 1 (Hegner). An early Cerulean Warbler was at Spring Gap on April 22 (Simons); rare sightings on the Coastal Plain on May 9 were 2 in Talbot County (Reese) and 1 at Hickory Hills, Calvert County (Kraus). Other Warblers. Early Black-and-white Warblers were 4 in Worcester and Wicomico counties on April 11 (Ringler) and 1 in DC on April 12 (Czaplak). The first American Redstarts were found on April 23 with 3 on Green Ridge (Simons) and 1 in Montgomery County (Bonham); Reese noted 20 in Talbot County on May 9 and May 16. The first Prothonotary Warbler reported was at Spring Gap on April 22 (Simons). In Garrett County, where a Prothonotary Warbler is an excellent find, a male was seen at Big Run State Park on May 9 (Simons) and May 25 (Hammer). Extraordinarily early Worm-eating Warblers were 1 at Swan Point in Charles County on April 17 (Kraus) and 1 on Green Ridge on April 23 (Simons). Simon discovered the Swainson’s Warbler at Phoenix on May 3 and it remained into June. This is the second record for Baltimore County. Davidson heard a Swainson’s in Hickory Point Swamp, Worcester County on May 10. Ovenbirds put in early appearances across the entire state. Early arrivals were noted as follows: 3 in Somerset and Wicomico counties on April 12 (Ringler), in Charles and Prince Georges counties on April 17 (Nistico), 1 at Greensboro on April 18 (Hewitt), in St. Marys County on April 18 (Runkles), in Howard County on April 20 (Solem) and 1 at Cumberland on April 22 (Twigg). Banders at Adventure captured 51 Northern Waterthrushes from April 23 through May 27. Twigg found a Northern Water- thrush at Cumberland on April 26 and Reese 1 in Talbot County on May 10 for other observations of note. March 29 arrivals of Louisiana Waterthrushes were 1 at Spring Gap (Kiddy), 2 at Woodstock, Howard and Baltimore counties (Ringler) and 1 in Talbot County (Reese). Reese also found 8 Louisiana Waterthrushes in Talbot on April 12, a good number there.. Early Kentucky Warblers were 1 at Greensboro on April 22 (Hewitt) and 1 at Cumberland on April 26 (Twigg). Reports of Mourning Warblers were as follows: an early 1 in Rock Creek Park, DC on May 9 (Czaplak), 1 at Hughes Hollow on May 15 (Frank Schaff), 3 banded at Adventure, May 16-26, 1 at PWRC on May 19-21 (O’Brien), 1 banded at Mt. Nebo on May 21, 1 at Triadelphia on May 24 (Paul Zucker), 2 banded at Stevenson on May 28 and 1 at Sewell Pond, Calvert County on June 5 (Stasz). Early Common Yellowthroats were 1 at Blackwater on April 14 (O’Brien), 1 in Talbot County on April 19 (Reese) and in Calvert County on April 19 (Stasz); a late migrant was on the Mall in DC on May 30 (Czaplak). The first Hooded Warblers of the season were 1 on Green Ridge on April 23 (Simons) and in Charles County on April 28 (Nistico); 1 in Talbot County on May 6 (Reese) was a rarity there. Interesting reports of Wilson’s Warblers were 3 at Lake Roland on May 10 (Ringler), 1 banded at Mt. Nebo on May 21 (Thayer) and 1 in DC on May 27 (Czaplak). A late migrant Canada Warbler was at Shad Landing on May 30 (Osenton). September 1987 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 83 Emberizid Finches. Best reports of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were 10 in Talbot County on May 9 (Reese) and 9 in the Savage River area of Garrett County on May 16 with 1 of the latter nest-building (Simons). A late migrant was at Ocean City on May 23 (Ringler). An exceptionally early Blue Grosbeak was at PNAS on April 20 (Rambo) and also early was 1 at Denton on April ‘30 (Nuttle). There were several reports of very early Indigo Buntings with 1 at Lake Roland on April 18 (Ringler + ), 1 at Point Lookout on April 19 (Davidson, Wierenga), 1 at a feeder in Columbia on April 20 (Margie Kupiec) and 1 at Pinto on April 27 (Simons). Sparrows. The last reports of American Tree Sparrows were 3 at Sandy Point on March 22, in Howard County on March 22 (Solem), 1 at Lilypons on March 22 (Wilson), in Baltimore County on March 23 (Dixon) and in Garrett County on April 8 (Thayer). Early Chipping Sparrows were 1 at Laurel Grove on March 18 (Runkles), 1 near Cumberland on March 22 (Simons), 1 at Denton on March 26 (Nuttle), in Calvert County on March 27 (Stasz), 6 in DC on March 30 (Czaplak) and a high count of 40 at Point Lookout on April 19 (Davidson, Wirenga). A migrant Vesper Sparrow was noted at PNAS on April 10 (Rambo). Lynn Davidson heard a Lark Sparrow sing at Deal Island WMA on March 14, and the bird previously reported in Anne Arundel County remained through April 17 (Woody Martin). Stasz saw Savannah Sparrows in Calvert County from March 29 through May 10 while high counts were 35 in Talbot County on April 12 (Reese), 50 at Rockville on April 17 (O’Brien) and 20 at Deal Island WMA on April 27 (Ringler). Unusual at Ad- venture was a Grasshopper Sparrow banded on April 16. In Talbot County Reese found 20 Grasshopper Sparrows on May 24. The best report of Henslow’s Sparrows from Elliott Island Road was 6 on May 2 (Armistead + ). Quite remarkable was a count of 22 Sharp-tailed Sparrows at Cove Point on May 2 (Stasz, Boyd). Sharp- tails are not known to breed on the western shore and these are all presumed migrants. The first reports of Seaside Sparrows were on April 19 in Calvert County (Stasz) and at Point Lookout (Davidson, Wierenga). The last Fox Sparrow reported was 1 in Allegany County on April 7 (Kiddy). Six Lincoln’s Sparrows were banded at Adventure from the extraordinarily early date of April 21 through May 23, 1 was banded at Towson on May 2 by Gladys Cole, and others were banded at Mt. Nebo, May 10-21. Late migrant Swamp Sparrows were 8 at Pinto Marsh on May 11 (Simons), 1 at Woodstock in Howard County on May 16 (Ringler) and 1 banded at Adventure on May 24. The last of the White-throated Sparrows were 4 at Rockville on May 19 (O’Brien), banded at Adventure on May 21, at Downsville on May 21 (Mallonee), 1 at Concord on May 27 (Scudder) and 1 near Bowie on May 29 (O’Brien). Jim Gruber found 14 White-crowned Sparrows at Remington Farms on April 11, and the last migrants were noted on May 8 in Howard County (Solem), 3 at Pinto Marsh on May 11 (Simons) and at Downsville on May 12 (Mallonee). Reese saw an estimated 175 Dark-eyed Juncos in Talbot County on March 29; the last migrants were in Garrett County on May 6 (Thayer), 1 at Cylburn on May 7 (Bohanan), in Baltimore County on May 8 (Simon), 1 in DC on May 9 (Czaplak) and 1 at Concord on May 13 (Scudder). Icterines. Kirkwood found Bobolinks in the Bradenbaugh area from April 30 through May 24 with a peak of 200 in mid-May. The only other early report was of 7 in the Belfast Valley of northern Baltimore County on May 1 (Wright). Other high counts of Bobolinks were 300 in southern Howard County on May 9 (Chestem), 100 near Phoenix on May 9 (Ringler + ), 80 at PWRC on May 9 (Osenton), 350 in Talbot County on May 10 (Reese) and 38 in DC on May 10 (Czaplak); late migrants were 3 at Laurel on May 28 and 10 at Northeast Branch near Bowie on May 29 (both O’Brien) and 1 heard at Hart - Miller on May 31 (Kaestner, Ringler). Eastern 84 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 43, No. 3 Meadowlarks are rarely noted in migration but 4 were in a tree at Fort McHenry on March 22 (Ringler). Rusty Blackbirds were quite rare this spring with the only reports being 1 in DC on March 7 and 2 there on March 14 (Czaplak), 3 at Lilypons on March 22 (Wilson), in Howard County on April 3 (Solem), 7 in Talbot County on April 13 and 1 on April 19 (Reese), 5 at North Branch on May 5 (Kiddy) and 1 there on May 6 (Paulus). Boat-tailed Grackles were nest-building at Waterview in Wicomico County on April 12 (Ringler). The first Orchard Orioles of the season were 2 at Rock Hall on April 21 (J. Gruber). Reese had a high count of 15 Northern Orioles in Talbot County on May 10, very good for the Eastern Shore. Fringillids. Purple Finches were scarce with 13 in Talbot County on April 5 (Reese) being a good report. Late