NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011 VOL. 3 1 , NO . 5 2012 M OS Conference February 24-26 • Ocean City President’s Comer MOS Natural History Collection by Mark Johnson E arlier this fall, Karen Morley, Patsy Perlman, Joan Cwi, and Kevin Graff provided me and the newly formed Collection Committee a brief tour of the Society’s natural history collection. Since its inception, MOS has maintained a strong interest in science (see The Maryland Yellowthroat, May/June 2011). Through donations from past members, our Society has acquired many exquisite, historically significant articles. These items include several egg collections, bird and non-bird skeletons, a nest collection, and many study skins, including taxidermic mounts. In addition to North American species, preserved bird skins represent many species from distant locations such as Borneo and New Guinea. Some of the best mounts are displayed in the bird museum in the Carriage House at Cylburn. The most prized is a well preserved, now extinct Carolina Parakeet. This brightly colored bird is the only native Psitticine (parrot) of the United States. Once common in the southeastern U.S., it became scarce as habitat disappeared and hunting pressures increased. The last bird in the wild was seen in Florida in 1913 and the last individual died in captivity in 1918. Only 700 known specimens exist in the world. Not all items are of an avian nature. Non-bird items include pressed plants, cones, seeds, seashells, insects, mammalian skulls, and journals. The latter are particularly interesting in that they include historical accounts from early Maryland naturalists such as Frank Kirkwood continued on page 2 Inside This Issue President’s Corner 1 Conference 2012 1 Silent Auction/Raffle 1 Conference Workshops 2 ISO: Yellowthroat Editor/Designer.... 2 YMOS Summer Program 2 Ocean City Pelagic 3 Common Gallinule 3 Birds of Note 4 Chapter Chatter 5 Records Committee Decisions 8 Birding Uses for iPod/iPhone 9 Calendar 10 Christmas Bird Counts 16 Last Call 16 W e’re having a winter conference! Think of it — lots of ducks. There will be eiders and loons, too. And if luck is with us, we can look for some rarities to wash up in the Ocean City inlet. Clarion Resort, Fontainebleau Hotel at 10100 Coastal Highway is our conference headquarters. It offers a large parking lot on Coastal Highway — across from the Clarion — to accommodate our field trip staging. One feature I particularly like is their covered upper deck on the Terrace Level (2 nd floor) overlooking the ocean. They will set up tables and chairs there for us — the perfect sheltered area for a sea watch, with warmth just a step away inside the Clarion. Dave Brinker is this year’s Keynote Speaker. Appropriately, his focus is goshawks, specifically, “Goshawks Driven by their Prey.” Dave has an encyclopedic knowledge of Maryland birds, and his talks are always informative and interesting. Maryanne Dolan, our new State Education Chair, has arranged two workshops for the conference. See Maryanne’s article on page 2. As always there will be lots of field trips. Yes, Kathy Calvert has agreed to set up conference field trips again this year. She has already started lining up trips, and she is looking for trip leaders and local guides. You all know what a fantastic job Kathy does; please contact her and offer to help (kathycalvertl@ comcast.net). (One obvious casualty of a winter conference is Bob Ringler’s butterfly field trip; Kathy and I were regretting that we can’t fly people to Florida for the day. But don’t worry; Bob will resume his butterfly field trip in 2013.) One super-special trip is the pelagic scheduled for Saturday, February 25; see page 3. But places are limited, so you need to sign up right away. As always, the conference will feature a Silent Auction and Raffle. We are lucky to have Maryanne Dolan presiding over it again this year. Help her make the event a success by donating an item for the auction. Please look around for bird-related items that you no longer want or use and bring them to Maryanne at Ocean City. You can e-mail her (Maryanne.dolan@ gmail.com) with your questions. This is going to be a most unusual conference — our first winter conference. It should be fun and will certainly be a change. I can’t wait for February. Hope you will join us. — Janet Shields Conference Chair Silent Auction/Raffle Brrrrr It's cold out there. The "good" birds have all flown south, the woodpeckers are beginning to lose their charm, and even the sparrows are not quite as interesting as they were. It's hard to muster much enthusiasm for birding. But that's good! Now is the time to think about the Silent Auction/Raffle. So turn your back on that chilly, gray day, grab a box, and sort through your "stuff." As long as it's "birdy," someone is bound to want it. The Silent Auction officially opens at 10, but we accept donations as soon as either I, or a volunteer, arrive. So swing by before registration. Signs will point you in the right direction. Just remember: Friday mornings are particularly hectic, so write your name on a slip of paper and tuck it in with your offerings. We want to match the item with the right donor. — Maryanne Dolan 2 The Maryland Yellowthroat President's Corner continued from page 1 and R. A. Wagner. These are detailed notes that provide a window to the past. They provide interesting retrospectives on the abundance of bird life in the later 1800s and would undoubtedly serve as interesting themes for future conservation goals. These collections have been under the stewardship of the Baltimore Bird Club. Thanks to Joy Wheeler, Patsy, Karen, Kevin, and others of the BBC, they have been cared for though the years. However, the fragility of these items requires more than Cylburn and the BBC can provide. They require constant and controlled environmental conditions and some require further professional protection. The first step is to gather a specific and detailed inventory of the entire collection. Next is to conduct a triage to prioritize attention and preservation efforts. The Collection Committee was therefore formed to help publish the inventory and to provide recommendations on how to best to ensure the future use and enjoyment of these invaluable items. Members of the committee include Karen Morley (Chair), Patsy Perlman, Joan Cwi, Phil Davis, Bob Ringler, Kevin Graff, Don Messersmith, Peter Lev, and Brent Byers. I wish to thank those volunteers in this effort, and I encourage all MOS members to visit Cylburn and see the bird museum at the carriage house. Conference Workshops I t’s not too late. Space is still available at the February conference. And there’s even a slot or two remaining in the afternoon workshops. Derek Stoner, Conservation Project Coordinator for the Delaware Nature Society, will present a workshop on ducks and waterfowl on Friday afternoon, followed up with a field trip on Saturday morning. A dedicated “ducker,” Derek will offer tips on identification. He will emphasize ducks found in local waters, so you are bound to come out of this workshop with knowledge you can put to immediate use. This is one workshop you don’t want to miss. Saturday afternoon is another “must attend” event. Scott Smith, Wildlife Diversity Ecologist for the Maryland DNR Wildlife and Heritage Service and unofficial State Herpetologist, will offer a workshop on the Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas. For the past 18 years, Scott has concentrated on bog turtle research and conservation, a distributional study of timber rattlesnakes, a malformed frog study, tiger salamander population monitoring, and conservation efforts with our state reptile, the diamondback terrapin. Despite this heavy-duty research, Scott has kept his sense of humor and offers a great workshop. . . loaded with information and tinged with his great sense of the absurd. This is another one you just won’t want to miss. So if you haven’t yet done it, contact Janet Shields and sign up for the conference. We’re gonna have a great time! — Maryanne Dolan, State Education Committee Chair 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 martinap2@verizon.net 301-294-4805 Chapter Chatter: Jean Wheeler j swheeler3@verizon.net Mailing list: Helen Horrocks hlh_37@yahoo.com 301-831-6315 MOS web site: http://www.mdbirds.org Webmaster: John Hays Christy SiteMa ven@md birds . 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 November 20, 2011 for the January /February 2012 issue. Illustrations pp. 1, 5 ©M. Suzanne Probst Photographs pp. 3 (top) and 4: ©Bill Hubick Photographs pp. 3 ( bottom ) and 6: ©Evelyn Ralston Illustration p. 9 ©Gemma Radko ISO: Yellowthroat Designer, Editor As announced in the September/October newsletter, Yellowthroat designer Sue Probst and I will be resigning after the May issue. If either of these positions intrigues you, please contact MOS President Mark Johnson (president@mdbirds.org), Communications Director Janet Millenson (janet@twocrows.com). Sue Probst (msprobst2@verizon.net), or me (LydiaSchindler@verizon.net). YMOS Summer Program: Maryland Birds and Habitat M OS, in conjunction with Washington College, will offer the Maryland Birds and Habitats workshop once again this coming summer. The residential program will take place from June 24 to June 29, 2012, at Washington College in Salisbury. In addition to experiencing a wide variety of field activities, the group will learn how to use technology to pinpoint bird observations and to report data on eBird. As last year, the program will be offered concurrently for educators and for students entering grades 7 through 12. The program is open to participants of all ability levels. Beginners will receive instruction on both visual and auditory identification. Participants will learn to bird by habitat, and they will use atlas strategies and technology to document bird breeding. All will also learn how to use eBird to record, store, and access data. The instructors will be Dr. Wayne Bell and George Radcliffe, YMOS Coordinator. Application information is available on the YMOS web page at www.ymos.org. Some scholarships are available for both students and educators. Deadline for application is April 17, 2012. Applications can also be obtained from George Radcliffe at radclifg@gmail.com. MOS chapters and members should make a point of getting this information into the hands of any potentially interested students or educators. We’d like to have an application from each chapter this year. November/December 201 1 3 Ocean City Pelagic E xciting news: Our winter conference will feature a PELAGIC field trip out of Ocean City. But spaces are limited and you need to SIGN UP NOW, even before registering for the conference. (Conference sign-ups will proceed as usual; registration brochures should be in the mail by the first week in November.) Organized by Paul Guris of See Life Paulagics, the pelagic is scheduled to sail on Saturday, February 25. It will head out at 7 AM and return about 3 PM. We will be aboard the either the 85-foot Thelma Dale IV or the 110- foot Thelma Dale V. Both boats are excellent pelagic birding platforms that Paul has used often. Each has a cabin, benches, tables, a birdable top deck, and separate men’s and ladies’ facilities. The trip will visit near-shore Maryland pelagic waters in search of alcids such as Common Murre, Razorbill, and Atlantic Puffin. The leaders will be chumming as we go, to keep a flock of gulls behind the boat, on the lookout for Black-legged Kittiwake and Glaucous, Iceland, and Lesser Black-backed Gulls among the Alcids, like this Dovkie photographed at Assateague by Bill Hubick, will be targets on the pelagic. more abundant Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls. Paul also expects to find more common seabirds such as Northern Gannets, both loons, Bonaparte’s Gull, and all three species of scoter, as well as Long-tailed Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, and maybe Great Cormorant. The cost is $140 per person. Do you want to go? If so, I need to know ASAP. Once I have confirmed your trip reservation, you will need to send me a check for $140, made out to MOS. If you decide to go on the pelagic, you might want to make your room reservations now. The conference is being held at the Clarion Resort, Fontainebleau Hotel. Room rate is $93/night for up to 2 people; there is a $ 15/night charge for each extra person. Call the 800 number below and mention MOS to get our group rate. Clarion Resort Fontainebleau Hotel 10100 Coastal Highway Ocean City, MD 21842 800-382-2582 FYI — Conference registration prices this year are as follows: Registration Only — $65 Registration + 2 Dinners — $121 Registration + All Meals — $179 Contact me with any questions. — Janet Shields, Conference Chair janetbill@prodigy. net 903 LaGrange Ave. Cambridge, MD 21613 410-901-1039 "Common Gallinule" Rises from the Dead T he “52nd Supplement to the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds” was published in the July 2011 issue of The Auk. The nomenclature and taxonomy of the AOU Check-list is followed by most North American field guides and the American Birding Association, among others. Changes of interest to Maryland birders include: Common Moorhen has been split into New World and Old World species. The New World species (including birds found in Hawaii), Gallinula galeata, has been assigned the name Common Gallinule. This will be a “blast from the past” for those who birded in the 80s or earlier, since that was the previous common name for these birds in North America. The Old World species, Gallinula chloropus , retains the name Common Moorhen (though other naming authorities, such as the IOC, are using Eurasian Moorhen). According to David Sibley, a record of Gallinula chloropus from the Aleutians in fall 2010 would, if confirmed, be North America’s first Common Moorhen. Identification is based on differences in vocalizations, as well as subtle differences in eye color, bill pattern, shield shape, and back color. More information is available at David Sibley’s web site, www.sibleyguides.com. Purple Gallinule, Porphyrio martinica, remains Purple Gallinule. Nor should it be confused with Purple Swamphen, Porphyrio porphyria, an Old World native that has spread widely in southern Florida since being introduced in the 1990s. Since being photographed at Hughes Hollow in May 2011, this erstwhile moorhen has turned into a “Common Gallinule. ” (Photo by Evelyn Ralston.) Snowy Plover has also been split into New World ( Charadrius nivosus ) and Old World ( Charadrius alexandrinus) species. The Old World birds already went by a different common name, Kentish Plover, so there is no change with respect to the common names. continued on page 8 4 The Maryland Yellowthroat Birds of Note— -by Les Roslvmd • The high heat and wild storms of late summer in 2011 brought a surprising number of interesting bird sightings, but the most exciting by far was a beautiful and cooperative TOWNSEND’S WARBLER found during the Fall Count in Worcester County. The bird was amongst other warblers in a cedar tree near the Bayside Campground parking lot on Assateague Island, and was first identified on Sept 17 by the highly skilled eyes of Dave Czaplak of Montgomery County. Immediately this bird became a magnet for state birders, and it stayed around through the morning of the Sept 19. Prior to leaving, it posed nicely for many camera-toting birders. This warbler species is not normally seen outside of the coniferous forests of the west. The only previous confirmed Maryland sightings occurred along the C&O Canal in the winter of 2006. • In recent years, WHITE IBIS have regularly visited suitable habitat in Worcester County, so little notice was given when Mikey Lutmerding found a visiting juvenile at Truitt’s Landing on July 16. But a few days later juvenile WHITE IBIS sightings started coming from elsewhere in the state, much to the joy of county listers. The inland parade began on July 24 when Rob Ostrowski of Crofton found an immature WHITE IBIS in a pond beside Rose Hill Road in Port Tobacco, Charles County. Responding to Rob’s report, John Hubbell of DC sped down to see the bird, which he did, then found a second one on the other side of Route 6; these two visitors stayed around for at least four days and were enjoyed by many birders. On July 27 a total of four juvenile WHITE IBIS were seen feeding along the far edge of Beauvue Ponds in St. Mary’s County; the finder, Jim Green of Montgomery County, quickly passed the word, bringing a horde of birders to the area. These birds stayed through July 28. On Aug 7 another immature WHITE IBIS was found, this one at Lilypons in Frederick County; it was first reported by Bill Hubick. By the end of the day WHITE IBIS numbers at the site had grown to four. None were reported on the Aug 8 but they were found again on the Aug 11. • On Aug 31, amongst the storm birds of Hurricane Irene, a single immature WHITE IBIS dropped down at Jug Bay in Anne Arundel County and stayed for three days; Jeff Shenot provided the first report of this bird. On Sept 9 Kenilworth Park in the District of Columbia was favored with yet another immature WHITE IBIS; Rob Hilton provided the species confirmation, after initial reports were uncertain. This bird stayed around until Sept 18, providing great viewing for many DC birders. The WHITE IBIS parade continued up into Harford County with a Sept 1 1 report from Lou Neilson of a juvenile bird in the big pond of the Lakeside Business Park in Edgewood, MD; this bird stayed for at least two days. Finally, on Sept 12, Stan Arnold reported yet another juvenile WHITE IBIS, this one at Swan Creek, Anne Arundel County. • On Aug 12, a RED-NECKED PHALAROPE stopped briefly on one of the ponds of the Pickering Creek Audubon This Townsend’s Warbler showed up on Assateague Island during the Fall Count. (Photo by Bill Hubick.) Center in Talbot County. Though the bird chose a shallow and partly hidden cove, the sharp eyes of Jim Stasz found it and the word of its presence spread. Several other birders reached the site before dark and were rewarded with nice views. The bird apparently left during the night, for it was not relocated the next day. On Aug 14, Amanda Spears of Queen Anne’s County found a RED-NECKED PHALAROPE while scanning rain-water puddles along Damsontown Road in Queen Anne’s County. She viewed this bird, along with several other shorebirds, for just ten minutes before they were all spooked up and frightened away by a passing COOPER’S HAWK. On Aug 28, Matt Hafner observed two more RED-NECKED PHALAROPES amongst Hurricane Irene storm birds. Matt and several others were scanning the flats of the Susquehanna near Havre de Grace during early morning low tide as the late stages of the storm passed by. The PHALAROPES were part of a large number of shorebirds at the site, but viewing was brief as the rising tide soon drove all the birds away. • The extreme conditions brought to our region by Hurricane Irene made birding quite difficult, but several groups managed to turn up some very good finds. With Ocean City evacuated and access banned, the best reports came from views over the Chesapeake Bay or its tributaries. Highlights included single sightings of LONG- TAILED JAEGER and ARCTIC TERN, several sightings of SOOTY TERNS, and numerous reports of BLACK TERNS from throughout the region. Bill Hubick saw the LONG-TAILED JAEGER through the rain over the Bay off North Beach, Calvert County, the morning of Aug 28. The bird was seen well enough to allow a detailed description but conditions were not suitable for photography. The ARCTIC TERN was spotted and reported by Harry Armistead of Talbot County. This bird passed above the mouth of the Choptank River shortly before noon on Aug 28. It was seen in comfort, for the viewer was inside a neighbor’s house overlooking the river. Lighting was good and the bird was close enough to ascertain unambiguous field marks. continued on page 7 November/December 201 1 5 ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY Southwest Arizona after the Monument Fire Pat and Juanita Tate spent a week in SW Arizona in late July visiting family — and birding, of course. They escaped the Maryland heat; temperatures in Sierra Vista rarely rose above 90 and humidity was low. Although Ramsey Canyon remained open, the other canyons including those on Fort Huachuca were closed until July 25. The fires were out but the rains were creating mudslides in the burned areas. Thus, there was limited mountain birding. The most successful day was when Pat, Juanita, and daughter Jenny hired local professional guide, Stuart Healy, for a day of casual birding at Patagonia SP, Roadside Rest, Kino Springs, and the Patton’s back yard. Stuart helped them find 68 species, including several grassland sparrows: Rufous-crowned, Rufous-winged, Botteri’s, and Cassin’s. Other highlights included Hooded Oriole, Bronzed Cowbird, Varied Bunting, and Lucy’s Warbler. Gray, Swainson’s, and Red-tailed Hawks were also seen, along with Vermillion, Ash-throated, and Brown-crested Flycatchers; Cassin’s, Western, and Thick-billed Kingbirds; and Black- chinned, Rufous, Broad-billed, and Violet-crowned Hummingbirds. Ramsey Canyon VC had those hummers along with Magnificent, Lucifer, Anna’s, and Broad-tailed. Bridled Titmouse, Painted Redstart, Scott’s Oriole, and a few others brought the trip list to 102. When is a good time to bird in Arizona? Anytime! — Pat & Juanita Tate To Florida and Back in 67 Easy Hours — What the Heck Was I Thinking! This isn’t the craziest thing Fve done, but it’s in the Top Five. It all started when a friend in FL dangled a pelagic trip in front of me and it was 5 days away. The big wrinkle, the boat was at Ponce Inlet, FL, and I was in Harwood, MD. Flying on such short notice was too expensive. So I hopped in my trusty Miata at 3 AM on Friday and pulled into the motel at 7 PM. Birding along the highway was not productive; the best highway bird: gorgeous Swallow- tailed Kite just south of Jacksonville. On Saturday at dawn, we gathered at the dock and watched the sun rise as we headed for the Gulf Stream. Saw only the occasional Cory’s and Audubon’s Shearwaters. After a bit, someone looked up and shouted “White-tailed Tropicbird!!!” This one stayed quite a while and really checked us out. Inevitably, a pod of dolphins started riding the bow wave. After several hours of wandering around the Gulf Stream, we occasionally came across a flock of storm-petrels. They were mostly Wilson’s, but we did manage to find Band-rumped and Leach’s. Alas, all good things must come to an end. The boat headed back to port — where the first sign of land was the Vehicle Assembly Building at Cape Canaveral. After spending the night with my friends in Jacksonville, I hit the road for home at 8:30 AM, about IV 2 hours later than planned, but I was having too much fun. Uneventful ride home. Best highway bird, again, was a Swallow- tailed Kite, this time in SC — state bird! Fourteen hours after leaving FL, I arrived home at 10:30 PM. Fell into bed face first. Great trip. Great friends. Made up for relative lack of birds. One life bird, a few FL birds, one SC bird. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat! — Kathie Lambert HARFORD COUNTY Ten members of the Harford Bird Club enjoyed a 12-day tour of Colorado in late June, led by Dennis and Jean Kirkwood. Participants included Larry and Jean Fry (Tri- County), Bob and Susan Hood, Tom Gibson, Tom Congersky, Elaine Beery, and Marjie Heagy. The trip covered over 2,200 miles, visiting Pawnee National Grasslands, Rocky Mountain National Park, Mt. Evans, Grand Mesa, Colorado National Monument, Uncompaghre National Forest, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, the San Luis Valley, and the Arkansas River Valley. The group found 160 species, with highlights being White- tailed Ptarmigan 20 feet away, Chukar, Williamson’s Sapsucker at a nest, Gray Vireo, and Dusky Grouse. The trip ended with a cowboy music show and chuckwagon dinner at the Flying W Ranch in Colorado Springs. Jean and Dennis Kirkwood explored the wilds of Peru on a 23-day tour with Manu Expeditions. The trip began with a visit to Cuzco and the Inca site, Macchu Pichu, a magnificent archeological treasure set in a beautiful mountain ridge overlooking the Urubamba River Valley. The tour then proceeded over several Andean passes and gradually worked down to the Amazon Basin, dropping from 12,000 ft to 700 ft. Each elevation range had its own unique species, making each stop memorable. Staying at four different lodges in the area of Manu National Park and Biosphere Reserve, we tallied 550 species of birds and 25 species of mammals, including giant otter and 10 monkey species. We highly recommend Peru for an adventurous journey! — Dennis Kirkwood In July Peter Hanan (AABC) and Jean Wheeler traveled with Naturalist Journeys to Ecuador. The trip started from Quito with a day excursion to Antisana; here, at over 14,000 ft, we had our first Andean Condors, a female, male, and juvenile. They are impressive! Over the ensuing days we gradually went from the paramo — a high-elevation Neotropical ecosystem that consists of glaciated valleys and plains, with lakes, peat bogs, and wet grasslands mixed with patches of scrub and forest — to the Napo River, an Amazon tributary. At the Guango Lodge we saw the Sword- billed Hummingbird hovering over the feeders, its bill too long to permit continued on page 6 6 The Maryland Yellowthroat Chapter Chatter continued from page 5 perching. At San Isidro Lodge in the cloud forest, we were lucky to see both Golden-headed and Crested Quetzals. Wildsumaco Lodge in the Andes’ Eastern foothills was home to an amazing number of hummers, including Wire-crested Thorntail and Gould’s Jewelfront. At Sacha Lodge in the jungle we saw numerous antbirds, Rusty-belted Tapaculo, and many new and colorful tanagers. Over 400 species were seen or heard. More than half were life birds for both of us. — Jean Wheeler HOWARD COUNTY Richard Orr , along with Bob and Jo Solem , attended the Northeast Regional Meeting of the Dragonfly Society of the Americas. Fortunately, the mid-July meeting occurred during three of the coolest days in a month of record- setting heat. Although the meeting was headquartered in Dover, Delaware, many of the field trips were in Maryland. The highlight was a day-long trip to Idlewild Wildlife Management Area co-led by Jim Brighton. The location lived up to its reputation for exciting odes not easily found in the state. The following day Rick Cheicante (Harford County) led a trip to the Nassawango watershed. The muddy and exhausted participants agreed it was a great success! Burgundy Bluet, Big Bluet, and Duckweed Firetail were among the meeting’s memorable species. Howard Chapter member and MOS Conservation Chair Kurt Schwarz had an opportunity to visit Norway in mid- April. The 5 -day stay yielded a total of 75 species, with 36 new to his world list. In Oslo to attend a conference, he was able to get very close looks at Black-headed Gulls, Common Wood- Pigeons, White Wagtails, Fieldfares, and Common Chaffinches. He then acquired a guide, Bjorn Olav Tveit, the author of A Birdwatcher’s Guide to Norway. Bjorn took him around the Oslo area for two days, and they found such interesting birds as Arctic Loon, Great Crested Grebe, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Gray-faced Woodpecker, Northern Wheatear, Ring Ouzel, and Eurasian Tree Sparrow. A special treat were the male Lapland Longspurs in breeding plumage. Gray Wagtails and a White-throated Dipper were highlights of one stream visit. Kurt was also able to document on film a behavior unknown to Bjorn, a Yellowhammer attacking its reflection in a car mirror; the video is now up on YouTube. If you want to bird in Norway, Kurt would advise going further afield than Oslo; there are many species on the Norway list that are not likely to be found in the Oslo environs. However, he can heartily recommend his guide, an expert and companionable birder, whose English is probably better than his. Thinking of a trip to Florida this winter? Bill and Gayle Hill have a few recommendations to key birding spots around the state, including Merritt Island NWR, J. N. “Ding” Darling NWR, and Fort De Soto County Park. Their trip last winter got off to a good start when they went to Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP in Key Biscayne (below Miami Beach) in search of a La Sagra’s Flycatcher. It took most of a morning, but perseverance paid off with good looks as the bird perched on a wire. This flycatcher is a special bird under most circumstances but even more so since it was Gayle’s 600th ABA-area species. Seeing a King Rail was also a priority, so they made numerous trips to the Everglades National Park. They could hear the rails calling as the sun rose during each of their visits, but no rails made an appearance. Seeing Short-tailed Hawk, Purple Gallinule, American Bittern, Roseate Spoonbill, Wurdemann’s Heron, and scads of Anhinga feeding young was a nice consolation prize. Eventually, Bill and Gayle implemented Plan B and went to the Circle B Bar Reserve, about 40 miles east of Tampa, where a King Rail was being seen. They arrived around mid-day; the rail finally made an appearance later in the afternoon and ultimately provided some great looks. The trip concluded with a visit to the Paynes Prairie Preserve SP, just south of Gainesville; thanks to the eBird search tool, they knew that some Whooping Cranes were wintering there and the Hills got nice looks at two flyovers. — Kate Tufts At ECOAN’s Owlet Lodge, Linda, Dillon, Lydia, and Anna shift focus from hummer feeders to trip photographer Evelyn Ralston. MONTGOMERY COUNTY In July, five MoCo birders — Linda Friedland, Dillon Rankin, Evelyn Ralston, Lydia Schindler, and Anna Urciolo — traveled to Peru’s “magnetic north” with Field Guides. Target birds were the near-mythical Long-whiskered Owlet and Marvellous Spatuletail, and they got fabulous looks at both. Over 10 days they enjoyed scores of specialties — some 30 hummingbirds, including Royal Sunangel; three dozen tanagers, including Yellow-crested, Yellow-throated, and the gaudy White-capped; a full assortment of flycatchers, among them the endemic Mishana Tyrannulet and the charming Lulu’s Tody-Tyrant. One evening at dusk the group watched 200 Oilbirds rousting from their roost, chaotic and cacophonous. One early morning they stalked nightjars and owls as the full moon cast long shadows. Tops among Psittacids were a flock of about 50 Rose-fronted Parakeets, bobbing and munching. Other favorites were Bar-winged Wood- Wren, Striolated Puffbird and Lanceolated Monklet, a Rusty-breasted Antpitta in the scope. Woodpecker honors went to Crimson- mantled and Crimson-bellied — a spectacular Campephilus. Duetting Coraya Wrens and duetting Russet- crowned Warblers. The dance of the Black-capped Donocobius and the teeter-totter of the Golden-collared Toucanet. Torrent Ducks disputing territory, and a White-rumped Hawk soaring just overhead. Mirabilis indeed! — Lydia Schindler November/December 201 1 7 TALBOT COUNTY In May I presented “My Life with Ospreys” at The Kirtland’s Warbler Festival in Northern Michigan, and my 6-day visit and gig were great. I enjoyed a bloom of warm weather as the North Woods was coming alive with migratory birds, wildflowers, and blossoming trees. One day I flew an eagle nest survey over great swaths of natural forested land, chilly trout streams, and the wide cold Mackinac Straits of Superior. Wow! Back on the ground, I enjoyed large active flocks of 20 to 50 Black Terns. Mated pairs of Sandhill Cranes duetted their primeval “unison call.” Much of this country is Leopoldian, with many of the plant and animal species Aldo Leopold celebrates in A Sand County Almanac (white pine, oaks, Sandhill Crane, Upland Sandpiper. Also, several local counties are “Sand Counties.” They were logged off, but after marginal agriculture failed during the Depression, people could not find uses for them other than hunting and recreation, so they remain troves of Northern Nature. The white pines are back, and getting decidedly tall. From the air, their great sprays of fine green needles looked soft and cloud-like. Kirtland’s Warblers are found only in these great sweeps of carefully managed jackpine barrens (on Sand County post-glacial terrain!) — a legacy of Lawrence Walkinshaw, Harold Mayfield, Jerry Weinrich, and many others. The warblers are large and pretty; their bright lemon- yellow throats pulse as they throw their heads back to sing. I spent several hours with the warblers on two consecutive days after my talk. Later I drove over to Tawas Point on Lake Huron; this is a little-known, compact, accessible version of Point Pelee, where tired and hungry warblers and other passerines rest after an overwater flight. Northern Michigan is such a sleeper. Out-of-staters just don’t know. The infrastructure and educational displays at parks and other preserves are very well done, reflecting a long tradition of biophilia in Michigan. I had a 6-day trip and didn’t even get to the Upper Peninsula or Lake Michigan. And it’s cheap: recent hard times mean that prices are low, and they need the business. I paid $50 or less per night for clean and quiet ma-&-pa motels. This little rave review promotes biological conservation and ecotourism to a green economy that deserves it. A very refreshing change from summer here. I recommend a 10-day visit if possible. — Paul Spitzer TRI-COUNTY In our club newsletter in January, 2011, club president Sam Dyke presented his New Year’s Wish List for Wicomico County. He urged all of us to scour the area and bring the county list up from 293 species to a more presentable 300. Member Ron Gutberlet was first to add a bird — Eared Grebe — right in the area and month (March) suggested by Sam. Then in September Sam reported a Hudsonian Godwit, again in the month and area he had suggested. The next day Sam was searching again for the Hudsonian Godwit (which had gone) when he came across a Marbled Godwit, again in the same area where he suggested. Wicomico is now up to 296 species. Will one of us bring the county a little closer to the magical number or will we have to wait for Sam to do it again? — Carol Broderick Coming Soon: Merchandise Sporting MOS Logos MOS has signed an agreement with an Internet firm to offer merchandise imprinted with the MOS logo as well as with Chapter logos. There'll be shirts, tote bags, canvas bags, water bottles, coffee mugs, towels, aprons, mouse pads, etc. As soon as the link is ready on the MOS web site, we'll notify all the Chapters. — John Malcolm MOS Merchandise Birds of Note continued from page 4 • SOOTY TERNS, always sought after hurricanes, were reported on Aug 28 from several locations. One juvenile, heading north up the Bay, was mentioned by Mikey Lutmerding in a report from birders scanning the Bay at North Beach, Calvert County. SOOTY TERNS were also seen by two birders who were looking out over the Bay from the parking lot of Hemmingway’s Restaurant in Queen Anne’s County. Fred Shaffer saw two of these birds flying north over the Bay. Kevin Graff separately reported a single adult bird heading south from the same location. Over in Talbot County, Jim Brighton of Talbot and Ron Gutberlet of Wicomico County teamed up for an early morning visit to Black Walnut Point, where they managed to see a single juvenile SOOTY TERN heading south over the Bay. And down in the southern part of Worcester County, Jennifer Elmer of Pocomoke City came up with three SOOTY TERN sightings. She saw the first two, a juvenile and an adult, at the Pocomoke Sand Pits, and the third, an immature bird, at Cedar Hall. • With shorebird migration drawing to a close, attention is shifting to the gentle movement of warblers, vireos, and thrushes. Hawk migration is beginning and waterfowl influx is not far behind. Before long, sparrows in abundance will be arriving or moving through. In fact, one splendid sparrow has already shown up. On Sept 19 Dave Curson found a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW in Patterson Park in downtown Baltimore. Since the habitat there is quite suitable, this bird could decide to stay in the area for at least a few days to provide a special treat for urban birders. 8 The Maryland Yellowthroat Maryland/DC Records Committee Status Report as of September 20, 201 1 by Phil Davis, MD/DCRC Secretary The MD/DCRC has reached the following record decisions since the last committee status report was published in The Maryland Yellowthroat. This report covers MD/DCRC review packages 136 and 137. MD/DCRC report numbers are in brackets. These records will be addressed in additional detail in a future issue of Maryland Birdlife. No new “state” species were included in these decisions. More information on the MD/DCRC can be found on the committee’s web pages at the following URL: http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/rcindex.html MD RECORDS ACCEPTED: Wood Stork, Mycteria americana [MD/2010-164] Potomac River, Nanjemoy, Charles County 17-Sep-2010 through 23-Sep-2010 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Dendrocygna autumnalis [MD/2010-122] Charlestown Retirement Community, Catonsville, Baltimore County 30-Jun-2010 through 07-Jul-2010 Ross’s Goose, Chen rossii [MD/20 11-003] Newark Farms, Madonna, Harford County 08-Jan-2011 through ll-Jan-2011 Yellow Rail, Coturnicops novehoracensis [MD/2010-160] San Domingo Creek, St. Michaels, Talbot County 16-0ct-2010 Purple Gallinule, Porphyrio martinica [MD/20 10- 156] Elkton, Cecil County 10-Jun-2010 Sabine’s Gull, Xema sabini [MD/20 10- 159] Chesapeake Bay, Tilghman Island, Talbot County 25-Sep-2010 Eurasian Collared-Dove, Streptopelia decaocto [MD/2009-032] Pocomoke River Drive, Pocomoke, Somerset County 05-Mar-2009 through 30-May-2009 Eurasian Collared-Dove, Streptopelia decaocto [MD/20 10-024] Pocomoke, Somerset County 02- Apr-20 10 through 20-Apr-2010 Say’s Phoebe, Sayornis say a [MD/20 10-1 63] Terrapin Nature Park, Stevensville, Queen Anne’s County 29-Oct-2010 Ash-throated Flycatcher, Myiarchus cinerascens [MD/2010-173] Assateague Island National Seashore, Berlin, Worcester County 27-Nov-2010 through 12-Dec-2010 Western Kingbird, Tyr annus verticalis [MD/20 10-044] unknown location/county [“specimen taken in Maryland just beyond the District line”] ~30-Sep-1874 [date sold] Western Kingbird, Tyr annus verticalis [MD/20 10-045] Denton, Caroline County 28-Sep-1931 Western Kingbird, Tyr annus verticalis [MD/20 10-050] Snow Hill, Worcester County 23-Dec-1946 Henslow’s Sparrow, Ammodramus henslowii [MD/200 8-051] Club Hollow Road, Poolesville, Montgomery County 15- Jun-2008 through 24-Jun-2008 Le Conte’s Sparrow, Ammodramus leconteii [MD/20 10- 162] Waterford Farm, Woodbine, Howard County 16- 0ct-2010 Le Conte’s Sparrow, Ammodramus leconteii [MD/2010-161] University of Maryland Central Farm, Ellicott City, Howard County 16-0ct-2010 MD RECORDS NOT ACCEPTED: Gyrfalcon, Falco rusticolus [MD/20 10-009] Cattail River Drive, Woodbine, Howard County 07-Feb-2010 Eurasian Collared-Dove, Streptopelia decaocto [MD/2009-049] Taneytown, Carroll County 12-Jun-2008 Boreal Chickadee, Poecile hudsonicus [MD/2009-011] Potomac, Montgomery County 19-Jan-2009 DC RECORDS NOT ACCEPTED: Seaside Sparrow, Ammodramus maritimus [DC/2007-062] Poplar Point 27- Apr-200 7 Bullock’s Oriole, Icterus bullockii [DC/2010-102] Bolling AFB 06-Jun-2010 Records printed: 21 Common Gallinule continued from page 3 DNA analysis has led to an overhaul of Wood Warbler taxonomy that was begun in the previous supplement. Major changes in North American birds since 2009 include elimination of the genera Dendroica , Wilsonia, and Parula. All the Dendroica and Parula are moved to the genus Setophaga (which Pm told means “moth eater”); this genus also includes American Redstart and Hooded Warbler. The genus Oporornis is now monotypic, with Connecticut Warbler being the sole member. The former Oporornis Mourning, Kentucky, and MacGillivray’s have been moved to the genus Geothlypis, along with the yellowthroats. So birders should no longer refer to the difficulties of separating Oporornis species. Perhaps “gray-headed warblers” could be adopted as an informal group name for purposes of ID discussions. (For a nice chart illustrating the Wood Warbler taxonomy changes see David Sibley’s web site, www.sibleyguides.com.) The 52nd supplement is available at the AOU’s web site, www.aou.org. — -Jim Moore, Montgomery Bird Club November/December 201 1 9 Apple Inc’s mobile iPhone and its phoneless cousin, the iPod Touch, are wonderful gizmos for birders. These combo media players, personal data assistants, Wi-Fi-capable and phone (iPhone only) machines are being used more and more by birders in the field. And a whole bunch of creative birders and companies are producing applications (apps) specifically to aid birders. I currently use my iPod Touch* in place of a traditional pocket field guide, to record any mystery or unusual bird songs I might come across in the field, to practice and learn bird songs, and even to keep track of birds seen on an outing. I originally purchased an iPod Touch (and a portable speaker) for call playback in the field, to lure birds in for a better look. This practice, however, has become ethically questionable among birders, and the longer I’ve owned my iPod Touch, the less I use it for this purpose. I won’t be discussing bird call playback in this article, but David Sibley has a great discussion about call playback. It’s online at www.sibleyguides. com/2011/04/the-proper-use-of-playback-in-birding. Turn your iPod Touch into a Lightweight Super Field Guide I like to go as lightweight as possible when I’m in the field. Especially in the warmer months, all I want is lightweight clothing, cellphone, binoculars, and a lens pen and glass-cleaning cloth. That’s it. The one additional thing I sometimes need, however, is a field guide. Having been birding now for eight years or so, I don’t need a field guide on every trip, especially when birding on my home turf here in Montgomery. However, not bringing a field guide seems to put Murphy’s Law into overdrive! The times I decide to leave it in the car are just when I need it. Now I no longer have to make this decision. The iPod Touch is so small and lightweight, it just slips into my pocket and I hardly know it’s there. And not only do I have a full field guide with me, it’s really a field guide- plus because the iPod Touch versions of popular field guides like Sibley or Peterson allow you to listen to bird calls and songs as well. Birding at McKee-Beshers WMA in early April, I heard a mystery bird call coming from a row of white pines. The call sounded familiar, but I just could not place it. Because of the pines, I was thinking maybe a finch species of some sort, but a few moments later, I noticed the call coming from a swallow flying high above the trees. I didn’t have time to get the binos on it, but I was pretty sure it was my “first of the season” Bam Swallow. It took only a few seconds to pull up the Sibley eGuide on the iPod Touch and confirm Bam Swallow. Sibley not your preferred field guide? Maybe you’re a Peterson or National Geographic fan. No worries, because those publishers all have iPod Touch versions of their field guides. As a matter a fact, why not load your iPod Touch with multiple field guides? Even the smallest capacity iPod Touch (8 GB) has plenty of room for more than one. Before a recent trip to Florida, I purchased and downloaded the Ultimate Audubon Nature Guide to Florida. Into butterflies or dragonflies as well as birds? There are field guide apps available for these critters as well. All this in a package weighing only 3.6 ounces! Use the iPod Touch to Record Bird Sounds in the Field Another cool use for my iPod Touch is recording bird songs in the field. This may be a call I don’t recognize or an unusual call from a well-known species. Recordings can also be used to help MOS’s MD/DC Records Committee verify a rare bird. While not CD-quality by any stretch, these recordings are usually good enough to bring home, play back on your iPod Touch or download to your home computer, and share with someone else to help identify a bird. My current iPod Touch is an older generation (2nd Gen) that doesn’t have a built-in microphone, so I carry a small external microphone about the size of a quarter that plugs into the unit’s ear-bud socket. Newer iPod Touch models (built after September 201 0) have a built-in microphone; I haven’t tried this personally, but it should mean you don’t need an external mic. Another great use of the iPod Touch’s recording feature is to record notes to yourself on species you find in the field. This can be especially useful during a Christmas Bird Count, May or Fall Count, or Big Day. While there are some iPod Touch apps out there that have been developed to keep track of and count birds you see during an outing, the two that I have tried (Birdcountr and Birdwatcher’s Diary) are a bit awkward to use. It seems easier to make verbal memos to yourself, recording your voice directly to the iPod Touch. When I get home after a day’s birding, I simply replay the recordings and enter my sightings in the place where I keep my birding records, Cornell’s Lab of Ornithology eBird project. Hook Up the iPod Touch to your Car Stereo and Practice your Bird Song ID Skills When daily news radio gets a little too depressing, I hook my iPod Touch up to the car stereo through the auxiliary jack and hone my bird song identification skills while driving around on errands. The following CDs all fit on my 8-GB capacity iPod Touch: Stokes Guides to Eastern and Western Bird Songs, Peterson Field Guide to Bird Songs of Eastern and Central North America, Peterson’s Birding by Ear and More Birding by Ear series, Cornell’s Lab of Ornithology Guide to Owl Vocalizations, a few Lang Elliot CDs, and a warbler vocalization CD produced by the Ohio Division of Wildlife. February, March, and early April is a great time to tune up your ears for the coming rush of migrants. (The auxiliary input jack has become standard on most newer model cars, but if your auto doesn’t have this capability, places like Radio Shack sell adapters that allow you to plug an iPod Touch into the car stereo through the DC connector socket [formerly used for the cigarette lighter].) Remote Access to MDOsprey or Other Online Birding Resources While the iPod Touch can do most everything the iPhone can do, its one disadvantage compared with its phone-equipped cousin is lack of remote Internet access in the field. If keeping up with the latest postings on MDOsprey is important to you when you’re out in the field, you may want to choose an iPhone over the iPod Touch. I personally like having an iPod Touch that is separate from my old-fashioned flip phone. But to each their own tech preferences! Good birding! —Andy Martin Montgomery Bird Club * References to the iPod Touch assume that it has the same features as the iPhone except that the iPhone contains a phone plus the capability for remote access to the Internet. Four Birding Uses for Your iPod Touch or iPhone Reprinted, with permission, from the Montgomery Bird Club’s newsletter, The Chat. 10 The Maryland Yellowthroat MOS Calemclair November- December 2011 Tuesday, November 1 Meeting. Baltimore. Tuesday Evening Lecture at Cylburn, 4915 Greenspring Ave. Tonight: “A Birding Trip to Costa Rica” with Gary Van Velsir. 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. Wednesday, November 2 A Baltimore. First Wednesdays at Fort McHenry. A continuing series of monthly morning surveys of bird activity at the Fort and wetland. Scope can be useful. Cancelled in inclement weather. Meet 8 AM in the park, outside the Visitor Center. Leader: Mary Chetelat, 410-665-0769. Meeting. Carroll. “Birding in Turkey” by Dave Harvey. 7:30 PM at the S Carroll Senior Center, 5928 Mineral Hill Rd, Eldersburg. Contact Dave Harvey at 410-795-3117 for more info. Meeting. Cecil. Program and Speaker TBA. 7 PM at Elkton HS, 110 James Street, Elkton. For more info, contact President Maryanne Dolan, maryanne. dolan@gmail.com. Thursday, November 3 Meeting. Frederick. MD/DC Records committee member Ron Gutberlet will entertain us with “A Year on the Road with North American Birds.” 7 PM at Homewood at Crumland Farms (7407 Willow Rd) in Frederick. For info, contact Bob Schaefer, 301-831-5660. 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, November 4 Meeting. Anne Arundel. “The Birds and Other Wildlife of the Galapagos and Conservation Challenges” by Dr. Graham Watkins. 8 PM Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center, 975 Indian Landing Rd, Millersville. A Frederick. First Fridays. Leader and destination TBA. Meet at Culler Lake in Baker Park at 8 AM. For info, contact Bob Schaefer, 301-831-5660. Dinner Meeting. Harford. The dinner meeting will start at 6:15 PM with a business meeting to follow at 7 PM. Bob and Susan Hood will present “From the Arctic to the Desert: Grand Colorado Birding Adventure.” Call 410-692-5905 for dinner reservations or for more info. A Washington. Lamb’s Knoll. Visit Project Owlnet at Lamb’s Knoll and observe Northern Saw-whet Owl banding by Steve Huy. Wear sturdy shoes, bring a flashlight, and be prepared to stay as late as midnight. Meet at 9:15 PM at the Boonsboro P&R next to Thompson’s Gas. Registration is limited. Call Anna Hutzell at 301-797-8454. Friday-Sunday, November 4-6 * T Baltimore. Youth Birding Weekend at Irish Grove Sanctuary, near Crisfield. We will bird with young birders from the Eastern Shore. We will bird at Chincoteague I. and the 1,500 acre marsh/pine forest at Irish Grove. Optional three-hour canoe trip at Janes I. SP. Meals and room provided at about $30. Young birders must attend with a parent or sanctioned adult guardian. Pre-registration required: Marty Brazeau, 410-583-0275 or tropicbirder@verizon.net. Saturday, November 5 ^7 YMOS. Youth trip to Chincoteague NWR for herons, waterfowl, skimmers, and raptors. This is a great opportunity to get a good look at a lot of bird species. Waterfowl will be back, and Chincoteague provides a unique opportunity to explore many types of habitats. We will be combining forces with the Baltimore Orioles youth birding group, which will be at Irish Grove for the weekend. Lodging will be provided either Fri and/or Sat night for students coming from a distance. Pre-registration required. Contact George Radcliff at radclifg@gmail.com at least 2 weeks prior. Annual Banquet. Allegany/Garrett. Speaker: Ron Gutbertlet. Title: “Alaska 2008: Gambell, Nome, and Homer.” Gathering starts at 5:30 PM, dinner at 6 PM. The event is at the Frostburg United Methodist Church. Please contact Charlotte Folk for dinner reservations at 301-689-6587 or mail your check to her at 179 Mt Pleasant St, Frostburg, MD 21532. The cost for dinner is $15. A Anne Arundel. Swan Creek. Swan Creek is a very limited-access area that has quickly developed into a magnet for all types of birds. Stan Arnold will be meeting people 8 AM at the site. Please be prompt as we have only 3 hours on the property. Afterwards, we’ll visit Fort Armistead. For info, contact Stan at thrushhost@gmail.com. A Frederick. Town Hill. 3/4 day. We will head off to Allegany Co and this lovely hawk watch point to enjoy the view and watch for migrating raptors. Leader: Kathy Brown, 301-865-1369. A Harford. Susquehanna SP. Visit a prime Harford Co birding spot. The various habitats found here attract a diversity of passerines, raptors, and waterfowl. Meet at 8 AM at the Rock Run Mill. Leaders are Tom Congersky, 410-658-4137 or jnjtcon@zoominternet. net, and Randy Robertson. H Howard. Sharps at Waterford Farm. Meet 8 AM at farm parking area, through barns on right. Moderate walking over crop stubble, farm roads, and paths on this working farm. Port- a-pots available. Waterproof footwear November/December 201 1 11 and clothing advisable in wet weather; one small stream crossing planned. Leader: Wes Earp, the_earps@verizon. net or 410-531-3197. 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, November 6 A Caroline. Tuckahoe SP plus visit to Scales and Tales Aviary afterwards. Join us for one or both! Meet 8 AM at Lake Side Trail parking lot walk or meet Jessica Conley at the park office at 10:30 AM for tour of the new Scales and Tales. Perfect for children and novice birders! Leader: Debby Bennett, dabennettl996@gmail. A Howard. Centennial Park. Meet 8 AM at West End parking lot. Easy walking on paved path around Centennial Lake. Woodlands, fields, and water host a wide variety of species. Great view of the sky for flyovers. Early waterfowl, lingering migrants likely. Facilities available. Leader: Jeff Culler, cullersfuls@ hotmail.com or 410-465-9006. A Montgomery. Lois Green CP. Half day. Songbirds, raptors, and waterfowl are possible. Meet 7:30 AM at parking lot on Snouffer School Rd, Gaithersburg. Reservations required. For detailed directions and reservations, call leader Ed Patten, 301-948-5648. A Talbot. Pickering Creek Audubon Center. New fall arrivals and wintering species of field, forest, and wetlands. Leader: Les Roslund, 410- 763-8169. Breakfast hosts: Carolyn and Les Roslund. Depart Easton Acme parking lot at 7 AM. Tuesday, November 8 Meeting. Kent. “Tundra Swans” by Colby Hawkinson , Eastern Neck NWR. 7:30 PM at Wesley Hall, Heron Point, E Campus Ave, Chestertown. For info, contact Nancy Martin, 410-778-9568. Meeting. Patuxent. “History of Bird Feeding” by Paul Baicich and Margaret Barker. 7:30 PM at the College Park Airport Annex, College Park, MD. Add’l info at http://www. pgaudubon.org/programs.html. Wednesday, November 9 Meeting. Montgomery. “Wildlife of Northern Ecuador and Amazonia.” Suzanne Dater spent two weeks in northern Ecuador in late May and early June 2010 observing and photographing wildlife. She will show photographs of 85 species of beautiful birds. 7:30 PM at Potomac Presbyterian Church, 10301 River Rd, Potomac. For more info, contact Anna Urciolo at urcioloa@sidwell.edu. Thursday, November 10 Meeting. Howard. “Northern Peru — Naturalist’s Travelogue,” by Dennis and Jane Coskren and Jim and Rosa Lubitz. The presenters were able to see rare endemic birds in their Jan 2011 trip as they crossed the Andean ridges from the Amazon basin to the desert ecosystems of the Pacific coast. Marvellous Spatuletail, anyone? Hospitality and club bookstore 7:30 PM; meeting/ program 8 PM at Robinson Nature Center, 6692 Cedar Ln, Columbia. Info: Ward Ebert, 301-490-5807. Meeting. Talbot. 7 PM William Hill Manor Auditorium. Speaker TBA. Friday, November 11 A Montgomery. Little Brown Jobs at Blue Mash. Half day. Blue Mash is a good place to work on the basics of sparrow ID; we’ll check out common species like Song and White-throated while keeping an eye out for less- likely White-crowned and Swamp. This trip is primarily for beginners, but all are welcome. Boots strongly recommended. For reservations, time, and directions, contact the leader: Lydia Schindler, 301-977-5252 or lydiaschindler@verizon.net. Saturday, November 12 A Howard. Howard Waterfowl Search. Meet 8 AM at Broken Land A Indicates Field Trip Pkwy parking lot at Lake Elkhorn. Plan to visit the Columbia lakes to search for gulls, ducks, grebes, loons, and other waterfowl. Easy walking involved. Plan to carpool. Bring lunch and drinks. Scopes helpful. Facilities available. Leader: Kurt Schwarz, krschwal@verizon.net or 410-461-1643. A Washington. Fort Frederick. Meet at the MVA parking lot in Hagerstown at 7 AM for a half-day trip to Fort Frederick and Big Pool. Contact trip leaders Linda and Bruce Field at 301- 797-6189 for more info. Saturday-Sunday, November 12-13 Irish Grove Work Weekend. We will be working to maintain the trail system at this MOS sanctuary and prime birding site. You are welcome to come for a day or stay overnight at the sanctuary house or in your tent! Besides birding the sanctuary property, there’s Rumbly Point Road, and Chincoteague is not far away. You can also choose to kayak or canoe. Directions and more information about Irish Grove are available on the MOS web site, www.mdbirds.org. If you can come, please contact Dotty Mumford, dottymum@comcast.net. PS: No mosquitos at this time of year! Sunday, November 13 A Baltimore. Marshy Point Nature Center. Half-day trip for early winter waterfowl, raptors, thrushes, and other passerines. Half-mile trail leads to point overlooking Dundee Crk. Boots advisable, scopes useful. Meet 9 AM at Nature Center parking lot. Bob Rineer, 410-252-6408 or rrineerl@jhmi.edu, and Brent and Mary Byers, 410-626- 7294 or baypuffin@hotmail.com. A Howard. Centennial Park. Meet 8 AM at West End parking lot. 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. Facilities available. Leader: Karen Darcy and Kevin Heffernan, 410-418-8731 orKJHeff@aol.com. continued, on page 1 2 12 The Maryland Yellowthroat Calendar continued from page 11 fl Talbot. Wye Island for waterfowl, winter birds, and late migrants. Leader: Danny Poet, 410-827-8651. Depart Easton Acme parking lot at 7 AM or meet leader at Wye Island bridge at 7:30 AM. Thursday, November 17 Meeting. Caroline. Wil and Donna Hershberger will present “Bird Photography in the Digital Age.” 7:30 PM, Caroline Co Public Library, 100 Market St, Denton. 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, November 19 It Baltimore. Eastern Neck/ Chesapeake Farms. For Tundra Swans and winter waterfowl, bluebirds, and other delights. Bring lunch, and scopes if you have them. Meet 7:30 AM at the Nursery Rd P&R. