ISSN 0147-9725 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE MARCH 1988 VOLUME 44 NUMBER 1 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) $ 6.00 Student Membership (full-time students) 2.00 Junior Membership (under 18 years) 1.00 Family Membership (Mr. & Mrs.) 8.00 Sustaining Membership 10.00 Life Membership 200.00 Member-at-Large (Maryland Birdlife only) 5.00 plus local chapter dues plus local chapter dues Cover: Long-billed Curlew at Brandywine, Prince Georges Countv September 1988. Photo by Greg Kearns. MARYLAND BIRQLIFE VOLUME 44 MARCH 1988 NUMBER 1 LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE NEST IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, MD LynnM. Davidson The Loggerhead Shrike iLanius ludovicianus ) steadily declined as a breeding species throughout its range from 1965 to 1979 (Robbins, Bystrak, and Geissler, 1986). Reported to be declining everywhere east of the Mississippi River, the Log- gerhead Shrike has been included on the American Birds' "Blue List” every year since its inception in 1972 (Tate 1986). The northeastern subspecies L. L migrans, or Migrant Loggerhead Shrike, is currently a candidate for federal listing by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Smith 1985). Formerly an uncommon breeder in and around the District of Columbia (Stewart and Robbins, 1958), Loggerhead Shrikes are now confined to the rural areas of Montgomery, Frederick, and Washington counties. Biologists conducting a symposium in 1981 on the threatened and endangered species of Maryland realized the need to protect this species and recommended its inclusion on the State’s endangered species list (Robbins and Boone, 1984). Owing to the marked population decline within the State as well as throughout the region, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources officially designated the Loggerhead Shrike an endangered species in June, 1987 (Brown 1987). The recently completed Maryland/DC Breeding Bird Atlas Project has only three confirmed and four possible or probable nesting records over the five-year period between 1983-1987. During the final year of the atlas, I undertook to locate nesting Loggerhead Shrikes for the Maryland Natural Heritage Program, the section within the Department of Natural Resources’ Forest, Park and Wildlife Service which is responsible for the protection of threatened and endangered species. I located one active nest near Clear Spring, Washington County, while following up a lead from Robert Keedy of the Washington County Chapter of the Maryland Ornithological Society. The area within several hundred feet of the nest site has a diverse mixture of habitats and land uses and is bisected by a narrow, deadend road. On one side of the road are residential lots with large, well-kept yards adjacent to an old field with scattered small junipers and deciduous shrubs. On the opposite side of the road is a cornfield and a 75-acre cattle pasture with intermittent rock outcroppings and 6- to 12-inch tall grasses. Along the pasture, ten feet from the road, runs a wire fence with several large Eastern Red Cedars ijuniperus virginianus ) growing beside it. On June 18, 1987, 1 located a pair of adults and one fledged juvenile Loggerhead Shrike in this area. The female soon settled on a nest near the top of one of the 4 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 44, No. 1 cedars, approximately 25 to 30 feet up. Apparently she was incubating a second clutch. The male hunted for food along the road, in the pasture, on the lawns, and among ten to twelve small fruit trees on one of the residential lots. During this time, the principal prey item was the 17-year periodical cicada (Magicicada septendecim ), which was quite abundant in the area. Several times during the 2.5 hours I observed them, the male fed the begging juvenile and carried food over a hill, where I suspected a food cache was located. However, the male never fed the incubating female. The female left the nest twice to feed, and several times she left to chase away intruders, such as European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). Northern Mockingbirds ( Mimus polyglottos), and Common Grackles (Quiscalus quiscula). Perhaps not considered a threat, an Eastern Meadowlark ( Sturnella magna ) was unchallenged as it sang from a perch only five to eight feet from the nest. During my next visit, on July 5, both adults actively brought food to the nest, which contained at least one young. Several times the adults left the nest unat- tended for ten to twenty minutes, but normally were gone only five to ten minutes. Cicadas were no longer available as a prey item. However, the adults frequently caught one inch long June beetles {Scarabaeidae). The fledged juvenile from the first brood was begging food much less frequently than before. On my last visit, on July 14, the fledged juvenile was still present but no longer begging food. The adults spent much less time carrying food to the nest, where the juvenile from the second brood was almost completely feathered, except for the rectrices. A second juvenile may also have been in the nest, but I could not confirm that. Therefore, assuming that the juvenile from the second brood fledged successfully, this pair of Loggerhead Shrikes reared only two young from two broods. These observations raise some interesting points. First, this pair was double- brooded. Many species of birds attempt to rear a second clutch if the first one fails. However, Loggerhead Shrikes are somewhat unusual among passerines in that they often attempt two broods, even if the first one is successful (Bent 1965). This behavior is thought to occur more frequently among Loggerhead Shrikes that breed in areas with favorable weather and long nesting seasons, such as Florida and California (Kridelbaugh 1983). Also, Kridelbaugh found the percentage of pairs that renested after initial success declined with increased latitudes. There- fore, renesting may be unusual for Loggerhead Shrikes in Maryland. Second, and more importantly, the pair had low reproductive success despite being double-brooded. Using an average clutch size of four to six eggs (Bent 1965), the reproductive success of this pair was probably only 25 percent. The causes of their low reproductive success are probably complex. However, in a summer when 17-year periodical cicadas emerged and provided an abundant food source, prey scarcity would not seem to be a factor. After studying Loggerhead Shrikes in central Missouri, Kridelbaugh (1983) found that nesting success varied greatly from year to year, and that predation and severe weather were responsible for most reproductive failures. More specifically, he found that climate affected brood size: little brood reduction occurred during dry, warm years; but, significant brood reduction occurred during cool, wet years. From these limited observations, it is impossible to say whether climatic conditions or some other factor, such as pesticide poisoning, was responsible for the low breeding success of this pair. Similarly, it is impossible to say whether March 1988 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 5 reduced reproductive success or some other factor, such as loss of habitat, is primarily responsible for the decline of the Loggerhead Shrike in Maryland. However, very little has been published concerning the reproductive biology and success of Loggerhead Shrikes in the Mid-Atlantic region, and assuming fewer than ten pairs currently breed in Maryland, the low reproductive success of this pair may be significant. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am most grateful to D. Daniel Boone, John A. Davidson, Mark Hoffman, D. A. Rasberry, and Hal Wierenga for their review of this paper. I especially thank Robert Keedy for informing the Maryland Natural Heritage Program of this Loggerhead Shrike pair. LITERATURE CITED Bent, A. C. 1950. Life Histories of North American Wagtails, Shrikes, Vireos, and Their Allies. U. S. National Museum Bull. 197. 411 pp. Brown, T. C. 1987. Threatened and Endangered Species: Notice of Final Action; COMAR 08.03.08. Maryland Register 14(131:1471 . Kridelbaugh, A. 1983. Nesting Ecology of the Loggerhead Shrike in central Missouri. Wilson Bull 95(21:303-308. Robbins, C. S., and D. D. Boone. Threatened Breeding Birds of Maryland, pp. 363-389 in A. W. Norden, D. C. Forester, and G- H. Fenwick, eds. Threatened and Endangered Plants and Animals of Maryland. MD Natural Heritage Program, Special Pub. 84-1. Robbins, C. S., D. Bystrak, and P. H. Geissler. 1986. The Breeding Bird Survey: Its First Fifteen Years, 1965-1979. USDI. Washington, D. C. 196 pp. Smith, P. D. 1985, Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Review of Vertebrate Wildlife for Listing as Endangered or Threatened Species. Federal Register 50(1811:37958- 37967. Stewart, R. E„ and C. S. Robbins. 1958. Birds of Maryland and the District of Columbia. North American Fauna 62. USDI, Washington, D. C. 401 pp. Tate, J., Jr. 1986. The Blue List for 1986. American Birds 40(21:227-235. Maryland Natural Heritage Program Forest , Park & Wildlife Service Department of Natural Resources Tawes State Office Bldg., B-2 Annapolis, MD 21401. The Maryland Natural Heritage Program currently tracks site-specific informa- tion on 50 species of breeding birds classified as rare, threatened, or endangered. However, only 21 of these birds are officially designated as such by the Depart- ment of Natural Resources. Information on all 50 breeding birds, as well as many other species of animals and plants, is continually added to the Program’s data base in an effort to provide protection to each species and their habitats. You can help protect our rare breeding birds by reporting your observations of these species to the Maryland Natural Heritage Program. To report your observations, to obtain a complete list of Maryland’s rare flora and fauna, or to request further information, please write to the Maryland Natural Heritage Program, Tawes State Office Bldg. B-2, Annapolis, MD 21401 or call (301) 974-2870. 6 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 44, No. 1 Autumn Migration, August 1 - November 30, 1987 Robert F. Ringler It was another dry season for most of the state. This affected water levels in many reservoirs, producing some more interesting inland records. The passerine migration was not marked by significant waves of birds. One of the interesting new features of this season was the advance of the hydrilla on the Potomac River. It has spread downriver along the Maryland shoreline to infest all the creeks of Prince Georges County to the border with Charles County. This new vegetation was very attractive to waterfowl and some of the reports reflect not only the increased numbers of birds using this area but also the late dates to which they stayed. Dave Czaplak made surveys of the river on two days this fall and his findings are listed in Table 1. The numbers on Sept. 27 refer to a 3-mile route that included Four Mile Run and Oxon Run to Hunting Creek including parts of Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. The Nov. 15 trip was about 5 miles in length from Piscataway Creek to Broad Creek and was entirely in Prince Georges County, Maryland. Table 1. Waterbirds on the Potomac River Species Sept. 27 Nov. 15 Species Sept. 27 Nov. 15 Common Loon 0 1 White-winged Scoter 0 3 Pied-billed Grebe 26 18 Common Goldeneye 0 31 Double-crested Cormorant 96 1 Bufflehead 0 370 Great Blue Heron 43 40 Ruddy Duck 42 560 Great Egret 27 0 Osprey 3 0 Snowy Egret 6 0 Bald Eagle 0 6 Tundra Swan 0 67 American Coot 96 2800 Mute Swan 0 2 Lesser Golden-Plover 6 0 Canada Goose 31 420 Killdeer 5 3 Green-winged Teal 40 100 Greater Yellowlegs 25 0 American Black Duck 54 24 Lesser Yellowlegs 10 0 Mallard 390 1320 Spotted Sandpiper 3 0 Northern Pintail 22 5 Sanderling 2 0 Blue-winged Teal 97 0 Pectoral Sandpiper 21 0 Northern Shoveler 4 0 Dunlin 0 30 Gadwall 0 37 Laughing Gull 60 92 American Wigeon 1 190 Bonaparte’s Gull 0 28 Canvasback 0 6000 Ring-billed Gull 550 650 Ring-necked Duck 0 43 Herring Gull 27 134 Greater Scaup 0 2 Great Black-backed Gull 44 24 Lesser Scaup 0 50 Caspian Tern 21 0 Oldsquaw 0 1 Forster’s Tern 5 9 March 1988 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 7 In Table 2 are listed the median arrival and departure dates for migratory species. The ten-year median is based on the preceding ten years and may change from year to year. Observers - Henry Armistead, Scott Atkinson, John Bjerke, Rick Blom, Peggy Bohanan, Larry Bonham, David Brinker, Doug Bruce, Mike Bryan, Martha Chestem, Les Coble, David Czaplak, Lynn Davidson, Bob Dixon, Margaret Donnald, Sam Droege, Chuck Dupree, Sam Dyke, Ethel Engle, Jane Farrell, Jerry & Roberta Fletcher (reporting for Caroline County), Paul Fritz, Inez Glime, Greg Gough, Jim & Patricia Gruber, Alex Hammer, Marvin Hewitt, Jim Hill, Robert Hilton, Ottavio Janni, Hank Kaestner, Greg Kearns, Ray Kiddy, Dennis Kirkwood, Alicia Knotts, Walter Kraus, Mieke Mehlman, Bob & Pat Melville, Harvey Mudd, Mariana Nuttle, Paul Nistico, Lola Oberman, Michael & Paul O’Brien, Jim Orgain, Peter Osenton, Jim Paulus, Marie Plante, Fran Pope, Kyle Rambo, Jan Reese, Sue Ricciardi, Chan Robbins, Barbara Ross, Ron Runkles, Bob Schutsky, Sharon Schwemmer, Steve Simon, Teresa Simons, Connie Skipper, Bob & Jo Solem (reporting for Howard County), Jim Stasz, Chris Swarth, Charles Swift, Sallie Thayer, Mary Twigg, Charles Vaughn, Dave Walbeck, Robert Warfield, Pete Webb, Joy Wheeler, Hal Wierenga, Jim Wilkinson, Erika Wilson, Mark Wright, Steve Wunderly. Abbreviations: DC — District of Columbia, PN AS — Patuxent Naval Air Station, PWRC — Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, SP— State Park, WMA — Wildlife Management Area. A “ + ” after an observers name indicates that there were other observers. Locations (counties in parentheses and names of banders): Adventure Sanctuary (banding station in Montgomery — Donnald), Battery Kemble Park (DC), Bellevue (Talbot), Belmont (Howard), Big Bay Marsh (Worcester), Blackwalnut Point (Talbot), Bradenbaugh (Harford), Bray Hill (Garrett), Bristol (banding station in Anne Arundel — Melvilles), Broad Creek (Prince Georges), Broadford Run (banding station in Garrett — Pope, Skipper), Centennial Lake (Howard), Choptank (Caroline), Conowingo (Harford), Cove Point (Calvert), Damsite (banding station at Tolchester, Kent — Grubers), Daniels (Howard), Dan’s Rock (Allegany), Deal Island WMA (Somerset), Dickerson (Montgomery), Dry Run (Washington), Eastern Neck (Kent), Elliott (Dorchester), Fleming Mill Pond (Somerset/Worcester), George- town Reservoir (DC), Germantown (Montgomery), God’s Grace Point (Calvert), Granite (Baltimore), Green Ridge (Allegany), Hart - Miller (Baltimore), Hodges Bar (Kent), Hog Island Marsh (Caroline), Hooper Island (Dorchester), Horsehead Sanctuary (Queen Annes), Hughes Hollow (Montgomery), Hurlock (Dorchester), II- chester (Howard), Irish Grove Sanctuary (Somerset), Janes Island SP (Somerset), Jug Bay (Anne Arundel), Kent Point (Queen Annes), Lake Elkhorn (Howard), Lake Kitta- maqundi (Howard), Lake Roland (Baltimore), Lapidum (Harford), Laurel (banding station in Prince Georges — Robbins), Laurel Grove (banding station in St. Marys — Runkles), Liberty Reservoir (Carroll), Lilypons (Frederick), Loch Raven (Baltimore), Love Point (Queen Annes), Marion (Somerset), Mill Creek Sanctuary (Talbot), Mockley Point (Prince Georges), Monie Bay (Wicomico), Monument Knob (Washington), Mt. Nebo (banding station in Garrett — Thayer), Nassawango (Worcester), National Colonial Farm (Prince Georges), North Beach (Calvert), North Branch (Allegany), Patuxent Naval Air Station (St. Marys), Pennyfield (Montgomery),’ Piney Run (Carroll), Pinto (Allegany), Piscataway (Prince Georges), Point Lookout (St. Marys), Point of Rocks (Frederick), Remington Farms (Kent), Rock Creek Park (DC), Rock Hall (Kent), Rocky Gap (Allegany), Rumbly Point 8 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 44, No. 1 (Somerset), Schooley Mill Park (Howard), Seneca (Montgomery), Sparrows Point (Baltimore), Stevenson (banding station in Baltimore — Ross), Sugarloaf (Frederick), Summit Hall Turf Farm (Montgomery), Swan Point (Kent), Tanyard (Caroline), The Elms WMA (St. Marys), Tilghman Island (Talbot), Tolchester (Kent), Tower Gardens (Queen Annes), Triadelphia Reservoir (Howard), Tuckahoe (Caroline), Violet’s Lock (Montgomery), Wilde Lake (Howard), Woodlawn (Baltimore), Youghiogheny River (Garrett). Names of banders will be omitted from the text and banding citations are referrable to those named above for each station. Loons, Grebes. Reports of Red-throated Loons this fall were 1 at North Beach on Oct. 7 (Stasz), 4 flying south past Ocean City on Oct. 11 (Ringler + ), and 1 on the Susquehanna River at Lapidum on Nov. 10 (Schutsky). The 2 summering Common Loons at Loch Raven were seen through Sept. 4 (Simon), and 1 seen at Piscataway on the same day (Swift) may also have been summering. More likely to be early fall migrants were a Common Loon at Damsite on Sept. 13 (Grubers), 2 at Hart - Miller on Sept. 20 (Ringler + ), and 1 in DC on Sept. 22 (Czaplak). Numbers increased the next month with 14 at Tilghman Island on Oct. 10 (Reese), 55 near Bellevue on Oct. 10 (Armistead), 7 flying over Dan’s Rock on Oct. 25 (Ringler), 25 at Hodges Bar on Oct. 27 (J. Gruber), 28 at Piscataway on Nov. 6 (Swarth), and 29 at PNAS on Nov. 11 (Bryan). A Pied-billed Grebe at North Branch on Aug. 23 (Twigg) was early there. Concentrations of Pied-bills were 14 in DC on Sept. 27 (Czaplak), 9 at Piney Run on Oct. 4 (Ringler), 7 on Lake Elkhorn on Oct. 24 (Hill), 4 at Tuckahoe SP on Oct. 31 (Davidson), 45 on the Potomac River from DC to Mount Vernon on Nov. 1 (Czaplak), and 28 on Loch Raven on Nov. 15 (Simon). Unusual in summer was a Horned Grebe in breeding plumage at Blackwater on Aug. 12 (Wierenga). Early migrant Horned Grebes were 5 at North Beach on Oct. 16, where there were 37 on Oct. 31 (Stasz), 1 at Loch Raven on Oct. 26 (Simon), and 1 at Seneca on Oct. 28 (Warfield). Numbers increased to 18 at PNAS on Nov. 11 (Bryan), 36 at Swan Point on Nov. 23 plus 350 from Langford Bay to the mouth of the Chester River on Nov. 24, and 42 in Chesapeake Bay at Baltimore Light in Anne Arundel County on Nov. 30 (all J. Gruber). An Eared Grebe, mostly in breeding plumage, at Hart - Miller on Aug. 30 (Ringler, Stasz, Dixon) is the earliest fall record for the state. Gannets, Pelicans, Cormorants. The first Northern Gannets of the season were 2 seen from Ocean City on Oct. 11 (Ringler + ); the best tally was 152 seen from Assateague on Nov. 14 (Warfield). The American White Pelican previously reported at Havre de Grace remained through Aug. 14 (Wayne Meyers + ). Brown Pelicans made a big splash in Worcester County figuratively as well as literally when 6 active nests were discovered (Brinker). There were 6 young in 4 of the nests on Aug. 12 and 5 young remained on Sept. 12. The other two nests were unsuccessful. Sightings of Brown Pelicans included a high at Assateague of 14 on Sept. 3 (M. O’Brien), and the latest there were 2 on Nov. 7 (Warfield). Great Cormorants were spread around the bay in addition to the usual coastal sightings. There was 1 at North Beach on Sept. 25, and an immature and a sub-adult there on Oct. 30 and Nov. 5 (Stasz). At least 1 Great Cormorant was around Hart - Miller from Oct. 18 through Nov. 1 (Ringler + ). There were 3 immatures at Ocean City on Nov. 8 (Ringler, Webb) and 2 there on Nov. 28 (O’Briens). Stasz saw another immature on the Patuxent River from God’s Grace Point in Calvert County on Nov. 14, and the Harford County chapter field trip to Dorchester County found another immature at Hooper Island on Nov. 21 (Beth Olson + ). Local high counts of Double-crested Cormorants were 150 at Hooper Island on Aug. 9 (Armistead), 37 at Eastern Neck on Aug. 14 (Reese, Coble), 6 at Triadelphia on Aug. 30 (Jack & March 1988 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 9 Jane Farrell), 11 at Sandy Point on Sept. 8 (Davidson), 307 at Cove Point on Sept. 26 (Stasz), 50 at Blackwalnut Point on Sept. 27 (Reese), 29 in DC on Sept. 27 with the last sighting of 13 there on Nov. 3 (Czaplak), 2 at Denton on Oct. 5 (Nuttle), 50 at Monie Bay on Oct. 9 (Dyke), and 100 at Point Lookout on Oct. 24 (Davidson). The latest reports for Double-crested Cormorants w.ere 1 at Denton on Oct. 8 (Hewitt), 9 at Hart - Miller on Nov. 1 (Ringler + ), 2 at Conowingo on Nov. 3 (Blom), 1 at Tilgh- man on Nov. 8 (Reese), 64 at God’s Grace Point on Nov. 14 (Stasz), 2 at Swan Point on Nov. 18 (J. Gruber), 2 at Hooper Island on Nov. 21 (Beth Olson + ), and birds still migrating past Assateague on Nov. 22 (Warfield). Herons . American Bitterns continue to be scarce migrants with only three reports this fall: single birds at Cove Point on Oct. 31 (Stasz), Elliott on Nov. 8 (Czaplak), and Rumbly Point on Nov. 8 (Ringler + ). The last Least Bitterns of the year were 3 in the Nanticoke River marshes on Aug. 2 (Ringler, Wierenga), 1 at Hart -Miller on Aug. 9 (Ringler + ), and 1 at Hog Island Marsh on Aug. 22 (B. Earnest). Post-breeding dispersal of Great Blue Herons was noted by 6 at Liberty Reservoir on Aug. 16 (Wright), 12 at Lilypons on Aug. 23 (Oberman), and 22 at Remington Farms on Sept. 9 (Grubers). Great Blues were observed on two occasions migrating over the ocean: 9 were seen flying south past Ocean City on Oct. 11 (Ringler + ) and 10 flew in from the ocean and landed on Assateague on Nov. 8 (Warfield). Great Egrets at interesting locations were 1 at Havre de Grace on Aug. 5 (Ringler), 1 at Dickerson on Aug. 22 (Plante), and 1 at Cumberland on Aug. 23-29 (Simons + ). High local counts of Great Egrets were 62 in southern Dorchester County on Aug. 9 (Armistead), 22 at Hughes Hollow on Aug. 24-31 (Bonham), 12 at Tower Gardens on Aug. 25 (Ricciardi), 8 at Loch Raven on Aug. 26 (Simon), 5 at Liberty Reservoir on Sept. 4 (Wright), 25 at Piscataway on Sept. 4 (Swift), and 10 at Remington Farms on Sept. 9 (Grubers). Late birds were singles at Sandy Point on Oct. 17 (Swift), Tower Gardens on Oct. 18 (Ricciardi), Assateague on Nov. 15 (Warfield), and Upper Marlboro on Nov. 17 (Stasz). Snowy Egrets of note were 4 at Havre de Grace on Aug. 5 (Ringler), 1 in Rock Creek Park in DC on Aug. 9 (Joel Silverman), 38 at Tower Gardens on Aug. 13 (Ricciardi), 3 at Hog Island Marsh on Aug. 13 (B. Earnest), 40 at Eastern Neck on Aug. 14 (Reese, Coble), 4 at Dickerson on Aug. 22 (Plante), 35 at Ruthsburg on Aug. 29 (P. Gruber), 1 at Columbia on Sept. 3 (Farrell), and 2 at Sandy Point on Oct. 17 (Swift). Inland Little Blue Herons were an immature at Centennial Lake on Aug. 6 through Sept. 20 (Chestem + ), 3 at Loch Raven on Aug. 23 (Simon), 2 at Dickerson on Aug. 28 (Fritz), 4 immatures at Hughes Hollow on Aug. 31 (Bonham), and an adult at Lake Elkhorn on Sept. 4 (Hill), the latter rare inland. Hill also saw the latest Little Blue of the season in Howard County on Sept. 27. Coastal Plain records of Little Blues were an immature at Havre de Grace on Aug. 5 (Ringler), 19 at Tower Gardens on Aug. 13 (Wright), 15 at Eastern Neck on Aug. 14 (Reese, Coble), and 2 immatures at Remington Farms on Aug. 16 (Ringler + ). Tricolored Herons at unusual locations were 1 on the hydrilla in DC from Aug. 1 through Sept. 5 (Czaplak) and 1 at Dickerson on Aug. 28 (Fritz). The only other reports of Tricoloreds were 1 at Tower Gardens on Aug. 16 (Ricciardi) and 1 near Bellevue on Aug. 30 (Armistead). Cattle Egrets staged their usual fine showing along the eastern side of the bay and northward up the Susquehanna River!s east side, probably coming from the nesting colony upriver in Pennsylvania. These included 6 at Tower Gardens on Aug. 13 (Wright) and the last 3 there on Sept. 13 (Ricciardi), 40 in a field near Rising Sun and about 165 flying down the Cecil County side of the Susquehanna at Conowingo at dusk on Aug. 16 (Blom, Ringler), and at Blackwalnut Point, 60 on Aug. 23, 200 on Sept. 20, and a final 5 on Oct. 10 10 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 44, No. 1 Table 2. Median Arrival & Departure Dates for Migratory Species, Fall 1987 Species Median Arrival 10-Yr 1987 Median Departure 10-Yr 1987 Common Loon 10/7 9/26 Pied-billed Grebe 9/23 8/23 - - Horned Grebe 11/4 10/31 - . - Double-crested Cormorant 8/19 7/31 10/30 11/18 American Bittern 10/20 10/31 - - Great Egret . 7/28 7/31 10/16 10/17 Snowy Egret 7/29 8/5 10/15 9/29 Little Blue Heron 7/28 8/6 9/15 9/13 Cattle Egret 8/7 8/2 10/12 10/10 Green-backed Heron - - 10/6 10/4 Tundra Swan 11/10 11/5 - - Snow Goose 10/9 10/11 - - Canada Goose 9/23 9/26 - - Wood Duck - - 11/5 11/5 Green-winged Teal 9/8 8/29 - - Northern Pintail 9/29 10/3 - - Blue- winged Teal 8/18 8/23 10/12 10/21 Northern Shoveler 10/10 9/27 - - Gadwall 10/15 10/12 - - American Wigeon 9/28 9/30 - - Canvasback 11/2 11/1 - - Redhead 11/8 11/14 - - Ring-necked Duck 10/24 10/15 - - . Lesser Scaup 10/21 10/20 - - Oldsquaw 11/8 11/1 - ~ Black Scoter 10/19 9/23 - - Surf Scoter 10/22 10/12 - - White- winged Scoter 10/26 10/14 - - Common Goldeneye 11/8 11/6 - - BuffleheaB 11/1 11/2 - - Hooded Merganser 11/11 11/9 - - Common Merganser 11/18 11/14 - - Red-breasted Merganser 11/12 11/7 - - Ruddy Duck 10/11 10/4 - - Osprey 8/20 8/23 10/25 10/15 Northern Harrier 9/10 9/9 - - Sharp-shinned Hawk 9/15 9/11 - ■ Cooper’s Hawk 9/20 9/17 - - Broad-winged Hawk 8/24 8/23 10/4 10/7 Rough-legged Hawk 11/12 11/8 - - American Kestrel 8/17 8/21 - - Merlin 9/23 9/24 - - American Coot 10/15 9/29 - - Black-bellied Plover . 