Presidenf s Comer

Peterson, MOS, and an
Interpretive Legacy

by Wayne Bell

I recently finished reading Birdwatcher, The
Life of Roger Tory Peterson, by Judith
Rosenthal (2008) [reviewed in the Yeiiowthroat,
May-June 2009]. This thoroughly researched
biography documents the life of RTP, a person
whose A Fieid Guide to the Birds (first edition
1939) undeniably changed the course of
birding and of field natural history around the
world. The book introduced the “Peterson
method” of identifying birds by salient field
marks— in the manner, as the author himself
acknowledged, of the young hero Yan in Ernest
Thompson Seton’s semi-autobiographical Two
Littie Savages (1911). The duck illustrations in
Seton’s book bear a striking resemblance to
those in the Peterson legacy.

My own introduction to RTP was through
a small paperback. How to Know the Birds
(1949), which I bought from a store in Silver
Spring in the early 1950s. By then I had
learned to recognize common yard and feeder
birds, but the Peterson book introduced me
to less familiar species, from shorebirds to
vireos. I especially remember several pages
of silhouettes (only two of which have survived
to this day as end papers in A Fieid Guide to
the Birds). Bird identification by shape and
song opened new doors, especially as the
binoculars “inherited” from my fisherman father
were insufficient to reveal field mark details at
a distance.

continued on page 2

Inside This Issue

President’s Corner 1

2010 Conference 1

Pin Contest 2

Records Committee Decisions 3

Perks of County Listing 4

2009 MD/DC Locality Lists 5

Chapter Chatter 6

In Memoriam 8

Feeder Watch 8

Birds of Note 9

Calendar 10

Christmas Bird Counts 16

Last Call 16

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009 VOL. 29, NO. 5

2010 Conference: Washington College
June 11-13

O ur annual conference was
last held at Chestertown’s
Washington College in 2004, and
several features bear repeating in
2010. For starters, the dates are
the same: June 11-13. Our guest
lecturer for 2004 was Dr. Doug Gill,
Professor of Biology at the University
of Maryland. He proved to be an
exceptional speaker, energizing his
audience with the ongoing story of
grassland restoration at nearby Chino
Farms. I am happy to report that
Doug will return as keynote speaker
in 2010.

We had excellent birds in 2004 —
highlights included Mississippi and
Swallow-tailed Kites soaring over the
skies near Elkton in Cecil County —
and birding in 2010 promises to be
excellent as well. We will be ranging
over Caroline, Cecil, Kent, Queen
Anne, and Talbot Counties. This
provides us with a wide variety of
habitats; Maryland’s Upper Eastern
Shore occupies a transition zone
between the piney woods and
wetlands of the Lower Shore and
the rolling hardwood hills of the
Piedmont in northern Cecil County.

Kathy Calvert of the Frederick Bird
Club, kathycalvertl@comcast.net,
did an outstanding job of arranging
field trips for our 2009 conference.

I am very pleased to announce
that Kathy has agreed to become a

permanent member of the Conference
Committee and will handle field trip
arrangements for future conferences.
She will be looking for leaders for
2010; please contact her if you are
willing to help.

For lack of a Statewide Educational
Activities chair, we will not, I am
sorry to say, be holding a conference
workshop. However, if someone
would be interested in arranging a
workshop, please contact me.

Maryanne Dolan, Maryanne.dolan®
gmail.com, will again work her magic
with the Silent Auction and Raffle.
Please keep in mind that the success
of Maryanne’s programs depends on
getting quality donations — valuable/
interesting/beautiful/quirky. If you
are willing to help solicit items for
the auction and raffle, please contact
Maryanne.

I hope you will mark your calendars
and plan to attend. We are looking
forward to seeing you at Washington
College in June.

Contact me with any questions.

— Janet Shields, Chair
Conference Committee
301-733-7877
janetbill@prodigy. net

2

President's Corner continued from page 1

The Maryland Yellowthroat

Reminding the Art World

The 2010 Pin Contest deadline is
January 1 5, 201 0. The rules are simple:
The bird must be appropriate for the
conference site (Chestertown); it
must contain the phrases "MOS" and
"2010;" the artist must be a member
of MOS; and entries must be in HARD
COPY. Put your name, address, phone
number, e-mail address, chapter affili-
ation, and the species on the back of
each entry. Send entries to John Mal-
colm, 10205 Kindly Court, Montgomery
Village, MD 20886. To see all the rules,
and more tips about designing pins for
the contest, visit the MOS web site or
contact John Malcolm at 301-977-5788
or smudgie@comcast.net.

The Maryland Yellowthroat

Newsletter of the Maryland
Ornithological Society, Inc.

Editor;

Designer;

Lydia Schindler

lydiaschindler@verizon.net

301-977-5252

Suzanne Probst

msprobst2@verizon.net

410-992-3489

Calendar Editor; Andy Martin

apmartin2@comcast.net

301-294-4805

Chapter Chatter; Jean Wheeler

jswheeler44@msn.com

Mailing list; Elelen Horrocks

hlh_37@yahoo.com

301-831-6315

MOS web site; http;//www.mdbirds.org

Webmaster; Taylor McLean

taylormcl@comcast.net

Anyone is welcome to contribute articles or ideas that
would be of interest to other birders. Copy may be
mailed or e-mailed to Lydia Schindler by November
20, 2009 for the January /February 2010 issue.

Illustrations pages 1 and 6 ©M. Suzanne Probst.
Photograph page 4 ©George Jett.

Photograph page 8 ©M. Suzanne Probst.
Photograph page 9 ©Dave Czaplak.

My childhood home near Four Corners was just a
few blocks from extensive woods on the Northwest
Branch watershed. I remember the huge, light gray
boles of dead trees that I later learned to be the
remains of American Chestnut. By the time I was
in S"" or 6*'' grade, much of this local watershed
was being cleared for housing development.
Eventually, what became the Capital Beltway cut
through the region.

Though I loathed the transformation even
then, for nearly a decade the altered landscape
produced new habitat and introduced me to birds
that were easier to hear and see than those of the
original forest canopy. I heard and tracked down
my first Yellow-breasted Chat, Indigo Bunting, and
Field Sparrow during rambles across this area
in 1958. Familiar birds today, hardly significant
additions to a life list— but I was 12, ripe for
discovery, and generally unprepared to protest
this unmitigated, irreplaceable loss of a precious
local environment. On January 11 of that year, so
says my written note on the title page, I bought
the 3"'' (1947) edition of A Field Guide to the Birds.

My original copy of this book has been with
me ever since. I followed Peterson’s suggestion in
the Introduction to “Make This Guide a Personal
Thing,” adding tabs for each of the plates and
writing dates of first observations on the species
accounts. Most of the hand-written tabs have
fallen away but a few reminders are still in place.
And for more than four decades since, Peterson’s
“My Life List” section was my own. I have since
transferred the information to a computerized data
base, but I’ll admit that now and again I need to
pick up the book, peruse its well-worn pages, and
even brush away a tear upon reading the innocent
notes of discovery written years ago.

As a pathfinder, A Field Guide to the Birds
resulted in copies in kind and many improvements
on the RTP model. I especially cherish first
editions of Birds of North America (1966)
by our own Robbins, Brun, and Zim (which
Chan graciously signed following a lecture at
Washington College in 2002) and National
Geographic’s Field Guide to the Birds of North
America

And yet . . . and yet, I still find myself going
back to the RTP original— and not just for reasons
of nostalgia. The 4®" edition of A Field Guide to
the Birds, which I also possess, was completely
revised and places text opposite plates. But
there had to be sacrifices. The same-page format
pioneered by such as Robbins et al. allowed for
expanded coverage at the sacrifice of personal
insight. The species descriptions in my 1947
copy of the RTP field guide are enriched by the

author’s personal comments. Barrow’s Goldeneye
points out the crescent-shaped white patch in
front of the eye, the greater amount of black of
the sides, the head with a purple gloss and shape
with a more abrupt forehead and low rounded
crown, and then admonishes, “Try to see a// these
characters before you put this rare bird on your
list.” After introducing the song of the Chestnut-
sided Warbler (please please please to meet’cha),
RTP notes, “If the song comes from a streamside,
a town, or a farmyard, it is the Yellow Warbler.

If it comes from a dry, brushy clearing it is the
Chestnut-side.” In Appendix I on Accidentals,
he states, “Remember, it is the ‘second look’
that turns up the rarities and the accidentals.”
During the recent Dorchester County Fall Count,
Ms. Gabby Caliguiri, one of the aspiring YMOS
youngsters, took a “second look” at eagles flying
over Taylor’s Island and identified a Golden Eagle
out of a plethora of Bald Eagles in the air that
day. She had never seen this species before,
but thanks to her “second look,” we were able to
find that same bird later that day and confirm her
original identification.

This brings me back to the point of this essay.
Modern field guides are individually superb in
their species descriptions, art work, photographs,
and range maps, and they all capitalize on the
field-mark emphasis introduced by RTP. But these
and even the latest update of A Field Guide to the
Birds are not necessarily the best introduction to
birding for beginners of any age. That introduction
still requires a spark of insight and discovery—
the translation, if you will, of data and pictures
into living birds. Modern field guides and Internet
communications are no substitute for personal
experience in awakening the joy that comes
of birding.

It is my belief that MOS has a key role to fill
as translator in this era of comprehensive field
guides. Chapters continue to inform me of ways
in which they fulfill this role, sponsoring walks
and talks especially designed to encourage
newcomers to join our birding community. MOS
is working on a Maryland Birding Trail as well
as new summer workshops for teachers and
students. Birders of all ages are our best hope
that vanishing habitat will be conserved and
managed. Each of us can be a living update of
any modern field guide. This is an admirable
role for us to play, anchored as it is in a tradition
originally established by Roger Tory Peterson.

November/December 2009

Maryland/DC Records Committee
Status Report as of September 27 , 2009

BY Phil Davis, MD/DCRC Secretary

3

T he MD/DCRC has reached the following decisions
since the last committee status report was published in
The Maryland Yellowthroat. This report covers MD/DCRC
review packages 127 through 128.

MD/DCRC report numbers are in brackets. These records
will be addressed in additional detail in a future issue of
Maryland Birdlife. No new “state” species were added with
these decisions. The official species totals for Maryland and
DC remain at 435 and 330, respecitively.

More information on the MD/DCRC can be found on
the committee’s web pages at the following URL:

http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/rcindex.html

MD RECORDS ACCEPTED:

Tufted Duck, Aythya fuligula [MD/2008-177]

Choptank River, Cambridge, Dorchester County
26-Dec-2008 through 31 -Jan-2009
Barrow’s Goldeneye, Bucephala islandica [MD/2009-006]
Choptank River, Cambridge, Dorchester County
07-Jan-2009 through 31 -Jan-2009
Barrow’s Goldeneye, Bucephala islandica [MD/2009-018]
Jefferson Patterson Museum, St. Leonard, Calvert County
07-Feb-2009

Yellow Rail, Coturnicops noveboracensis [MD/1999-208]
Croom, Prince George’s County
03-NOV-1880

Yellow Rail, Coturnicops noveboracensis [MD/2009-046]
Marion Station, Somerset County
24-Apr-2009 through 26-Apr-2009
Eurasian Collared-Dove, Streptopelia decaocto
[MD/2007-135]

Rockville, Montgomery County

18-NOV-2007

White-winged Dove, Zenaida asiatica [MD/2009-048]
Poolesville, Montgomery County
26-Apr-2009

Western Kingbird, Tyr annus verticalis [MD/1997-056]
Rockville, Montgomery County
16-Sep-1991

Cave Swallow, Petrochelidon fulva [MD/2007-142]

West Ocean City, Ocean City, Worcester County
14-Dec-2007

Cave Swallow, Petrochelidon fulva [MD/2009-012]

Point Lookout State Park, Scotland, Saint Mary’s County
25-Jan-2009

Lark Bunting, Calamospiza melanocorys [MD/2009-002]
Union Bridge Road, Union Bridge, Carroll County
02-Jan-2009 through 14-Mar-2009

Le Conte’s Sparrow, Ammodramus leconteii [MD/1999-166]
E.A. Vaughn WMA, Girdletree, Worcester County
02-May-1999 through 04-May-1999
Le Conte’s Sparrow, Ammodramus leconteii [MD/200 1-007]
E.A. Vaughn WMA, Stockton, Worcester County
29-Dec-2000 through 17-Feb-2001
Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow, Ammodramus nelsoni
[MD/1997-564]

Broad Ford Run, Mountain Lake Park, Garrett County

01- Oct-1988

MD RECORDS ACCEPTED-GROUP:

Pomarine/Parasitic Jaeger, Stercorarius pomarinus/parasi
[MD/2006-103]

Violette’s Lock, Seneca, Montgomery County

02- Sep-2006

MD RECORDS NOT ACCEPTED:

Swainson’s Flawk, Buteo swainsoni [MD/2008-096]
Cromwell Valley Park, Towson, Baltimore County
23-NOV-2008

White-winged Tern, Chlidonias leucopterus [MD/2008-053]
Ocean City, Worcester County
19-Jun-2008

Dovekie, Alle alle [MD/2008-021]

Eastern Neck NWR, Rock Hall, Kent County
16-Dec-2007

Le Conte’s Sparrow, Ammodramus leconteii [MD/2005-038]
E.A. Vaughn WMA, Stockton, Worcester County
04-Jan-2003

DC RECORDS NOT ACCEPTED:

Ross’s Gull, Rhodostethia rosea [DC/2008-077]

Potomac River, Theodore Roosevelt Bridge
21-Sep-2008

HELP WANTED

The enchanting Girl Scout Camp Todd in Caroline Co
is updating its trail guides and wants to include birds
likely to be seen on specific trails. To build a detailed
seasonal list, the Caroline Bird Club and the Camp
Ranger, Bob Foote, invite MOS members to visit the
camp to hike and bird. Just contact Bob ahead of time
(281-844-6854 or BobFootel@aol.com), then send
a copy of your bird lists, with dates and locations, to
Debby Bennett, firefly5845@hotmail.com. The camp
is located at 250 12 Beauchamp Branch Road, Denton,
MD21629.

4

The Maryland Yellowthroat

The Perks of County Listing

O n August 15, Gwen and I received a cell phone call
from John HubbelL John, a fellow birding friend,
had come to Charles County in hopes of finding a Black-
bellied Plover. The plover represented a “county close-out”
for him — Charles remained the only one of Maryland’s 23
counties where he hadn’t yet seen that species.

County listing is one of the games birders are drifting
toward as they have more time to bird or become more
competitive in their pursuits. Some might say birders who
list have a deeper commitment to their passion (obsession),
and a close-out is kind of a merit badge; the more close-
outs, the larger the badge.

Listing of county close-outs was started back in the late
1970s by Sam Droege, and it was soon picked up by the
likes of Rick Blom, Bob Ringler, and Jim Stasz. Jim Stasz
currently leads the list withl82 county closeouts. Jim has
spent decades and virtually every weekend combing the
state and all its nooks and crannies to compile this hefty
list. Consequently Jim may know more about the avifauna
of Maryland than any other person.

Even though it contributes to global warming by increasing
a birder’s carbon footprint, county listing does have its
benefits for birders and for birds. Listing can provide some
useful natural history and educational information. It
teaches you to bird by habitat, since particular species use
the same kind of habitat regardless of where they are. Rails
and ducks use marshes. Black-and-white Warblers prefer
pine forests, shorebirds use wetlands, etc. It also shows
the need to protect certain kinds of habitat if we want to
protect the species that we seek. By searching particular
habitats for particular species, not only do you become
a better birder, you can contribute information on the
distribution in time and space of our birds in Maryland.
Plus, occasionally these county searches turn up a rare bird;
I once found a Ruff in Talbot County while trying to “close
out” Eastern Wood-Peewee.

There is no way to find all 429 species on the Maryland
state list in all 23 counties. Many species, like Ross’s Gull,
have appeared in the state only once. Some species, like
our more localized resident Carolina Chickadee, rarely
wander over the mountain ridges into Allegany and Garrett
counties. Shorebirds, gulls, and terns are also rare west of
the Piedmont. Consequently, only about 200 species are
potential close-outs.

There are many other games we listers play. (See “Locality
Lists,” page 5, or check the “Brag Book” compiled by

This Brown-headed Nuthatch was photographed by George Jett on August 15, 2009.

Norm Saunders at http://www.mdbirds.org/birds/mdbirds/
Iocality/lstrep2008.pdf). Maryland State list (Paul O’Brien
currently tops the list with 402 species), county lists, total
ticks (the sum of all your county lists — potential maximum
is 7,022), and my favorite — the number of species
photographed in the state. I have photographed 377 species
in Maryland and identified 274 species in Charles County in
my lifetime (number one in both categories).

The competition for “close-outs” has grown substantially
since its early days. One hundred used to be the mark of
excellence, but now perhaps a dozen birders have reached
that plateau, and the competition is growing. John Hubbell
is now in the number two slot for the “close-out” category,
with 147 — and he is gunning for 150 by the end of the year.

So why had John called me that August day? While seeking a
Black-bellied Plover, John had found one of my most wanted
species for Charles County — a Brown-headed Nuthatch.

Even though the species nests just to the south, in St. Mary’s
County, it does not wander far from its breeding range,
and there are perhaps only three records in Charles County.

I have searched for Brown-headed Nuthatch in Charles
County for more than 30 years. This species is never likely to
become a close-out candidate, but was a great find.

As soon as we got the call, Gwen and I packed up our gear
and headed to Southern Park where John had found the
bird, and John graciously offered to stay on the bird until
we arrived. I owe John one; I will be on the lookout for
“target” species John needs to increase his close-outs. As
you can see from the photo, we were successful. Thanks to
John for his prompt attention to this most wanted species.

— George Jett

November/December 2009

5

How To: Report 2009 Maryland/DC Locality Lists

E ach year, the MOS compiles and
publishes totals from members’
state and local bird lists. Forms for
submitting your 2009 locality lists are
provided on the MOS web site. You
are invited to submit your totals for
any of the following list categories:

STATE/COUNTY CUMULATIVE LISTS

This category is for lifetime species
totals identified anywhere in the state
of Maryland, in DC, or within any
of the 23 Maryland counties. Pease
submit only totals that exceed 50%
of the maximum number for each
locality. (The form contains the latest
maximums and the 50% thresholds.)
If you claim a MD life list in excess of
349 species, you MUST list all species
added to your MD life list in 2008. If
you don’t fill in this box, your list will
not be entered into the database.

STATE/COUNTY 2009 ANNUAL LISTS

This category is for total species
identified for the same localities as
above, but in 2009 only. These totals
may be reported at any threshold.

YARD LIST

This category is for cumulative yard
list totals, and for 2009 totals. You
may count any species you have
identified while in your “yard” (that
is, property contiguous to your
home). “Flyovers” and other birds

identified from your yard (even if they
were not in your yard) also count.

ALL-COUNTY LIST

This category covers the number of
species you have identified in every
one of Maryland‘s 23 counties. For
example, if you have identified a
Northern Mockingbird, an American
Crow, a Downy Woodpecker, and a
Red-tailed Hawk in all 23 counties,
your list total would be 4.

TOTAL TICKS

This category is the sum of all your
Maryland County list totals. The
maximum possible is 7,022. We will
accept all-time-high submissions at
any level greater than or equal to
2,300 (an average of 100 species per
county). Total Ticks for 2009-only
will be accepted at any level.

ALL-TIME-HIGH ANNUAL LISTS

This category tracks all-time-high
annual lists from the current and
previous years. Annual totals for
prior years may be submitted. For
Maryland, submitted totals should
equal or exceed 297 (70% of the
maximum possible number). For
individual counties, totals submitted
from previous years should exceed
either 50% of the maximum possible
or exceed one of the top totals
previously published for that county.