Purple Finches were 1 in DC on May 9 (Czaplak), in Howard County on May 14 (Boone) and 2 on Sugarloaf Mountain on May 21 (Garland). House Finches had begun nest-building for a second time near Randalls- town, Baltimore County on May 28 (Ringler). A few Common Redpolls overflowed into March with 1 at a feeder in Phoenix on the 3rd (Jenkins) and the 10th (Simon), 4 at Concord on the 11th (Scudder), a female at a feeder in Bethesda on March 24-28 (Judy Bromley + ) and a female at a feeder in Indian Head during the last week of the month (Carol Ghebelian). The best flocks of Pine Siskins were 40 near Sparks, Baltimore County on March 1 (Dixon), 15 at Deer Park, Carroll County on March 28 (Wright), 25 in Talbot County on April 19 (Reese), 18 at Cumberland on April 24 and 15 there on May 6 (Kiddy). The last siskins of the season were banded at Adventure on May 7, at Phoenix on May 10 (Kaestiier), 3 in DC on May 10 (Czaplak), in Calvert County on May 10 (Stasz), 2 near Cumberland on May 15 (Simons), in Charles County on May 15 (Nistico) and 1 at Greensboro on May 17 (Hewitt). Wilson’s high count of 200 American Goldfinches at St. Jerome’s Neck in St. Marys County on April 9 pales beside the 18,000 estimated by Murphy to be passing Fort Smallwood on May 5. The last of the Evening Grosbeaks were 11 at Cumberland on May 1 and 2 on May 6 (Kiddy), 10 at Fruitland on May 3 (Ringler, Eddie and Chris Slaughter), in Charles County on May 8 (Nistico) and 2 at Greensboro on May 13 (Bill Scudder). Addenda. Omitted from the fall 1986 season summary were the following birds of special interest banded at the station near Bristol by the Melvilles: Black-billed Cuckoo on Sept. 14, Chuck-will’s-widow on Sept. 13, Hermit Thrush on Oct. 12, Philadelphia Vireo on Sept. 28, Connecticut Warbler on Sept. 21, Indigo Bunting on Oct. 11 and Lincoln's Sparrow on Oct. 19. 6272 Pinyon Pine Court, Eldersburg, MD 21 784 PURPLE MARTIN COLONY REGISTRY The Colony Registry Program of the newly formed Purple Martin Conserva- tion Association seeks the help of all persons in locating and registering Purple Martin colonies throughout all of North America in preparation for several projects designed to help this man-dependent species, which is experiencing long- term declines within parts of its breeding range. If you know of someone who has a martin colony or is trying to attract one, or if you are interested in starting a colony yourself, please write to the P.M.C.A. You can further assist by looking for martin houses or gourds in people’s yards during your travels. If you locate some, please try to obtain the mailing addresses from either the street & house numbers, rural mailboxes, phone books, or by stopping to ask. Please send addresses to: The Purple Martin Conservation Association, P. 0. Box 178, Ediiiboro, PA 16412. September 1987 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 85 SPRING RECORDS FOR FORSTER’S AND COMMON TERNS IN ALLEGANY COUNTY JimPaulus Early on April 15, 1975 I received a call from Mike Mastrangelo, sub-district ranger for the Chesapeake and Ohio National Historical Park. He had found a dead bird in front of Rouge Lagoon and asked if I would come and identify it. About 30 minutes later I was able to examine the bird. It was a freshly dead tern, and after noting the very dark primaries I identified it as a Common Tern (Sterna hirundo ). We took pictures of the bird (Fig. 1 ), submitted the arrival date for publication in Maryland Birdlife (31:111), and the incident was soon forgotten. On the morning of April 30, 1987 I telephoned Teresa Simons and told her I had just photographed one of two Black-bellied Plovers (Pluvialis squatarola ) present at the lagoon, as well as a Common Tern that was sitting on a metal post. The post was projecting out of a sewage lagoon built in one of the upper pools. Teresa expressed interest in the tern, asking how I had determined it was not a Forster’s (S. forsteri). I replied that except for Caspian (