8/17 8/11 10/19 11/18 Lesser Golden-Plover 9/12 9/10 10/7 10/8 Semipalmated Plover 7/31 7/26 10/1 10/2 Greater Yellowlegs 7/25 7/16 11/7 11/1 Lesser Yellowlegs 7/18 7/7 10/22 11/5 Solitary Sandpiper 7/20 7/18 9/25 9/22 Spotted Sandpiper 7/16 7/17 10/4 10/10 Upland Sandpiper 8/5 7/23 8/25 8/27 Ruddy Turnstone 7/31 7/26 - - Sanderling 7/28 7/28 10/24 11/1 March 1988 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 11 Table 2 (cont.). Median Arrival & Departure Dates for Migratory Species, Fall 1987 Median Arrival Median Departure Species 10-Yr 1987 10-Yr 1987 Semipaimated Sandpiper 7/24 7/17 10/5 10/4 Western Sandpiper 7/31 7/16 10/20 10/25 Least Sandpiper 7/15 7/16 10/9 10/6 White-rumped Sandpiper - 8/7 10/19 10/11 Pectoral Sandpiper 7/25 7/22 10/27 10/25 Dunlin 10/6 10/7 11/8 11/15 Stilt Sandpiper 8/7 7/19 9/30 10/8 Short-billed Dowitcher 7/18 7/18 9/15 9/16 Common Snipe 9/17 9/9 - - Laughing Gull - - 12/1 11/26 Bonaparte’s Gull 11/2 11/2 - - Caspian Tern 7/24 7/20 10/14 10/15 Royal Tern - - 11/8 11/1 Common Tern - - 10/9 9/20 Forster’s Tern 7/21 7/10 11/11 11/15 Least Tern - - 8/20 8/29 Black Tern 7/27 7/14 9/5 9/5 Yellow-billed Cuckoo - - 10/2 10/7 Short-eared Owl 11/8 11/1 - - Common Nighthawk 8/21 8/21 9/18 9/15 Whip-poor-will - - 9/17 10/2 Chimney Swift - - 10/10 10/10 Ruby-throated Hummingbird - - 9/27 9/24 Red headed Woodpecker . 9/24 9/23 - - Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 9/29 9/30 - - Olive-sided Flycatcher 8/28 8/30 9/8 9/17 Eastern Wood-Pewee - - 9/30 10/2 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 8/22 8/24 9/21 9/23 Acadian Flycatcher - - 9/16 9/19 “Traill’s’’ Flycatcher 8/20 8/19 9/14 9/12 Least Flycatcher 8/22 8/26 9/25 9/26 Eastern Phoebe - - 10/24 11/4 Great Crested Flycatcher - - 9/13 9/11 Eastern Kingbird - - 9/12 9/10 Purple Martin - - 9/5 9/6 Tree Swallow 8/3 - 10/20 10/15 Rough-winged Swallow - - 10/2 10/3 Bank Swallow 7/20 7/4 9/13 9/15 Cliff Swallow - - 9/6 9/6 Barn Swallow - 9/29 9/23 Red-breasted Nuthatch 9/11 9/25 - - Brown Creeper 10/1 10/4 - - House Wren - - 10/12 10/17 Winter Wren 10/4 10/3 - - Golden-crowned Kinglet 10/5 10/5 - - Ruby-crowned Kinglet 9/22 9/26 - - Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - - 9/12 9/25 Veery 8/28 8/25 9/27 9/27 Gray-cheeked Thrush 9/20 9/18 10/10 10/8 Swainson’s Thrush 9/4 9/2 10/15 10/12 Hermit Thrush 10/7 10/9 - - Wood Thrush - - 10/9 10/10 Gray Catbird - - 10/25 10/28 12 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 44, No. 1 Table 2 (cont.). Median Arrival & Departure Dates for Migratory Species, Fall 1987 Species Median Arrival 10-Yr 1987 Median Departure 10-Yr 1987 Brown Thrasher - - 10/12 10/10 Water Pipit 10/22 10/18 _ _ Cedar Waxwing 8/28 8/30 - - White-eyed Vireo - - 10/2 10/9 Solitary Vireo 9/27 9/13 10/17 10/22 Yellow-throated Vireo - - 9/14 9/7 Warbling Vireo - - 9/14 9/12 Philadelphia Vireo 9/14 9/9 9/30 9/26 Red-eyed Vireo - - 10/4 10/4 Blue-winged Warbler 8/19 8/19 9/14 9/16 Golden-winged Warbler 8/24 8/23 9/9 9/10 Tennessee Warbler 8/29 8/30 10/9 10/12 Orange-crowned Warbler - - 10/30 11/1 Nashville Warbler 9/5 8/30 10/10 10/7 Northern Parula - - 10/4 9/26 Yellow Warbler - - 9/16 9/18 Chestnut-sided Warbler 8/24 8/21 9/24 9/25 Magnolia Warbler 8/28 8/25 10/11 10/11 Cape May Warbler 9/4 9/6 10/10 10/8 Black-throated Blue Warbler 9/2 8/29 10/10 10/13 Yellow-rumped Warbler 9/28 9/26 - - Black-throated Green Warbler 9/7 8/31 10/10 10/12 Blackburnian Warbler 8/24 8/25 9/24 9/23 Pine Warbler - . 10/4 10/15 Prairie Warbler - - 9/18 9/23 Palm Warbler 9/20 9/13 10/23 10/19 Bay-breasted Warbler 9/6 9/4 10/2 9/26 Blackpoll Warbler 9/12 9/11 10/8 10/12 Black-and-white Warbler 8/19 8/18 10/7 10/9 American Redstart 8/16 8/14 10/7 10/3 Prothonotary Warbler - - 9/8 9/4 Worm-eating Warbler - 9/6 9/11 Ovenbird 8/18 8/14 10/7 10/6 Northern Waterthrush 8/18 8/9 9/25 9/25 Louisiana Waterthrush - - 8/27 8/18 Kentucky Warbler - 9/4 9/7 Connecticut Warbler 9/8 9/6 9/30 9/22 Mourning Warbler 8/28 8/21 9/24 9/26 Common Yellowthroat - - 10/19 10/15 Hooded Warbler - 9/19 9/15 Wilson’s Warbler 9/3 8/31 9/22 9/26 Canada Warbler 8/18 8/17 9/20 9/20 Yellow-breasted Chat - - 9/18 9/29 Summer Tanager - 9/19 9/12 Scarlet Tanager - 10/6 10/2 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 9/6 9/1 10/5 10/6 Blue Grosbeak - - 9/19 9/25 Indigo Bunting - - 10/7 10/8 American Tree Sparrow 11/17 11/21 - - Chipping Sparrow - - 11/2 11/8 Savannah Sparrow 9/22 9/22 10/29 11/15 Fox Sparrow 11/1 10/30 - - Lincoln’s Sparrow 9/23 9/19 10/18 10/23 March 1988 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 13 Table 2 (cont.). Median Arrival & Departure Dates for Migratory Species, Fall 1987 Species Median Arrival 10- Yr 1987 Median Departure 10-Yr 1987 Swamp Sparrow 10/2 9/30 White-throated Sparrow 9/29 9/25 - - White-crowned Sparrow 10/12 10/12 - - Dark-eyed Junco 10/2 10/1 - - Snow Bunting 11/7 11/16 - - Bobolink 8/22 8/10 9/23 9/22 Rusty Blackbird 10/19 10/18 - - Orchard Oriole - - 8/20 8/27 Northern Oriole - 9/14 9/20 Purple Finch 10/2 10/10 - - Pine Siskin 10/23 10/23 - - Evening Grosbeak 11/2 10/31 - - (Reese + ). Other Cattle Egrets were 10 at Loch Raven on Sept. 4 (Simon), 1 at Newark in Worcester County on Oct. 11 (Ringler), and 1 near Princess Anne on Oct. 12 (Ringler). High counts of Green-backed Herons for the season were 20 at Lilypons on Aug. 23 (Oberman) and 9 at Dickerson on Aug. 28 (Fritz); late single birds were at Upper Marlboro on Oct. 14 (Stasz) and Broadford Run on Oct. 20 (Skipper, Pope). Ricciardi saw 2 Black-crowned Night-Herons at Tower Gardens on Sept. 13, and the roost at Deal Island WMA numbered 60 on Oct. 12 (Ringler + ) and Oct. 31 (Swift). An adult Yellow-crowned Night-Heron was seen flying over Dead Run in Woodlawn on Aug. 6 (Wilkinson), 2 adults were at Dickerson on Aug. 28 (Fritz), and an immature was at Point Lookout on Aug. 29 (M. O’Brien). The latest Yellow-crown of the season was at Lake Roland on Oct. 6 (Mac Plant + ). No Glossy Ibis were seen this fall. Swans , Geese. There were a few early Tundra Swans this year beginning with an exceptionally early 1 at Sudlersville on Oct. 8 (Grubers) followed by a small flock over Germantown on Oct. 28 (Warfield), 10 in DC on Nov. 2 (Czaplak), and 1 at Piscataway on Nov. 3 (Swarth). They became more widespread on Nov. 5 when 80 were at Rocky Gap (Simons), 11 at St. Michaels (Reese) and 22 at Tanyard (Engle). The major flight followed with 3000 at Eastern Neck on Nov. 15 (Davidson). The best counts of Mute Swans were 210 at Hooper Island on Aug. 9 (Armistead), 38 at Eastern Neck on Aug. 14 (Reese, Coble), 13 on four lakes in Columbia on Oct. 31 (Solem, Chestem), and 7 at Williston throughout the period (J. Wright). A Snow Goose at Remington Farms on Sept. 26 (P. Gruber) was the first of the season; others of note were 225 “blues" at Blackwater on Oct. 11 (Armistead), an adult "blue” at Hurlock on Nov. 8 (Ringler, Webb), 1 in Howard County on Nov. 22 (Chestem), 3000 near Berlin on Nov. 28 (O’Briens), and a “blue” at Eastern Neck on Nov. 30 (Wunderly). The only report of Brant was at Green Run on Assateauge on Nov. 6 (Warfield). The 12 Canada Geese that Runkles saw flying over Laurel Grove on Aug. 30 were typicil of the flocks that wander throughout the state after the breeding season and before the fall migrants arrive, making it somewhat difficult to detect the latter. However, 15 at Blackwalnut Point on Sept. 21 (Reese) probably qualify as the first migrants there. Swarth counted 370 Canadas enjoying the hydrilla at Piscataway on Nov. 13. Dabbling Ducks. High counts of Wood Ducks were up to 100 at Pinto in September (Simons), 26 at Upper Marlboro on Oct. 22 (Stasz), and 15 at Sparrows 14 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 44, No. 1 Point on Nov. 1 (Ringler). Late Wood Ducks were 3 at North Branch on Nov. 1 (Simons), 1 near Marion on Nov. 8 (Ringler, Webb), 1 at Georgetown Reservoir on Nov. 8 (Hilton), and 1 at Sparrows Point on Nov. 15 (Ringler). Some early Green- winged Teal were 2 at Lilypons on Aug. 1 (M. O’Brien), 4 at Hart - Miller on Aug. 9 (Ringler + ), 4 at Remington Farms on Aug. 14 (Ringler), and 5 at Cove Point on Aug. 29 (Stasz). High counts of Green-wings were 250 at Remington Farms on Sept. 9 (Grubers), 400 at Blackwater on Oct. 11 (Armistead), 37 at Piney Run on Nov. 14 (Ringler), 20 at Cove Point on Nov. 15 (Stasz), and 500 on Monie Marsh on Nov. 17-20 (Dyke). The only notable tally of American Black Ducks was 1200 at Eastern Neck on Nov. 30 (Wunderly). Large flocks of Mallards included 180 in DC on Sept. 27 (Czaplak) and 152 on Deep Creek Lake on Nov. 16 (Skipper). Hart -Miller attracted the first migrant Northern Pintails with 3 on Aug. 30, peaking at 200 on Sept. 27, and 200 again on Nov. 8 (Ringler + ), surpassed only by the 600 at Blackwater on Oct. 11 (Armistead). The first inland migrant Blue-winged Teal were 2 at Piney Run on Aug. 8 (Ringler), but the best counts were 150 at Hart -Miller on Aug. 23 (Ringler + ) and 200 in the hydrilla at the mouth of Accokeek Creek on Sept. 5 (Ringler). Late Blue-wings were 1 drake at Perryman on Oct. 17 (Kirkwood), 1 in Howard County on Oct. 21 (Swift), 5 at Piney Run on Oct. 25 (Ringler), and 7 at Loch Raven on Nov. 1 (Simon). A drake Cinnamon Teal appeared in a flock of Blue-winged Teal at Horsehead Sanctuary near Grasonville on Sept. 15 and remained there through at least Nov. 15, long after the Blue-wings had departed (Benedict Hren + ). This is the sixth occurrence in the state. It is not known if any of these had escaped from captivity. The migration of Northern Shovelers began at Hart - Miller with 3 on Aug. 9 (Ringler + ) and peaked there with 450 on Nov. 8 (Kaestner + ). Also early were 6 Shovelers at Remington Farms on Aug. 16 (Ringler). Gadwalls did not set any records with rather poor high counts of 18 at Piscataway on Nov. 6 (Swarth) and 14 at Sandy Point on Nov. 18 (Davidson). Early American Wigeons were single birds in DC on Sept. 12 (Czaplak), at Sparrows Point on Sept. 20 (Ringler), in Howard County on Sept. 21 (Chestem), and in St. Marys County on Sept. 26 (Nistico). High wigeon counts were 500 at Piscataway on Oct. 8 (Swarth), 2000 at Deal Island WMA on Oct. 12 (Ringler + ), and 49 at Piney Run on Oct. 25 (Ringler). Aythya Ducks. A single Canvasback seen at Georgetown Reservoir from Sept. 12 through Oct. 10 (Hilton + ) was probably summering. Early migrants were singles at Piney Run on Oct. 25 (Ringler) and on Wilde Lake on Oct. 31 (Solems, Farrell). Impressive totals of Canvasbacks around the bay were 250 at Love Point on Nov. 4 (J. Gruber), 700 at North Beach on Nov. 15 (Stasz), and 2700 at Eastern Neck on Nov. 30 (Wunderly). The only reports of the increasingly scarce Redhead were 1 at Piney Run on Oct. 25 (Ringler), 1 in DC on Nov. 1 (Czaplak), 4 at North Beach on Nov. 15 (Stasz), and 1 on Deep Creek Lake on Nov. 16 (Skipper). The Ring-necked Duck summering on Georgetown Reservoir was seen at least through Aug. 26 (Janni), but the first migrants were 2 at Piney Run on Oct. 4 (Ringler), 30 at Georgetown Reservoir on Oct. 10 (Czaplak), and 3 at Deal Island WMA and 7 at Hurlock on Oct. 12 (Ringler + ). Impressive tallies of Ring-necks later in the season were 44 at Piney Run on Oct. 25 (Ringler), 103 at PWRC on Oct. 31 (Osenton), 10 at Denton on Oct. 31 (Davidson), 330 at Hurlock on Nov. 8 (Ringler, Webb), and 975 at Georgetown Reservoir on Nov. 8 (Hilton). Migrant Greater Scaup were first noted at Hart - Miller on Sept. 27 (Ringler + ). Nistico found Greaters on the Potomac River in Charles County where they are rare on Nov. 22. In the major concentra- tion of scaup off North Beach on Nov. 15 Stasz estimated 18,000 Greaters and 6000 Lesser Scaup. There were 46 Lessers on Deep Creek Lake on Nov. 16 (Skipper) and 500 at Eastern Neck on Nov. 30 (Wunderly). At Hart - Miller the numbers of scaup March 1988 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 15 increased from 14 on Sept. 20, to 60 on Sept. 27, 150 on Oct. 3, 800 on Oct. 11, 12,000 on Oct. 18, 15,000 on Nov. 1, and 18,000 on Nov. 15 (Ringler + ). Most of these birds were Lessers. Other Diving Ducks. A female King Eider was at Ocean City on Nov. 28' (O’Briens). Very early Oldsquaws were the 15 at Tilghman Island on Oct. 10, where there were 55 on Nov. 8 (Reese). The next arrivals were 4 in DC on Oct. 28 (Czaplak). Unusual Oldsquaw reports were 1 at Denton on Nov. 13-16 (Hewitt) and 2 at Violet’s Lock on Nov. 19 (Bonham). Concentrations of Oldsquaws were 212 (90% drakes) at PNAS on Nov. 11 (Bryan), 2500 at North Beach on Nov. 15 (Stasz), 1500 at the mouth of the Chester River on Nov. 18 (J. Gruber), and 1800 at Eastern Neck on Nov. 24 (J. Gruber). An immature male Black Scoter at Janes Island on Aug. 1 (Ringler, Wierenga) probably summered there. First migrant Black Scoters were 20 at Ocean City on Sept. 17 (Warfield), 1 at Blackwalnut Point on Sept. 20 (Reese + ), and 1 at Cove Point on Sept. 26 (Stasz). Other reports of Black Scoters were 1 on the Patuxent River near Solomons on Oct. 29 (Rambo), 3000 flying south past Assateague on Nov. 8 (Warfield), 20 at Cove Point on Nov. 15 (Stasz), and 500 at the mouth of the Chester River on Nov. 18 (J. Gruber). Reports of Surf Scoters were numerous flocks flying south past Ocean City on Oct. 11 (Ringler + ), 2 at Cove Point on Sept. 26 and 57 there on Oct. 31 (Stasz), and 250 at the mouth of the Chester River on Nov. 18 (J. Gruber). White-winged Scoters numbered 50 at Tilghman Island on Oct. 10 and 300 there on Oct. 18 (Reese), 2 at Rock Hall on Oct. 14 (J. Gruber), 21 at Cove Point and 14 at North Beach on Nov. 15 (Stasz), and 50 at the mouth of the Chester River on Nov. 18 (J. Gruber). The first Common Goldeneye arrivals were 8 at Hodges Bar on Oct. 27 (J. Gruber) and 17 at North Beach on Oct. 31 (Stasz). High counts of goldeneyes were 210 near Bellevue on Nov. 14 (Armistead), 1000 at North Beach on Nov. 14-15 (Stasz), 150 at Tolchester on Nov. 18 (J. Gruber), and 2500 in the bay at Seven Foot Knoll in Anne Arundel County on Nov. 30 (J. Gruber). The first Buffleheads of the season were 4 very early birds at Denton on Oct. 13 (Hewitt) followed by 8 at Hodges Bar on Oct. 27 (J. Gruber); they were widespread across the state by Nov. 1 Best local counts of Buffleheads were.45 on the Patuxent River near Solomons on Nov. 7 (Rambo), 550 near Bellevue on Nov. 14 (Armistead), 2500 at North Beach on Nov. 15 (Stasz), 22 on Deep Creek Lake on Nov. 16 (Skipper), and 350 at PNAS on Nov. 25 (Bryan). Two Hooded Mergansers at Assateague on Sept. 3 (M. O’Brien) probably sum- mered locally. The first migrants were 3 on Lake Elkhorn on Oct. 31 (Orgain) and 1 at Hart -Miller on Nov. 1 (Ringler + ). Others of note were 12 on the Youghio- gheny River in a snow storm on Nov. 11 (Thayer), 10 at Eastern Neck on Nov. 15 (Davidson), and 40 on Loch Raven on Nov. 22 (Simon + ). A female Common Mer-. ganser flying over Daniels on Oct. 19 (Atkinson) was exceptionally early. Also early were 2 at Still Pond in Kent County on Oct. 29 (J. Gruber), 1 at PNAS on Nov. 4 (Bryan), and 1 at Assateague on Nov. 8 and 10 there on the 13th (Warfield). There were also 10 Commons at Blackwater on Nov. 21 (Czaplak). The best reports of Red-breasted Mergansers were 14 at Hart - Miller on Nov. 1 (Ringler + ) and 30 at Assateague on Nov. 13 (Warfield). At Hart -Miller, arriving Ruddy Ducks numbered 225 on Sept. 27 but had increased to 5000 on Nov. 1 (Ringler + ). The only other September arrival of Ruddies was 3 at Eastern Neck on the 29th (Grubers). Flocks of Ruddies included 30 at Denton on Oct. 31 (Davidson), 990 on the Potomac River from DC to Mount Vernon on Nov. 1 (Czaplak + ), 115 at Piney Run on Nov. 14 (Ringler), and 300 at Eastern Neck on Nov. 30 (Wunderly). 16 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 44, No. 1 Table 3. Hawk Migration at Monument Knob, Fall 1987 Species Total First Last Best Days Osprey 175 8/29 10/31 36 on 9/21, 16 on 9/23 and 9/30 Bald Eagle 20 8/29 11/19 3 on 9/18 and 9/21 Northern Harrier 165 8/21 11/18 47 on 11/1, 33 on 10/24, 16 on 11/2 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1958 8/23 11/22 170 on 9/30, 120 on 10/1, 103 on 10/19 Cooper’s Hawk 89 9/1 11/16 12 on 10/10, 9 on 9/30 and 10/8 Northern Goshawk 2 9/30 11/15 Red-shouldered Hawk 184 9/27 11/30 71 on 11/1, 31 on 11/2, 16 on 11/15 Broad-winged Hawk 15788 8/23 10/31 8181 on 9/21, 5634 on 9/22, 457 on 9/15 Red-tailed Hawk 1902 8/23 12/12 310 on 11/1, 219 on 11/2, 190 on 11/15 Rough-legged Hawk 1 11/30 Golden Eagle 11 10/17 12/13 2 on 11/8, 11/15 and 11/30 American Kestrel 149 8/23 11/1 29 on 10/1, 23 on 9/30, 18 on 10/4 Merlin 17 9/24 10/18 3 on 9/30, 10/1 and 10/3 Peregrine Falcon 9 9/1 10/24 2 on 9/29 and 10/11 Unidentified 298 Total 20768 8/21 12/13 8273 on 9/21, 5658 on 9/22, 521 on 9/15 Diurnal Raptors. Check Table 3 for the tally of migrants at Washington Monu- ment State Park. It covers 415.5 hours of observation on 86 days by many obser- vers. Data for this table were provided by Sam Shoemaker. The largest roosts of Black Vultures were 50 at Tanyard on Oct. 30 (Fletchers) and 300 at Conowingo together with 150 Turkey Vultures on Nov. 3 (Blom). Other Turkey Vultures roosts were 150 at Tanyard on Sept. 23 (Engle) and 72 at Easton on Oct. 23 (L. & J. Harri- son); 77 were seen migrating over Tilghman Island on Nov. 15 (Reese). Ospreys at opposite ends of the fall migration were 1 at Westport in Baltimore on Aug. 7 (Wilkinson) and 2 at Conowingo on Nov. 3 (Blom). Interesting reports of Bald Eagles were 12 immatures at Blackwater on Aug. 9 (Armistead), 2 adults near the nest at Great Falls on Sept. 18 (Wilson), 1 adult at Brown’s Bridge, Howard County on Oct. 3 and Oct. 24 (Solem, Farrell), 1 adult at The Elms WMA on Nov. 14 (Wilkinson) and 17, mostly immatures, at Blackwater on Nov. 28 (O’Briens). On the Susquehanna River Schutsky reported seeing 25-30 Bald Eagles from Conowingo to 1-95 in late November with 5-6 adults and 20-25 immatures including a tagged first-year bird from New York and a fourth-year bird from Tennessee. The first migrant Northern Harriers were 2 at Hart - Miller on Aug. 23 (Ringler + ), 1 at Triadelphia on Aug. 30 (Farrells) and 1 at North Branch on Sept. 6 (Twigg). Migrant Sharp-shinned Hawks were first noted at Dan’s Rock, 1 on Sept. 9 (Twigg), and at Damsite, 1 on Sept. 11 (Grubers). Numbers of Sharp-shins increased quickly and 12 were seen at Belmont on Sept. 12 (Dupree), 20 at Ilchester on Sept. 23 (Bob Bogdan), 35 at Blackwalnut Point on Sept. 27 (Reese), 30 at Dan's Rock on Oct. 3 (Kiddy), 30 near Bellevue on Oct. 10 (Armistead), and 25 on Oct. 10 at Tilghman Island, where 7 were still migrating on Nov. 15 (Reese). An immature Cooper’s Hawk seen in Howard County at Rocky Gorge on Sept. 7 (Wilkinson) may have been an early migrant. Single immature Northern Goshawks were described from DC on Nov. 4 (Czaplak) and Rockville on Nov. 13 (P. O’Brien). An impressive flight of 32 Red-shouldered Hawks was seen at Tilghman Island on Nov. 15 (Reese). This is a very high number for the Eastern Shore. As usual, many observers reported flights of Broad-winged Hawks. This year the major passage of Broad-wings occurred during Sept. 21-24. Here are some of the tallies: 68 at Tanyard on Sept. 2 (Engle), 86 at Green Ridge on Sept. 18, 716 there on Sept. 23, and 112 on the 24th (Simons), 250 over Upper Marlboro on Sept. 23 (Stasz), 200- March 1988 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 17 300 at Ilchester on Sept. 23 (Bob Bogdan), 260 over Glen Burnie on Sept. 23 (Ringler), 29 at Dan’s Rock on Sept. 24 (Kiddy) and 25 near Bellevue on Oct. 10 (Armistead) — these in addition to the record-breaking totals of Monument Knob (see Table 3). Late Broad-wings were single birds in St. Marys County on Oct. 24 (Davidson), at Monument Knob on Oct. 31, and an exceptionally late 1 at Princess Anne on Nov. 21 (Dyke). Some modest counts of Red-tailed Hawks were 23 at Rockburn Park, Howard County on Oct. 25 and 16 there on Nov. 15 (Ralph Geuder), and 17 at Tilghman Island on Nov. 8 and 16 on Nov. 15 (Reese). The latter group included a melanistic bird. Only 3 reports of Rough-legged Hawks were received, single dark-phase birds at Triadelphia on Oct. 31 (Atkinson, Chestem) and Elliott on Nov. 8 (Czaplak), and a light-phase bird near Bel Air on Nov. 25 (Blom). Blom also reported single immature Golden Eagles at Hart - Miller on Oct. 25 and Conowingo on Nov. 6. An adult and an immature Golden were at Blackwater on Nov. 21 (Czaplak), and the adult was seen again on Nov. 28 (O’Briens). Armistead noticed an increase in the number of American Kestrels in southern Dorchester County with 11 on Aug. 9, probably reflecting the movement of birds coming in for the winter. There were scattered reports of Merlins with 1 at Hart - Miller on Sept. 11 (Ringler + ), 1 at Belmont on Sept. 12 (Dupree), 2 in DC on Sept. 19 and 1 on Nov. 10 (Czaplak), 4 at Assateague on Sept. 26 (Davidson, Wierenga) and 1 there on Nov. 13 (Warfield), 1 near Bellevue chasing a Red-bellied Woodpecker on Sept. 27 (Armistead), 1 at Damsite on Oct. 9 (Grubers), and 1 at Sandy Point on Nov. 21 (Wierenga). As usual most of the Peregrine Falcons were seen on Assateague where Scott Ward and his team observed 381 birds from Sept. 18 through Oct. 21 and captured 112. Their best days were 38 seen on Oct. 11 and 28 on Oct. 7 and Oct. 10. Other reports of Peregrines were 1 at the National Colonial Farm on Sept. 5 (Ringler), an immature at Lapidum on Oct. 7 (Schutsky), 1 at Tilghman Island on Oct. 10 (Reese), 1 at Blackwater on Oct. 11 (Armistead), 1 pair in DC on Oct. 22 (Czaplak), an adult at Mockley Point on Oct. 25 (Nistico), an adult at Hart - Miller on Oct. 25 (Blom + ) and a gray-backed immature there on Nov. 1 (Ringler + ), 1 at Sandy Point on Nov. 26 (Wierenga, Debbie Mignogno), and 1 at the Bay Bridge on Nov. 28 (M. O’Brien). Gallinaceous Birds, Rails, Gallinules and Coots. A male Ring-necked Pheasant, origin unknown, was at Sandy Point on Sept. 10 (Davidson). Reports of Wild Turkeys were 40 on Green Ridge on Aug. 23 and Sept. 5 (Simons), 8 near Dan’s Rock on Sept. 18 (Kiddy), 1 on Sugarloaf Mountain on Sept. 26 (Bjerke) and 6 at Point of Rocks on Nov. 4 (Warfield). The last Black Rail was heard at Elliott on Aug. 18 (Wierenga). Reese saw a Clapper Rail at Blackwalnut Point on Aug. 23 and a King Rail was heard at Irish Grove on Nov. 7 (Ringler + ). A Virginia Rail was caught in a banding net near Bristol on Oct. 25 (Melvilles) and several were heard at Irish Grove on Nov. 7 (Ringler + ). Soras were first noted at Jug Bay on August 3 (Kearns) and 30 were found on a trip there Sept. 12 (Bjerke + ). Other Soras were 1 at Hughes Hollow on Sept. 6 (Ron White), 1 at Rockville on Oct. 10 (P. O’Brien) and 1 at North Beach on Oct. 14 (Stasz). An immature Common Moorhen was found dead at Tanyard on Aug. 17 (Engle) and an immature was seen at Centennial Lake on Sept. 19-20 (Swift + ). The first American Coots of the season were in Howard County on Sept. 21 (Orgain), 3 in DC on Sept. 27 (Czaplak) and 1 at Hart - Miller on Sept. 27 (Ringler + ). High Coot counts were 300 at Loch Raven on Nov. 1 and later (Simon) and 1300 on the Potomac River from DC to Mount Vernon on Nov. 1 (Czaplak). Plovers, Oystercatchers, Avocets. Unusual inland were single Black-bellied Plovers at Summit Hall Turf Farm on Aug. 8 (Mudd) and Hurlock on Oct. 12 18 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 44, No. 1 (Ringler + ) as was 1 at Mockley Point on the Potomac on Aug. 30 (Nistico). On the bay there was 1 at Sandy Point on Aug. 14 (Davidson, Wierenga) and a peak of 18 at Hart - Miller on Aug. 16 (Kaestner + ). On the shore there were 30 at Ocean City on Oct. 15 (Davidson) and 100 on Assateague on Nov. 6 (Warfield); a late bird was at Blackwater on Nov. 21 (Czaplak). The first Lesser Golden-Plover was at Hart - Miller on Aug. 23 where the peak of 26 was reached on Sept. 27 (Ringler + ). Elsewhere there were 30 at Summit Hall Turf Farm on Sept. 26 and 2 in DC on Sept. 27 (both Czaplak) and 1 at North Branch on Oct. 25 (Simons + ). All of these were surpassed by the 188 at Kennedyville in Kent County on Oct. 4 (Mudd + ). The last Semipalmated Plovers of the season were 3 at Hart - Miller on Oct. 25 (Blom + ). High counts of Killdeer were 64 on the roof of a supermarket in Frost- burg on Aug. 10 (Walbeck), 47 at Goldsboro on Aug. 18 (Reese), 110 at North Branch on Aug. 26 (Twigg), 60 at Liberty Reservoir on Oct. 4 (Ringler) and 35 at Centennial Lake on Oct. 24 (Swift). In the bay American Oystercatchers were seen at Janes Island with 2 on Aug. 1 (Wierenga, Ringler) and at Hooper Island, 4 on Aug. 9 (Armistead). At Ocean City 6 were migrating south over the ocean on Oct. 11 (Ringler + ) and 37 were counted on the flats on Oct. 15 (Davidson). An American Avocet was at Hart -Miller from Aug. 9 through Sept. 20 and 2 were there on Sept. 11 (Ringler + ). Tringine Sandpipers. The highest counts of Greater Yellowlegs were 20 at North Branch on Sept. 6 (Simons), 50 at Deal Island WMA on Oct. 12 (Ringler + ) and 26 at Tanyard on Oct. 17 (Engle). Lesser Yellowlegs numbered about 400 at Hart - Miller on Aug. 9 (Ringler + ) and the latest migrants were 2 at Hurlock on Nov. 8 (Ringler, Webb). There were 13 Solitary Sandpipers at North Branch on Aug. 1 (Simons) and a late 1 there on Oct. 11 (Simons, Kiddy). Other late Solitaries were 1 banded at Broadford Run on Oct. 22 and 1 at Piscataway on Oct. 29 (Nistico). A Willet was at PNAS on Sept. 5 (Rambo) and the last migrants reported at Ocean City were 4 on Oct. 11 (Ringler + ). There were 42 Spotted Sandpipers at Hart - Miller on Aug. 2 and a late 1 there on Oct. 11 (Kaestner + ), while other late ones were 2 at North Branch on Oct. 10 (Simons + ), 1 in Howard County on Oct. 10 (Solem), and 1 at Denton through Oct. 14 (Hewitt). Curlews, Godwits, and Turnstones. Reports of migrating Upland Sandpipers were more widespread than usual with 2 flying over Thorofare Creek in Dorchester County on Aug. 3 (Wierenga, Ringler), birds present at Bradenbaugh from Aug. 9 through Sept. 7 and 14 on Sept. 4 (Kirkwood), 2 near Dameron on Aug. 17 (Bonham), a peak of 13 at Easton on Aug. 17 and the last 5 there on Sept. 4 (Wierenga), 4 at Greensboro on Aug. 18 (Fletchers) and 10 there on Aug. 20 (Hewitt), 6 on Adamstown Road in southern Frederick County on Aug. 23 (Joe Byrnes), and 2 at Summit Hall Turf Farm on Aug. 23-30 (Bonham + ). The only Whimbrels for the season were 2 at Big Bay Marsh on Aug. 26 (Brinker), 1 at PNAS from Aug. 26 through Sept. 14 (Rambo, Bryan) and 1 at the National Colonial Farm on Sept. 2 (Blom, Hilton). The Long-billed Curlew at Brandywine from Aug. 26 into September is reported separately. Davidson and Ann Rasberry saw 13 Hudsonian Godwits flying over Kent Point on Aug. 2 and a single Marbled Godwit was at Havre de Grace on Aug. 16 (Alex Hammer + ). A late migrant Ruddy Turnstone was at Hart - Miller on Nov. 15 (Ringler + ). Calidridine Sandpipers. The only Red Knots of the season were at Hart - Miller, with single birds seen on Aug. 23 and Oct. 3 (Ringler + ). Interesting reports of Sanderlings were 2 at Sandy Point on Aug. 14 (Davidson, Wierenga) and 6 there on Oct. 17 (Davidson), 8 on the hydrilla near the National Colonial Farm on Sept- 5 March 1988 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 19 (Ringler), 1 on the Potomac River at the mouth of Catoctin Creek on Sept. 5 (Swift), 60 at Hart - Miller on Oct. 3 and 7 there on Nov, 1 (Ringler + ), 4 at Cove Point on Oct. 18 (Stasz), 2 at Point Lookout on Oct. 24 (Davidson), and 2 at Cambridge on Nov. 21 (Czaplak). Peak counts of Semipalmated Sandpipers were 800 at Hart - Miller on Aug. 9 (Ringler + ), 60. at Remington Farms on Aug. 14 (Ringler + ), 35 at North Branch on Sept. 6 (Simons) and 35 in DC on Sept. 12 (Czaplak). Late Semis were 1 at Hart - Miller on Nov. 1 (Ringler + ) and 1 at North Branch on Oct. 4 (Twigg). Interesting places for Western Sandpipers were Janes Island with 8 on Aug. 1 (Wierenga, Ringler), Remington Farms with 3 on Aug. 14 (Ringler + ), Rocky Gorge Reservoir (a first for Howard County) with 1 on Aug. 23 and 2 on Sept. 7 (Wilkinson), and 1 at Rocky Gap on Oct. 25 (Kiddy). The high count of Westerns at Hart - Miller was 400 on Aug. 30 and the last 2 were seen there on Oct. 25 (Ringler + ). A tally of 28 Least Sandpipers at North Branch on Aug. 24 (Twigg) was a good inland count, and late migrants were 7 at Hart - Miller on Nov. 1 (Ringler + ) and 12 at Rumbly Point on Nov. 8 (Ringler, Webb). Sightings of White-rumped Sandpipers at North Branch were 1 on Aug. 15 (Twigg), 1 on Sept. 13 (Simons) and 3 on Sept. 20 (Simons + ). At Hart - Miller a record 120 White-rumps were seen on Sept. 20 and a late 1 on Nov. 1 (Ringler + ). Also setting a record at Hart - Miller was Baird’s Sandpiper with 28 on Aug. 30 and the last 1 on Nov. 1 (Ringler + ). The only other Baird’s reported were 2 at North Branch on Sept. 9 (Simons) and 1 at Liberty Reservoir on Oct. 4 (Ringler). High inland counts of Pectoral Sandpipers were 15 at North Branch on Aug. 8 (Kiddy), 15 at Loch Raven on Aug. 26 (Simon), 5 at Rocky Gorge on Sept. 7 (Wilkinson), 51 at Remington Farms on Sept. 9 (Grubers), 18 in DC on Sept. 13 (Czaplak), and 19 at Blackwater on Oct. 11 (Armistead). The peak for Pectorals at Hart - Miller was 170 on Oct. 18, and 50 were still present there on Nov. 1 (Ringler + ). Also late were 4 Pectorals at Hurlock on Nov. 8 (Ringler, Webb). The first report of Purple Sandpipers was a small flock at Ocean City on Nov. 8 (Ringler, Webb), which is a typical arrival date for that species. Reports of Dunlins included 1 at Sandy Point on Oct. 17 (Davidson), 100 at Hart - Miller on Oct. 25 and Nov. 1 and 40 there on Nov. 15 (Ringler + ), 1 at Tilghman Island on Nov. 8 (Reese), 30 on Broad Creek on Nov. 15 (Czaplak + ), and 31 at Tanyard on Nov. 18 (Engle). Stilt Sandpipers peaked at 150 at Hart - Miller on Aug. 9 and the last 4 were there on Oct. 18 (Ringler + ). Other Stilt Sandpipers were 1 at Remington Farms on Aug. 14 (Ringler + ), 4 at Big Bay Marsh on Aug. 26-29 (Brinker, Walbeck), and 1 at North Branch on Sept. 13-27 (Simons + ). The only Buff-breasted Sandpipers of the season were 1 at Hart - Miller on Aug. 30 and Sept. 11 (Ringler +) and 2 at Summit Hall Turf Farm on Sept. 26 (Czaplak) and Sept. 29 (P. O’Brien). Dowitchers, Snipe, and Woodcock. Short-billed Dowitchers included 2 at Remington Farms on Aug. 14 (Ringler + ), 1 at Sandy Point on Aug. 14 (Davidson, Wierenga), 1 at Loch Raven on Aug! 23 (Simon, Jenkins), 1 at North Branch on Aug. 23-29 (Kiddy + ), 3 in DC on Aug. 23 and 1 on Sept. 5 (Czaplak), 1 at Summit Hall Turf Farm on Sept. 26 (Czaplak), and 1 at Hart - Miller on Oct. 3 (Ringler + ). Long-billed Dowitchers were noted at Hart - Miller with 3 on Sept. 27 and 1 remaining through Nov. 1 (Ringler + ), 20 at Deal Island WMA on Oct. 12 (Ringler + ) with 19 there on Oct. 31 (Swift), and 2 at Blackwater on Nov. 22 (Czaplak). An early Common Snipe was at Beltsville on Aug. 30 (Ringler) and there were 8 at North Branch on Sept. 20 (Simons + ). An American Woodcock was banded at Damsite on Oct. 16 and other migrants were noted as 1 at Germantown on Oct. 29 (Warfield), 1 at Easton on Nov. 8 (Ringler), 3 near Bellevue on Nov. 14 (Armistead), and 2 at St. Michaels on Nov. 25 (Reese). 20 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 44, No. 1 Phalaropes. Wilson’s Phalaropes made another great showing at Hart - Miller with 17 on Aug. 23, and 1 remained to Oct. 3 (Ringler + ). Others were 2 at Back River on Aug. 2 (Dixon), 7 at Big Bay Marsh on Aug. 26 and 9 there on Aug. 29 (Brinker, Walbeck), and 1 at Waterford Farm in Howard County on Sept. 4 (Wallace). A Red-necked Phalarope was at Hart -Miller on Sept. 20 and 27 (Kaestner + ), 2 were at Hurlock on Oct. 12 (Ringler + ), and 1 was at Denton on Oct. 22 (Hewitt, Fletchers). Gulls. High counts of Laughing Gulls away from the coast were 260 in DC on Aug. 22 (Czaplak) and 600 at Hart - Miller on Nov. 1 (Ringler + ). Howard County is now the location that gets more Laughing Gulls than anywhere else on the Pied- mont; the best count there was 15 at Lake Kittamaqundi on Sept. 7 (Swift), and the latest was 1 at Centennial Lake on Nov. 26 (Atkinson, Chestem). In DC 95 Laughers remained at Georgetown Reservoir on Nov. 26 (Hilton) and the last 1 was seen at Conowingo on Nov. 15 (Blom). An adult Franklin’s Gull in non-breeding plumage was seen at the Tidal Basin in DC on Sept. 13 (Czaplak) and Sept. 16 (Gough). A first-winter Franklin’s was at Sandy Point on Oct. 3 (Davidson). The 5 Bonaparte’s Gulls at Hart - Miller on Aug. 2 were summering; the first migrant was noted there on Oct. 11 (Kaestner + ). An immature Bonaparte’s at the National Colonial Farm on Sept. 2 (Blom, Hilton) was quite early. Other arriving Bonies were 1 at North Beach on Oct. 2 (Stasz), 3 at Lake Kittamaqundi on Oct. 8 and 3 there on Oct. 25 (Chestem), and an immature at Upper Marlboro on Oct. 21 (Stasz). Also of interest were 5 Bonaparte’s Gulls at Deal Island WMA on Oct. 31 (Swift), 33 on the Potomac near Mount Vernon on Nov. 1 (Czaplak), 1 at Hurlock on Nov. 7 (Davidson) and Nov. 8 (Webb, Ringler), 8 near Bellvue on Nov. 8 (Armistead), 85 on the Potomac from the National Colonial Farm to Mockley Point on Nov. 8 (Nistico), 10 at Calvert Cliffs on Nov. 14 (Wilkinson), and 234 at Eastern Neck on Nov. 18 (J. Gruber). High counts of Ring-billed Gulls for the season were 8000 at Hart - Miller on Aug. 9 (Ringler + ), 4000 at Conowingo on Nov. 3 (Blom) and 1730 in DC on Nov. 28 (Czaplak). High counts of Herring Gulls were 2500 at Hart -Miller on Oct. 25 (Blom + ) and 2000 at Conowingo on Nov. 3 (Blom). The first adult Lesser Black-backed Gull arrived early at Hart - Miller on Aug. 9 and the species peaked at 5 there on Oct. 18 (Ringler + ). Other Lesser Black-backs were an adult at North Beach on Oct. 23 (Stasz), an adult at Hains Point on Nov. 10 (Czaplak) for the eighth consecutive year, 2 at Conowingo on Nov. 11-24 (Blom, Ringler, Schutsky), an adult at Chesapeake Beach on Nov. 16 and 2 there on Nov. 25 (Kraus), and an adult at Blackwater on Nov. 21-22 (Czaplak). Highs for Great Black-backed Gulls were 71 at PNAS on Sept. 8 (Rambo) and 800 at Conowingo on Nov. 3 (Blom). Terns, Skimmers. The wanderings of Caspian Terns included 1 at Clay Island in Dorchester County on Aug. 3 (Ringler, Wierenga) and 1 at Centennial Lake on Aug. 12 (Solem) and Sept. 13 (Chestem). Caspians peaked at Hart - Miller with 325 on Aug. 23 (Ringler + ) and in DC the same day with 23 (Czaplak). Late birds were 2 at Tilghman Island on Oct. 25 (Reese), 1 in DC on Oct. 28 (Czaplak) and 2 at Hart - Miller on Nov. 1 (Ringler + ). Royal Terns continued their strong showing of recent years in the bay as high counts were 50 on Clay Island on Aug. 3 (Ringler, Wierenga), 305 at Hooper Island on Aug. 9 (Armistead), 18 at Hart - Miller on Aug. 16 (Kaestner + ), 50 at Blackwalnut Point on Aug. 23 (Reese), 10 at Eastern Neck on Aug. 31 (J. Gruber), 60 at Point Lookout on Sept. 1 (O’Briens), 83 at North Beach on Sept. 13 (Stasz), and 25 near Bellevue on Oct. 10 (Armistead). The 6 Royals at Blackwalnut Point on Aug. 2 (Reese) and 1 at Swan Point on Aug. 4 (J. Gruber) were evidence of the species’ early dispersal from breeding grounds. They March 1988 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 21 do not presently nest in Maryland. Other reports of Royals included 3 at Sandy Point on Aug. 29 (Davidson), 1 at Choptank on Oct. 20 (Hewitt) and 2 at Deal Island WMA on Oct. 31 (Swift). November sightings of Royals were 8 at Hart - Miller on the 1st (Ringler + ), 1 near Bellevue on the 8th (Armistead), 8 at Ocean City on the 8th (Ringler, Webb), 1 at Tilghman Island on the 8th (Reese), 1 at Well’s Cove on the Patuxent on the 15th (Stasz), and 2 at North Beach on the 19th (Stasz). Sandwich Terns again wandered up the western shore of the bay; an adult was seen at North Beach on Aug. 20 (Stasz) and at Point Lookout an adult and juvenile were seen on Aug. 29 (M. O’Brien) and an adult on Sept. 1 (O’Briens). Common Terns in the northern part of the bay are probably from the colony that attempted nesting at Hart - Miller where the last sighting was of 20 on Aug. 30 (Ringler + ). At nearby locations 3 were at Eastern Neck on Aug. 14 (Reese, Coble) and 2 at Sandy Point on Aug. 29 (Davidson). Other concentrations of Common Terns were 250 at Point Lookout on Aug. 29 (M. O’Brien), 25 on the hydrilla at the mouth of Accokeek Creek on Sept. 5 (Ringler) and 257 at North Beach on Sept. 20 (Stasz). In DC 2 Commons were seen on Sept. 5 and 3 on Sept. 12 (Czaplak). Late Commons were 1 at Point Lookout on Oct. 10 (P. O’Brien), 1 at Ocean City on Oct. 11 (Ringler + ) and 1 at North Beach on Oct. 31 (Stasz). Inland sightings of Forster’s Terns were 2 at Liberty Reservoir on Aug. 16 (Wright) and 2 at Loch Raven on Aug. 26 (Simon, Jenkins). On the Potomac there were 150 at Piscataway on Sept. 4 (Swift) and 100 on Oct. 28 (Swarth) and 233 in DC on Sept. 12 (Czaplak). In the upper bay there were 1500 Forster’s at Hart - Miller on Aug. 9 (Ringler + ), 250 at Rock Hall on Aug. 31 (J. Gruber) and 250 at Conowingo on Sept. 16 (Schutsky). In the lower bay there were 320 at North Beach on Aug. 20 (Stasz). November Forster’s Terns were 1 in eastern Baltimore County on the 8th (Kaestner), 1 at Tilghman Island on the 8th (Reese), 2 in DC on the 12th (Czaplak), 10 at Eastern Neck on the 15th (Davidson), 103 at Cove Point on the 15th (Stasz), 2 at Conowingo on the 17th (Schutsky) and 14 at Ocean City on the 28th (O’Briens). An unidentified Common/Forster’s Tern was at North Branch on Sept. 20 (Simons, Twigg, Kiddy). The last sightings of Least Terns were 1 at Cove Point on Aug. 27 (Stasz), 2 at Hart - Miller on Aug. 30 (Ringler + ), and 22 at PNAS on Sept. 4 (Rambo), the latter a large flock for so late in the season. An immature Black Tern was at North Beach on Aug. 6-16 (Stasz), 1 was at Eastern Neck on Aug. 15 (Reese) and 3 on Aug. 31 (J. Gruber), 1 was seen by dozens of observers from the MOS Convention at Remington Farms on Aug. 16, 1 was in DC on Aug. 22 (Czaplak), 4 at Hart - Miller on Aug. 23 and 1 remaining on Sept. 6 (Ringler + ), 7 at Piscataway on Sept. 4 (Swift), 1 near Big Bay Marsh in late August (Brinker), 2 at Love Point on Sept. 12 (J. Gruber), and a very late 1 at Lake Elkhorn on Sept. 21 (Orgain). Armistead found 24 Black Skimmers at Hooper Island on Aug. 9, a good number for the lower bay, and the 2 immatures that remained at Hart -Miller from Aug. 16 through Sept. 6 (Kaestner + ) were exceptional for the northern bay. Doves, Cuckoos, Owls. Reese estimated 250 Mourning Doves sitting on wires at Davidsonville on Oct. 13. Two Black-billed Cuckoos were banded at Mt. Nebo on Sept. 23 and 1 was seen at Broadford Run on Sept. 26 (Skipper, Pope). It is interesting that the only reports of this species were from its principal breeding range in the state — Garrett County. Late Yellow-billed Cuckoos were 1 at Laurel Grove on Oct. 9 (Runkles), 1 at Ocean City on Oct. 11 (Ringler + ), 1 at Liberty Reservoir on Oct. 17 (Ringler), 1 at Catoctin on Oct. 18 (Nistico) and 1 banded at Damsite on Oct. 18. Sightings of Short-eared Owls were 2 at Hart - Miller on Nov. 1 (Ringler + ), 1 at Greensboro on Nov. 15 (I. Garey), and 1 there on Nov. 23 (Fletchers). A Northern Saw-whet Owl was seen at Oldtown on Oct. 20 (Paulus), 1 was banded at Damsite on Oct. 30, and 1 each banded on Nov. 13 and 14 at Laurel. 22 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 44, No. 1 Caprimulgids. The first reports of migrant Common Nighthawks were 4 near Baltimore on Aug. 17 (Ringler), 30 in DC on Aug. 21 (Czaplak), and 19 at Silver Spring on Aug. 22 (Richard Tillum). High counts of nighthawks were 50-75 at Baltimore on Aug. 27 (Alice Nelson), 27 at Pinto on Aug. 31 (Simons), 28 at Tuckahoe SP on Sept. 7 (P. Gruber, Rittenhouse), and 200 from Cresaptown to Cumberland on Sept. 8 (Simons + ). Late nighthawks were 3 at North Beach on Sept. 24 (Stasz) and 3 very late birds in DC on Oct. 31 (Gough). A Chuck-will’s- widow at Damsite on Sept. 3 (Grubers) was unusual for fall. Also at Damsite, 6 Whip-poor-wills were calling on Sept. 2 and 1 was banded there on the late date of Oct. 4 (Grubers). Another was banded near Bristol on Oct. 2. Swifts , Hummingbirds, Woodpeckers. Estimates of Chimney Swifts in northwest DC were 9000 on Sept. 16 (Czaplak) and 5000 on Oct. 6 (Swarth); only 11 remained on Oct. 12 (Czaplak). At other locations there were 100 at Cumberland on Sept. 8 (Twigg) and 1 remaining on Oct. 10 (Kiddy), 1 at Denton on Oct. 21 (Hewitt), and 400 at Upper Marlboro on Oct. 24 (Droege). The eastern shore of the bay is a major flyway for Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. The evidence is 30 seen at Eastern Neck on Aug. 14 (Reese, Coble) and 103 netted at Damsite from Aug. 15 through Oct. 5 with a peak of 17 on Sept. 3. Other late hummingbirds were 1 in Howard County on Sept. 27 (Solem) and 1 at Greensboro on Sept. 28 (Hewitt). Migrant Red- headed Woodpeckers included 1 at Conowingo on Sept. 23 (Schutsky), 1 at Black- walnut Point on Sept. 27 (Reese), and 2 at Eastern Neck on Nov. 30 (Wunderly). The first Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers of the season were 5 on Assateague on Sept. 26 (Davidson, Wierenga) and 1 at Denton on Sept. 27 (Nuttle). High counts of Northern Flickers were 18 in DC on Sept. 19 (Czaplak), 85 on Assateague on Sept. 26 (Davidson, Wierenga), and 25 on Tilghman Island on Oct. 10 (Reese). Fluvicoline Flycatchers. Single Olive-sided Flycatchers were found^at Summit Hall on Aug. 30 (Peter Kaestner), on Assateague on Sept. 3 (M. O’Brien), in Mont- gomery County on Sept. 17 (Bonham), and at Battery Kemble Park on Sept. 25 (Gough). Peak numbers of Eastern Wood-Pewees were 30 at Point Lookout on Aug. 29 (M. O’Brien) and 20 banded at Damsite on Sept. 4, where a late 1 was banded on Oct. 11. Other late Pewees were 1 at Ocean City on Oct. 11 and 1 at Fleming Mill Pond on Oct. 12 (both Ringler + ). The only Yellow-bellied Flycatchers that were seen away from banding stations were in DC from Aug. 24 through Sept. 25 (Gough). At Adventure 4 Yellow-bellies were banded from Aug. 23-31, at Broad- ford Run single birds on Aug. 23 and 30, near Stevenson on Aug. 26 through Sept. 4, 14 at Damsite from Aug. 26 through Oct. 3 with a peak of 5 on Sept. 4, 1 near Bristol on Aug. 29, at Mt. Nebo from Aug. 30 through Sept. 23 and 1 at Laurel on Sept. 5. The O’Briens counted 10 Acadian Flycatchers in Rockville on~Aug. 30 during the peak of migration; late birds were 1 banded at Mt. Nebo on Sept. 23 and birds seen in Columbia on Sept. 26 (Atkinson) and in St. Marys County on the same day (Nistico). Armistead banded 4 Traill’s Flycatchers near Bellevue on Aug. 30. The first Least Flycatchers of the season were 1 at Daniels on Aug. 23 (Wright) and 2 at Point Lookout on Aug. 29 (M. O’Brien); the latest were 1 banded at Broadford Run on Sept. 25, 1 banded at Adventure on Sept. 27, 1 banded near Stevenson on Oct. 1 and 1 seen in DC on Oct. 7 (Gough). An estimated 45 unidentified Empidonax flycatchers were seen at Blackwalnut Point on Aug. 30 (Reese + ). The peak move- ment of Eastern Phoebes was noted on Oct. 12 when Armistead counted 26 near Bellevue and Czaplak 14 in DC. November Phoebes were at North Branch on the 22nd (Simons) and Granite on the 26th (Wilkinson). Tyrannine Flycatchers. Late Great Crested Flycatchers were 1 banded at Damsite on Sept. 20, 1 at Blackwalnut Point on Sept. 21 (Reese), 1 at Lake Roland March 1988 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 23 on Sept. 22 (Bohanan + ), and 1 in DC on Sept. 24 (Gough). A Western Kingbird on Green Ridge on Aug. 23 (Simons) was not only the earliest on record but the only one reported this fall and one of the very few records for western Maryland. Several people noticed peak numbers of Eastern Kingbirds with 30 at Sandy Point on Aug. 14 (Davidson, Wierenga), 40 at Eastern Neck on Aug. 14 (Reese, Coble), 38 at Dry Run on Aug. 17 (Wilson), 8 at Daniels on Aug. 22 (Wright), 47 at PNAS on Sept. 5 (Rambo), and 8 at St. Michaels on Sept. 9 (Reese). Late birds were 2 at Hart - Miller on Sept. 11 (Ringler + ), 1 in Howard County on Sept. 12 (Chestem), 1 banded at Damsite on Sept. 13, and 1 at Broadford Run on Sept. 16 (Skipper, Pope). Laura Grove discovered the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher that was seen at Antietam National Battlefield Park, Oct. 3-18. Larks, Swallows. Wierenga estimated 125 Horned Larks at Easton on Aug. 11 and Simons counted 17 at Pinto on Nov. 22. Armistead estimated 300 Purple Martins at Elliott on Aug. 9 and Czaplak counted 116 in DC on Aug. 26 and the last 9 there on Sept. 9. A very late martin was in Montgomery County on Oct. 6 (Bonham). Davidson and Wierenga found the peak of the Tree Swallow migration at Assateague to be Sept. 26 when they estimated 10,000 flying south, including 1 albino. Other locally high counts of Tree Swallows were 1000 at Piscataway on Sept. 4 (Swift), 300 near Chestertown on Sept. 26 (P. Gruber) and in Carroll County 100 at Liberty Reservoir and 65 at Piney Run on Oct. 4 (Ringler). Late Tree Swallows were 2 at Point Lookout on Oct. 24 (Davidson), 3 at Schooley Mill Park on Oct. 25 (Dupree + ), 3 at Tilghman Island on Oct. 25 (Reese), 9 at Denton on Oct. 26 (Hewitt), and 1 at Tuckahoe SP on Oct. 31 (Nuttle). Wilson estimated 100 Northern Rough-winged Swallows at Violet’s Lock on Sept. 20, and 5 at Ocean City on Oct. 15 (Davidson) were the last of the season. Early August was the peak of the Bank Swallow migration with 1500 at Fairlee on the 7th (Grubers) and hundreds at Hart - Miller on the 9th (Ringler + ). The latest Bank Swallows of the year were 5 at Assateague on Sept. 26 (Davidson, Wierenga). A Cliff Swallow at Cove Point on Aug. 27 (Stasz) was unusual; late birds were 1 at Hart - Miller on Sept. 6 (Kaestner + ), 2 at Violet’s Lock on Sept. 20 (Wilson), and 2 very late birds at North Branch on Oct. 18 (Simons). Armistead estimated 300 Barn Swallows at Hooper Island and 400 at Elliott on Aug. 9 for the best tally this fall; late individuals were in Harford County on Oct. 12 (Kirkwood), Piney Run on Oct. 25 (Ringler), and Denton on Oct. 26 (Hewitt). Corvids, Chickadees. Locally high counts of migrant Blue Jays were 1000 at Blackwalnut Point on Sept. 27 (Reese), 100 at Piney Run on Oct. 4 (Ringler), and 150 at Point Lookout on Oct. 24 (Davidson). Few estimates on crow roosts are submitted but this fall there were 300 American Crows at Denton on Oct. 25 (R. Fletcher) and 480 Fish Crows near Bellevue on Oct. 10 (Armistead). Sightings of Northern Ravens at familiar locations included 1 at Sugarloaf Mountain on Sept. 26 (Bjerke) and 3 at Rocky Gap on Oct. 25 (Kiddy). Black-capped Chickadees were not reported outside their breeding range this fall. Nuthatches, Creepers, Wrens. Red-breasted Nuthatches made only a minor impression this year with early birds in Talbot County on Sept. 6 (Virginia Grae- bert) and at Laurel Grove on Sept. 9 (Runkles); very modest high counts of 5 each were found at Assateague on Oct. 15 (Davidson) and Liberty Reservoir on Oct. 26 (Wright). A White-breasted Nuthatch at Blackwater on Aug. 9 (Armistead) was a rarity there, and the Grubers found 3 migrants at Damsite on Oct. 9. Reese counted 11 Brown-headed Nuthatches at Tilghman Island on Nov. 15. Davidson estimated 50 Brown Creepers on Assateague on Oct. 15. Late House Wrens were 1 banded near 24 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 44, No. 1 Stevenson on Nov. 3, 1 seen near Pocomoke City on Nov. 8 (Bruce + ), and 1 near Berlin on Nov. 28 (O’Briens). Early Winter Wrens were 1 banded at Mt. Nebo on Sept. 22, the first of 61 for the season banded at Damsite on Sept. 23, 2 banded at Broadford Run on Sept. 25 and 1 seen at Loch Raven on Sept. 26 (Wheeler). A Sedge Wren was at Elliott on Aug. 11 (Wierenga) and about 6 were seen or heard at Irish Grove on Nov. 7-8 (Stasz + ). Migrant Marsh Wrens appeared at unusual locations inland this fall with 1 at Brighton Dam in Montgomery County on Sept. 27 (Atkinson), 1 banded at Broadford Run on Sept. 30 and seen through Oct. 10 (Skipper, Pope), 1 at Lake Elkhorn on Oct. 1 (Orgain), 1 at Centennial Lake on Oct. 3 (Atkinson), 1 on Roosevelt Island in DC on Oct. 10 (Czaplak), 2 at Rockville on Oct. 10 (M. O’Brien), 1 at Granite on Oct. 19 and Oct. 24 (Wilkinson) and 1 at The Elms WMA on Nov. 14 (Wilkinson). Three late Marsh Wrens were at Hart - Miler on Nov. 15 (Ringler + ). Kinglets and Gnatcatchers. The first Golden-crowned Kinglets of the season were 2 in DC on Sept. 27 (Czaplak) and 1 banded at Damsite on Sept. 28. High counts of Golden-crowns were 20 at Tilghman Island on Oct. 10 (Reese), 23 in DC on Oct. 12 (Czaplak), 100 on Assateague on Oct. 15 (Davidson) and 35 banded at Damsite on Oct. 26. The first Ruby-crowned Kinglets of the season were 3 at Damsite on Sept. 19 (Grubers), where a peak banding total of 22 was reached on Oct. 11 and 144 were netted for the season. Late Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were 1 in DC on Sept. 19 (Czaplak), 1 at Blackwalnut Point on Sept. 20 (Reese + ), 1 in Montgomery County on Sept. 25 (Bonham), 1 heard at Dan’s Rock on Sept. 26 (Kiddy), and 1 in Howard County on Sept. 27 (Chestem). The mysterious November migration of gnatcatchers was again noted with 1 at Conowingo on Nov. 15 (Blom) and 1 seen at Sandy Point on Nov. 18 (Davidson) and Nov. 26 (Wierenga, Debbie Mignogno). The source of these birds after none have been seen since the middle of September is unknown. Thrushes, Mimids. High counts of Eastern Bluebirds were 250 at Tilghman Island on Nov. 8 (Reese) and 50-75 at Schooley Mill Park on Nov. 22 (Solems, Farrell). The first migrant Veery was banded at Adventure on Aug. 18 and the last 1 seen was at Denton on Oct. 2 (Hewitt). Damsite banded 125 Veeries for the season and had 25 on Sept. 11. As usual very few Gray-cheeked Thrushes were seen away from banding stations, with the earliest banded at Damsite on Sept. 11 and the latest banded at Adventure on Oct. 17. Adventure banded 53 Gray-cheeks for the season with the best day of 7 on Oct. 1. An early Swainson’s Thrush was seen at Rockville on Aug. 30 (O’Briens) and a late 1 was banded at Laurel on Oct. 24. The earliest Hermit Thrushes were singles banded at Mt. Nebo on Sept. 22 and Laurel on Oct. 2. Late Wood Thrushes were singles banded at Damsite on Oct. 17 and Adventure on Oct. 28. High counts of American Robins were 100 in DC on Oct. 10 (Czaplak), 100 at Piney Run on Oct. 25 (Ringler), 175 at St. Michaels on Oct. 29 (Reese), 500 near Vienna on Oct. 29 (Dyke), and 1500 at Damsite on Nov. 1 (Grubers). Late Gray Catbirds were 1 at Bray Hill on Nov. 5 (Skipper) and 1 in Columbia on Nov. 6 (Atkinson). Rare in Garrett County were 1 Northern Mocking- bird banded at Mt. Nebo on Oct. 6-11 and 1 seen at Broadford Run on Oct. 15 (Skipper, Pope). Brown Thrashers that may have been settling in for the winter were 2 near Pocomoke City on Nov. 8 (Bruce + ) and 2 at The Elms WMA on Nov. 14 (Wilkinson). Pipits, Waxwings, Shrikes. The first Water Pipits of the season were 2 at North Branch on Oct. 3; 90 were there on Nov. 15 (Simons). Others were 3 at Sandy Point March 1988 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 25 on Oct. 17 (Davidson) and 8 at Schooley Mill Park on Nov. 1 (Atkinson). Some Cedar Waxwings that may have been breeding locally on the Eastern Shore were 2 at Janes Island SP on Aug. 1 and 1 in Vienna on Aug. 2 (Wierenga, Ringler), and 3 at Blackwater on Aug. 9 (Armistead). Probable early migrant waxwings were 2 at Hart -Miller on Aug. 9 (Ringler + ), 1 at Denton on Aug. 15 (Nuttle), and 2 at Tolchester on Aug. 15 (Ringler). High counts of waxwings were 100 at Rocky Gap on Oct. 24 (Simons, Ringler), 1000 at Damsite on Nov. 1 (Grubers), 51 banded at Adventure on Nov. 1, and 500 at Tilghman Island on Nov. 8 (Reese). The only reports of Loggerhead Shrike were single birds at Lilypons on Aug. 28 (Fritz), Antietam on Oct. 15 (Hilton), and near Flintstone in Allegany County on Nov. 30 (Mark Weatherholt). Vireos. Late White-eyed Vireos were single birds on Green Ridge on Oct. 10 (Simons), at Ocean City on Oct. 11 (Ringler + ), in Howard County on Oct. 20 (Hill), and in DC on Oct. 29 (Czaplak). Early migrant Solitary Vireos were banded at Broadford Run on Sept. 9 and Damsite on Sept. 11, and late birds were 1 at Rocky Gap on Oct. 24 (Simons), 1 banded near Oakland on Oct. 24 (Thayer), and 1 at a bird bath at Hammond Village in Howard County on Nov. 2 (George Chase). The last Yellow-throated Vireo of the season was in Montgomery County on Sept. 25 (Bonham). Rare on the Eastern Shore were single Warbling Vireos banded at Damsite on Aug. 26 and Sept. 13. Early Philadephia Vireos were 1 banded near Stevenson on Sept. 1, 1 at Elk Neck SP on Sept. 6 (Steve Sanford + ), and 1 in Howard County on Sept. 7 (Dave Harvey). Others were banded at Mt. Nebo, Sept. 9-14, 1 in DC on Sept. 13 (Czaplak), 2 banded at Broadford Run on Sept. 23 and 1 on Sept. 25, 1 in Hazen Park, DC on Sept. 25 (Gough), 1 at Summit Hall on Sept. 26 (Czaplak), and 1 at Point Lookout on Oct. 10 (P. O’Brien). Late Red-eyed Vireos were 1 at Laurel Grove on Oct. 11 (Runkles), 1 banded at Damsite on Oct. 11, and 1 banded at Adventure on Oct. 12. Vermivora and Parula Warblers. Early migrant Blue-winged Warblers in Kent County on Aug. 14 were 1 at Remington Farms (Ringler) and 3 at Eastern Neck (Reese, Coble). Blue-wings are rare in Garrett County but 1 was seen at Broadford Run on Sept. 3 (Skipper, Pope) and 1 was banded on the very late date of Sept. 29 at Mt. Nebo. Also late were 1 Blue-wing in Howard County on Sept. 21 (Chestem) and 1 banded near Stevenson on Sept. 23. Reports of Golden-winged Warblers were 1 at Liberty Reservoir on Aug. 16 (Wright), 1 banded at Adventure on Aug. 23, 1 female at Pennyfield on Aug. 23 (Czaplak), 1 on Green Ridge on Aug. 23 and Sept. 11 (Simons), 1 at Daniels on Aug. 30 (Wright), 1 at Rockville on Aug. 30 (O’Briens), and single birds banded at Broadford Run on Sept. 5 and 9. Tennessee Warblers made an early entry into the state this fall with the first being in Howard County on Aug. 17 (Hill) and 1 at Daniels on Aug. 23 (Wright). At Damsite 3 Tennessee's were banded on Aug. 25 and 10 the next day. Late Tennessees were banded birds at Mt. Nebo on Oct. 15 and near Stevenson on Oct. 17. Reports of Orange-crowned Warblers included 1 at Rockville on Oct. 10 (M. O’Brien), another there on Oct. 12 (P. O’Brien), 1 banded at Mt. Nebo on Oct. 13, 1 in DC on Oct. 14 (Gough), 1 banded at Adventure on Oct. 18, 1 near Pocomoke City on Nov. 7-8 (Bruce + ), and 1 near Broomes Island on Nov. 15 (Stasz). Early migrant Nashville Warblers were 1 on Green Ridge on Aug. 23 (Simons) and 1 banded at Damsite on Aug. 25. A Nashville caught near Stevenson on Sept. 23 had been banded on April 28, 1983 near Driftwood, Texas and was at least 5 years old. The last Nashville of the season was banded at Broadford Run on Oct. 14. Late Northern Parulas were seen on Oct. 12 at Nassawango (Ringler + ) and in DC (Czaplak). 26 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 44, No. 1 Dendroica Warblers. The first migrant Y ellow Warblers were 2 banded at Damsite on Aug. 10 and the last was seen in St. Marys County on Sept. 26 (Nistico). The earliest Chestnut-sided Warblers were seen at Remington Farms on Aug. 14 (Ringler) and in DC on Aug. 19 (Czaplak); the last was banded near Bristol on Oct. 3. The latest Magnolia Warblers were singles seen at Daniels on Oct. 13 (Wright) and on Assateague on Oct. 15 (Davidson). There were only two reports of Cape May Warblers in August, single birds banded at Damsite on the 26th and Mt. Nebo on the 29th. Late Cape Mays were 1 in Pocomoke State Forest on Oct. 12 (Ringler + ), 1 in DC on Oct. 12 (Gough) and 1 on Green Ridge on Oct. 18 (Simons). Black-throated Blue Warblers were both early and late in surprising numbers this fall. August arrivals included 1 very early one at Federalsburg on the 10th (Glime), 1 banded near Steven- son on the 20th, 1 at Daniels on the 26th (Wright), and 1 banded at Adventure on the 26th. The latest Black-throated Blues were 1 in Charles County on Oct. 13 (Nistico) and 1 at Denton on Oct. 15 (Nuttle). Early Yellow-rumped Warblers were banded in Garrett County at Broadford Run on Sept. 11 and Mt. Nebo on Sept. 15 with the next arrival being Sept. 25 in Montgomery County (Bonham). During the peak of migration an estimated 3000 were at Eastern Neck on Oct. 15 (J. Gruber). August reports of Black-throated Green Warblers were 2 at Daniels on the 23rd (Wright), 1 at Pennyfield on the 29th (Oberman), and 1 banded at Mt. Nebo on the 31st. After Atkinson estimated 20 Black-throated Greens at Columbia on Sept. 26 the latest departures were 1 in Charles County on Oct. 14 (Nistico) and 1 on Green Ridge on Oct. 18 (Simons). A very early Blackburnian Warbler was on Green Ridge on Aug. 7 (Simons) as the next migrant seen was in DC on Aug. 19 (Czaplak). The last Yellow-throated Warbler of the season was at Point Lookout on Sept. 1 (O'Briens). Pine Warblers are not often seen in migration but this fall 1 was banded at Damsite on Oct. 17, 1 was on Green Ridge on Oct. 18 (Simons), 1 was at Granite on Oct. 24 (Wilkinson), 1 at The Elms WMA on Nov. 14 (Wilkinson), 4 near Broomes Island on Nov. 15 (Stasz), and 1 at Loch Raven on Nov. 22 (Webb + ). Reese detected the first migrant Prairie Warbler at Blackwalnut Point on Aug. 2 and late individuals were 1 in DC on Oct. 5 (Gough), and 2 at Ocean City on Oct. 1 1 (Ringler + ). Early Palm Warb- lers were 1 banded at Broadford Run on Sept. 4, 1 banded near Stevenson on Sept. 10, and 2 at Hart - Miller on Sept. 11 (Ringler + ). The only significant numbers of Palms seen were 20 on Assateague on Sept. 26 (Davidson, Wierenga) and 5 at Pinto Marsh on Oct. 18 (Simons). Late Palms were 1 in DC on Oct. 24 (Czaplak), 1 at Pinto Marsh on Oct. 24 (Ringler, Simons), and 1 at Blackwater on Nov. 28 (Webb). An early Bay- breasted Warbler was in DC on Aug. 30 (Gough); the peak of migration was noted at Broadford Run on Sept. 23 when 16 were banded. An exceptionally early Blackpoll Warbler was at Point Lookout on Sept. 1 (O’Briens); late birds were 1 at Fleming Mill Pond on Oct. 12 (Ringler + ), 1 banded at Broadford Run on Oct. 16 and 1 banded at Damsite on Oct. 18. The last Cerulean Warbler, a species rarely found in fall, was seen on Green Ridge on Sept. 11 (Simons). Black-and-white through Worm-eating Warbler. Armistead noted the first migrant Black-and-white Warbler of the season on Aug. 9 at Blackwater and late birds were 2 banded at Damsite on Oct. 11, 1 in DC on Oct. 12 (Gough) and 1 at Nassawango on Oct. 12 (Ringler + ). The first migrant American Redstarts of the season were 1 banded at Damsite on Aug. 1 , 2 at Blackwalnut Point on Aug. 2 (Reese), and 1 banded near Stevenson on Aug. 13; the best count was 20 on Assateague on Sept. 3 (M. O’Brien). Single Prothonotary Warblers were banded at Damsite on Aug. 1, Aug. 11, and Sept. 4. This species is rarely caught in migration. Other late Prothonotaries were 1 at Crofton on Aug. 26 (David Perry), 3 at Piscataway on Sept. 4 (Swift), and 1 at Seneca on Sept. 5 (Plante). Czaplak noted migrant Worm-eating March 1988 ■ MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 27 Warblers in DC on Aug. 19 and Sept. 12, a late bird was banded at Adventure on Sept. 10, and an extraordinarily late bird was seen in Columbia on Oct. 4 (Chestem). Ovenbirds and Waterthrushes. The first migrant Ovenbirds of the season were 1 at Denton on Aug. 8 (Knotts) and 1 banded at Damsite on Aug. 11. Some very early Northern Waterthrushes were 1 at Lilypons on Aug. 1 (M. O’Brien), 1 banded at Damsite on Aug. 1, 1 at Blackwalnut Point on Aug. 2 (Reese), and 1 at Blackwater on Aug. 9 ( Armistead). Late Northern W aterthrushes were 1 banded at Damsite on Oct. 10, 1 in DC on Oct. 10 (Czaplak), and 1 banded at Adventure on Oct. 19. Oporornis Warblers. The last Kentucky Warbler of the season was banded at Adventure on the very late date of Sept. 23. Only 1 Connecticut Warbler was seen outside banding stations this fall and that was at PNAS on Sept. 25 (Rambo). The banding reports were at Mt. Nebo from Aug. 30 through Sept. 15, 3 at Adventure from Sept. 3-22, 1 near Stevenson on Sept. 10, 2 at Damsite on Sept. 11 and 1 on Sept. 20, and 1 at Broadford Run on Sept. 21. Sightings of Mourning Warblers included 4 in Howard County: 1 at Daniels on Aug. 22 (Wright), 1 on Sept. 4 (Chestem), and 2 at Belmont on Sept. 12 (Dupree). Other sightings were 1 in Baltimore on Sept. 21 (Bohanan), 1 in DC on Sept. 25 (Gough) and 1 at Granite on Sept. 26 (Wilkinson). Bandings of Mourning Warblers included 13 at Damsite from Aug. 14 through Oct. 9 with 4 on Aug. 26, 6 at Adventure from Aug. 20 through Oct. 10, at Mt. Nebo from Aug. 30 through Oct. 1, 1 at Laurel Grove on Sept. 7, 1 near Stevenson on Sept. 10, and 2 at Broadford Run on Sept. 23 and 1 there on Sept. 24 Yellowthroats, Wilsonias , and Chats. Michael O’Brien estimated 90 Common Yellowthroats on Assateague on Sept. 3, late birds were 1 banded at Damsite on Oct. 26, and 1 was seen at Loch Raven on Nov. 24 (Wheeler). Late Hooded Warblers were 1 banded at Laurel on Sept. 19, 1 in Baltimore on Sept. 22 (Bertie MacGregor), 1 banded near Stevenson on Sept. 23, 1 banded at Broadford Run on Oct. 1, and 1 banded at Mt. Nebo on Oct. 6. An early Wilson’s Warbler was banded at Adventure on Aug. 21 and another at Mt. Nebo on Aug. 30 and the latest was 1 seen at Ocean City on Oct. 11 (Ringler + ). The first Canada Warblers were 1 banded at Damsite on Aug. 11 and 1 seen at Liberty Reservoir on Aug. 16(Wright). Czaplak saw6 Canadas at Penny field on Aug. 23, and the latest were banded near Stevenson on Oct. 5 and at Adventure on Oct. 9. Late Yellow-breasted Chats were 1 banded at Broadford Run on Sept. 13, 1 banded at Adventure on Sept. 22, 1 banded at Damsite on Oct. 5, 1 at Point Lookout on Oct. 10 (P. O’Brien), 1 banded near Bristol on Nov. 1, and 1 at Lake Elk- horn on Nov. 28 (Chestem). Tanagers, Grosbeaks. Few Summer Tanagers are seen after the nesting season. This year there was a female seen at Penny field on Aug. 23 (Czaplak) and 1 bird there on Sept. 12 (Plante), 1 at Laurel Grove on Sept. 11 (Runkles), 1 banded at Damsite on Sept. 11, and 1 at Federalsburg on Sept. 18 (Glime). The last Scarlet Tanagers of the season were 1 banded at Broadford Run on Oct. 6 and 3 banded at Laurel on Oct. 8. August reports of migrant Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were 1 banded at Broadford Run on the 23rd, 1 at Oxon Hill on the 25th (M. O’Brien), and 1 at Back River on the 30th (Mike Resch + ). The peak of the migration was when 16 were banded at Broadford Run on Sept. 23 and late migrants were 1 at Point Lookout on Oct. 10 (P. O’Brien), 1 in DC on Oct. 12 (Czaplak, Gough), 1 at Denton on Oct. 24 (R. Fletcher), and an extra- ordinary bird that appeared at a feeder in Silver Spring on Nov. 22 (Paul Zucker). The O’Briens saw 9 Blue Grosbeaks at Point Lookout on Sept. 1 and 17 of the season’s total of 78 birds were banded at Damsite on Sept. 20; 3 were banded there on Oct. 16 surpassing the more normal late departures of 1 at Granite on Sept. 26 (Wilkinson) 28 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 44, No. 1 and 1 at Laurel Grove on Sept. 28 (Runkles). Damsite also banded 371 Indigo Buntings for the season with the last 5 on Oct. 11; other late birds were 2 at Ocean City on Oct. 11 {Ringler + ), 1 at Laurel Grove on Oct. 12 (Runkles), 1 in DC on Oct. 19 (Czaplak), and another there on Oct. 29 (Gough). Emberizines. Czaplak noted the peak of the Rufous-sided Towhee migration in DC with 15 on Oct. 12. The first American Tree Sparrows of the fall were 1 near Oakland on Nov. 14 (Thayer), 1 at Woodlawn on Nov. 22 (Wilkinson) and 5 at North Branch on Nov. 26 (Simons). High counts of Chipping Sparrows were 25 at Rockville on Oct. 12 (P. O’Brien) and 110 in DC on Oct- 25 (Czaplak). Late Chipping Sparrows were 2 at Centennial Park on Nov. 12 (Atkinson), 2 near Oakland on Nov. 14 (Thayer), 1 in DC on Nov. 15 (Gough), and 1 at Liberty Reservoir on Nov. 30 (Wright). An adult Clay- colored Sparrow was seen in Rockville on Oct. 10 (M. O’Brien) and Oct. 12 (P. O’Brien). Michael O’Brien estimated 25 Vesper Sparrows at Antietam on Oct. 9, a rather high number for the fall. Other late migrant Vespers were 1 at Broadford Run on Oct. 9 (Skipper, Pope), 1 in DC on Oct. 12 (Gough), 1 at Antietam on Oct. 17 (Wilkinson, Hammer), and 1 at Cumberland on Oct. 24 (Ringler, Simons). Savannah Sparrowsthat may have been near breeding areas were 1 at Dry Run on Aug. 17 (Wilson) and 1 at North Branch on Aug. 31 (Simons), though none had been seen at the latter site during the summer. Definite early migrants were 1 at Hart -Miller on Sept. 11 (Ringler + ) and 1 banded at Broadford Run on Sept. 14. High counts of Savannahs were 25 at Antietam on Oct. 11 (Nistico) and 15 at Rockville on Oct. 12 (P. O’Brien). Wright counted 22 Grasshopper Sparrows at Morgan Run on Aug. 11 before the local breeders and new young had departed. Migrant Grasshopper Sparrows are rarely found but 1 was banded at Broadford Run on Aug. 29, 1 seen near Finksburg on Oct. 26 (Wright) and 1 banded near Stevenson on Oct. 29. A single Henslow’s Sparrow was still singing at Elliott on Aug. 3 (Wierenga, Ringler). On Aug. 2, 3 Sharp-tailed Sparrows were seen in the Nanticoke River marshes below Vienna in Wicomico County (Wierenga, Ringler). Stasz saw 2 migrant Sharp-tails of the Nelson’s race at Fishing Creek Marsh, Calvert County on Sept. 26. A very early Fox Sparrow was banded at Mt. Nebo on Oct. 6 and others were 1 in DC on Oct. 24 (Czaplak) and 1 banded at Damsite on Oct. 30. Michael O’Brien estimated 175 Song Sparrows at Rockville on Oct. 10. Lincoln’s Sparrows were widely reported but no location matched the 54 banded at Broadford Run from Sept. 11 through Oct. 27, with 12 of them on Sept. 25. Other early Lincoln’s were 1 at North Branch on Sept. 9 (Twigg) and 1 at Battery Kemble Park on Sept. 13 (Janni). Adventure banded 12 Lincoln’s between Sept. 25 and Oct. 23 with 3 on Oct. 9. Other multiple sightings of Lincoln’s Sparrows were 2 at Centennial Park on Oct. 3 (Atkinson), 2 at Piney Run on Oct. 4 (Ringler), 2 at Rockville on Oct. 9 (M. O’Brien), and 3 at Pinto Marsh on Oct. 1 1 (Simons). Other late Lincoln’s were 1 at Rocky Gap on Oct. 24 (Ringler), 1 found dead in DC on Oct. 25 (Janni) and 1 banded near Stevenson on Oct. 29. Reese found 5 Swamp Sparrows still singing at Kings Creek, Talbot County on Aug. 9 and with Coble heard 1 singing at Cedar Point, Eastern Neck on Aug. 14. The Broadford Run station banded 21 Swamp Sparrows on Oct. 6 of the 310 for the season there. A White-throated Sparrow at Denton on Aug. 24 (Nuttle) may have been summering locally. Early migrant White-throats were 2 at Laurel Grove on Sept. 13 (Runkles), 1 at Denton on Sept. 19 (Knotts), 1 banded near Stevenson on Sept. 24, and 1 in DC on Sept. 24 (Gough). Early White-crowned Sparrows were 1 in Howard County on Oct. 4 (Atkinson), 1 banded at Damsite on Oct. 9, 1 at Bradenbaugh on Oct. 10 (Kirkwood), and 3 at Pinto Marsh on Oct. 10 (Simons). The first Dark-eyed Junco of the season was 1 seen at Damsite on Sept. 19 (Grubers). Juncos arrived over a wide area a week later. March 1988 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 29 Single Lapland Longspurs were at Sandy Point on Nov. 7 (Wierenga) and Hart - Miller on Nov. 8 (Kaestner + ). The latter bird was with a flock of 35 Snow Buntings which increased to75 on Nov. 15 (Ringler + ). Other Snow Buntings were 30 at Assateague on Nov. 14 and Nov. 22 (Warfield), 1 at Rock Hall on Nov. 16 and 7 there on Nov. 26 (J. Gruber), 1 at Sandy Point on Nov. 18 (Davidson) and 12 there on Nov. 21 (Wierenga + ), 1 at Cambridge on Nov. 22 (Czaplak), and 4 at Deal Island WMAon Nov. 29 (Vaughn). Icterines. Early Bobolinks were 3 at Blackwalnut Point on Aug. 9 (Reese) and, on Aug. 14, 6 at Remington Farms (Ringler) and 50 at Eastern Neck (Reese, Coble). The Grubers estimated 2500 Bobolinks at Remington Farms on Sept. 9 at the peak of migration. Late Bobolinks were 5 at PNAS on Sept. 24 (Rambo, Bryan), birds heard at Hart - Miller on Sept. 27 (Ringler + ), and 50 at Tilghman Island on Oct. 10 (Reese). Early Rusty Blackbirds were 1 at North Branch on Oct. 2 (Simons) and 1 in Howard County on Oct. 4 (Atkinson). High counts of Rusties were 1 5 at Broadford Run on Oct. 15 (Skipper, Pope), 30 at North Branch on Oct. 24 (Simons + ), 35 at Tuckahoe SP on Oct. 31 (Davidson), and 15 at Mill Creek Sanctuary on Nov. 22 (Reese). Sam Dyke found 55 Boat-tailed Grackles on Monie Marsh on Oct. 8 and a flock of 200 was in a stubble corn field at Newark in Worcester County on Nov. 8 (Ringler, Webb), Czaplak estimated 600 Brown-headed Cowbirdsin DC on Oct. 31. Late Orchard Orioles were 1 banded at Damsite on Aug. 27, 2 banded near Bristol on Aug. 29, and 3 at Point Lookout on Sept. 1 (O’Briens). Highs for Northern Orioles were 8 banded at Broadford Run on Aug. 21 and 16, mostly seen flying north, at Assateague on Sept. 3 (M. O’Brien). Late birds were 1 banded at Laurel on Sept. 20, 2 on Green Ridge on Sept. 20 (Kiddy), 1 in DC on Sept. 25 (Gough), and 1 on Assateague on Oct. 15(Davidson). Cardueline Finches. An early Purple Finch was banded at Mt. Nebo on Sept. 4 and very modest high counts for the season were 12 at Granite on Oct. 24 (Wilkinson) and 20 at Damsite on Nov. 1 (Grubers). Sallie Thayer banded her first House Finch for the station at Mt. Nebo on Oct. 15. High House Finch counts were 100 at Tilghman Island on Nov. 8 and Nov. 15 (Reese) and 100 at Rock Hall on Nov. 17 (J. Gruber). Early Pine Siskins were 6 at Broadford Run on Oct. 6 (Skipper, Pope), 1 in DC on Oct. 10 (Czaplak), and 10 on Assateague on Oct. 15 (Davidson), while the best numbers reported were 200 at Broadford Run on Oct. 28 (Skipper, Pope) and 250 at Rock Hall on Nov. 17 (J. Gruber); the farthest south were 6 at The Elms WMA on Nov. 14 (Wilkinson). Evening Grosbeaks were more scarce with the first being 1 at Damsite on Oct. 24 (Grubers), 10 at Dan’s Rock on Oct. 25 (Ringler), and 1 at Tuckahoe SP on Oct. 31 (Nuttle, Davidson); the highest total was 33 at Bray Hill on Nov. 18 (Skipper). 6272 Pinyon Pine Court, Eldersburg, MD21 784 LONG-BILLED CURLEW IN PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY Erika m. Wilson On Sunday, August30, 1987, while watchingdog trials at Gwynn Park High School in Brandywine, Prince Georges County, Joanna and Paul Windsor saw a Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus ) feeding in a playing field. They were puzzled by its large size, never having seen one in the area before. Joanna Windsor called the Audubon Naturalist Society on Monday in an effort to find out what they had seen. 30 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 44, No. 1 She was referred to Lola Oberman (Montgomery Co. Chapter of MOS), who determined from Ms. Windsor’s description that the mystery bird was in the genus Numenius. Ms. Oberman mentioned the bird to me at a meeting that night, and I went to Brandywine on Tuesday morning with Margaret Hawk to identify the bird. At 10:35 a.m. we found the Long-billed Curlew in the playing fields behind the school. I took a few photos to document its presence. Leaving Ms. Hawk to keep an eye on the bird, I went into Gwynn Park High, alerted the school’s Vice-Principal, Dr. Vann, to the rare visitor frequenting his grounds, and called Rick Blom, who agreed to call other birders, especially someone with a telephoto lens. At about 11:45 a.m. Hal Wierenga arrived, followed shortly by Mark Hoffman, Lynn Davidson, Ann Raspberry, and a little later, Bob Ringler. Others arrived throughout the day as the word spread; the sighting was on the Voice of the Naturalist the following day, September 2nd. The Gwynn Park High staff and students took an interest in the curlew. It, however, seemed undisturbed by the games being played around it (see photos). Birders from all over the state, as well as from Virginia, watched Maryland’s fourth Long-billed Curlew until September 12, 1987, the last date reported to the Voice of the Naturalist. On September 1st. Margaret Hawk and I spent 45 minutes closely observing the bird with our 10 x 40 Leitz binoculars and my 20x Kowa telescope from 75-200 feet. The sky had scattered clouds but we kept the sun to our backs as we moved around the field’s southwest and south end. The day was warm, and got warmer, but low humidity and a breeze made the viewing conditions excellent. The Long-billed Curlew remained in the same playing field throughout our observation. The field was covered with short, mowed grass in sandy soil, rather parched because of the Photo by David Czaplak, Sept. 1, 1987, Brandywine, Md. March 1988 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 31 dry conditions during the previous few weeks. Chain link fences enclosed the field, with the southwest corner bordered by large trees. The curlew spent most of its time probing info the sandy soil. What I saw was a large wader with very long, strongly decurved bill and long legs; its body was slightly larger than that of an American Crow ( Corvus brachyrhynchos) feeding nearby, but the completely different shapes of these two species made size comparison difficult. The thin bill was four times the length of its head; it was strongly decurved for the distal quarter, and it was dusky brown overall, with the proximal third of the lower mandible a flesh-pink. The blue-gray legs were long, with knobby knees; the feet remained hidden in the grass most of the time, but appeared to be the same color. The curlew’s eyes were large and black, each surrounded by a thin cream ring. The head was buff with considerable burnt umber streaking on the crown, giving it a dark-capped look above the cream-colored supercilium. There was, however, a narrow central stripe of cream color in the crown. From some angles a thin, raw umber stripe was visible between the bill and eye. Behind the eye there was a thicker stripe of raw umber that merged into the crown and neck streaks. The chin and throat were a pale cream color, and the lower cheeks were buff. The long neck (up to twice the head length when fully extended) was buff, marked with thin cinnamon- brown streaks, more thickly at the back of the neck, setting off the paler head. These streaks extended to the upper breast, then grew broader and fainter, disappearing at mid-breast. The breast, belly, and vent were a uniform pale cinnamon. When the bird was preening, we could see that the flanks were cinnamon-rufous, and the wing linings were a bright, rich, cinnamon-rufous. The upperparts were burnt umber with buff spots; the primaries were darker and barred with sepia. The folded wing tips met over the end of the square tail, which was cinnamon barred with raw umber. Photo by Ted Oberman, September 1987, Brandywine, Md. 32 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 44, No. 1 We did not hear any vocalizations from the Long-billed Curlew, although others reported that it called occasionally at dusk when it flew off to its night roost. It spent its time actively foraging, both by probing into the sandy soil as it walked, and by making short dashes with extended neck after insects stirred up by its own movements. After some minutes of feeding, it would stand and preen, working its breast, flank, and wing feathers. It cooled itself by gular fluttering with its beak open. Throughout it kept an eye on the overhead sky, becoming especially alert to high-flying planes. It largely ignored a helicopter, a distant soaring Red-tailed Hawk [Buteo jamaicensis), a closer Turkey Vulture ( Cathartes aura), and humans. When I crawled too close, it slowly moved away, still feeding. Margaret Hawk and I watched the curlew on September 1st from 10:35 a.m. to 12:35 p.m., and again during 1:35-1:45 p.m., when the only other person there was Bob Dixon. On September 2nd, I again watched the curlew with Claudia Wilds and John Bjerke from 1:45 to 2:30 p.m., during which I took more photographs. During this observation we saw the curlew suddenly look skyward, then crouch in the grass, pressing itself down into as small a shape as possible. I did not see any hawk overhead, but it was obviously aware of some threat. Previous Long-billed Curlew records in Maryland are: May 19, 1899, along the Gunpowder River; September 1843, in St. Mary’s County; and June 12, 1976, at Deal Island Wildlife Management Area. This sighting, therefore, constitutes the fourth report of Long-billed Curlew for Maryland. MOOS. Barton St, 8421, Arlington, VA 22204 CONTENTS, MARCH 1988 Loggerhead Shrike Nest in Washington County Lynn M. Davidson 3 The Season: Autumn Migration, August 1-November 30, 1987 Robert F. Ringler 6 Long-billed Curlew in Prince Georges County Erika M. Wilson 29 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Published Quarterly by the Maryland Ornithological Society, Inc. to Record and Encourage the Study of Birds in Maryland. Editor: Chandler S. Robbins, 7900 Brooklyn Bridge Rd., Laurel, Md. 20707 (725-1176) Assoc. Editor: Robert F. Ringler, 6272 Pinyon Pine Ct., Eldersburg, Md. 21784 Asst. Editors: Eirik A.T. Blom, 1618 Somerville Rd., Bel Air, Md. 21014 Mark Hoffman, 313 Fernwood Dr., Severna Park, Md. 21 146 James Stasz, 14741 Oden Bowie Rd., Upper Marlboro 20772 Mailing: Baltimore County Chapter Headings: Schneider Design Associates, Baltimore