SPECIES PHOTOGRAPHED IN MD

As the name implies, this category
focuses on the number of bird
species you have photographed
(recognizably!) in Maryland. There
are no lower limits.

Members’ totals that have not been
updated within the previous five years
(2004-2008) will be dropped from the
listings (but not from the database).

If you have any questions, please
contact Norm Saunders at
marshhawk@verizon.net or
410-228-5066.

Please return the form BEFORE
JANUARY 21, 2010 to:

Norm Saunders
107 Sailors Lane
Cambridge, MD 21613.

We hope that all who have
participated will do so again, and
that others will join in, especially
those from localities that are
currently less than well represented.

If you have any comments, thoughts,
or anecdotes, please include them.

If you have any other categories
of Maryland bird lists that are
appropriate (for example, all-time or
2009 state/county “Big Day” totals),
send them in. We’d like to hear from
you. And remember, this is for fun!

— Norm Saunders

Christmas Bird Counts continued frontpage 16

Monday, December 28
Ocean City. Compiler: Jay Sheppard,

301 -725-5559 or JMSheppar@aol.com.

Washington County. Contact county
coordinator Dave Weesner, 301-302-6376, to
help with the local effort. Afterwards, tally the
day's observations while enjoying dinner with
fellow birders. Everyone brings a dish to share.
Place settings, drinks, and a main dish are
provided. Dinner starts around 5 PM at the Mt.
Aetna Nature Center.

Tuesday, December 29
Chincoteague NWR. Compiler: Dick Roberts,
757-336-1 799 or bandbird@verizon.net.

Wednesday, December 30
Cape Charles. Compiler: Harry Armistead,
215-248-4120 or harryarmistead@hotmail.com.

Friday, January 1

Bowie. Contact: Fred Fallon, 301-249-1518 or
fwfallon@earthlink.net.

Sunday, January 3
Patuxent River. Compiler: Andy Brown,
410-535-5327 or brownaj@co.cal.md.us.

Sugarloaf. If you can help out, contact Helen
Horrocks (Frederick), 301 -831 -631 5, or Janet
Millenson (Montgomery), 301-983-9337.

Fort Belvoir. MD area Compiler: Carol
Ghebelian, 301-753-6754.

VA Compiler: Kurt Gaskill, 703-768-2172 or
kurtcapt87@verizon.com.

Annapolis/Gibson Island. Coordinators: Sue
Ricciardi, 410-647-9513, and Lynn Davidson
and Hal Wierenga, 41 0-647-7439.

6

The Maryland Yellowthroat

Anne Arundel County

Pat and Juanita Tate enjoyed a
productive trip to SE Arizona in
early August. They managed to visit
Ramsey, Miller, Ash, Garden, and
Huachuca Canyons along with the
San Pedro Riparian NCA and the
Sierra Vista Environmental Operations
Park. One highlight was seeing 12
species of hummingbird, mainly in the
mountains and often while sitting on
a chair or bench at a B&B: Allen’s,
Anna’s, Berylline, Black-chinned, Blue-
throated, Broad-billed, Broad-tailed,
Lucifer’s, Magnificent, Rufous, Violet-
crowned (on nest), and White-eared.
Other highlights included Acorn,
Arizona, Gila, and Ladder-backed
Woodpeckers along with the Red-
shafted Northern Elicker; Cactus,
Canyon, and Bewick’s Wrens; and
Sora and Wilson’s Phalarope. They
tallied 86 species at a relaxed pace.

A Greater Roadrunner crossed the
road in front of them and they heard
and saw the Sulphur-bellied Elycatcher.
Oh yes, they also enjoyed a visit
with family.

— Pat Tate

I returned to my favorite spot in the
world, the Adirondacks, for a week
of visiting with friends, relaxing
and, of course, some “porch”
birding. The weather varied from
sunny to rainy, warm to cold (35°
at 5 am one morning!). Erom the
porch I was able to see loons, one
Common Merganser, Ruby-throated
Hummingbirds, an unidentified
falcon. Double-crested Cormorant,
Cedar Waxwing, Red-Eyed Vireo, and
Black-capped Chickadee. One evening

I heard a Barred Owl calling. Then
one afternoon I took a walk around
The Loop, a trail blazed through the
center of the point, and added Red-
breasted Nuthatch, Dark-eyed Junco,
and Hermit Thrush to my short list.
Unlike years past, this year few birds
were seen — no warblers and no large
raptors. The exciting news in the area
was the sighting of a Brown Pelican
on Eourth Lake; it was there for one
day, photographed, and documented
as a “first.” So I spent a glorious
week, enjoying the beauty of the area,
falling asleep to the call of loons, and
experiencing the peacefulness and
serenity of nature.

— Bobbi Reichwein

I was feeling discouraged; no lifer
for over a year and a half. Then
suddenly two within five days in
September — and good birds, too: a
Lesser/Greater Sand Plover (VA) and
a Hawaiian Petrel (CA). The latter
came on a remarkable two days spent
on Monterey Bay and was clustered
among a few other good sightings,
e.g., a young humpback whale.

(As the cap’n explained, “There’s a
whale right underneath us 80 feet
deep and the Pish hinder says he’s
still rising.” Nearby birders had
curiously contemplative looks on their
faces until the whale surfaced about
20 yards off the starboard, dove a few
times, and bid farewell with his flukes
in the air.) Then there was my first
ever sighting of a pod of orcas on a
kill, probably, according to a marine
biologist aboard, “a family training
a youngster by making a karate chop
with their tail across the spine of
the dolphin, then showing him how
to attack the still struggling prey. ”

And a pair of fin whales, too — save
for the blue whale, the largest living
animal on the planet, and they looked
it. And, oh, yes, some good birds,
too. The Hawaiian Petrel was among
several Cook’s Petrels, Buller’s and
other Shearwaters, dark and white
fulmars at the same time, and, at
one point, a Grand Slam of all three
jaegers circling the boat along with
a South Polar Skua above the fish

oil slick trailing behind. Nice way to
emerge from a birding dearth on
the depths.

— Leo Weigant

Harford County

President Dave Webb traveled
with his wife and son to the White
Mountains of New Hampshire in
early August. “Although we never
took any trips for the sole purpose
of finding birds, I always had the
binocs nearby for whatever we might
come upon. . . . While wilderness
camping on the Appalachian Trail
near Gentian Pond on August 10,
Danny and I heard and briefly saw
a Peregrine Palcon fly overhead. It
was thrilling to find this bird in such
a remote, rugged habitat. Two days
later, while hiking on the Jewell Trail
towards Mount Washington, we
stumbled upon a flock of about 4-5
Boreal Chickadees in a dense forest of
predominantly spruce at an altitude of
about 4500 feet. Although the birds
came in as close to us as ten feet, they
remained true to their reputation of
staying near the trunks of the trees. It
was truly an unexpected find.”

— Dave Webb

Howard County

Arizona was a popular destination for
Howard County birders. Gayle and
Bill Hill spent a wonderful two weeks
in SE Arizona in late May 2009. The
trip started on a high note when they
found a male Rufous-capped Warbler
in Elorida Canyon, singing near the
top of a bare tree about 50 feet away.
In the cooler climes of the Chiricahua
Mountains, owls were a top priority,
and a guide got them great looks
at Elf, Western, and Whiskered
Screech-Owls. Other noteworthy finds
included Mexican Chickadee, Buff-
breasted Elycatcher, Blue-throated
and Magnificent Hummingbirds,
and Grace’s, Olive, Red-faced (on
nest), and Virginia’s Warblers.
Hummingbirds were primary targets
in the Huachuca Mountains: Mary
Jo Ballator made sure they got on the
Lucifer Hummingbird at her place;
a White-eared Hummingbird and a

November/December 2009

7

rare Berylline Hummingbird were
cooperative at Beatty’s. Later they
saw a Spotted Owl that was roosting
on a low branch in Miller Canyon.

At Patagonia, the Hills learned about
a new viewing area for the Sinaloa
Wren; they positioned themselves
along The Nature Conservancy fence
and were soon listening to the loud,
close Sinaloa Wren. It managed to
remain invisible for a while, but it
finally gave itself up and landed on
an exposed, eye-level branch less than
10 feet away. This was a bird they
REALLY didn’t expect to see — what
a treat! ! Flame-colored Tanager was
the main target in Madera Canyon.
Hearing Mr. Flame was easy, but
they had to wait a while before he
came to sample his favorite grape
treat. They also hoped to spot the
pair of Northern Pygmy-Owls that
are often seen just above the Madera
Kubo; birders at Kubo were very
forthcoming about the location of
the pygmy-owl nest site, and the
Hills checked it several times during
the day without seeing anything. But
when they came back in the evening,
they were rewarded with seeing the
owls swap brooding responsibility
just after sunset. Next they watched
the Elf Owls come out of their nest
hole at Santa Rita Lodge.

Having found most of their targets.
Bill and Gayle traveled up Hwy 77
to the “break check area” near MP
162 to look for Gray Vireos; sure
enough, they heard and saw them
within minutes. On their last evening,
guide Melody Kehl took them to
California Gulch to see a Five-striped
Sparrow. The bird didn’t come down
off the steep hillside until 6 PM, when
the canyon floor was already in deep
shadow, but they were still able to
see its rich colors. Once it arrived, it
was unbelievably tolerant of the six
anxious birders who were less than
75 feet away, all vying for good looks.
After the sparrow show, they went
to the Oro Blanco Mine to wait for
the Buff-collared Nightjar to appear;
they didn’t see it but they sure heard
it. The sight of a Common Poorwill

during the drive out was a good
ending to the trip.

— Kate Tufts

Kurt Schwarz enjoyed the bulk of
the summer in Arizona. He attended
an 8 -week language class at Arizona
State U and took advantage of
the weekends to track down some
Mexican rarities as well as basic
western birds. His first lifer was,
appropriately, a Greater Roadrunner.
Highlights were the Patagonia
Sinaloa Wren, only just accepted
onto the ABA list, and the Madera
Flame-colored Tanager. Kurt joined
a late June field trip with Maricopa
Audubon Society to Fort Huachuca,
and he takes particular pride in
locating and getting the group on
a singing Botteri’s Sparrow— this
quintessential little brown job has a
song that is quite distinctive, and the
sparrows apparently had just begun
singing with the monsoon rains.

After Kurt’s class was completed,
he was joined by Montgomery Bird
Club member Anna Urciolo, and they
spent the first week of August visiting
SE Arizona hotspots, including
some earlier taken in by Kurt. They
successfully relocated the wren but
not the tanager. Nice compensation
prizes were Rufous-capped Warblers
at Patagonia and Black-capped
Gnatcatcher at Florida Canyon. Kurt
returned home on August 8, while
Anna remained for another week (see
Montgomery County, below). Kurt’s
haul was 70 lifers for the 9 weeks.
Alas, he fell two short of 500 ABA
birds, but hopes to correct that soon!

— Kurt Schwarz

Montgomery County

Anna Urciolo — after dropping Kurt
Schwarz off at the Phoenix Airport
(he had been a fabulous guide for
that first week) — headed back
down to Sierra Vista. The next day,
former MBC member Erika Wilson
graciously helped Anna find a few
more life birds at Ft. Huachuca.
(Erika’s strategy sometimes included
pouring herself another cup of coffee

or just sitting on the ground; since
her binoculars were not “at the
ready,” this ensured that the target
birds would appear. It worked.) Anna
had 70 lifers for her two weeks in
Arizona. Besides the wonderful birds,
the scenery in southern Arizona (such
as the incredible red rock formations
of Sedona, or Mt. Lemmon’s climb
from 5,000 feet to 9,000 feet)
managed to take her breath away.

Montgomery/Frederick Chapter
member Gemma Radko recently
returned from a birding trip to
Ecuador, where she and Howard
Youth (MBC member currently
residing in Quito) saw a total of
257 bird species, including the rare
Jocotoco Antpitta and White-breasted
Parakeet, 44 species of hummingbird,
41 species of tanager, and seven
species of antpitta.

Mike and Joy Bowen spent an
enjoyable week after Labor Day with
former MBC members Peter and
Elaine Bono at their Yarmouthport,
MA home, strategically located
near the mid-point of Cape Cod.

They had a particularly profitable
trip on a whale-watching cruise out
of Provincetown; it produced 20
Humpback Whales at close range and
multiple Greater, Manx, and Sooty
Shearwaters, together with Wilson’s
Storm-Petrels, Pomarine and Parasitic
Jaegers, and numerous terns of several
species. By coincidence, they ran into
Chapter Chatter correspondent Chris
Wright in the National Seashore, and
they went together to the famed Beech
Forest, a notable Cape Cod migrant
trap (but not on that day!). On their
way home, the Bowens stopped off
at Sikorsky Memorial Airport near
Stratford, CT, to check on a reported
Northern Wheatear, which they were
able to locate and photograph.

Bob Hartman and Eydia Schindler
took former MOSer Bill Murphy’s
10-day September trip to Trinidad
and Tobago. (The third edition of
Bill’s Birdwatchers’ Guide to T&T

continued on page 8

8

The Maryland Yellowthroat

Chapter Chatter continued from page 7

came out in 2004; co-leading the trip
was Martyn Kenefik, an author of
the 2007 Vield Guide to the Birds of
T&T.) In Trinidad their exceptionally
congenial gang of nine stayed at the
legendary Asa Wright Nature Center
and enjoyed such specialties as Scarlet
Ibis and Oilbird and rum punch, with
Streaked Xenops and Spotted Tody-
Flycatcher also on the docket. On
Day 6, a 14-minute flight brought the
group to the resort isle of Tobago,
rich in marshes and mangroves and
Mangrove Cuckoos; a bumpy road
at day’s end led to the handsome
and expansive Cuffie River Nature
Retreat, where Long-tailed Sabrewings
sip from the feeders and Venezuelan
Flycatcher and Blue-backed Manakin
lurk nearby. Overlooks on Little
Tobago Island offered an aerial ballet
by Red-billed Tropicbirds, Red-footed
and Brown Boobies, and Brown
Noddies (and the by-now-familiar
Magnificent Frigatebirds). The group’s
200-some species included a dozen
varieties of hummingbird and half a
dozen antbirds.

— Chris Wright

Tri-County

Betty Pitney and Dr. Ellen Lawler
took separate trips to the Dry
Tortugas and both got all the target
birds. Jean and Larry Lry were
part of an Elderhostel bird trip to
Yellowstone National Park; their
leader, Terry McEneaney, took them
to his favorite Great Gray Owl spot,
where the bird cooperated. They also
had sightings of Baird’s Sparrow,
Sharp-tailed Grouse, and their
for-many-years- “ elusive ” American
Dipper. Sam Dyke was one of the
few lucky birders to see last summer’s
Roseate Spoonbill in Maryland. A
lot of patience was rewarded! Finally,
Carol Broderick joined a bird trip to
Gambell, AK with 15 members of
the Brookline MA Bird Club. Lots
of great eyes certainly made the
birding easier.

— Carol Broderick

In Memoriam

Carol Ann Llora, former President of
the Harford Bird Club, died of brain
cancer July 7, 2009. Carol, a resident
of Bel Air, was a retired Harford
County Public School teacher and
counselor and a longtime member of
Christ Our King Presbyterian Church,
where she sang in the choir. She loved
gardening, golf, and traveling, but
bird-watching was her passion. An
enthusiastic member of the Harford
County Bird Club for years, she
served as club president from 2001-
2003 and was a faithful supporter
of countless club activities. Whether
it was hosting committee meetings
in her home, doing field work for
the Atlas project, or volunteering

for ongoing jobs, she offered a
willing hand. She especially enjoyed
birding trips with club members
to familiar Maryland and nearby
hotspots as well as to far-off places
such as Belize, Trinidad and Tobago,
Panama, Australia, and Big Bend
National Park and Lower Texas.

Carol is survived by her son, Michael
Flora and his wife, Trish, and their
three children, Alyson, Tessa, and
Charles, of New Market, MD, and
her daughter, Leslie A. Flora and
her husband, Mark T. Boyle, of Mt.
Airy, MD. Her husband of 40 years,
Charles M. Flora, died in 2002.

— Macrina Seitz

“Embrace the winter,” Cornell urges.
“Count feeder birds for science.”

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology
is recruiting volunteers for Project
FeederWatch, which gets under way
November 14 and runs through early
April. Participants are asked to count
the numbers and kinds of birds at
their feeders on two consecutive days
(week after week), and enter their
information on the FeederWatch
web site.

Since 1987, more than 40,000 people
from the United States and Canada
have taken part in the project. Last
season alone, participants submitted
nearly 117,000 checklists.

To learn more and to sign up, visit
www.feederwatch.org or call the
Cornell Lab toll-free at 866-982-
2473. In return for a $15 fee ($12 for
Cornell Lab members) participants
receive the LeederWatcher’s
Handbook, an identification poster

of the most common feeder birds, a
calendar, complete instructions, and
Winter Bird Highlights, an annual
summary of FeederWatch findings.

Also watching the feeder: a juvenile Cooper’s Hawk,
photographed by Suzanne Probst.

November/December 2009

9

Birds of Note— -by Les Roslvind

Dave Czaplak photographed this Swallow-tailed Kite at Hughes Hollow on
September 4, 2009.

• On July 24 our birding community was thrilled to see the
first of a sequence of reports describing what may have been
a BROWN BOOBY fiying near the start of the ORV Zone,
Assateague Island, Worcester County. The first report, from
Joe Hanfman of Anne Arundel County, was soon followed
by many others over the next several days. But lighting
conditions and distance left all photographs as inconclusive.
A vigorous debate over the species ID raged within the
birding community, then fell suddenly silent when word
came out that Nat Donkin of the National Park Service had
photographed a BROWN BOOBY standing on the beach at
Assateague on Aug 2. This bird, a Maryland first, managed
to arrive just 17 days after the posting of the 2009 version of
“Maryland’s Next Ten Bird Species” — which listed BROWN
BOOBY as number six. Which species will be next?

• Another seabird viewing treat occurred September 1 , when
a flock of about 15 WILSON’S STORM-PETRELS showed
up several hundred yards offshore over the Chesapeake
Bay at Scientists’ Cliffs, South Beach, Calvert County. Sue
Hamilton was the lucky observer, and she had the joy of
getting her sighting confirmed when Joe Mihursky, formerly
a researcher at Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, called her
to mention that he had also seen the flock that day.

• At Hughes Hollow in Montgomery County, a SWALLOW-
TAILED KITE showed up around the impoundments on
September 4 and provided thrilling views for numerous
birders during a two-day stay. Andy Martin and Eydia
Schindler of Montgomery County were the discoverers. They
passed the word quickly, and within three hours a dozen or
more birders were watching the show. On Sept 5 the bird
returned to feast on the numerous dragonflies of the area,
much to the joy of more viewers. However, folks who waited
until Sept 6 were not as fortunate; the bird was gone and it
did not appear again.

• A SCISSOR-TAIEED FEYCATCHER was discovered on
Aug 22 near Sudlersville, Queen Anne’s County, and it
stayed in the region through Sep 2. Jan Reese of Talbot
County just happened to notice the bird while he was in
the area for non-birding matters. He got the message out
as quickly as possible and the bird cooperated by staying
close to the original location, thereby providing fine photo
opportunities. The supply of grasshoppers at the site offered
plenty of food, as many of the viewers noted.

• Earlier in August a EOGGERHEAD SHRIKE showed up in
Hagerstown, Washington County. It was first reported by Jim
Green of Montgomery County on Aug 5, and it stayed in the
area through Aug 17, giving good views and fine photo ops
to many birders. The bird seemed content with the habitat
available around some ponds that are part of the extended
center of Hagerstown. In fact, a particular mullein stalk
provided an excellent perch for several of the photos.

• On August 3, a YEEEOW-HEADED BEACKBIRD turned
up in a DNR bird-banding operation at Indian Springs WMA
in Washington County. Mark Hoffman received a report of
the find from Brian Eyler of DNR and rushed to the site,
relocated the bird, and obtained some excellent photographs.
However, though the bird was there for Mark, it seemed
skittish, and later attempts to find it were unsuccessful.

• In recent years, BROWN PEEICANS have become regular
visitors on or near the Chesapeake Bay, but usually they
stay to the south of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. So it was
quite a surprise when a BROWN PEEICAN was reported
above Conowingo Dam. The bird moved around, so it was
observed in both Cecil and Harford Counties. The date of the
sighting was August 2, and the viewers were Bob Schutsky
of Peach Bottom, PA and his son, who lives in Baltimore.
Bob kindly provided a report of his sighting to Kevin Graff
and several other Maryland birders, and Kevin forwarded
the report to the rest of the Maryland birding community. No
later sightings were reported.

• As usual, the region has been filled with migrating warblers
this fall. One of the highlights was of a BREWSTER’S
WARBEER seen by Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
on Sep 10 in Wheaton Regional ParkAVoodside Gardens,
Montgomery County. The wind-down of warbler season

is signaled by the arrival of the first of the YEEEOW-
RUMPED WARBEERS; this year the first report came
from Elaine Hendricks of Prince George’s County, who
saw two of them at the Governor Bridge Natural Area in
Prince George’s County on Sep 14. Fortunately, the
wind-down is gradual and warbler sightings were still
coming in as of early October.

• The decline in warbler migration activity is usually followed
by an increase in gull movement. An early gull-viewing
treat occurred on Sep 20 when Peter Vankevich of DC
photographed a BEACK-HEADED GUEE at the Anacostia
Community Boathouse near the 11* Street Bridge in DC.

Eet the gull-watching now begin!

10

The Maryland Yellowthroat

Sunday, November 1

It Howard. Centennial Park. 2-3
hours. Easy walking on paved path
around Centennial Lake. Woodlands,
fields, and water host a wide variety
of species. Great view of the sky
for flyovers. Early waterfowl and
lingering migrants likely. Meet 8
AM at west end parking lot. Leader:
Kurt Schwarz, 410-461-1643 or
krschwal@verizon.net. Eacilities
available.

It Talbot. Duvall Earm (Abridge
property) for waterfowl, a variety
of sparrows, and early winter birds.
Leader: Wayne Bell, 410-820-6002.
Breakfast hosts: Joyce and Wayne
Bell. Depart Easton Acme parking lot
at 7 AM.

Tuesday, November 3

Meeting. Baltimore. Lecture at
Cylburn Mansion, 4915 Greenspring
Ave. “Using Song and Molecular
Genetics to Understand Species
Boundaries in the Orchard Oriole
Complex.” Rachael Sturge, PhD
student at University of UMD-Balt Co.
Doors open at 7 PM for socializing
and snacks, show starts about
7:15 PM. Eor more info, contact
Pete Webb at 410-486-1217 or
pete_webb@juno.com.

Wednesday, November 4

It Baltimore. Eirst Wednesdays at
Eort McHenry. Monthly survey of
bird activity at the wetland. Scope
useful. Automatically cancelled in
bad weather (rain, sleet, fog, etc.).
[Erom 1-95, take Hanover St exit
55, McComas St (last exit before
tunnel eastbound, first after tunnel
westbound), north on Key Hwy
which turns west, first left Lawrence
St, left onto Eort Ave, continue east to
gate into Et. McHenry. Erom the JEX,
1-83, south to St Paul St exit, south on
St Paul which becomes Light St, then
left (east) onto Eort Ave, continue to

end as above.] Meet outside Visitor
Center at 8 AM. Leader: Mary
Chetelat, 410-665-0769.

Meeting. Carroll. “Cuba” by Marcia
Balestri. 7:30 PM at the Carroll
Senior Center, 125 Stoner Ave,
Westminster. Contact Dave Harvey at
410-795-3117 for more info.

Meeting. Cecil. Program TBA. 7 PM
at the North East Public Library.

Eor more info, contact President Pat
Valdata, pvaldata@zoominternet.net.

Thursday, November 5

Meeting. Erederick. Wil Hershberger
will entertain, educate, and amaze us
with the symphonies created by our
smallest winged creatures in “The
Songs of Insects.” 7 PM at the C. Burr
Artz Library, Erederick.

A Patuxent. Lake Artemesia
(Luther Goldman Birding Trail). The
Prince George’s Audubon Society
(PGAS), along with members of the
Patuxent Bird Club, will host mid-
week bird walks every 1st and 3rd
Thur at the newly-dedicated Luther
Goldman Birding Trail. Meet 3 PM
at the parking lot at Berwyn Rd and
Ballew Ave in Berwyn Heights. No
reservations needed. Call 301-459-
3375 for more info.

Friday, November 6

Meeting. Anne Arundel. “Sixty
Years of Binding and Studying
Birds: My Life as a Naturalist” by
Don Messersmith, Master Birder,
Naturalist, and Professor Emeritus
(Ret.), UMD. 8 PM at the Arlington
Echo Outdoor Education Center,

975 Indian Landing Rd, Millersville.
Contact Peter Hanan, 410-672-5672,
for more info.

A Indicates Field Trip

Meeting. Harford. “When Birds
Collide — Birdstrike Identification at
the Smithsonian.” Dr. Carla Dove,
research scientist at the Museum of
Natural History, explains the ID of
bird species from feathers and feather
fragments after bird strikes such as
US Airways Plight 1549, aka the
Jan 2009 “Miracle on the Hudson.”
Dinner at 6:15 PM, program at 7 PM
at Churchville Presbyterian Church,
MD 22 and MD 136. Eor info/dinner
reservations, call Dave Webb, 410-
939-3537.

A Washington. Lambs Knoll Banding
Station. Observe Steve Huy band
Northern Saw-whet Owls. Wear
sturdy shoes, bring a flashlight, and
be prepared to stay as late as
midnight. Meet at the Boonsboro
P&R at 9:30 PM. Last-minute
cancellation possible due to wind or
rain. Call Anna Hutzell at 301-797-
8454 to participate.

Saturday, November 7

Meeting and Annuae Banquet.
Allegany/Garrett. Speaker: Jim
McAnn (MD DNR Natural Heritage
Program). Jim will talk about the rare,
threatened, and endangered animals
of MD, focusing on the some of the
state’s lesser known species and those
found only in western MD. 6 PM at
Compton Hall, Rm 327, Prostburg
State, Cumberland.

A Baltimore. Loch Raven. Waterbirds
and landbirds. Possible Bald Eagle,
Eastern Bluebird, and Common Loon.
Scopes useful. Two-mile level walk.
Meet 8 AM. [Prom 1-695, take exit 27
Dulaney Valley Rd north, go several
miles, cross large bridge over reservoir,
and bear right immediately. Continue
to first left. Stone Hill Rd. Go about
100 yards, turn around, and then park
on your right. All cars need to park
on the same side of the road.] Leader:
Peter Lev, 410-823-2962 or
plev@comcast.net.

A Kent. Quaker Neck and Vicinity.
Half day. The southern necks of Kent
Co extend into the Chester River and
host large numbers of waterfowl;
also good for small late-season

November/December 2009

11

landbirds and raptors. Meet 8 AM
at Dollar General Store parking lot,
Chestertown. Leaders: Walter Ellison
and Nancy Martin, 410-778-9568 or
rossgull@baybroadband.net.

A Patuxent. Fran Uhler NA. Meet
7:30 AM at end of Lemon Bridge
Rd off MD 197, just north of Bowie
State U and the MARC line. No
reservations required. If you have
questions, contact trip leader Bill
Sefton at kiwisuits@msn.com.

Saturday-Sunday, November 7-8

Work Weekend. MOS Irish Grove
Sanctuary, Somerset Co. Lend a
hand with sanctuary upkeep. This
workday will focus on improving
and extending the Rail Trail. Several
strong workers are needed for shovel
work, some serious pruning (including
using a chain saw), and probably
some small bridge construction.
Saturday lunch and dinner will
be provided. There is no fee for
staying overnight at the house on
workdays. There will also be ample
time for birding. Please contact Dotty
Mumford, dottymum@comcast.net,
410-849-8336, to let her know that
you can help.

Sunday, November 8

A Howard. Centennial Park. 2-3
hours. See Nov 1 listing. Leader: Joe
Byrnes, LBRoller@verizon.net, 410-
730-5329. Facilities available.

A Montgomery. Lois Y. Green
Conservation Park. Half day. Explore
the varied habitats of this new 204-
acre park. Songbirds, raptors, and
waterfowl are possible. Meet 7:30
AM at parking lot on Snouffer School
Rd, Gaithersburg. Reservations
required. For detailed directions and
reservations, call leader: Ed Patten,
301-948-5648.

A Talbot. Wye Island for waterfowl,
raptors, and winter sparrows. Leader:
Danny Poet, 410-827-8651. Breakfast
hosts: Margaret and Ernie Maher.
Depart Easton Acme parking lot at
7AM.

Tuesday, November 10

Meeting. Kent. Program TBA. 7:30
PM at Wesley Hall, Heron Point, E
Campus Ave, Chestertown. For info
contact Nancy Martin, 410-778-9568.

Meeting. Patuxent. Mike Raupp will
present “The Diversity Dilemma:
Update on Local Invasive Insect
Species.” The formal program always
begins at 7:30 PM, but doors open
at 7 PM for informal conversation,
refreshments, and exchange of birding
news. Location: College Park Airport
Annex. For more info, call Maureen
Blades at 301-262-5148.

Wednesday, November 11

A Montgomery. LBJs at Blue Mash
Nature Trail. Blue Mash can be
hoppin’ with Little Brown Jobs,
making it a good place to work on
the basics of sparrow ID. This trip
is primarily for beginners but all are
welcome. Half day. For reservations,
time, and directions, contact leader:
Lydia Schindler, 301-977-5252 or
lydiaschindler@verizon.net.

Thursday, November 12

Meeting. Howard. “Aimophila
Adventures,” by Kurt Schwarz. While
most birders go to Southeast AZ
in search of such gaudy species as
Elegant Trogon and Flame-colored
Tanager, this Howard Club member
also pursued “little brown jobs” that
are easily overlooked. Hospitality
and club bookstore 7:30 PM;
meeting/program 8 PM at Glenwood
Community Center, 2400 MD Rte 97,
Cooksville, MD 21723 (note change).
Info: Tom Miller, 410-795-7005.

Meete^g. Talbot. Speaker: Craig
Highfield, Coordinator, Forestry for the
Bay, Chesapeake Bay Program. Craig
will discuss woodland management as
it relates to bird species and the health
of our waterways. 7 PM at William
Hill Manor Auditorium, Easton. Info:
Cathy Cooper, coopercw@goeaston.net.

Saturday, November 14

A Anne Arundel. Jug Bay Wetlands
Sanctuary. Dotty Mumford, 410-849-
8336 or dottymum@comcast.net, will
lead this half-day trip. Meet 8 AM at
Parole P&R.

A Carroll. Piney Run Park. Moderate
walking around Piney Run Lake for
early waterfowl and in mixed forest
and along open field edges for late
migrants and winter residents. Meet
8 AM at parking lot outside the gate
to Piney Run Park on Martz Rd. Call
leader. Bob Ringler, at 410-303-2792
for more info.

A Cecil. Avalon Sea Watch. Join us
for a car-pool trip to Avalon, NJ.

The shoreside town of Avalon is on
a barrier island at a point where
the shoreline bulges outward into
the Atlantic, and it is possible to get
fantastic looks at a steady stream of
migrating seabirds. This trip involves
no walking at all. Pull your car up to
the seawall at the Sea Watch site and
take out your lawn chair, blanket,
scope, and hot drink, and settle in
for a day of scanning the seas. Meet
near Dunkin’ Donuts at Big Elk Mall,
Rtes 40 and 213 in Elkton at 7 AM.
Bring scope if you have one. Dress
for possible extreme cold and windy
conditions. Also bring money for tolls
and gas. Leader: Richard Donham
donhamr@zoominternet.net.

A Harford. Swan Harbor Farm Park.
A joint trip with the Harford Land
Trust to highlight properties protected
in part by the efforts of the Trust. This
property is well-known for eagles,
field birds, waterfowl, and marsh
specialties. Meet 8 AM at the parking
lot adjacent to the Agricultural
Education Center. Contact the leader,
Dennis Kirkwood at 410-692-5905 or
dkirkw@verison.net.

A Howard. Howard Waterfowl
Search. 8 AM to 2 PM. Plan to visit
Columbia lakes and search for gulls,
ducks, grebes, loons, and other
waterbirds. Easy walking. Plan to
carpool. Bring lunch and drinks.
Scopes helpful. Facilities available.
Meet 8 AM at Broken Land Pkwy
parking lot at Lake Elkhorn. Leader:
Bonnie Ott, 410-461-3361.

continued on page 12

12

The Maryland Yellowthroat

Calonddr continued from page 11

Sunday, November 15

n Frederick. Birding for Beginners
at Lilypons. We especially welcome
children on this walk through
Lilypons, where we will delight and
inspire young (and young-at-heart)
inquisitive new birders. Contact Pat
Caro at 301-845-6246 for info.

n Howard. Centennial Park. 2-3
hours. See Nov 1 listing. Leaders:
Karen Darcy and Kevin Heffernan,
410-418-8731 orKJHeff@aol.com.
Facilities available.

n Talbot. Pickering Creek Audubon
Center for waterfowl, Winter Wren,
wintering sparrows, and other
grassland birds. Leaders: Karen
Harris, 410-770-8303, and Amanda
Spears, 856-628-3559. Depart Easton
Acme parking lot at 7 AM.

A Tri-County. Chincoteague NWR
for coastal migrants. Leaders: Jean
and Larry Fry, 410-208-4269.

Meet 7:30 AM in Ward Museum
of Wildfowl Art parking lot on S
Schumaker Dr on Beaglin Park Dr in
Salisbury or at Refuge Visitor Center
at 9 AM.

Wednesday, November 18

Meeting. Montgomery. “The Best
of Ecuador” by Bob Mumford.
Photographer Mumford presents the
results of his eight trips to Ecuador,
totaling over two months in the field.
7:30 PM at Potomac Presbyterian
Church, 10301 River Rd, Potomac.
Eor more info, contact Steve Pretl at
stevep@takomavillage.org.

Thursday, November 19

Meeting. Caroline. John Bjerke
and Cyndie Loeper: “Shorebird
Identification Basics.” You’ll learn
about our most commonly seen
shorebirds, including the breeding/
mid-summer identification of
yellowlegs, dowitchers, and peeps.
7:30 PM, Caroline Co Public Library,
100 Market St, Denton.

A Patuxent. Lake Artemesia (Luther
Goldman Birding Trail). See Nov 5
for details.

Saturday, November 21

A Anne Arundel. Youth Birding Trip.
YMOS members lead young birders
on Eastern Shore. Meet 7 AM at the
Bay 50 Shopping Center parking lot.
Leader: David Gillum, 410-266-8775.

A Baltimore. Blackwater NWR.
All-day trip to see ducks and
thousands of Canada and Snow
Geese. Brown-headed Nuthatch
possible. Rough-legged Hawk and
Short-eared Owl possible in late
afternoon. Bring lunch. Meet at
Nursery Rd P&R at 7:30 AM or
at the Blackwater Visitor Center at
9:30 AM. No reservations necessary.
Leader: Kevin Graff, 410-557-2456
or whitemarlin2001@yahoo.com.

A Baltimore. Saturday Monitoring
Walks at Eort McHenry. See Nov 4
listing. Automatically cancelled in bad
weather. Meet 8 AM at Visitor Center.
Leader: Jim Peters, 410-429-0966.

A Frederick. Waterfowl Wander. We
will visit birding spots wherever there
are interesting reports, possibly across
the Bay Bridge. The exact itinerary
will be determined by the leader as
the date approaches. Please call Lois
Kauffman at 301-845-6690 if you
are coming.

A Harford. Harford Glen. Meet at
the Glen parking lot at 7:30 AM.

This trip is especially designed for
beginning birders. Join two former
educators who are ready to share their
skills and knowledge with those who
are ready to enjoy a new hobby. Bring
your binoculars and your curiosity.
Contact the leaders, Tom Gibson,
410-734-4135 or gibsonlld@aol.com,
or Dennis Kirkwood, 410-692-5905
or dkirkw@verizon.net.

A Kent. Bombay Hook NWR,

DE. Eull day. The salt marshes of
Delaware Bay host large numbers
of waterfowl, gulls, late shorebirds,
and raptors. Bring lunch. Meet 8 AM
at Dollar General Store parking lot,
Chestertown. Leaders: Walter Ellison
and Nancy Martin, 410-778-9568 or
rossgull@baybroadband.net.

A Montgomery. Blackwater NWR.
Eull day (to dusk). Ducks and
thousands of Canada and Snow
Geese. Brown-headed Nuthatch
possible. Rough-legged Hawk and
Short-eared Owl possible in late
afternoon. Bring lunch and drinks.
Reservations required. Limit: 12.

Eor meeting place and time, contact
Leader: Andy Martin, apmartin2@
comcast.net or 301-294-4805 or
301-529-2066 (cell).

A Patuxent. Governor Bridge NA.

Meet 7:30 AM at the parking lot for
Governor Bridge Park. No reservations
required. [Park is located on Governor
Bridge Rd, approximately 1 mile east
of MD 301.] If you have questions,
contact Leader: Bill Sefton at kiwisuits@
msn.com.

Sunday, November 22

A Anne Arundel. Blackwater NWR.
Waterfowl and eagles. Meet 8 AM at
the Bay 50 Shopping Center parking
lot. Bring lunch. Leader: Bobbi
Reichwein, 410-798-5940.

A Howard. Centennial Park. 2-3
hours. See Nov 1 listing. Leader: Joe
Hanfman, aukl844@comcast.net or
410-772-8424. Eacilities available.

A Talbot. Chesapeake Bay
Environmental Center (formerly
Horsehead Sanctuary). Leader: Danny
Poet, 410-827-8651. Depart Easton
Acme parking lot at 7 AM.

Monday, November 23

Meeting. Tri-County. “The Nature
Conservancy’s Nassawango Preserve”
by Joe Fehrer, Jr, Land Manager,
Eastern Shore Nature Conservancy.

7 PM at Asbury Methodist Church,
Pox Rm, south entrance, Camden
Ave, Salisbury.

Tuesday, November 24

Meeting. Washington. “Birds of
Southern Africa.” Mark Abdy will
share photos and stories of his
adventures in South Africa, Namibia,
Zambia, and Botswana. 7:30 PM at
the Mt. Aetna Nature Center. Call
301-797-8454 for directions.

November/December 2009

13

Saturday, November 28

n Cecil. Eagles at Conowingo Dam.
Half day. Meet 9 AM at Fisherman’s
lot below dam. Leaders: Sean
McCandless, seanmccandlessl®
comcast.net. and Charley Gant.

Sunday, November 29

n Harford. Conowingo Dam. Meet
7:30 AM at Fisherman’s Park below
the dam. Eagle numbers are at their
peak, with the possibility of Golden
Eagle as well as 100+ Bald Eagles.
Waterfowl and early winter songbirds
should also be present. Contact
Leaders: Dave Webb, 410-939-3537
or porzana@comcast.net, or Colleen
Webster at cwebster@harford.edu.

A Montgomery. Lilypons/New
Design Road. Half day. Wintering
field birds, targeting Fox and
American Tree Sparrows and
possibly Sora and American Bittern.
Reservations required. For more info
and reservations, contact Leader: Gail
Mackiernan, 301-989-1828.

n Patuxent. Piscataway Creek.

One of the top waterfowl locations
in Prince George’s County. Meet
7:30 AM at the Beltway Plaza
parking lot to carpool. Contact Dave
Mozurkewich at 301-459-3375 for
add’l info.

n Talbot. Wastewater Treatment
Plant for sparrows, waterfowl, gulls.
Leader: Dave Palmer, 410-829-3376.
Breakfast hosts: Les and Joanne
Coble. Depart Easton Acme parking
lot at 7 AM

Tuesday, December 1

Meeting. Baltimore. Tuesday
Evenings at Cylburn Mansion. Show
and Tell Night. Come prepared to
share your favorite birding stories,
pictures, or other tidbits of interest.
You can illustrate this with old-
fashioned slides, brief PowerPoint file,
or any other object. Slide projector
and LCD projector will be available.
Doors open at 7 PM for socializing
and snacks, show starts about
7:15 PM. For more info, contact
Pete Webb at 410-486-1217 or
pete_webb@juno.com.

Wednesday, December 2

H Baltimore. First Wednesdays at
Fort McHenry. See Nov 4 listing.

Meet 8 AM at Visitor Center. Leader:
Mary Chetelat, 410-665-0769.

Meeting. Carroll. “Montana” by
Mark Hoffman. 7:30 PM at the
Carroll Senior Center, 125 Stoner Ave,
Westminster. Contact Dave Harvey at
410-795-3117 for more info.

Meeting. Cecil. Program TBA. 7 PM
at the North East Public Library. For
info, contact President Pat Valdata,
pvaldata@zoominternet.net.

Thursday, December 3

Christmas Dinner and Meeting.
Frederick. Our featured speaker will
be Middleton Evans, Baltimore native
and devoted photographer of our
state, who has published books of
his stunning Maryland photographs.
Dinner will be at the COZY
Restaurant in Thurmont at 6 PM at
a cost of $15.50 per person. Please
make reservations with and send
money to Treasurer Nancy Parker
before 11/25/09.

H Patuxent. Lake Artemesia (Luther
Goldman Birding Trail). See Nov 5
for details.

Friday, December 4

Meeting. Anne Arundel. “Recovery
of the Endangered Delmarva Fox
Squirrel.” Glenn Therres, MD
DNR, Associate Director, Wildlife
and Heritage Service. 8 PM at the
Arlington Echo Outdoor Education
Center, 975 Indian Landing Rd,
Millersville. Contact Peter Hanan,
410-672-5672, for more info.

Saturday, December 5

MOS Board Meeting. 10:30 AM.
Hosted by Frederick Bird Club
at Urbana Library. Contact Janet
Shields, MOS Secretary, janetbill@
prodigy.net, for add’l info.

A Indicates Field Trip

n Anne Arundel. Sandy Point SP and
vicinity for shorebirds, waterfowl, and
local birds. Meet 8 AM at the Bay
50 Shopping Center parking lot. $3/
car State Park fee. For more details,
contact Hal Wierenga, 410-647-7439.

A Baltimore. Southern Maryland.
All-day trip to Point Lookout plus.
Scoters, Long-tailed Duck, Great
Cormorant, Bald Eagle, Brown-
headed Nuthatch, Brown Pelican, and
gannet all possible. Birding near cars
with minimal walking. Meet 7:30 AM
at Nursery Rd P&R. Bring lunch.
Scopes useful. Bundle up for cold
weather and wind. Leaders: Kevin
Graff, whitemarlin2001@yahoo.com,
and Pete Webb, 410-486-1217 or
pete_webb@juno.com.

A Howard. Blackwater NWR. Full
day. Plan to stop at the Choptank
River Bridge for ducks and coffee.
Bring lunch and drinks. Dress
warmly! Entrance fee or Duck
Stamp required. E-mail the leader
to reserve a spot and get details. We
will carpool. Leader: Joe Hanfman,
aukl844@comcast.net or 410-772-
8424. Facilities at some spots.

A Kent. Eastern Neck NWR. Half
day. Kent County’s own National
Wildlife Refuge at the mouth of
the Chester River, featuring eagles,
waterfowl, wintering landbirds, and
possible Brown-headed Nuthatch.
Meet 8 AM at Dollar General
Store parking lot, Chestertown.
Leaders: Walter Ellison and Nancy
Martin, 410-778-9568 or rossgull@
baybroadband.net.

A Patuxent. Assateague and Ocean
City. Waterfowl, gulls, and other
winter birds. Meet at the Bowie P&R
at 7 AM for this all-day trip. Contact
Fred Shaffer at 410-721-1744 for
add’l info.

A Patuxent. Fran Uhler NA. See Nov
7 for details.

A Washington. Big Pool. Explore
interesting area around Big Pool with
Doris Berger. Call Doris at 301-739-
8907 for details.

continued on page 1 4

14

The Maryland Yellowthroat

Calendar continued from page 13

Sunday, December 6

Baltimore. Loch Raven. See Nov

7 listing. Leader: Peter Lev, 410-823-
2962 or plev@comcast.net.

A Cecil. Cecil Waterfowl. Half day.
Perryville Town Park, at the head of
the Chesapeake Bay, annually plays
host to a wide variety of wintering
waterfowl that are generally easy to
see, up close and personal. Meet 9 AM
at Big Elk Mall, Elkton at Dunkin’
Donuts parking lot area. Eeader:
Marcia Watson, mww@udel.edu.

A Montgomery. Occoquan NWR,
VA. Three-quarters day. Bring lunch
and warm drink. We will look for
sparrows and other field birds and
early waterfowl. Eocated at the
confluence of the Potomac and
Occoquan Rivers, the refuge is about
50 percent wetlands, which are
interspersed with upland meadows
and mature oak-hickory-beech forest.
Meet 8 AM at the refuge car park.
Reservations required. [The refuge
is located in Woodbridge, VA, 20
miles south of Washington. Prom the
north: Take 1-95 south to exit 161
(Woodbridge), follow Rte 1 south,
cross the Occoquan River, and turn
left at the light onto Dawson Beach
Road, hollow road to refuge entrance
and proceed to large parking lot
on right.] Eeader: Mike Bowen,
301-530-5764.

Tuesday, December 8

Meeting. Patuxent. Winter Solstice
Party. The formal program begins
at 7:30 PM, but doors open at 7
PM for informal conversation,
refreshments, and exchange of birding
news. Eocation: College Park Airport
Annex. Por more info, call Maureen
Blades at 301-262-5148.

Thursday, December 10

Meeting. Howard. “Where’s the Ice?”
by Sue Mueller, Howard Co Rec and
Parks. The Hudson Bay polar bear
population is living at the southern
limits of its natural habitat. Hear
what biologists have to say about the
bear’s future. Hospitality and club
bookstore 7:30 PM; meeting/program

8 PM at Howard Co Rec and Parks,

7210 Oakland Mills Rd, Columbia
(note change). Info: Tom Miller,
410-795-7005.

Spring Peanning Meeting and
P oTEUGK Dinner. Talbot. 5:30 PM.
Host: Cathy Cooper, 410-822-3451.

Saturday, December 12

n Anne Arundel. Eastern Neck
NWR, Kent County. Wintering
waterfowl and landbirds. Meet 7
AM at the Bay 50 Shopping Center
parking lot. Eeader: Tom Bradford,
410-987-0674.

A Carroll. Point Eookout. An all-day
outing to St. Mary’s County looking
for winter birds. Call leader. Bob
Ringler, at 410-303-2792 for more
info.

A Harford. Delaware Coast. Meet
at the 155/95 P&R at 6:30 AM. This
trip will visit several hotspots along
the DE Bay for wintering specialties.
Contact leader Russ Kovach for
further details at 410-457-4274 or
russell.kovach@gmail.com.

Monday, December 14

Christmas Count. Catoctin.

Tuesday, December 15

Meeting. Kent. “The Big Picture: My
Big Photo Year in 2008,” by George
Jett. 7:30 PM at Wesley Hall, Heron
Point, E Campus Ave, Chestertown.
Por info, contact Nancy Martin,
410-778-9568.

Wednesday, December 16

Meeting. Montgomery. “A Shade-
grown and Bird-compatible Coffee
Puture,” by Faul Baicich. Some
coffees threaten the lives of birds,
some coffees can actually benefit
birds — and millions of coffee drinkers
can make the difference. Paul Baicich
will explore the shade-coffee/bird
connection, focusing on Eatin America
and the Caribbean and “our” birds
that migrate to the Neotropics. 7:30
PM at Potomac Presbyterian Church,
10301 River Rd, Potomac. Por more
info, contact Steve Pretl at stevep@
takomavillage.org.

Thursday, December 17

A Patuxent. Eake Artemesia (Euther
Goldman Birding Trail). See Nov 5
for details.

Saturday, December 19

Christmas Count. Oakland/Garrett.
Christmas Count. Baltimore Harbor.
Christmas Count. Caroline/Denton.
Christmas Count. Triadelphia.
(Tentative)

Christmas Count. Washington, DC.
Christmas Count. Wachapreague.

n Baltimore. Saturday Monitoring
Walks at Port McHenry. See Nov 4
listing. Automatically cancelled in bad
weather. Meet 8 AM at Visitor Center.
Eeader: Jim Peters, 410-429-0966.

A Patuxent. Governor Bridge NA.

See Nov 21 for details.

Sunday, December 20

Christmas Count. Allegany County.
Christmas Count. Jug Bay.
Christmas Count. Elkton.
Christmas Count. Lower Kent.
Christmas Count. Seneca.
Christmas Count. St. Michaels.
Christmas Count. Salisbury.

-I Christmas Count. Port Tobacco.
Christmas Count. Nassawadox/
Brownsville, VA.

Saturday, December 26

Christmas Count. Blackwater/
Southern Dorchester County.

Sunday, December 27

Christmas Count. Harford/Rock
Run.

Christmas Count. Central Loudoun.
^ Christmas Count. Point Lookout.
Christmas Count. Chesterville.
Christmas Count. Crisfield.

Monday, December 28

Christmas Count. Washington
County.

Christmas Count. Ocean City.

Tuesday, December 29

Christmas Count. Chincoteague
NWR.

A Indicates Field Trip

November/December 2009

15

Wednesday, December 30

Christmas Count. Cape Charles.

Friday, January 1

Christmas Count. Bowie.

n Baltimore. Loch Raven. Start the
New Year birding. Varied habitats
including woods, fields, and the
reservoir. Probably also birding other
sites for a “Big Day” in Baltimore
City and Co. See Nov 7 listing but
meet 1/2 hour later, at 8:30 AM.
Leader: Kevin Graff, 410-557-2456
or whitemarlin2001@yahoo.com.

n Harford. Perryman Area. Launch
your New Year list with a visit to the
woods and fields of Southern Harford
Co. Meet the leader Dave Webb at 8
AM at the Wal-Mart parking lot in
Aberdeen (Rte 40). Contact Dave at
410-939-3537 or porzana@comcast.
net.

fl Howard. Start Your 2010 List.
Half day. Plan to carpool to different
locations to find as many species as
possible. The one day of the year
where every bird is new! Meet 8 AM
at boat ramp of Centennial Park.
Expect moderate walking. Possibility
of lunch stop depending on the
weather. Facilities at some spots.
Leader: Bonnie Ott, 410-461-3361.

fl Montgomery. Earliest Bird
Walk, Georgetown Reservoir and
DC Hotspots. Half day. Start the
New Year right. Meet 8 AM at
Georgetown Res., DC, by the gate
leading to the dike between the pools.
Reservations required. Eimit: 20
participants. Eeader: Mike Bowen,
301-530-5764.

Saturday, January 2

A Montgomery. 2010 County
Listers’ Trip. 3/4 to full day.

Let’s get a good start on our
2010 Montgomery lists. Weather
permitting, we will start at Violette’s
Lock with a walk down the canal to
Blockhouse Point. From Violette’s
we will head up the western side of
county, stopping briefly at Hughes
Hollow, another walk at Edward’s
Ferry Horse Eoop, “scope” the Patton

Turf Farm, and finish with a brief stop
at the Rte 121 bridge at Black Hill
RP before heading back to Violette’s.
Dress for the weather. Trip may
involve a total of 3-4 miles walked
by day’s end. Reservations required.
Contact leader for meeting time and
place. Leader: Andy Martin, 301-529-
2066 or apmartin2@comcast.net.

Sunday, January 3

^*4 Christmas Count. Annapolis/
Gibson Island.

Christmas Count. Sugarloaf.
Christmas Count. Patuxent River.
Christmas Count. Fort Belvoir.

Wednesday, January 6

It Baltimore. First Wednesdays at
Fort McHenry. See Nov 4 listing.

Meet 8 AM at Visitor Center. Leader:
Mary Chetelat, 410-665-0769.

Meeting. Cecil. Program TBA. 7 PM
at the North East Public Fibrary.

For more info, contact President Pat
Valdata, pvaldata@zoominternet.net.

Thursday, January 7

Meeting. Frederick. Let’s escape for
a few hours from our winter weather,
kick back, and spend an evening
birding on the Gulf Coast of Florida
with Jim Green. Jim will take us to
Ding Darling, Corkscrew Swamp
Sanctuary, Fort Myers Beach, and
much more. 7 PM at the C. Burr Artz
Fibrary, Frederick.

Friday, January 8

Meeting. Anne Arundel. “Exploring
the Wildlife and History of Five
Remote Tropical Island Refuges” by
Doug Forsell, Avian Specialist, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service. 8 PM at the
Arlington Echo Outdoor Education
Center, 975 Indian Landing Rd,
Millersville. Contact Peter Hanan,
410-672-5672, for more info.

Meeting. Harford. “Amateur
Photographers’ Hour.” Photographers
from the chapter will share some of
their favorite birding experiences
through brief, theme-based, 10-photo
presentations. 7 PM at Churchville
Presbyterian Church, Churchville.
Contact Dave Webb at 410-939-3537
for add’l info.

Saturday, January 9

Annuae Hoeiday Party. Carroll.

Once again hosted by Splinter and
Sue Yingling at 70 Ridge Rd in
Westminster. If you’ve never attended
before, now’s the time to start.
Everyone has a good time. 7:30
PM until ? For more info and to
coordinate your potluck dish, contact
Sue Yingling at 410-857-0902 or
syingling@mac.com.

H Harford. Annual Winter Feeder
Tour. Enjoy birding out of the
elements as we watch feeders at three
of our members’ cozy homes. Contact
Jean Wheeler, 410-879-7424 or
jswheeler44@msn.com, for meeting
time, routes, and sites.

Sunday, January 10

Covered Dish Dinner and Legture.
Baltimore. 5 PM at BYKOTA Center
in Towson (formerly Towson ES).
Annual potluck dinner. Guest speaker
TBA. For reservations and food
coordination, contact Kevin Graff,
410-557-2456 or Whitemarlin2001@
yahoo.com.

^ Audrey Carroee Mid-Winter
Count. Frederick. Meet at the
Sanctuary at 6:30 AM. Dress warmly
with waterproof boots. Call David
Smith, 410-549-7082, for info.

A Tri-County. MD and DE Coast.
Full day. Search for winter specialties
and perhaps a rarity from recent
CBCs. Bring a lunch. Meet 7:30 AM,
Ward Museum parking lot. Contact
header, Sam Dyke, 410-742-5497, for
directions and more details.

16

POSTMASTER: TIME-DATED MATERIAL— PLEASE EXPEDITE!

XL-ASTE* OA3EL.3EL.

...for Research Proposals, Grants
(generally no more than $2,000) are
available for ornithological research in
the state of Maryland. Applications are
due by December 1 . Notifical of awards
will be made in about 8 weeks. For info,
contact David Ziolkowski, 443-299-8453.

MARYLAND ORNITHOLOGICAL

SOCIETY, INC.

Cylhurn Mansion

4915 Greenspring Avenue

Baltimore, MD 21290-4698

Nonprofit Org.

U.S. POSTAGE
PAID

at Hagerstown, MD
Permit No. 1 84

2009 Counts

Monday, December 14
Catoctin. Call Mike Welch, 301-874-5828,
to participate.

Saturday, December 19
Baltimore Harbor. Birders of all experience
levels urged to participate. For area assignment,
contact Compiler: Pete Webb, 41 0-486-1 21 7 or
pete_webb@juno.com.

Oakland/Garrett. To participate, contact
Connie Skipper at connieskipper@hohnet.com
or call her at 301-387-5227.

Caroline/Denton. Coordinator: Steve Westre,
410-479-0338 or swestre26@comcast.net.

Triadelphia. Tentative. Seeking compiler.

Washington, DC. Compiler: Larry Cartwright.
Info: Kathy Wilson at Audubon Naturalist
Society, 301 -652-91 88, xIO.

Wachapreague. Compiler: IrvAiles, irvailes@
verizon.net.

Sunday, December 20
Salisbury/Tri-County. Take a break from
the holiday rush and join this traditional
Christmas birding event. Compiler: Sam Dyke,
410-742-5497.

Port Tobacco. Compiler, Gwen Brewer,
301-843-3524 or Glbrewer@comcast.net.

Lower Kent County. Full day of counting,
followed by countdown dinner. Contact
compiler Nancy Martin, 410-778-9568 or
borealdee@baybroadband.net, for area
assignments or more info.

Elkton. Compiler: Laura Balascio, avocet@udel.
edu or 302-456-091 4. Tally Rally at Woody's in
North East at 4 PM.

Jug Bay. Compiler: Sam Droege, 301-497-5840
(w), 301-390-7759 (h) or sdroege@USGS.GOV.

Seneca. Compiler: Mark England, 240-252-
4218 (h), 240-375-4500 (m), or markengland@
canamcontractors.com.

Allegany County. To participate, contact
J.B. Churchill at 301 -697-1 223 or jchurchi@
atlanticbb.net to get an area assignment. Tally
will be at the Frostburg United Methodist
Church Social Hall, 48 W Main St, at 7 PM.

Bring a covered dish to share.

St. Michaels. Compilers: Wayne Bell, wayne.
bell@washcoll.edu, and Shirley Bailey. Potiuck
dinner at 5:30 PM at Christ Church Parish
Hall, St. Michaels. Dinner Coordinator: Margie
Steffens, 410-822-1966.

Nassawadox/Brownsville, VA. 4th year of a
new count in the area between Chincoteague
and Cape Charles. Compiler: Harry Armistead,
215-248-4120 or harryarmistead@hotmail.com.

Saturday, December 26
Blackwater/Southern Dorchester County.

Compiler: Chan Robbins, crobbins@usgs.gov.

Sunday, December 27
Point Lookout. Compiler: Bob Boxwell,

41 0-394-1 300, 41 0-61 0-51 24 (m), or
bobboxwell@Hotmail.com.

Chesterville. Compiler: Maren Gimpel,
funkymoss@yahoo.com or 91 2-660-1 541 .

Come out for the 3rd year of this count
centered north of Chestertown on the upper
Eastern Shore (Kent and Queen Anne's
Counties). The circle includes parts of Sassafras
and Millington WMAs as well as all of Chino
Farms. All skill levels welcome.

Crisfield. Compiler: Paul Bystrak,
shrike@comcast.net, 410-572-9950 or
443-783-1268 (m).

Harford/Rock Run. This annual count is part of
the National Audubon Society's continent-wide
effort. Contact the compiler, Mark Johnson,
410-692-5978 or mark.s.johnson@us.army.mil,
to volunteer and be assigned to a group.

Central Loudoun. (This count includes 5
miles along the C&O Canal in MD near White's
Ferry). Compiler: Joe Coleman, 540-554-2542 or
joecoleman@rcn.com.

continued on page S