President’s Comer Where Does It All Go? by Mark Johnson A s a long-time member, I often wondered why our dues were so high. Many of those who attend State Board meetings and receive the Treasurer’s report can better understand where it comes from and where it goes. Briefly, here is my synopsis. It costs us around $20k/yr in operating expenses. The largest slice goes to the auditors (~$8k); this is required for us keep our tax-exempt status (more economical to pay $8k than -30% to Uncle Sam); however, the audit alone does not keep us tax-exempt. We need the auditors’ report, tax preparation, and other documents to substantiate that everything we do is consistent with the definition of a 501(c) organization and represents a just and charitable cause. About another $7k goes to publish the Yellowthroat. We spend about $3500 on liability insurance and another $3500 for our storage facility in Columbia, which holds many of our archives and other materials. Beyond our administrative expenses, MOS sponsors a rich variety of projects that make us more than simply a birdwatching organization. Examples continued on page 2 Inside This Issue President’s Corner 1 Third YMOS Birdathon 1 YMOS News 2 2011 Conference Alert 2 Garrett County Big Day 2 Bird Blitz 2010 Summary 3 2011 Tidal Marsh Survey 5 Weidensaul Reviews Atlas 6 Irish Grove Work Weekend 7 Birds of Note 8 Golden-crowned Sparrow 9 “Stewart and Robbins” On Line 9 Chapter Chatter 10 Herps Atlas 12 Calendar 14 Got Ideas? 23 January Gullfest 24 Last Call 24 qy^aryland 'ellowthroat Newsletter of the Maryland Ornithological Society / / MARCH/APRIL 2011 VOL. 31, NO. 2 Third YMOS Birdathon, March 19 and 20 Please Pledge Now! M ore than an annual tradition, the YMOS Birdathon is a celebration of spring’s arrival that gets youngsters out of doors after a long winter. New this year: we will post results to eBird as a record of lingering winter species and possible early-returning spring migrants. The YMOS Birdathon is unique in its genre. While the goal remains to see and identify by sight or sound as many species as possible, the young birders are challenged to see every one of 100 species on their “must-see” list; for each “must-see” species that they miss they have to see two species, one to make up for the missing “must-see” and a second as a penalty. Last year’s incredibly snowy winter taught a lesson on winter species survival. The youth found a total of 119 species, but that included only 89 on their “must-see” list, so for fund- raising purposes their corrected total stood at 108 species. The 11 species they missed last year automatically become part of this year’s “must-see” list. Three of these were also missed in 2009. Will Northern Bobwhite, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and Ruby- crowned Kinglet show up at last? To count, a species must be seen/heard and identified by all of the participating youngsters and confirmed by adult coaches (who are not allowed to point out birds). Birding is confined to the Eastern Shore of Maryland south of the C&D Canal. Pishing is allowed, but recordings can be used only to help with species identification. YMOS seeks pledges of 25 or 50 cents or a dollar per (corrected) total species. The youngsters ask that the per-species reward be doubled for each bird above 100 on the corrected total. All who pledge receive a copy of the “must-see” list. Funds raised will help offset costs for representing MOS at the World Series of Birding at Cape May, NJ, and underwrite youth scholarships for the MOS Birds and Bird Habitats workshop at Washington College in June. Last year the YMOS Birdathon raised $900. The youngsters hope to break $1,000 this time. Please pledge by e-mail to George Radcliffe, radclifg@gmail.com, or Wayne Bell, wbell2@washcoll. edu. Contributors receive a report shortly after the YMOS Birdathon with instructions on how to make payment. Thank you for your support and encouragement of our young birders. Wish them a couple of bluebird days! — George Radcliffe and Wayne Bell 2 The Maryland Yellowthroat YMOS News YMOS announces its new web site. In addition to trip information, it provides tips for beginning birders, activities for educators, and links to many key birding sites. Check it out at http://www.ymos.org/. Summer Birding Program for Educators and Students. This week-long program exploring Maryland birds and habitats will take place at Washington College June 19-24, 2011. The deadline for signing up is April 30. Information and application are both available on the YMOS web site. If you know an educator or student interested in birding, direct them to http://www.ymos.org/. President's Corner continued from page 1 include youth programs, research on birds in Maryland, education programs, maintenance of our sanctuaries, Birding Trail, conservation, nature scholarships, our membership listserver, and special projects such as the Atlas of Breeding Birds. It is also good to know that membership dues constitute roughly little more than half of our annual income. This year, we took in around $17k in dues. Investments and donations make up the rest (~$13k). We should note that MOS participates in many State and Federal giving campaigns (e.g., Combined Federal Campaign). These mechanisms make it easy for employees to authorize a nominal deduction from each paycheck; the amount can be as little as a couple of dollars per pay period. Each year MOS fills out applications to keep us in these catalogs. In the past, we have also attended contributor seminars, to explain what MOS is and does and to encourage people to select us in their charities. We are currently looking for a member to represent us at such seminars; if you are interested in helping out, please let me know. I also wish to take note of those whose generous contributions and bequests have provided MOS with substantial resources. Over the years these investments have been simply amazing, allowing us to preserve bird habitats, reach out to interested youth, award scholarships, fund research important to birds in Maryland, and conduct many other worthwhile activities— while also helping to keep our dues relatively constant. It is important to realize MOS accomplishes all this, on the State level, for $20 a year. (Dues beyond that go to Chapters, to fund local initiatives.) When you understand this, I think you see that belonging to and contributing to our organization is not a bad deal! The Maryland Yellowthroat Newsletter of the Maryland Ornithological Society, Inc. Editor: Lydia Schindler lydiaschindler@verizon.net 301-977-5252 Designer: Suzanne Probst msprobst2@verizon.net 410-992-3489 Calendar Editor: Andy Martin apmartin2@comcast.net 301-294-4805 Chapter Chatter: Jean Wheeler j swheeler3@verizon.net Mailing list: Helen Horrocks hlh_3 7@yahoo.com 301-831-6315 MOS web site: http ://www.mdbir ds . org Webmaster: John Hays Christy SiteMa ven@mdbirds . org 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 March 20, 2011 for the May/June 2011 issue. Illustrations pp. 1, 10© M. Suzanne Probst. Photograph p. 5 © David Curson. Photographs pp. 6 and 7 © George Jett. Photographs pp. 6 and 7 © Glenn Therres. Photograph p. 24 © Kurt Schwarz. Vtaryliad OrahholDfEirnl -Wifi) Annual Conference 2011 May 20-22, 2011 Milknn,. MI) Conference 201 1 WISF* Garrett County May 20-22 Keep an eye out for your registration form, which should be arriving in your mail box any day now. I look forward to seeing you in May! — Janet Shields 410 - 901-1039 Garrett County Big Day: Save the Date On May 7, teams of birders will scour Garrett County in an effort to find the most birds possible in a 24-hour period, and perhaps set a new county record. The Big Day is a fund-raiser organized by Maryland birder Aaron Holochwost to benefit the Western Garrett County State Park volunteers and the Discovery Center at Deep Creek Lake State Park. For info, check discoverycenterdcl.com or cblizzard@dnr.state.md.us. — Caroline Blizzard Director, The Discovery Center at Deep Creek Lake State Park 301-387-7067 March/ April 201 1 3 Bird Blitz 2010 : Citizen-Scientists Fuel Bird Conservation By David Yeany T hanks to generous support provided by a Research Grant from MOS and continued funding through a State Wildlife Grant from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Maryland-DC Important Bird Areas Program implemented its fourth year of statewide Bird Blitz surveys. In 2010, nine new Important Bird Areas (IBAs) were added to Maryland’s network, increasing the total to 40 sites identified as the state’s best habitats for birds. New IBAs include Zekiah Swamp, St. Mary’s River, Allegany-Garrett Grasslands, Jennings Randolph Lake, Dan’s Mountain, Susquehanna River, Millington, The Glades, and Youghiogheny Valley. The identification of these sites as IBAs was possible only because of hard-working citizen-scientists who went into the field and counted birds through Bird Blitz. Without the efforts of 100-plus volunteers since the inception of Bird Blitz in 2006, we would know much less about the birds and the habitats on which they depend. These efforts continued in 2010 as 26 volunteers, along with two Audubon Maryland-DC staff members, conducted 40 Bird Blitz surveys at six candidate IBA sites. They identified IBAs in 10 counties across Maryland. Surveys at candidate sites recorded breeding season counts for at-risk bird species; these will be used to determine if a site supports significant state-level populations of these species and qualifies as an IBA. In addition, Bird Blitz surveys were held at existing IBAs to determine whether current boundaries should be extended, or whether a state IBA should also qualify as a Global IBA based on counts of globally vulnerable species, such as Saltmarsh Sparrow. The 2010 results from each site are summarized below. Count totals for some of the primary target at-risk species are included. Secondary target species belonging to assemblages dependent on a particular habitat (ie, Forest Interior Dwelling Species or FIDS) were also counted during Bird Blitz. This information will be used to assess the importance of candidate sites to entire species assemblages, in addition to individual at-risk species. For more details on survey results, site-based Bird Blitz summaries are available on line at www.audubonmddc.org. Potomac State Forest, Garrett County # Volunteers: 2 # Bird counts: 3 During June, surveys were conducted in Potomac State Forest, located along the Maryland/West Virginia border in southeastern Garrett County. A total of 12 Blackburnian Warbler, 12 Wood Thrush, and 1 Alder Flycatcher were recorded. This count of Blackburnian Warbler exceeds the state IBA threshold, indicating a significant breeding population at the site. The area also had a moderate diversity of Forest Interior Dwelling Species (FIDS) with 20 recorded during Bird Blitz. Participants: Fran Pope and Ross Geredien. Catoctin Mountain, Frederick County # Volunteers: 2 # Bird counts: 1 Bird Blitz covered the area between Harbaugh Valley, Sabillasville Rd, and U.S. Route 15 at the northernmost extent of Catoctin Mountain in Maryland. This was the third year in which surveys were conducted at this site, wih a total of 9 Cerulean Warbler counted, adding to counts of 6 near Manahan Rd in Catoctin Mountain Park in 2007 and 4 in the Owens Creek area in 2008. Combined Bird Blitz data for Cerulean Warbler indicate that this site likely supports a globally significant breeding population, and an IBA nomination is in progress for this site. A total of 35 Wood Thrush and 1 Worm-eating Warbler contributed to a tally of 11 FIDS during the 2010 survey. Participants: Mary Ann Beverly and Beth Zang. Nanjemoy Northeast, Charles County # Volunteers: 5 # Bird counts: 8 In 2009, Bird Blitz survey efforts in southwestern Charles County led to the identification of the Nanjemoy IBA due to significant populations of six at-risk species: Bald Eagle, Eastern Whip-poor-will, Worm-eating Warbler, Wood Thrush, Prairie Warbler, and Prothonotary Warbler, as well as a high diversity of FIDS. Forests of Nanjemoy Northeast (bounded by Bicknell and Poor House Roads in the north, Annapolis-Woods Road in the east, Smallwood Church and Bowie Roads in the west, and Friendship Landing Rd and Nanjemoy Creek in the south) were excluded from the IBA identification because bird population data for this area was lacking. In 2010, surveys recorded 2 Eastern Whip-poor-will, 2 Worm-eating Warbler, 23 Wood Thrush, 10 Prairie Warbler, and a single Prothonotary Warbler, providing data for assessing this area’s inclusion in the IBA. Also, a total of 17 FIDS were recorded, indicating a moderate diversity of FIDS for the area. Participants: James Moore, Warren and Lisa Strobel, Leslie Starr, Joe Turner, and David Yeany. Susquehanna River, Harford and Cecil Counties # Volunteers: 3 # Bird counts: 8 Data from Susquehanna State Park from surveys organized by David Ziolkowski in 2007 indicate a sizeable population of breeding Cerulean Warbler. During 2010, continued on page 4 4 The Maryland Yellowthroat Bird Blitz continued from page 3 Bird Blitz surveys targeted the Susquehanna River’s forested corridor, concentrating efforts on the less-explored eastern bank with the objective of finding additional Cerulean Warblers. A count of 13 Cerulean Warbler, 10 Kentucky Warbler, 71 Wood Thrush, and 50 Bald Eagle enabled this site to be identified as a new IBA in November 2010. Population estimates for Cerulean Warbler based on Bird Blitz data also indicate this site as one of global significance for this species. Participants: Ross Geredien, Leslie Starr, Joe Turner, David Curson, and David Yeany. Millington, Kent County # Volunteers: 7 # Bird counts: 8 A significant non-breeding population of American Woodcock at Millington Wildlife Management Area has previously been documented by Maryland DNR, and in 2010 Bird Blitz surveys were conducted at the WMA to assess populations of forest birds. Counts of 29 Worm- eating Warbler, 9 Kentucky Warbler, and 106 Wood Thrush indicated significant state-level populations, and the site was identified as a new IBA in November 2010. Participants: Dan Small, Maren Gimpel, Rachel Field, Emily Ross, Bill Hubick, Tom Feild, and Rob Ostrowski. Elk Neck, Cecil County # Volunteers: 6 # Bird counts: 3 Pat Valdata led a team of citizen-scientists conducting Bird Blitz surveys in Elk Neck State Forest while targeting Forest Interior Dwelling Species (FIDS). A nightjar survey yielded a count of 13 Eastern Whip-poor-will, indicating a significant state-level population in the area. A total of 1 1 FIDS were recorded, including 22 Wood Thrush and 6 Worm-eating Warbler. Further Bird Blitz surveys are planned for 2011. Participants: Maryanne Dolan, Ken Drier, Parke John, Kylie McCandless, Sean McCandless, and Pat Valdata. Somerset-Wicomico Marshes IBA, Somerset and Wicomico Counties # Volunteers: 2 # Bird counts: 4 In 2009, Audubon staff recorded 49 Saltmarsh Sparrow during surveys along Rumbly Point Rd near the Irish Grove MOS Sanctuary, exceeding the global threshold for this species and indicating the significance of this site. In 2010, Sarah Warner organized a Bird Blitz effort at this site and in Dorchester County to gather more Saltmarsh Sparrow data. The resulting count of just 4 Saltmarsh Sparrows at Deal Island Wildlife Management Area likely reflects how closely this species’ activity is linked to the lunar cycle and tides. Combined data from 2009 and 2010 data still indicate a globally significant Saltmarsh Sparrow population at this IBA, and a nomination for Global IBA status has been submitted to the U.S. IBA Committee. Participants: Rebecca Lazarus and Sarah Warner. Southern Dorchester County IBA, Dorchester County # Volunteers: 2 # Bird counts: 2 In order to assess whether saltmarsh IBAs qualify as Global IBAs for significant populations of the globally vulnerable Saltmarsh Sparrow, surveys were conducted in 2009 at Southern Dorchester County IBA and yielded a count of 24 Saltmarsh Sparrow. In 2010, additional surveys were conducted to obtain additional population data for Saltmarsh Sparrow. These surveys resulted in a count of 4 Saltmarsh Sparrow. Combining 2009 and 2010 Bird Blitz data with Saltmarsh Sparrow population data collected at Fishing Bay Wildlife Management Area by Rebecca Kern as part of her Master’s thesis research provided evidence for a globally significant population at the site, and a nomination for Global IBA status has been submitted to the U.S. IBA Technical Committee. Participants: Henry Armistead and Rebecca Kern. Maryland Coastal Bays IBA, Worcester County # Volunteers: 0 # Bird counts: 3 Audubon staff conducted early July surveys at Truitt’s Landing Rd, George’s Landing Rd, and Taylor’s Landing Rd. These surveys yielded a single Saltmarsh Sparrow, while other at-risk species recorded included 30 Seaside Sparrow, 2 Clapper Rail, and 2 Northern Bobwhite. Participant: David Curson. The success of Bird Blitz would not have been possible without the volunteer efforts of MOS members and generous funding provided by MOS and Maryland DNR. Audubon Maryland-DC will submit a full report detailing Bird Blitz 2010 to both MOS and Maryland DNR, and has already shared digital data for at-risk bird species with Maryland DNR’s Natural Heritage Program. This partnership between Maryland’s two bird-oriented membership organizations and the state’s wildlife agency is proving very productive, and Audubon will continue the Bird Blitz project until the Maryland-DC network of IBAs is complete. Many thanks go out to all the citizen-scientists who contributed to Bird Blitz 2010! Thanks are also due to the Maryland-DC IBA Technical Review Committee, which meets several times a year to review IBA nominations and to update the criteria for site selection as necessary. Committee members include: Kyle Rambo (Chair), Batuxent River Naval Air Station; Wayne Bell, Washington College; David Curson, Audubon Maryland-DC; David Yeany, Audubon Maryland-DC; Lynn Davidson, Maryland Department of Natural Resources; David Smith, Maryland Ornithological Society; Glenn Therres, Maryland Department of Natural Resources; Bill Hubick; and David Ziolkowski, USGS Batuxent Wildlife Research Center. March/ April 201 1 5 Join Bird Blitz 201 1 : Go Birding with a Purpose! Join your fellow birders in knowing you have made a significant contribution to the conservation of Maryland’s birds. Please consider being a part of Bird Blitz this summer. As of December 2010, 20 Maryland Important Bird Areas had been identified based on data collected by birders just like you! Even though we are nearing the completion of the IBA network in Maryland, several sites still need surveying. Consider doing even one survey at one of the sites below, and your time birding will have been well spent. 2011 Bird Blitz Target Sites Savage River State Forest, Garrett County Redhouse Grasslands, Garrett County Tanyard Wetlands, Caroline and Talbot Counties Macintosh Run, St. Mary’s County Elk Neck, Cecil County You can find out more about Bird Blitz and follow IBA happenings by visiting the Audubon Maryland-DC web site at www.audubonmddc.org, or for more information contact: David Yeany, IBA Program Coordinator, at dyeany@audubon.org or David Curson, Director of Bird Conservation, at dcurson@audubon.org Audubon Maryland-DC 2901 East Baltimore St. Baltimore, MD 21224 410-558-2473 The 201 1 Tidal Marsh Bird Survey I n the summer of 2011 a small team of trained observers will head out into Maryland’s tidal marshes to take on one of the last challenges in avian population monitoring — the birds of the salt marsh. Our salt and brackish marshes are beautiful, wild, and somewhat forbidding landscapes of vast expanses of Spartina grass meadows, black needlerush, and threesquare, punctuated by tidal pools and creeks. These “prairies between the tides” are home to some of our most enigmatic bird species, including several found nowhere else and thus rarely seen by most birders. Most of the birds unique to salt marshes face threats that place them on one or more conservation listings. Seaside Sparrow and Clapper Rail, though abundant in suitable habitat, are on the American Bird Conservancy/Audubon WatchList. Saltmarsh Sparrow, much less common than the Seaside, is a WatchList species also listed as globally Vulnerable by Birdlife International, and Black Rail, now very rare in Maryland, is listed as Endangered in the state and considered by Birdlife as globally Near-threatened. The preeminent threat facing these birds is sea level rise. Sea levels in Maryland have risen 1 foot (30 cms) in the past century, contributing to significant marsh loss at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. This rate is projected to accelerate, resulting in a 4-foot (1.3m) rise by 2100, enough to drown virtually all of Maryland’s tidal marshes. It will be necessary to enact some bold and creative conservation solutions, such as allowing the marshes to move upslope with rising tides, if we are to keep salt marsh birds around over the long term. Yet a lack of knowledge of their population sizes and trends and of their fine-scale distribution makes it difficult to plan appropriate conservation actions. Why are salt marsh birds so poorly known? The principal method for tracking bird populations in North America, the Breeding Bird Survey, is a roadside survey method that barely gets into the larger roadless marshes. The 2011 survey aims to fill these knowledge gaps, not just in Maryland but for all the northeastern coastal states from Virginia to Maine. This regional project, funded by the US Fish and Wildlife Service through a national State Wildlife Grant, was organized by tidal marsh bird researchers in Maine, Connecticut, The MOS Sanctuary at Irish Grove is one of the best places to view saltmarsh birds in Maryland. Photo: David Curson and Delaware, who have partnered with state wildlife agencies and the National Audubon Society to implement surveys region- wide. Results from the survey will be used by state and federal wildlife agencies, Audubon, and other conservation organizations to focus conservation actions on the most important sites, and as a baseline for future bird monitoring. In Maryland, Audubon Maryland-DC will be conducting the survey under contract from Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Between April and early July observers will conduct point counts at more than 100 randomly located sites, mostly in the marshes of Dorchester, Wicomico, Somerset, and Worcester Counties. They will make use of call playbacks to elicit calls from secretive marsh birds like rails and bitterns and sharp eyes to count marsh-dwelling sparrows. This project is an exciting opportunity to finally increase our knowledge of Maryland’s salt marsh birds so that we can begin to prioritize the best sites for habitat conservation and measures that will help the marsh “adapt” to sea-level rise, thus ensuring the long-term survival of the unique salt marsh bird community. For more information on the 2011 tidal marsh bird survey, visit the Audubon Maryland-DC website at http://mddc.audubon.org or contact me at 410-558-2473 or dcurson@audubon.org. — David Curson, Director of Bird Conservation Maryland-DC Audubon 6 The Maryland Yellowthroat 2nd Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Maryland and the District of Columbia: Scott Weidensaul reviews "a terrific book" T ust as Maryland took the lead by bringing breeding I bird atlasing to North America back in the early 1970s, the state is again at the forefront of this now-mature phenomenon, with one of the first — and certainly one of the best — of the second generation of atlas publications. 2nd Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Maryland and the District of Columbia , edited by Walter G. Ellison (John Hopkins University Press 2010, $75), represents the field work of more than 1,000 observers, who between 2002 and 2006 combed 1,284 atlas blocks to log more than 190,000 records of 206 species. Their labor — and the heavy lifting of compiling, analyzing and presenting the data — are presented in only the fourth such second-round book to appear, following Ontario’s and Alberta’s in 2007, and New York’s in 2008. (Like the first atlas, the second was spearheaded by MOS.) The result is a volume that will stand as the reference on the avifauna of Maryland and D.C. for a very long time to come — a comprehensive but highly readable, bird’s-eye view of the dynamics of avian populations in a part of the country that has seen enormous changes in the past two decades. It’s also a fascinating compilation of basic breeding ecology, phenology, and history of Maryland’s incredibly diverse birdlife. Readers of the first atlas publication ( Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Maryland and the District of Columbia, 1996, Chandler S. Robbins and Eirik A.T. Blom, eds., University of Pittsburgh Press), which summarized data from 1983-87, will notice both similarities and differences. Editor and atlas coordinator Walter G. Ellison (backed up by an editorial committee) has hewn closely to the format and layout of the original atlas — and, in the case of some introductory materials, has understandably recycled the text verbatim; the composition and history of Maryland’s predominant soil types has not, after all, changed in two decades. By contrast, where Robbins and Blom included a several pages on Maryland’s presettlement forests, Ellison has wisely focused more directly on current conditions and changes in land use over the past 20 years, and there is a new introductory section on representative Maryland habitats. The heart of any atlas, however, is its species accounts, and the new publication retains the now-standard format of facing pages for each species, with maps and illustrations. The writing — by nine co-authors, although Ellison wrote roughly two-thirds of the accounts himself — is crisp and accessible, a nice mix of the scientific and informational. (“The White-eyed Vireo has an air of impertinence about it with its jaunty switching tail, pale-eyed glare, and fussy mechanical song that warns Check! Ya got another tick!”) The accounts are as easy to read as they are full of insight. Color is used throughout the book, making the maps far easier to interpret than the black-and-white versions of the first atlas. Color photographs have likewise replaced the first book’s ink drawings; the quality of most is excellent, so much so that the handful of poor photographs (often of the more uncommon species) are unfortunately noticeable. Because this is Maryland’s second atlas, one of the most important aspects of the layout is how it visually presents changes in bird distribution from the first atlas to the second. This is a challenge to which there is no perfect solution. The Second Atlas of Breeding Birds of New York (2008, Kevin J. McGowan and Kimberly Corwin, eds.) uses two large state maps per species, one showing current distribution, the other color-coded to represent change between atlases; this works well but takes up precious space. Ontario ( Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Ontario, 2007, Michael D. Cadman et al., eds.) used a single map for each species, employing a combination of color-coding and symbols to indicate current distribution and changes between atlases — saving space but creating dense, hard-to- read maps. The Maryland book takes a hybrid approach — a single large map for the latest atlas distribution, and smaller maps that display relative abundance from miniroutes, and gain or loss by block since the first atlas. This is a good compromise, though the miniroutes — which show only presence/absence in any given block — may prove a disappointment to those who saw what Ontario was able to do with relative abundance data (to say nothing of the upcoming Pennsylvania atlas, which derives actual abundance and statewide population estimates from point counts of singing males). On the other hand, sticking with the miniroute system permits direct comparisons with 1980s atlas data, which has its own advantages. A second atlas always highlights the fluid nature of bird populations, and that is certainly the case with Maryland’s. Tree Swallows and Common Ravens were up (by 164 percent in the case of the swallows); Eastern Meadowlarks and Kentucky Warblers were down, by 40 percent for the 2nd ATLAS of tfcf BREEDING BIRDS e/ MARY LAND and the DISTRICT of COLUMBIA March/ April 201 1 7 latter. Double-crested Cormorants have firmly established themselves, while Common Mergansers apparently spread south from the burgeoning Pennsylvania population, surprising atlasers in several areas of the state. Long- eared and Short-eared Owls reappeared after an absence during the first atlas, and Red-breasted Nuthatches and Pine Siskins were confirmed. At the same time, three species — Northern Shoveler, Wilson’s Plover, and Bewick’s Wren — have vanished from the state since the last atlas — “probably permanently in the case of Bewick’s Wren.” “Observers in the mountains of Garrett County detected Carolina Wrens and Northern Mockingbirds in places where they had not been previously found,” Ellison writes. “Observers in central Maryland searched in vain for Broad-winged Hawks; they found Cooper’s Hawks instead. In tidewater regions the Bald Eagle had become a common sight.” The atlas demonstrates that Maryland’s birdlife is not only dynamic, but fragile. “Nearly one-fifth of Maryland’s breeding bird species were confirmed in fewer than 10 atlas blocks, raising concerns that some of them may disappear before the next atlas survey is conducted,” notes Chandler Robbins in his cautionary foreword. Robbins urges that Marylanders, who already have done more than most states to protect unfragmented woodlands, strengthen indoor-cat legislation and bird-friendly lighting and building codes, and landscape with native species that create, rather than destroy, bird habitat. Despite the relatively coarse scale of information that the miniroutes provide, they — coupled with the distribution data of the atlas as a whole — amply demonstrate the dramatic changes that the past two decades have brought to Maryland’s avifauna. The miniroutes confirm what any birder can see. Wild Turkeys, Mute Swans, and Cooper’s Hawks (which top the list of species showing the greatest increases since the first atlas) are far more abundant than they were 20 years ago; as measured by the miniroutes counts, turkey numbers more than doubled, as did the swans, a controversial exotic. Bald Eagles, Great Blue Herons, and Canada Geese all increased by more than 165 percent. Among the losers, two of the most conspicuous were the Ring-necked Pheasant and Northern Bobwhite. Pheasants populations were probably always augmented by stocking both in-state and across the Mason-Dixon Line in Pennsylvania, but during the second atlas “Ring-necked Pheasants were not refound in a stunning 316 blocks,” Ellison writes, “representing a 76% net loss, the largest such loss for a widespread bird between the two atlas projects.” While statistically less dramatic, the decline documented by the atlas among Northern Bobwhite is even more ominous, given how ubiquitous this native quail has traditionally been in Maryland. Once a signature species of the Piedmont and Chesapeake bayshores, the bobwhite is in the process of crashing almost everywhere in the state; as Ellison notes, even on the Eastern Shore, where it remains widespread, “the breeding confirmation rate has plummeted, suggesting there are far fewer broods to find there.” The atlas also shows worrisome declines in a suite of other species, some expected, some less so. That Golden- winged Warbler detections declined 65 percent from the first atlas will not come as a surprise — though the fact that Blue-winged Warblers, the species supposedly hybridizing Golden-wingeds into extinction, also declined by 22 percent on miniroutes may raise some eyebrows. (It should also, as Ellison suggests, prompt a reassessment of what other factors, like shrubland loss, may be driving the steep drop among Golden-wingeds and Blue-wingeds alike.) Nor will anyone be shocked to learn that Barn Owls were not refound in 131 blocks, one of the biggest declines by a widespread species — although even here, there is some measure of hope. Barn Owl declines along the Western Shore, Ellison speculates, may have been buffered by active nest box programs there. The amount of information in 2nd Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Maryland and the District of Columbia is staggering, best sampled a few pages at a time. Coming in at nearly 500 pages and a retail price of $75, is obviously not an impulse purchase — but given the sheer volume of work it presents in both the field and the editorial office, it’s a bargain, and one that every serious birder and conservationist in the region will want on their shelves. As noted, this is likely to remain the gold-standard reference on Maryland’s birds — at least until a third atlas appears in, say, 2030. Noted naturalist and author Scott Weidensaul is a longtime friend of MO S (and keynote speaker in 2007) as well as a contributor to the breeding bird atlas now in the works in his home state of Pennsylvania . His latest book, The First Frontier: The Forgotten History of Struggle, Savagery and Endurance in Early America, is due out in fall 2011. MOS SANCTUARY "WORK" WEEKEND Ap r il 2-3, Sq t urdqy-Sun d qy Changed to April 9-10, Sat - Sun Irish Grove, Somerset County Everyone is welcome and encougaged to volunteer, even for a few hours. Accomodations at the site are free for the weekend. A lunch and dinner will be provided on Sat, and the weekend will include bird walks on the trails and on Rumbly Pt Rd. If you can attend, please contact Brent Byers, 410-686-7294 or baypuffin@hotmail.com, or Dotty Mumford, dottymum@comcast.net. 8 The Maryland Yellowthroat Birds of Note— -by Les Roslund • GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW! First ever documented sighting in Maryland! What a delightful find on a cold winter day during a Christmas Bird Count. Congratulations to Bruce Peter john of USGS, who located and documented the bird while it was foraging in a large area of prime sparrow territory-a ravine about 100 yards away from the entrance road to Chesapeake Farms in Kent County, populated by hordes of sparrows. This was during the Lower Kent County CBC on Dec 19. When counters from other sectors convened at Chesapeake Farms for lunch, they learned the stunning news and, in the words of Dan Haas, “lost our collective appetites.” Despite searching intensely, they were unable to find the bird again that afternoon — but at daybreak on Dec 20 the GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW was again in the open, and close to the main drive. The jubilant birders took photos, spread seed, and obtained permission from the Chesapeake Farms management for other birders to visit. Word of the sighting spread rapidly, and the sparrow cooperated by taking up residence in an accessible hedgerow. A great number of birders from the region managed to find and enjoy the bird over the next several weeks. The old adage of “bird every bird” certainly paid off here, but the importance of Bruce’s well-honed birding skills should not be underestimated. This bird, a lifer for many and a state bird for all, was still being found as of early Feb. • On Dec 29 a LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE showed up on the grounds of Pickering Creek Audubon Center in Talbot County just in time to be spotted by Zach Baer, home for the holidays from college in California. This was the first mid-shore sighting of the species since at least the early 1990s, though Loggerhead Shrikes were regular in migration back in the 1960s. Occasionally they still show up as migrants in other parts of Maryland. The Pickering Creek shrike turned out to be very twitchable, for it chose a reliable feeding site that could be seen from public roads. Numerous visitors were finding the bird until Jan 7, but that night the weather changed and the bird disappeared. On Jan 15 it was relocated and it was seen again on Jan 17, but there have been no later reports. • In Maryland WHITE-WINGED DOVES are occasionally seen as they fly overhead, but it is quite unusual to have one come to a feeder and continue to use it. Deviating from such precedent, a beautiful WHITE-WINGED DOVE turned up Jan 9 at a feeder near Monrovia, Frederick County, and has continued as a daily visitor to the site through Jan 22. It has loosely associated with a small flock of MOURNING DOVES. The finder, Esther Smith of Monrovia, reported the sighting on eBird, launching an enthusiastic parade of birders. Numerous photos attest to the fact that this is indeed a lovely bird. • During winter months many Maryland birders watch hopefully for finches, crossbills, and grosbeaks from the Canadian Provinces, but such visitors have not been frequent this winter. EVENING GROSBEAKS were reported four times. On Dec 8, Jim Stasz spotted two as they flew past his deck in North Beach, Calvert County; he had first heard the diagnostic flight call. On Dec 11 at Jug Bay, Prince George’s County, Jeff Shenot heard and saw two EVENING GROSBEAKS calling to each other high in some sycamore trees; after a sequence of calls the birds moved beyond hearing range and were not seen again. On Dec 16 Carol Broderick of Salisbury, Wicomico County, enjoyed a brief visit by a female EVENING GROSBEAK; it stopped at the same pyracantha bush in her yard as her most recent previous grosbeak visitor, on Nov 17, 1997. On Jan 3, Jon Corcoran of Catonsville heard a flight call and saw a silhouette of an EVENING GROSBEAK as it flew over the pines of the Prime Outlets Shopping Center in Queen Anne’s County; this bird also just kept on going. • COMMON REDPOLLS were in very short supply this winter, with only three reports. Best viewing occurred at a feeder in the yard of J.B. Churchill in Frostburg, Washington County. JB’s bird showed up on Jan 12 and stayed around just long enough for him to get some splendid photographs, but it did not return. A brief sighting of a COMMON REDPOLL was a Dec 29 treat for Jim Wilson (the younger) of Queenstown, Queen Anne’s County. A single bird stopped at one of the Wilson’s backyard feeders, but it did not stay long and it did not return. During the Ocean City Christmas Bird Count on Jan 5 a single COMMON REDPOLL was seen within a large flock of feeding AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES. These birds were on Assateague Island, Worcester County. • One of the most beautiful bird surprises of the winter was provided by a male PAINTED BUNTING. This bird, in full breeding plumage, stopped at the home of Jane and Fred Fallon in Huntington, Calvert County, on Dec 15. It was just in time to greet Jane on her birthday but it did not stay around long, and it did not return for the viewing enjoyment of any other birders. March/ April 201 1 9 • The best bird for twitchers this winter was certainly the very vocal and easily viewed RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD that spent several weeks in College Park, Prince George’s County. Rick Borchelt served as the gracious host, guiding a continuous stream of birders to the deck of his house to view and photograph the bird. The first sighting was way back on Nov 21 and the final sighting occurred on Jan 14. After 55 consecutive days of feasting, the little bird was surely at full strength and ready to handle the challenges of migration to a warmer location. • Winter visitors that seem to be out of place provide extra joy for birders. One of these was a HARLEQUIN DUCK that stopped in at Fort Armistead Park in Baltimore. This bird, a young male, was first noticed on Jan 9 by Keith Eric Costley of Baltimore. He promptly passed the word and by evening 16 eBirders and probably many others had managed to see it. However, this duck has proven to be a bit evasive, and it has taken some folks repeated trips to find it. The duck was still being reported as of Jan 22. It’s an Old Story... What? You say don’t already have Golden-crowned Sparrow on your Maryland list? Why not? There have been over 140 Golden-crowned Sparrows in Maryland before this one in Kent County!!! Starting in September 1962, through April 1963, over 660 sparrows were transported from San Jose, CA to Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (PWRC) in Laurel, MD and released as part of a migratory homing experiment conducted by L. Richard Mewaldt of the Avian Biology Laboratory, San Jose State University, in cooperation with Chan Robbins of PWRC. The 660 birds, including 142 Golden-crowned Sparrows as well as two subspecies of White-crowned Sparrows (Z. /. gambelli and Z. /. pugetnesis), were transported by jet aircraft to Laurel and released. A local PWRC trapping program showed that the displaced adults tended to disappear quickly from the release area while the birds of less than one year old tended to remain in the area until the spring. Of the 660 birds released at Laurel, 15 were known to have returned to their wintering grounds in the San Jose area. Of these 15, six had also previously been released in Baton Rouge, LA during the winter of 1961-1962 and then returned to San Jose. Mewalt presumed that since these birds returned to San Jose the following winter, rather than the same winter, they had found their way to their ancestral nesting grounds and then migrated “normally” to their wintering grounds. — Phil Davis Secretary, MD/DC Records Committee Seminal Resource Now On Line By Phil Davis, Secretary of MD/DC Records Committee I am pleased to pass the word that the important publication we generally refer to as “Stewart and Robbins (1958)” is now available on line. This document serves as the checklist baseline for the MD/DC Records Committee and is a key historical work about the birds of our region. In addition to the species accounts, the work includes a historical sketch and describes the geography and the biotic regions. The main body of the work is as of 1956; however, an appendix discusses important records into early 1958, the publication year. I had not previously found these sources on line earlier and I want to thank Lynda Garrett of Patuxent Wildlife Research Center for locating these links and alerting me to them. Also, thanks to Chan Robbins for his help with this. There are two sources: ( 1 ) The Internet Library. The following link will take you to a page where you can download the document in various formats. The document is over 400 pages. The PDF document size is 21MB, it is searchable, and the PDF page numbers align with the actual document’s page numbers: http://www.archive.org/details/northamericanfau62unit. (2) A second source, provided by the The National Conservation Training Center, is where all of the North American Fauna issues have been digitized; however, the PDF document size is larger (29MB) and the page numbers do not align. That document is available here: http://www. fwspubs.org/doi/abs/1 0.3996/nafa. 62.0001 . The full citation is: Robert E Stewart, Chandler S Robbins (1958) BIRDS OF MARYLAND AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. North American Fauna : January 1958, Number 62: pp. 1-401. 10 The Maryland Yellowthroat ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY Please note: The Anne Arundel Bird Club has a new web site : www.AABirdClub.com. From January 8 to 13 I was delighted to visit my friend Marilyn Taylor, also a member of AABC, in Titusville, FL, where she is spending two glorious months avoiding winter’s harsh weather. We birded Merritt Island Wildlife NWR and the water treatment plant in Viera as well as the Blue Heron Water Treatment Plant in Titusville and the Prairie Lakes unit of Three Lakes WMA in central Florida. We were joined by former Marylander Chris Beaton who now lives on Florida’s west coast. Despite windy and/or unseasonably cold weather we were able to see 100+ birds in 3-5 days and increase our life lists by 2 (Chris) and 3 (me). Highlights for me were Snail Kite, Whooping Crane, avocets, stilts, a Great Horned Owl on the nest, a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks building a nest, many ducks, gannets, shorebirds, and the waders. We saw several Sora as well. The non-birding highlight was the bobcat that jumped out of the shrubbery and pounced on a Snowy Egret, then carried it back into the brush for his dinner. It was a very birdy trip, and I was happy for the opportunity to spend it in Titusville. — Bobbi Reichwein CAROLINE COUNTY We note, in loving memory, the loss of two long-time members of the Caroline County Chapter of MOS. Mariana Nuttle passed away December 7, 2010. Mariana was past president of the Caroline Chapter as well as the May Count Coordinator for many years. She was passionate about birding and teaching others of all ages about birds and birding. She was instrumental in having bluebird nesting boxes put up on the Caroline County Country Club golf course back in the early 1980s. Inez Glime died on December 11, 2010. Inez was a long-time active member of the Chapter and helped with its bird counts. She loved her bluebirds and did her part to save them from their decline. For more than a decade Inez maintained a bluebird trail of more than 100 nesting boxes near Federalsburg. She talked friends, family, and neighbors into placing bluebird nesting boxes on their properties in south Caroline County and monitored the boxes for them. — Debby Bennett HARFORD COUNTY Debbie Bowers has been hosting a female Baltimore Oriole and an Audubon’s Warbler at her home in Northern Harford County. “About a dozen people from various clubs came in December to see one or both birds, which come to my bird bath in front of the house. I first saw the Audubon’s about October 25 and the oriole December 4. 1 am still seeing the oriole every day. I am not sure the Audubon’s is still around, but I haven’t been at my office window much lately. One of the discussions through all this is the observation that having a heated bird bath is a big draw for winter birds. Without the bath I would never have seen either of these birds. This was also true of the Townsend’s Solitaire that I had in 1996. His use of the bath allowed me to spot him easily.” — Debbie Bowers HOWARD COUNTY In 2010 there were 236 bird species seen in Howard County. This tied year 1994 for the second most species in a year. Only 2009 had more, with 242. The individual county record was broken by Joe Hanfman with 226 species. He was able to see 95.8% of all species seen in the county, thanks to improved communications, the Howard County Listers’ Alerts, and phone calls and texts from fellow birders, not to mention spending a lot of time in the field. It is interesting that he missed 17 species that he had seen in 2009 when he set the previous record of 225. Joe also ended up with his highest Maryland total of 320 species and his third highest ABA total with 448 species. Not a bad year for Joe. Six entries in the Howard County Bird Club’s Student Art Contest were on display at the Glenwood Library for the entire month of December. The display was so well received that the library asked for the drawings to remain for an additional month. Patrons were amazed at the talent of these young artists. — Kate Tufts MONTGOMERY COUNTY MBC members Jim and Ann Nelson were in Colorado for Christmas. Because Jim missed his usual Seneca Christmas Bird Count, to get his CBC fix he volunteered to help with the local CBC in Estes Park (near Rocky Mountain National Park). Two days later Jim “had quite an experience. I went down to Lake Estes in mid- afternoon to bird. The lake retains open water in the winter due to the outflow from the local hydropower plant, and I hoped to see some waterfowl. It was snowing lightly as I walked from the parking lot at the head of the lake, when I saw a gull flying away from me toward the lake. It had very distinct dark wing tips with an interesting pattern of black and white areas I did not recognize — the black areas formed a ‘v’ shape on each wing with a bright white area behind the black ‘v.’ At several points I left the paved walking trail to view the open water, but no gulls. Back on March/ April 201 1 11 the trail I suddenly saw the gull flying back toward the power plant outlet at the head of the lake. I hustled back and left the trail to view the open water below the outlet. The gull was on the water about 100 feet away from me. I immediately knew it was something different. I noted a white head and black bill with a black spot behind the eye and a vertical black line at the back of the head as well as a lot of black in the folded wings. I checked my field guide and quickly realized that I was looking at a first-winter Black-legged Kittiwake — a life bird and a very unusual bird for landlocked Colorado! As I was viewing the bird, the snow was intensifying and it was getting colder and windier. Coming from out of state, I had only one potential contact to tell about the bird and seek confirmation. I juggled binoculars, gloves, bird guide, and cell phone as I called back to our house and had Ann look up the phone number of Scott, the local CBC compiler, whom we had just met at the compilation dinner the night of the CBC. I reached him on his cell phone but he was over an hour away. I described the bird, and he told me this might be the first or, at most, second- ever sighting of the kittiwake in Estes Park. He promised to call someone to come to the lake to confirm the bird. “Just as he and I finished talking, the kittiwake flew back toward the lake and out of view. I rushed back toward the lake while the snow storm intensified and viewing deteriorated. I checked the open water from several vantage points, but I did not see the bird again. Through the blowing snow, I could see a couple of cars on the far side of the lake driving slowly and stopping; I guessed they were birders. I went back to my car and drove around to that side of the lake where I encountered two local birders who had been called by Scott. They had arrived in time to see the kittiwake and confirm my ID; they managed to take a couple of good pictures as well. We were joined by two other folks, and we all drove up and down by the lake, but no one saw the kittiwake again. Unfortunately, Scott did not make it back in time to see this one-hour wonder, but he confirmed this was only the second record in over 50 years of local record- keeping and a nice ‘count week’ bird for the CBC. Little did I realize when I started my bird walk that I would be writing up a rare bird for the Colorado Bird Records Committee. And I learned a very important lesson — always bring a camera!” Former MBC member Tom Marko , now living in Okinawa, Japan, and “lurking on MD Osprey from afar” writes that he gets out at least once a week to his favorite birding patches and has now ticked 145 species on the island. New to his list are fall passage migrants and winter visitors including Mandarin Duck, Greater Scaup, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Caspian Tern, Siberian Rubythroat, Red-flanked Bluetail, White’s (Scaly) Thrush, and Naumann’s Thrush. He and his wife Joanne just returned from a Christmas trip to Singapore and Malaysia where he added 72 new birds to his world list. They found the array of birds and the colorful, exotic plumages in the tropics amazing. A highlight was seeing a pair of Oriental Pied Hornbills. In March, Tom is off with friends for a two-week birding trip to southern Thailand. BTW, with an average annual temperature of 72 degrees in Okinawa, “I don’t miss winters in the northeast at all.” Sally Wechsler and Helen Patton also fled winter (temporarily) on a Wildside Naturetours Endemic Dash to Puerto Rico in December. Sally wrote, “The tour was fantastic — short (5 days), and we got all but one of the 17 endemic birds. There were five people on the tour plus the leader so it was a nice size and very compatible group. Puerto Rico is a very easy place to bird and is tropical. We left there and came here to 20 degrees F temperature and snow! Wow! ” — Chris Wright ft PROVIDENCE united wethodist church GOO S DOVE IS HERE I AND SO IS HIS LOVE I Lj WORSHIP/ SUH, SCHOOL 9 30 1 bg| KE1MPT0WNUMC.0RG II SOUTHERN MARYLAND Perhaps you’re aware of the buzz with the White-winged Dove in Esther Smith’s yard in Monrovia, Frederick County? The only convenient viewing location is from behind her yard, but there’s a church parking lot less than a block away. (See photo.) It’s a feel-good thing that emphasizes how the birding community has worked well with the local community. This may be the tenth WWDO record for MD, pending acceptance. All but one other record were one-day-wonders but it needs to stay another week to break the record for the sole long-staying individual. Maybe... — Tyler Bell TRI-COUNTY After birding on their own in New Zealand, Chris Dominic and Mike Walsh joined a Tropical Birding group in Cairns for a 12-day tour of Australia, their first time “down under.” The Great Barrier Reef was a great start, with both frigatebirds, Black Noddy, Black-naped Tern, and Red-footed Booby. Next stop was the rainforest, which introduced them to fruit doves and honeyeaters plus the Rat Kangaroo. Then it was off to Brisbane and a stay at “the” birding hotspot — O’Reilly’s Resort — which offered both Golden and Regent Bowerbirds. The fourth location involved a flight to the Hay Plains, west of Sydney, on the edge of the Outback. This area teemed with birds (Fairy Wrens, Superb Lyrebirds, and 28 parrot and cockatoo species) plus 12 species of kangaroo and the platypus. Last on the list were 3 days in Tasmania for 7 species of robins. Next on their agenda is Alaska in May with Elderhostel. Retirement is exhausting! — Carol Broderick 12 The Maryland Yellowthroat Another Atlas Comes to Town A s you can see from the review on page 6, the 2nd Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Maryland and the District of Columbia is now a 494-page reality. And the book looks great! Birders who assisted in collecting the breeding bird data that went into that book have another 10 to 12 years to wait before the third breeding bird atlas project gets under way. Meantime, for those of us hooked on atlasing, there is an opportunity to get in the field and collect data THIS YEAR. Maryland is conducting an atlas of primitive birds, more commonly known as reptiles and amphibians. The Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas (MARA) project began in 2010. It is modeled after the two breeding bird atlas projects and, like them, it is a partnership effort. The Natural History Society of Maryland is taking the role of MOS as the principal conservation organization. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is the principal financial partner and is providing staff for the project. Many other organizations are assisting in the effort. Common Five-lined Skink (George Jett) MARA represents a 5 -year effort to document the distribution of every one of the nearly 100 species of reptile and amphibian native to Maryland: turtles, lizards, snakes, salamanders and newts, and frogs and toads. It will use the same grid system as the bird atlases; the goal is to document at least 10 species in each atlas block and at least 25 species in each quad statewide. As with the bird atlases, every county in Maryland has a county coordinator whose job is to ensure that data are collected in his or her county and submitted each year. The job of these county coordinators is a much more difficult one, since there are far fewer folks interested in reptiles and amphibians than in birds. If you are a person interested in reptiles and amphibians or would like to become better acquainted with these critters, we could use your help. Pickerel Frog (Glenn Therres) The transition from birder to herper (i.e., reptile and amphibian specialist) is not all that difficult. There are far fewer calls to learn; only frogs and toads vocalize, and Maryland has fewer than 20 species of frogs and toads. Birders are good at using the details of body characteristics to identify different bird species; these are the same skills that are needed to identify the various species of reptiles and amphibians. In contrast to birds, with herps it is often possible for the observer to get his or her hands on the animal to get a better look at its distinguishing characteristics. Once in the hand, the critter can be photographed as well. The MARA project strongly encourages photo documentation . Amplexus Spring Peepers (George Jett) March/ April 201 1 13 Compared to breeding bird atlasing, the field season for reptiles and amphibians is much longer. As soon as the snow and ice melt in late February or March, the field season for herping begins. Reptiles and amphibians do not migrate, so there is no need for safe dates; any date is “safe.” The field season extends until temperatures drive the animals into hibernation, generally October or November in Maryland. This extended field season is especially important given the small pool of field workers. Though the overall field season is longer, every species has its own window of availability. For example, spring peepers and wood frogs vocalize in the early spring while bullfrogs and gray treefrogs call when the weather gets warmer. Frogs and toads are more active during rain events. Snakes and lizards emerge later in the spring than turtles and salamanders. Woodland salamanders, such as the red- backed salamander, disappear underground during the heat of the summer. Many snakes become more nocturnal when the temperatures get hot. These differences due to time of the year or in response to weather conditions add to the challenge of documenting reptiles and amphibians. Marbled Salamander ( George Jett) Clockwise, top left: Painted Turtles and Red-eared Slider Turtle ( Glenn Therres); Painted Turtle (George Jett); endangered Rainbow Snake (George Jett). To see all of the herps pictured here in full color, please see this issue on line at www.mdbirds.org. One good thing about atlasing reptiles and amphibians is that the field worker does not need to be out at the crack of dawn. Reptiles and amphibians become active later in the day than breeding birds. In fact, many species are much more active after dark. The biggest challenge for birders becoming reptile and amphibian atlasers is getting used to looking down at the ground instead of up in the trees. Several of our field workers and county coordinators are converted birders. Lynn Davidson, George Jett, Kyle Rambo, David Smith, Dave Weesner, Dave Wilson, and myself are just a few of the converts. You can be one, too! If you are interested in helping, more information is available at http://www.marylandnature.org/mara/index.htm. Contact information for every county coordinator can be found there as well. Please give this some serious consideration. Herping can be just as much fun as birding. We need the help! — Glenn Therres Maryland Department of Natural Resources Wildlife and Heritage Service 14 The Maryland Yellowthroat Tuesday, March 1 Meeting. Baltimore. Tuesday Evening Lecture at Cylburn’s Greenhouse Classroom, 4915 Greenspring Ave. Tonight: “Helping Bluebirds” with Katherine Patterson, bluebird trail monitor at Oregon Ridge Nature Center and volunteer naturalist and trustee at Irvine Nature Center. Doors open at 7 PM for socializing and snacks, show starts about 7:15 PM. Note: Meeting cancelled if Balt City schools are closed that day for snow. When in doubt, check with lecture chairman Pete Webb, 410-486-1217 (h) or 443-904-6314 (m), or pete_ webb@juno.com. A Montgomery. Informal Late Afternoon Walks until Dusk. Joint MBC/ANS trips. Meet at the end of Seneca Rd at Riley’s Lock “on the bridge” at 5 PM. After checking out the river we will proceed to Hughes Hollow. Highlights here will include waterfowl flying into roost. We will try for displaying woodcock if they are in the vicinity. Bring scope, flashlight, and wear “muddy conditions” footwear. Reservations not required. Lor more info call Jim Green at 301-742-0036 (cell). Wednesday, March 2 A Baltimore. Lirst Wednesdays at Port McHenry. Monthly survey of bird activity at the wetland. Scopes useful. Automatically cancelled in bad weather (rain, sleet, snow, fog, etc.). [Prom 1-695 southwest of the city, take 1-95 north (exit 11) towards the city. Get off at exit 55, Hanover St. Turn east (right) on McComas St, north (left) on Key Hwy. Take first left onto Lawrence St and turn left onto Port Ave, continue through gateway into the park.] Meet outside the Visitor Center at 8 AM. Leader: Mary Chetelat, 410-665-0769. Meeting. Carroll. “Herpetology Atlas” by Scott Smith. 7:30 PM at South Carroll Senior Center, 5928 Mineral Hill Rd, Elder sburg. Contact Dave Harvey, 410-795-3117 for more info. Meeting. Cecil. Program TBA. 7 PM at the Elkton HS. Lor more info, contact Maryanne Dolan at maryanne.dolan@gmail.com. Thursday, March 3 A Prederick. Lirst Thursday Mornings. Leader and destination TBA. Meet at Baker Park by Culler Lake at 8 AM. Return at approximately 1 1 AM. Lor info, please contact Pat Caro, 301-845-6246. Meeting. Prederick. Are you feeling uncertain about your ability to help with the Maryland Herp Atlas? Come meet Scott Smith, MD DNR, State Herpetologist, and enjoy his program, “All You Need to Know about Reptiles and Amphibians but Were Afraid to Ask.” 7 PM at Crumland Parms, 7404 Willow Rd, Prederick. A Montgomery. Informal Late Afternoon Walks until Dusk. See March 1 listing. A Patuxent. Lake Artemesia (Luther Goldman Birding Trail). Joint trip with PGAS. 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, March 4 Meeting. Harford. Jean Wheeler and Lynn Feryus present “Birding New Zealand.” Dinner at 6:15 PM, program at 7 PM at Churchville Presbyterian Church, MD 22 and MD 136. Lor info, call Dave Webb, 410-939-3537. Saturday, March 5 AAnne Arundel. Wooten’s Landing for Woodcocks. Meet 4 PM at Parole P&R. Leader: Kathie Lambert, 410- 867-4056 or kbert59@yahoo.com. A Baltimore. Middle Creek WMA. All-day trip (bring lunch) to visit this major gathering place north of Lancaster, PA for Snow Geese and other waterfowl. There is also an excellent display of mounted birds at the Visitor Center. Note: Trip may go elsewhere if Middle Creek is frozen over. Meet 8 AM at Timonium P&R on Greenspring Dr/Deereco Rd off Timonium Rd just east of 1-83. Leader: Pete Webb, 410-486-1217 or cell 443-904-6314 or pete_webb@ juno.com. Contact leader to learn if trip is delayed a week due to ice on lake or weather conditions. Ice/snow date is Mar 12. A Cecil. Eastern Neck NWR. Pull day. Meet 7 AM at Big Elk Mall, Elkton at Dunkin’ Donuts parking lot area. Leader: John Taylor, jptaylor@ dllr.state.md.us. A Harford. Broad Creek Scout Camp. Explore diverse habitats of this Harford Co treasure for wintering songbirds and possible raptors. Meet at Dublin ES on Rte 136 north of Rte 1 at 8:30 AM. Leader: Sue Procell, 410-676-6602 or suzanne.procell@ us.army.mil. A Patuxent. Pran Uhler NA. Meet 7:30 AM at the 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. Sunday, March 6 A Baltimore. Loch Raven. Waterfowl and land birds. Possible Bald Eagles and bluebirds. Meet 8:30 AM along Stone Hill Rd. All cars need to park on the same side of the road. Leader: Debbie Terry, 410-252-8771 or dterryl2@verizon.net. A Howard. Centennial Park. 2-3 hrs. 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. Waterfowl expected, early migrant passerines possible. Meet 8 AM at west end parking lot. Leader: March/ April 201 1 15 Jeff Culler, cullerfuls@hotmail.com or 410-465-9006. Facilities available. A Kent. Chesapeake Farms. Wintering waterfowl, raptors, White- crowned and other sparrows. Half day; bring snacks. Meet 8 AM at Dollar General Store parking lot, Chestertown. Leaders: Walter Ellison and Nancy Martin, 410-778-9568 or rossgull@baybroadband.net. A Talbot. Salisbury neighborhood birding followed by brunch locally plus tour of Ward Museum led by Sam Dyke, Director. Leader: Jan Reese, 410-745-2875. Depart Easton Acme parking lot 7 AM. Tuesday, March 8 Meeting. Allegany/Garrett. 7 PM, Room 327 Compton Hall, Frostburg State U, Frostburg. Speaker: Tom Dulz. Title: “Newfoundland.” Info: Contact J.B. Churchill at jchurchi@ atlanticbb.net. Meeting. Kent. “Identifying Spring Warblers by Sight and Song,” by Pete Webb. 7:30 PM at Wesley Hall, Heron Point, E Campus Ave, Chestertown. For info contact Nancy Martin, 410-778-9568. A Montgomery. Informal Late Afternoon Walks until Dusk. See March 1 listing. Meeting. Patuxent. Don Messersmith will present “50 Years of Birds and Birdwatching in PG County.” 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, contact Fred Shaffer at glaucousgull@verizon.net. Wednesday, March 9 A Harford. Timberdoodle Search. Join this evening watch for one of our most interesting (and elusive!) birds, the American Woodcock, as it performs its mating dance. Meet 5:30 PM at the Rte 155/95 P&R. The Leader is Tom Gibson, 410-734-4135 or gibsonlld@aol.com. Thursday, March 10 Meeting. Anne Arundel. Richard E. Heise, Jr. Annual Wildlife Lecture. “The Penguins of the World.” Steven J. Sarro, Director of Animal Programs for the National Aviary and Species Survival Plan Coordinator for the African Penguin. 8 PM in the Blue Heron Rm at Quiet Waters Park. 600 Quiet Waters Park Rd, Annapolis. Meeting. Howard. “Enhancing Maryland’s Wood Duck Population One Nest Box at a Time,” by Cliff Brown. Having founded the Maryland Wood Duck Initiative in 2004, Cliff will review the activities of this all-volunteer conservation organization and discuss a “best practices” approach in managed nest programs. Hospitality and club bookstore 7:30 PM; meeting/program 8 PM at Howard Co Rec and Parks, 7210 Oakland Mills Rd, Columbia. Info: Ward Ebert, 301-490-5807. Meeting. Talbot. Dr. Heather Cunningham, statewide coordinator of the Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas project, will talk about the project. Heather did her PhD work at the U of AL on salamanders. In addition to research, she has also done outreach in AL to educate the public about reptiles and amphibians. She now lives in Federalsburg. 7 PM at William Hill Manor Auditorium, 501 Dutchmans Ln, Easton. Info: Cathy Cooper, 410-822-3451 or coopercw@goeaston.net. Friday, March 11 Annual Social. Montgomery. 6:30 PM at Woodend, Chevy Chase. Mark England is the Guest of Honor. Reservations required. For more info contact Steve Pretl at stevep@ takomavillage.org. Saturday, March 12 MOS Board Meeting. Hosted by Montgomery Bird Club at Black Hill RP. Contact Janet Shields, MOS Secretary, at janetbill@prodigy.net for add’l info. A Indicates Field Trip H Anne Arundel. Naval Academy Dairy Farm. Meet 7 AM at Parole P&R for this half-day trip. Leader: David Gillum, 410-266-8775 or dagmapper@verizon.net. A Frederick. Timberdoodles at Audrey Carroll. David Smith will lead us on a search for American Woodcocks. Bring a flashlight. For meeting place and time, call David at 410-549-7082. A Howard. Waterfowl Search. Meet at Broken Land Pkwy P&R (west) at 8 AM but make sure you contact the leader because dredging of Columbia lakes may change the meet point. We’ll carpool to search the Howard County waterways for ducks, grebes, mergansers, and loons. Chance of an early migrant. Leader: Kurt Schwarz, 410-461-1643, krschwa 1 @verizon.net. A Montgomery. Jug Bay, Prince George’s County. Half day. Joint trip with ANS. Possible Rusty Blackbirds, migrating Wilson’s Snipe, and courtship display of Osprey. Wear waterproof footwear. Meet at 8 AM. For details and directions, check ANS News (www.audubonnaturalist.org/ default.asp?page=523). Reservations required. Limit: 15. Leader: John Bjerke, 240-401-1643. Saturday-Sunday, March 12-13 H Harford. New Jersey Coast. A winter waterfowl bonanza along the mid-Jersey coast. Join leader Dave Ziolkowski for this overnight trip. Limited lodging is available. Contact Dave at dziolkowski@usgs.gov for departure time and place and for lodging info. Sunday, March 13 A Baltimore. Marshy Point Nature Center. Half-day trip for winter waterfowl, raptors, passerines. Meet 9 AM. Half-mile trail leads to point overlooking Dundee Creek. Boots advisable, scopes useful. Leaders: Debbie Terry, 410-252-8771 or dterryl2@verizon.net, and Mary Byers, 410-626-7294 or baypuffin@ hotmail.com. continued on page 1 6 16 The Maryland Yellowthroat Calendar continued from page IS fl Howard. Centennial Park. 2-3 hrs. See Mar 6 listing. Leader: Mike Kerwin, m63kerwin@verizon.net, 410-461-2408. Facilities available. It Talbot. Akridge property. Leaders: Priscilla and Paul Thut, 410-745- 6657. Depart Easton Acme parking lot at 7AM. Breakfast. Tuesday, March 15 It Montgomery. Informal Late Afternoon Walks until Dusk. See March 1 listing. Wednesday, March 16 It Harford. Timberdoodle Search. Join this evening watch for one of our most interesting (and elusive!) birds, the American Woodcock, as it performs its mating dance. Meet 6:30 PM at the Rte 155/95 P&R. Leader: Elaine Beery, 410-272-6037 or ehbeery@yahoo.com. Thursday, March 17 Meeting. Caroline. Special Program for 60th Anniversary Celebration. 7:30 PM, Caroline Co Public Library, 100 Market St, Denton. For add’l info contact Debby Bennett at firefly5 845@hotmail.com. It Patuxent. Lake Artemesia (Luther Goldman Birding Trail). Joint trip with PGAS. 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. Saturday, March 19 It Anne Arundel. Pickering Creek Audubon Center, Talbot Center. Full day. Meet 7 AM at Bay 50 Shopping Center. Bring lunch. Leader: Tom Bradford, 410-987-0674 or tabslab@aol.com. It Baltimore. Saturday Monitoring Walks at Fort McHenry. Continuing survey of bird activity at the Fort. Scope can be useful. Automatically cancelled in bad weather (rain, sleet, snow, fog, etc). Meet 8 AM in the park, outside the Visitor Center. [From 1-95, take Hanover St exit 55, McComas St (last exit before tunnel eastbound, first after tunnel westbound) east, north (left) on Key Hwy which turns west, first left Lawrence St, east (left) on Fort Ave, continue east to gate into Fort McHenry. From the JFX, 1-83, south to St Paul St exit, south on St Paul becomes Light St, then left (east) onto Fort Avenue, continue to end as above. Park outside the Fort (on the left just before the gate) on the lot along Wallace St.] Leader: Jim Peters, 410-429-0966. A Cecil. Blackwater NWR and Beyond. Full day. A trip designed to see large numbers of waterfowl during the height of spring staging season. Bald Eagles are a bonus feature. To carpool, meet near Dunkin’ Donuts in Big Elk Mall, intersection of Rte 40 and Rte 213 in Elkton at 6 AM, or 9 AM at the refuges’s HQ. Bring breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Dress for possible extreme cold and wind. Bring scope if you have one. Some easy walking on level ground. Leader: Sean McCandless, seanmccandlessl@ comcast.net. A Frederick. Piney Run. Half-day trip. Piney Run is one of the best places for wintering waterfowl in Carroll Co. Red-necked Grebes, Canvasbacks, and Redheads will be among the species we will be seeking. Leader: Pat Caro, 301-845-6246. Please contact Pat no later than Fri morning before the trip. A Harford. Harford Waterfowl Tour. Visit several areas in the county to see a variety of waterfowl as they congregate prior to migrating north. Meet at the McDonald’s in Edge wood on Rte 40 at 7 AM. Bring a photo ID for admittance to APG. Leader Dave Webb, 410-939-3537 or porzana@ comcast.net. 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 trip leader Bill Sefton at kiwisuits@msn.com. A Patuxent. Woodcocks! Evening trip to one of the local leks for displaying woodcocks. Location, meeting place, and time will depend on which location is most reliable during the previous week. Contact Dave Mozurkewich for info and reservations, 301-458-3375 or mozurk@bellatlantic.net. A Tri-County. Prime Hook NWR and DE Bay. Waterfowl, raptors, and early migrants. Bring lunch and drinks. Meet 7:30 AM in Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art parking lot on S Schumaker Dr on Beaglin Park Dr in Salisbury. Leader: Sam Dyke, 410-603-7615. Sunday, March 20 A Howard. Centennial Park. 2-3 hrs. See Mar 6 listing. Leader: Joe Byrnes 410-730-5329, LBRoller@verizon.net. Facilities available. A Talbot. Pickering Creek. Leader: Les Roslund, 410-763-8169. Depart Easton Acme parking lot at 7 AM. Tuesday, March 22 Meeting. Washington. 7 PM at the Mt. Aetna Nature Center. Joan Cwi will discuss “Lights Out Baltimore.” Friday, March 25 A Washington. Meet for dinner in Clear Spring and then move on to nearby Blair’s Valley in search of woodcocks and owls. Contact Dave Weesner at 301-302-6376 for starting time and place. Saturday, March 26 A Baltimore. Patterson Park, at the White House (27 S. Patterson Park Ave). Early spring migrants found in this urban park may include Caspian Tern, Merlin, Pine Warbler, Fox Sparrow, and woodcock! Meet 8 AM at the White House. Leader: Dave Curson, 410-675-4963 or dcurson@ audubon.org. A Carroll. Dickey Farm. Meet at Rte 32 P&R north of Rte 70 at 7:45 AM. Moderate walking, some hills. Searching for late winter birds and early migrants. Leaders: Dave and March/ April 201 1 17 Maureen Harvey. For info call Dave Harvey, 410-795-3117. A Harford. Harford Glen. Experience a variety of habitats and a great variety of birds at this neighborhood site. Meet at the Glen (west end of Wheel Rd) at 7:30 AM. Contact Lynn Davis at 410-569-0504 or lynnd@ iximd.com or Dave Larkin at 410- 569-8319 or dlarkin@towson.edu. A Kent. Owl Prowl. Meet 7 PM at the Eastern Neck NWR Lodge. This field trip will hopefully bring us face to face with an owl or two after an introduction to local species and their calls. Leaders: Walter Ellison and Nancy Martin, 410-778-9568 or rossgull@baybroadband.net. A Patuxent. Lower Patuxent River. Meet at Bowie P&R at 7 AM. We will be looking for waterfowl, wintering sparrows, and early migrants on this trip to many of the top spots in southern PG Co. RSVP required. Contact Fred Shaffer at 410-721- 1744 or glaucousgull@verizon.net. Sunday, March 27 A Howard. Centennial Park. 2-3 hrs. See Mar 6 listing. Leader: Bonnie Ott, bonnieott@verizon.net. Facilities available. A Talbot. Spocott Farms, Dorchester Co. Leaders: George Radcliffe and Wayne Bell, 410-820-6002. Depart Easton Acme parking lot at 7 AM. Breakfast. Monday, March 28 Annual Dinner Meeting. Tri-County. 6 PM at Ward Museum of Wildlife Art, Education Rm. Program: “Wild Alaska” by Sam Dyke and JoAnn and Paul Wilber. For more info contact Betty Pitney at 410-543-1853. Friday, April 1 Meeting. Anne Arundel. 8 PM at the Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center. “Identifying and Learning about the Warblers of Maryland.” Linda Friedland and Michael Bowen, Montgomery Bird Club. Saturday, April 2 A Allegany/Garrett. Garrett County Ponds. Call the leader, Mary Huebner at 301-777-0545 for more info or to arrange for an alternate meeting spot (such as Finzel Swamp). Meet at Parkside School in LaVale at 9 AM. We typically visit Finzel Swamp, Piney Reservoir, Meadows Lake and Campground, ending around 1 1 AM. A Harford. Susquehanna River Gulls. Enjoy birding at Lapidum boat landing and other spots along the Susquehanna. This is prime time for unusual gulls (Little and Black- headed Gulls) and grebes, including Red-necked and Horned. Meet at the Lapidum boat launch at the end of Lapidum Road at 8 AM . The leaders are Dennis Kirkwood, 410-692-5905 or dkirkw@verizon.net, and Randy Robertson. A Frederick. Terrapin Park. Half to 3/4 day trip. We’ll visit the shorelines and wetlands of this fine park in Kent Co. Leader: Lois Kauffman, 301-845- 6690. A Patuxent. Fran Uhler NA. Meet 7:30 AM at the 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. Sunday, April 3 A Baltimore. Cylburn Self-guided Walk. Meet 8:30 AM at Mansion’s front porch on Sun mornings for easy birding in Cylburn ’s gardens and urban forest. Beginning birders welcome. Coordinator: Joe Lewandowski, 410-358-7834 or ilenel@juno.com. A Cecil. Conowingo Wildflowers and Birds. Meet 7 AM at Fisherman’s Park at Conowingo Dam. Bring scope if you have one. Wear sturdy footwear for walking trails that may be muddy. Easy walking on a level, well-graded trail. Leader, Pat Valdata, pvaldata@ zoominternet.net. A Talbot. Urban Birding: We will again bird the variety of habitats around the Target shopping center as well as nearby locations in search of wintering birds and early spring migrants. We usually get the first-of- year Rough-winged Swallows. Leader: Terry Allen, 410-829-5840. Depart Easton Acme parking lot at 7 AM. Breakfast. Tuesday, April 5 A Baltimore. Cromwell Valley Park. First in a series of casual spring walks to follow the progress of migration. Beginning birders welcome. The park has a variety of habitats including fields, streamside woods, and hillside forest. Expect a variety of migrant and resident birds. Meet 8:30 AM. [At the Willow Grove Farm Entrance, follow road, cross a small bridge, and park in lot on left.] Leader: Mary Chetelat, 410-665-0769. Meeting. Baltimore. Tuesday Evening Lecture at Cylburn ’s Greenhouse Classroom, 4915 Greenspring Ave. Tonight: “Birds of Belize and Guatemala.” Speaker: Mark Johnson. Doors open at 7 PM for socializing and snacks, show starts about 7:15 PM. Note: Meeting cancelled if Balt City schools are closed due to inclement weather. When in doubt, check with lecture chairman Pete Webb, 410-486-1217 (h) or 443-904- 6314 (m), or pete_webb@juno.com. Wednesday, April 6 A Baltimore. First Wednesdays at Fort McHenry. See Mar 2 listing. Meet 8 AM at Visitor Center. Leader: Mary Chetelat, 410-665-0769. Meeting. Carroll. Dave Harvey will tell us about “Spain: La Mancha, Coto Donana, and Extremadura.” S. Carroll Senior Center, 7:30 PM, 5928 Mineral Hill Rd., Eldersburg. Contact Dave, 410-795-3117 for more info. Meeting. Cecil. Speaker: Pat Valdata, Program: “Birding in Hungary.” 7 PM at the Elkton HS. For more info, contact Maryanne Dolan at maryanne.dolan@gmail.com. A Indicates Field Trip continued on page 1 8 18 The Maryland Yellowthroat Calendar continued from page 17 Thursday, April 7 ft Frederick. First Thursday Mornings. Leader and destination TBA. Meet at Baker Park by Culler Lake at 8 AM. Return at approximately 1 1 AM. For info, please contact Pat Caro, 301-845-6246. Meeting. Frederick. Members’ Night! This always-popular evening features a variety of photos, slides, and videos from our members. Please let Kathy Calvert (301-698-1298) know in advance if you want to be a presenter. 7 PM at Frederick HS. (NOTE CHANGE.) Details at www.FrederickBirdClub.org h Patuxent. Lake Artemesia (Luther Goldman Birding Trail). Joint trip with PGAS. Meet 6 PM at the parking lot at Berwyn Rd and Ballew Ave in Berwyn Heights. No reservations needed. Call 301-459-3375 for more info. Saturday, April 9 ft Anne Arundel. Quiet Waters Park. Leader: Pat Tate, 410-266-6043 or jpt8@earthlink.net. Meet 7:30 AM at Parole P&R for this half-day trip. A Kent. Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center, Kent Island. Meet 8 AM at Dollar General parking lot, Chestertown. We will search the fields, waters, and woods for songbird migrants including sparrows and early warblers, and water birds including late waterfowl, herons, and gannets. Full day; bring lunch. Leaders: Walter Ellison and Nancy Martin, 410-778- 9568 or rossgull@baybroadband.net. ft Washington. Travel “just over the mountain” for a half-day trip to Manahan Rd and the Owen’s Creek area. Call Shirley Ford at 301-241- 3020 for starting time and place Sunday, April 10 A Baltimore. Cylburn Self-guided Walk. Meet 8:30 AM at Mansion’s front porch on Sun mornings for easy birding in Cylburn ’s gardens and urban forest. Beginning birders welcome. Coordinator: Joe Lewandowski, 410-358-7834 or ilenel@juno.com. ft Harford. Perryman. Explore this locally popular birding destination known for its large fields and bayside access. The timing of this trip presents a great opportunity to find Wilson’s Snipe, Horned Lark, American Pipit, Savannah Sparrow, and a good mix of puddle ducks. Meet Phil Powers at the Aberdeen Walmart parking lot, NE corner at 7:30 AM. Contact him at birdsinmd@prodigy.net for more info. ft Howard. University of MD Farm. Half day. Search the wetlands and dry fields for migrants. Expect difficult walking. Bring gear for multiple habitats. Knee boots a must and waterproof pants advisable. Limit: 12. No facilities. Contact Bonnie for meet location and to sign up at bonnieott@ verizon.net. it Talbot. Ferry Neck. Leaders: Les Coble, 410-820-6165, and Harry Armistead. Depart Easton Acme parking lot at 7 AM. Breakfast. Tuesday, April 12 Meeting. Allegany/Garrett. 7 PM, Room 327 Compton Hall, Frostburg State U, Frostburg. Speaker: Kyle Aldinger. “A Conservation Conundrum: The Golden-winged Warbler” will give an overview of some of the obstacles to conservation of a dramatically declining songbird facing multiple threats. Info: J.B. Churchill at jchurchi@atlanticbb.net. ft Baltimore. Cromwell Valley Park. Continuing series of casual spring walks to follow the progress of migration. Beginning birders welcome. See Apr 5 listing. Leader: Ron Davis, 410-821-1297 or 2athighl@verizon.net. Meeting. Kent. “Travel and Birding in China,” by Gary Van Velsir. 7:30 PM at Wesley Hall, Heron Point, E Campus Ave, Chestertown. For info contact Nancy Martin, 410-778- 9568. Meeting. Patuxent. Program TBD. 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, contact Fred Shaffer at glaucousgull@verizon.net. Wednesday, April 13 Meeting. Montgomery. “Maryland’s Secretive Marsh Birds: Will They Survive Sea Level Rise?” Our speaker will be David Br inker, central regional ecologist with the MD DNR, Wildlife and Heritage Service. 7:30 PM at Potomac Presbyterian Church, 10301 River Rd, Potomac. For more info contact Steve Pretl at stevep@ takomavillage.org. Thursday, April 14 Meeting. Howard. “Understanding the Complex Singing and Social Behavior of Wood Thrushes,” by Dr. Kim Derrickson. As associate professor of biology at Loyola U, he has published over 20 scientific papers on several local species, most notably the Northern Mockingbird. Hospitality and club bookstore 7:30 PM; meeting/program 8 PM at Howard Co Rec and Parks, 7210 Oakland Mills Rd, Columbia. Info: Ward Ebert, 301-490-5807. Saturday, April 16 H Anne Arundel. Pocomoke River Canoe Trip. Early Spring migrants. Bring lunch. Contact Larry Zoller, 410-987-9354, by Apr 9 for details and to reserve a spot. A Baltimore and Howard. Smith Island. All-day trip to see the herons, egrets, and other birds on the island, plus gannets, sea ducks, and possible pelagic species up close during the boat rides to and from the island. Bring lunch, snacks, beverages, and cash; the General Store on the island will be open (cash only). Rental bicycles and golf cart are available on the island. Car pool from Nursery P&R at 7 AM or meet at the Point Lookout boat dock at 9 AM. The boat leaves at 9:30 AM, arrives at the island about 1 1 AM, and can pick up about 2:30 PM (negotiable) for the hour-and-a-half ride back to Point Lookout. This trip requires A Indicates Field Trip March/ April 201 1 19 reservations by Apr 6 and $25-$35 cash each person. No credit cards or checks. Limit 30-40. If we don’t fill the trip by midnight Wed, the trip will be cancelled. Leaders: Joe Hanfman, aukl844@comcast.net, 410-772-8424; and Kevin Graff, whitemarlin2001@yahoo.com. The fee will be collected at the boat dock before boarding Sat morning. Rain date is Apr 23. A Baltimore. Saturday Monitoring Walks at Fort McHenry. See Mar 19 listing. Meet 8 AM at Visitor Center. Leader: Jim Peters, 410-429-0966. A Cecil. North East and Elkton Town Parks. Amble around two town parks that offer spectacular habitat for birds. Good walking conditions on mostly level ground. Meet 7 AM at North East Town Park, at the end of Walnut St in North East. Wear sturdy shoes or boots for walking. Bring scope if you have one. Leader: John Taylor, jptaylor@dllr. state, md.us. A Frederick. Fort Frederick/Big Pool. Half day. We’ll head to neighboring Washington Co for late wintering ducks, early spring migrants, and woodland birds along the C&O Canal. If we have time, we may side- track to Indian Springs. Leader: Kathy Calvert, 301-698-1298. A Harford. Susquehanna SP. A beautiful time to take a stroll through wildflowers while looking for early migrant songbirds and lingering winter visitors. Meet at the confluence of Deer Creek and the Susquehanna River just north of Rock Run Mill at 7:30 AM. The leaders are Colleen Webster, 410-459-4577 or cwebster@ harford.edu, and Sue Procell. A Montgomery. Hugh Mahanes Presidents’ Walk at Hughes Hollow and vicinity. Half day. Participation of all former Club Presidents is encouraged and everyone is welcome. Meet 7 AM at the Hughes Hollow parking lot. For more info and reservations (required), contact leader, Steve Pretl, at stevep@takomavillage.org. 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 trip leader, Bill Sefton, at kiwisuits@ msn.com. A Tri-County. Nassawango Preserve. Migrating and resident vireos and warblers and other special birds of the swamp forest. Bring snacks and drink. Meet 7 AM in Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art parking lot on S Schumaker Dr on Beaglin Park Dr in Salisbury. Leader: Betty Pitney, 410-543-1853. Sunday, April 17 A Anne Arundel. Myers Station Private Wildlife Preserve and Certified Wild Turkey Site. Meet 7 AM at Parole P&R for this half-day trip. Contact Leo Weigant, 410-647-9251 or hawkowl@cablespeed.com. A Baltimore. Cylburn Self-guided Walk. Meet 8:30 AM at Mansion’s front porch on Sun mornings for easy birding in Cylburn’s gardens and urban forest. Beginning birders welcome. Coordinator: Joe Lewandowski, 410-358-7834 or ilenel@juno.com. A Talbot. Hope House. Leader: Les Roslund, 410-763-8169. Depart Easton Acme parking lot at 7 AM. Breakfast. Tuesday, April 19 A Baltimore. Cromwell Valley Park. Continuing series of casual spring walks to follow the progress of migration. Beginning birders welcome. See Apr 5 listing. Leader: Debbie Terry, 410-252-8771 or dterryl2@verizon.net. Wednesday, April 20 A Harford. Northern Harford Farmland Tour. Visit some new habitat near Norrisville for sparrows, early warblers, and woodpeckers. Meet at the Norrisville Library on Rte 23 at 7:30 AM. The leader is Dennis Kirkwood, 410-692-5905 or dkirkw@verizon.net. A Howard. Bon Secours. 2 hrs. Meet 8 AM at visitor lot at the top left of the entrance road. Moderate to easy walking through the grounds of this mixed habitat adjoining Patapsco SP. Leader: Michele Wright, 410-465- 6057 or WrightM_29067@msn.com. Facilities available. Thursday, April 21 Meeting. Caroline. Program: Cliff Brown , Presenter: “Maryland Wood Duck Initiative.” 7:30 PM, Caroline Co Public Library, 100 Market St, Denton. Popcorn and drinks will be provided. For add’l info contact Debby Bennett at firefly5845@ hotmail.com. A Patuxent. Lake Artemesia (Luther Goldman Birding Trail). Joint trip with PGAS. Meet 6 PM at the parking lot at Berwyn Rd and Ballew Ave in Berwyn Heights. No reservations needed. Call 301-459-3375 for more info. Meeting. Talbot. Drew Koslow, Choptank Riverkeeper, will talk about the work of the Choptank River Eastern Bay Conservancy. 7 PM William Hill Manor Auditorium, Easton. Saturday, April 23 A Anne Arundel. Davidsonville Park. Local park for a variety of habitats. Meet 7 AM at Parole P&R for this half-day trip. Leader: Stan Arnold, 410-428-7567 or dy.dx@earthlink.net. A Baltimore. Huntley Meadows, VA. Bring picnic lunch for three-quarter day trip to northern VA woods and freshwater marsh with boardwalk trail for resident wildlife and early spring migrants. American Bittern and Sora possible. Three-hour level walk on paved paths and boardwalks. Meet 7:30 AM at Nursery Rd P&R. Leader: Pete Webb, 410-486-1217 or pete_webb@juno.com. A Big Day. Frederick. This is our third annual Big Day. Help us find as many species as possible in Frederick Co in one day. The bar was set in continued on page 20 20 The Maryland Yellowthroat Calendar continued from page 19 2009 with 134 species, so let’s try to beat that. Form a team and join the competition. You can start at any time and finish at any time. Coordinator: Mike Welch, 301-685-3561. A Howard. Mt. Pleasant. 2 hrs. Meet 8 AM at parking lot near the barn. Easy walking through the fields of Mt. Pleasant farm. Tree lines, hedgerows, and streams provide opportunity for non-meadow species. Great opportunity for flyovers. Facilities available. Co- leaders: Mike Kerwin 240-357-7625 or m63kerwin@verizon.net and Scott Berglund, 410-750-2568 or Business250@yahoo.com. A Montgomery. Blue Mash. Half day. Waterproof boots helpful. Meet 7:30 AM at Zion Rd parking lot. Call leader for reservations and directions. Limit: 10. Leader: Mark England, 240-207-3132 (home) or 240-375- 4500 (cell). Sunday, April 24 A Baltimore. Cylburn Self-guided Walk. Meet 8:30 AM at Mansion’s front porch on Sun mornings for easy birding in Cylburn ’s gardens and urban forest. Beginning birders welcome. Coordinator: Joe Lewandowski, 410-358-7834 or ilenel@juno.com. H Baltimore. Chimney Swifts at Dusk. The swifts occasionally switch roosting sites between the Hampden and the Conservatory (Druid Hill Park) chimneys, so please check the BBC web site (http://baltimorebirddub. org/) on the Friday before the walk to confirm location. Come at 7:30 PM (7 PM if the weather is cloudy or gray); cancelled if raining. Leader: Joan Cwi, 410-467-5352 or j af j sc@verizon.net. A Patuxent. Piscataway Creek. Meet at Beltway Plaza P&R at 7 AM. Piscataway Creek is one of the top spots in the county for waterfowl and other water birds. We will also be looking for spring migrants in the woodlands and fields along Piscataway Creek and the nearby Potomac River. RSVP required. Contact Dave Mozurkewich at 301- 459-3375 or mozurk@bellatlantic.net. A Talbot. Trappe Bottomlands. Leader: Jan Reese, 410-745-2875. Depart Easton Acme parking lot at 7 AM. Breakfast. Monday, April 25 Meeting. Tri-County. “Birds of California’s Farallon Islands,” by Joelle Buffa and Clyde Morris. 7 PM at Asbury Methodist Church, Fox Rm, south entrance, Camden Ave, Salisbury. For more info contact Betty Pitney at 410-543-1853. Tuesday, April 26 A Baltimore. Cromwell Valley Park. Continuing series of casual spring walks to follow the progress of migration. Beginning birders welcome. See Apr 5 listing. Leader: Ruth Culbertson, 410-825-1379. Meeting. Washington. Mike Bowen and Linda Friedland will present “Warblers of Maryland.” 7 PM at the Mt. Aetna Nature Center. Call 301-7979-8454 for details. Wednesday, April 27 A Harford. Northern Ma and Pa Trail. Search for early warblers and other songbirds along this beautiful trail near Fallston. Meet at Annie’s Playground off Connelly Rd at 7:30 AM. The leader is Susan Hood, 410-877-0574 or susanjhood@comcast.net. Friday, April 29 A Washington. Visit the Sideling Hill area with local bird expert Dave Weesner to look for warblers and other migrants. Call Dave at 301-302- 6376 for the starting time and place. Saturday, April 30 A Anne Arundel. Terrapin Park and Kent Island. Meet 8 AM at Bay 50 Shopping Center for this half-day trip. Leader: Tom Bradford, 410-987- 0674 or tabslab@aol.com. A Baltimore. Soldiers Delight. Warblers, flycatchers, and tanagers are featured as spring migration heats up in this globally rare ecosystem. Meet 7:30 AM. [From 1-695 Beltway exit 18 Liberty Rd, go west 4 miles, bear right onto Deer Park Rd just before traffic light and water tower, go 2 miles to historical marker, overlook, and gravel lot on left.] Leader: Keith Eric Costley, 443-985- 6849 or oriolekecl@comcast.net. A Carroll. McKeldin Area of Patapsco Valley SP. Meet 7:30 AM at the parking lot on the west side of Marriottsville Rd, on the north side of the railroad tracks, just south of the South Branch of the Patapsco River (at the Howard-Carroll county line). Look and listen for spring migrants in transit and newly arrived breeding birds, including flycatchers, warblers, and finches. Leader: Bob Ringler, 410-303-2792. A Cecil. Elk Neck SF. Traverse the quiet wooded lanes of one of Cecil’s prime birding gems, Elk Neck SF. Meet 7 AM at the State Forest office parking lot off Irishtown Rd. Leader: John Taylor, jptaylor@dllr.state.md.us. Native Plant Sale. Frederick. Held by Audubon Society of Central MD at the Audrey Carroll Audubon Sanctuary. Please support this sale at one of our favorite and most productive birding hot spots. More info can be found at www.centralmdaudubon.org. A Harford. Calling All Photographers. This outing is designed for all who would like to try their hand at birding photography regardless of experience or equipment. Accomplished to beginning photographers welcome. Meet at the upper parking lot of Harford Glen (west end of Wheel Rd) at 8 AM with camera in hand. The leaders are Tom Gibson, 410-734-4135; gibsonlld@ aol.com, and Monroe Harden. A Kent. Millington WMA. Early migrants and open-country birds. Songbird migration should be just getting into high gear in the woods and meadows of this excellent location for migrants and breeding March/ April 201 1 21 forest birds. Half day. Meet 8 AM at Dollar General parking lot, Chestertown. Leaders: Walter Ellison and Nancy Martin, 410-778-9568 or rossgull@baybroadband.net. Sunday, May 1 A Anne Arundel. Dent Road, a new, not-yet-opened park in Anne Arundel Co. Meet at Parole P&R at 8 AM for this half-day trip. Leader: Fred Fallon, 410-286-8152. A Baltimore. Cylburn Self-guided Walk. Meet 8:30 AM at Mansion’s front porch on Sun mornings for easy birding in Cylburn ’s gardens and urban forest. Beginning birders welcome. Coordinator: Joe Lewandowski, 410-358-7834 or ilenel@juno.com. ® Fred Archibald May Count. Frederick. Meet at the Sanctuary at 6 AM. Contact Bob Schaefer at 301-831-5660 or VicePres@ FrederickBirdClub.org for further info. A Montgomery. Little Bennett RP. Half day. Near peak migration for warblers and vireos, including those breeding in this varied habitat. Contact the leader for time and directions. Reservations required. Leader: Gemma Radko, 301-514- 2894. A Talbot. Our annual spring trip to the Nassawango Creek Preserve in search of migrant and resident songbirds with focus on warblers. Our May 2, 2010 visit yielded 14 species of warblers and both tanagers. A bonus on this traditional trip at 12:30 PM will be a guided walk on the Nature Conservancy’s Prothonotary Trail and visit to the bird banding station on Nassawango Creek. Bring drinks, lunch, and insecticide. Leader: Terry Allen, 410-829-5840. Depart Easton Acme parking lot 6:30AM. ft Indicates Field Trip Tuesday, May 3 A Baltimore. Cromwell Valley Park. Continuing series of casual spring walks to follow the progress of migration. Beginning birders welcome. See Apr 5 listing. Feader: John Landers, 410-426-3374 or dadolbw@aol.com. Meeting. Baltimore. Tuesday Evening Lecture at Cylburn’s Greenhouse Classroom, 4915 Greenspring Ave. “Identifying Spring Warblers by Sight and Song,” a visual and audio presentation with Pete Webb. Doors open at 7 PM for socializing and snacks, show starts about 7:15 PM. Note: Meeting cancelled if Balt. City schools are closed due to inclement weather. When in doubt, check with lecture chairman Pete Webb, 410- 486-1217 (h) or 443-904-6314 (m), or pete_webb@juno.com. A Montgomery. Rock Creek Park, DC. Early migrant warblers, vireos, etc. Meet 7 AM at Picnic Area #18, one-half mile below the Nature Center on Ridge Rd. Call the leader for more info and for specific directions. Limit: 8. Reservations required. Leader: Wallace Kornack, 202-338-7859. Wednesday, May 4 A Baltimore. First Wednesdays at Fort McHenry. See Mar 2 listing. Meet 8 AM at Visitor Center. Leader: Mary Chetelat, 410-665-0769. Meeting. Cecil. Program TBA. 7 PM at the Elkton HS. For more info, contact President Maryanne Dolan at maryanne.dolan@gmail.com. Meeting. Carroll. “Wildflowers of Maryland” by Gary Van Velsir. S. Carroll Senior Center, 7:30 PM, 5928 Mineral Hill Rd., Eldersburg. Contact Dave Harvey, 410-795-3117 for more info. A Montgomery. Exploring Calvert County. Local expert Sue Hamilton will guide us as we visit some of the birding hotspots of Southern Maryland. Meet 7 AM at the road leading to Flag Ponds. We’ll then move on to Battle Creek Cypress Swamp and other spots before lunching on the beach. Reservations required. Limit: 10. For detailed directions call the coordinators, Lydia Schindler, 301-977-5252, or Linda Friedland, 301-983-2136. Thursday, May 5 A Frederick. First Thursday Mornings. Leader and destination TBA. Meet at Baker Park by Culler Lake at 8 AM. Return at approximately 1 1 AM. For info, please contact Pat Caro, 301-845-6246. Meeting. Frederick. (NOTE CHANGE.) 7 PM at Frederick HS. Our own Bob Schaefer will present his original video compilation: “Nesting and Raising the Young.” A Patuxent. Lake Artemesia (Luther Goldman Birding Trail). Joint trip with PGAS. Meet 6 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, May 6 Meeting. Anne Arundel. 8 PM at the Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center. “Playing Dr. Doolittle: Understanding the Complex Singing of Northern Mockingbirds and the Singing and Social Behavior of Dusky Antbirds and Wood Thrushes.” Dr. Kim Derrickson, Associate Professor of Biology at Loyola U. Dinner Meeting. Harford. Donna Yorkston and Tom Gibson present “Birding Uganda.” 6:15 PM dinner; 7 PM program at Harford Glen, 502 W. Wheel Rd, Bel Air. Contact Dave Webb at 410-939-3537 or porzana@ comcast.net for add’l info. A Montgomery. Birding by Ear along the C&O. The emphasis is on listening so tune up your ears for this half-day canal walk. Migrant and nesting landbirds. Meet 7 AM at the end of Pennyfield Lock Rd. Reservations required. For more info and reservations call the leaders, Cyndie Loeper, 301-530-8226, or Ann Lucy, 301-229-8810. continued on page 22 22 The Maryland Yellowthroat Calendar continued from page 21 Saturday, May 7 A Anne Arundel. Southern Maryland. North Beach, Cypress Swamp, Flag Ponds, and Calvert Cliffs SP. Facilities at some stops. Bring lunch. Leader: Nick Nicholson at 410-353-3329. Meet 7 AM at Parole P&R. ft Baltimore. Milford Mill Park. One-mile level walk on paved path for migrant warblers, thrushes, tanagers, grosbeaks, and other songbirds Meet 7:30 AM at small lot near park entrance off Milford Mill Rd. If the lot is full, park along the side street across Milford Mill Rd from the park entrance. Leader: Pete Webb, 410- 486-1217 (h) or 443-904-6314 (m), or pete_webb@juno.com. ft Cecil. Courthouse Point Road. Courthouse Point MHA is one of the most productive birding sites in Cecil Co, boasting a long list of regular and accidental species from both dry and wet habitats. Meet 6 AM near Dunkin’ Donuts in Big Elk Mall, intersection of Rte 40 and Rte 213 in Elkton for a half-day trip. Easy walking on mostly level ground. Sunscreen and bug spray are recommended. Leader: Maryanne Dolan at maryanne.dolan@gmail.com. ® May Count. Dorchester. 87 th Annual Count. Compiler: Harry Amistead, harryarmistead@hotmail.com. ft Frederick. Tuckahoe SP. Full day. We will visit this lovely wooded state park straddling Queen Anne’s and Caroline Counties during the peak of spring migration. Leaders: Marcia Balestri, 301-473-5098, and Kathy Calvert, 301-698-1298. ft Harford. Winters Run Road. A quiet 3-mile stroll along this primary Harford Co waterway, which boasts a low-traffic, tree-lined pathway with some farmland and meadow habitat attracting a variety of birds with the promise of heron, kingfisher, and an abundance of passerines during the spring. Join co-leaders Dave Larkin and Lynn Davis at 7:30 AM at the Rte 24/1-95 P&R. Contact Lynn Davis, 410-569-0504 or lynnd@ iximd.com, or Dave Larkin, 410-569- 8319 or dlarkin@towson.edu. ft Howard/Montgomery. Pigtail, Triadelphia Reservoir. Also in conjunction with WSSC. Meet 8 AM at the Green Bridge Rd parking lot off Triadelphia Mill Rd in Howard Co. The cove is bordered on three sides by deciduous and coniferous woods. Extensive mudflats may exist, raising the possibility of shorebirds. Facilities available (rustic). Leader: Jeff Culler, cullerfuls@hotmail.com, 4 1 0-465 -9006. A Kent. Beginners’ Bird Walk at Libby’s Nature Trail, Kent Co. An attractive wooded trail hosting nesting woodpeckers, Great Crested Flycatcher, Red-eyed Vireo, Wood Thrush, and Scarlet Tanager, which is also attractive to migratory songbirds. Half day. Meet 9 AM at Dollar General 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 the 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. Sunday, May 8 A Anne Arundel. Piney Orchard and Patuxent Wildlife Refuge North Tract. Meet at Parole P&R at 7 AM for this half-day trip. Leader: Peter Hanan, 301-912-3805. A Baltimore. Leakin Park. Please join us for a bird walk to Gwynns Falls/ Leakin Park, an approximately 1,200- acre wilderness park in west Balt City. The park contains mature and secondary forest as well as riparian habitats and some limited field habitat. Meet 8 AM at the parking lot at the corner of Windsor Mill Rd and Eagle Dr (1900 Eagle Dr). Leaders: Elise and Paul Kreiss, 410-367-8194 or ekreiss@toadmail.com or pkreiss@ toadmail.com. ft Baltimore. Cylburn Self-guided Walk. Meet 8:30 AM at Mansion’s front porch on Sun mornings for easy birding in Cylburn ’s gardens and urban forest. Beginning birders welcome. Coordinator: Joe Lewandowski, 410-358-7834 or ilenel@juno.com. Audrey Carroll May Count. Frederick. Meet at the Sanctuary at 6 AM. Coordinator: David Smith, 410- 549-7082. ft Talbot. Marshyhope, Federalsburg. Leader: Vince DeSanctis, 410-886- 2009. Depart Easton Acme parking lot at 7 AM. Monday, May 9 ft Washington. Warm up for the May Count at Antietam Battlefield. Call Mark Abdy at 301-432-7696 for details. Tuesday, May 10 ft Baltimore. Cromwell Valley Park. Continuing series of casual spring walks to follow the progress of migration. Beginning birders welcome. See Apr 5 listing. Leader: Ron Davis, 410-821-1297 or 2athighl@verizon.net. Meeting. Kent. “Trogons and Motmots,” by Kurt Schwarz. 7:30 PM at Wesley Hall, Heron Point, E Campus Ave, Chestertown. For info contact Nancy Martin, 410-778-9568. Meeting. Patuxent. Feter Osenton will present “Birding South Kenya.” 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, contact Fred Shaffer at glaucousgull@verizon.net. Saturday, May 14 May Count. Allegany. To participate, contact J.B. Churchill, jchurchi@atlanticbb.net, 301-689- 8344 or 301-697-1223 (cell), to be assigned an area to count. A Indicates Field Trip March/ April 201 1 23 ® May Count. Anne Arundel. Contact compiler, Dotty Mumford at 410-849-8336 or dottymum@ comcast.net, for more details. ® May Count. Kent. Compilers: Walter Ellison and Nancy Martin, 410-778-9568 or rossgull@ baybroadband.net. ** May Count. Baltimore. All-day count of birds in Balt City and Co. For area assignments call compiler Joel Martin, 410-744-9211 or jcdlmartin@aol.com. ^ May Count. Calvert. Compiler: Sue Hamilton, 410-586-1494 or seall0n2002@yahoo.com. ^ May Count. Caroline. Compiler, Debby Bennett. Contact her at firefly5845@hotmail.com for more info. ® May Count. Carroll. Contact Bill Ellis to coordinate count locations at 443-520-8809. The Tally Rally will be hosted by Jerry and Laura Tarbell at their home. RSVP to the Tarbells at 410-857-1109 if you will be attending the Tally. Please bring a cash donation or a food item. " May Count. Montgomery. Compiler: Diane Ford, dmford455@ yahoo.com. ® May Count. Prince George’s. Compiler: Fred Fallon, 410-286-8152 or fwfallon@earthlink.net. ® May Count. Queen Anne’s. Compiler: Glenn Therres, therres@ atlanticbb.net. ^ May Count. St. Mary’s. Compiler: Bob Boxwell, 401-394-1300 or bobboxwell@hotmail.com. ^ May Count. Somerset. Compiler: Paul G. Bystrak, paul@bystrak.com. May Count. Talbot. Please contact compiler to coordinate count areas. Compiler: Les Coble, 410-820-6165 or lescoble@hughes.net. May Count. Cecil. No count in 2011. ^ May Count. Charles. Compiler: George Jett, 301-843-3524 or gmjett@comcast.net. ® May Count. Dorchester. 88 th Annual Count. Compiler: Harry Amistead, harryarmistead@hotmail. com ® May Count. Frederick. Compiler: Mike Welch at 301-685-3561 or manddwelch@comcast.net. ® May Count. Garrett. To participate contact Fran Pope, fpope@ gcnetmail.net or 301-334-4908. ® May Count. Harford. Contact Compiler, Rick Cheicante at rickcheicante@cs.com. ® May Count. Howard. Compiler: Kevin Heffernan, 410-418-8731 (H) or at KJHeff@aol.com. ® May Count. Washington. Contact Dave Weesner, 301-302-6376 or DWeesner@dnr.state.md.us to help with the local effort. ® May Count. Wicomico. Contact Ellen Lawler for details and checklists at 410-546-9056 or emlawler@ salisbury.edu. ^ May Count. Worcester. Compiler, Mark Hoffman, wcbirding@comcast. net. 28 th Annual World Series of Birding. New Jersey Audubon will proudly host the 28th annual World Series of Birding — North America’s premier conservation event. This event has changed the birding landscape and raised over $8,000,000 for bird conservation. Every species found, every dollar raised preserves and protects critical bird habitat. Sunday, May 15 A Anne Arundel. Finzel Swamp/ Green Ridge. Meet 6:30 AM at Parole P&R. We will stop for dinner on the way home; bring a lunch. Leaders: Larry Zoller, 410-987-9354, and Dick Adams. A Baltimore. O wings Mills Mall Wetland. Willow Flycatchers, Green Heron, Blue Grosbeak, Yellow- breasted Chat, and Orchard Oriole are just a few of the birds that breed in and around the Mall’s wetland area. Leader: Keith Eric Costley, 443-985-6489 or email oriolekecl@ comcast.net. Meet 7:30 AM near movie theater parking lot (there’s a pond downhill on the right). A Baltimore. Cylburn Self-guided Walk. Meet 8:30 AM at Mansion’s front porch on Sun mornings for easy birding in Cylburn ’s gardens and urban forest. Beginning birders welcome. Coordinator: Joe Lewandowski, 410-358-7834 or ilenel@juno.com. A Montgomery. Rock Creek Park, DC. See May 3 listing. Reservations required. Limit: 8. Leader: Wallace Kornack, 202-338-7859. A Talbot. Adkins Arboretum/ Tuckahoe SP. Leader: Danny Poet, 410-827-8651. Depart Easton Acme parking lot at 7 AM. Or meet leader at 7:30 AM at West side (Queen Anne’s side) of Tuckahoe Lake at boat ramp parking area. got ideas? The Education Committee (that would be me!) is seeking suggestions for the next Statewide Education Seminar. • Got a bird you want to study? • Got a good location for the bird? • Got any other suggestions? Drop me a note: Maryanne Dolan at Maryanne. dolan@ gmail.com, or 104 Milestone Road, Elkton, MD 21921. 24 POSTMASTER: TIME-DATED MATERIAL— PLEASE EXPEDITE! LAST CALL, ... to sign up for the 201 1 Conference, deadline April 20. ... to register for the YMOS summer program for educators and students, deadline April 30. See page 2. ... to propose a research poster for the May conference. Contact Dave Ziolkowski at 301-497-5753 or dziolkowski@yahoo.com. MARYLAND ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY, INC. Cylburn Mansion 4915 Greenspring Avenue Baltimore, MD 21290-4698 Nonprofit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID at Hagerstown, MD Permit No. 1 84 January Gullfest D espite frigid temperatures, participants declared the first Statewide Education Seminar — a Gull Workshop January 21-22 in Cecil County — a resounding success. Twenty-four intrepid gull-watchers gathered in Elkton on a Friday evening in January to study the finer points of gull identification. We launched the series informally with pizza and a brew, just the right combination to get everyone in a proper state of mind. Clive Harris — a devoted “guller” from Montgomery County — then gave an excellent presentation using detailed slides that he has taken over the years. Clive carefully explained the markings of individual species and pinpointed the differences among the common species. He next went on to examine the rarer gulls that only occasionally wander into Maryland territory. It was a very thorough presentation and much enjoyed by everyone. Clive also expressed appreciation that the management of the Cecil County landfill continues to host organized trips for birders “when most others have closed their doors completely.” The following morning all 24 participants braved bone- chilling temperatures to put their newly-acquired expertise to the test. Gene Scarpulla, Baltimore County, and Sean McCandless, Cecil County, joined Clive as co-leaders. With three such capable birdwatchers, all of us got the individual attention we needed. Right out of the box — in this case, the landfill parking lot — we got good views of a first-year Glaucous Gull. MOS’ers set a new (even for birdwatchers) trend in haute couture. Photo by Kurt Schwarz. Once on site — decked out in safety vests and hard hats — we quickly spotted Lesser Black-backed among the more common Herring and Ring-billed Gulls. A quick trip to North East Community Park, a mere mile from the landfill, produced yet another Lesser Back-backed and a close-in Nelson’s, which allowed a good comparison with the nearby Herring Gulls. The extreme cold finally defeated even the most dedicated among us, and we adjourned to a local restaurant to enjoy the warmth and some good seafood. All in all, an excellent start to what we hope will be a continuing series of Education Workshops. — Maryanne Dolan, Cecil County Workshop Chair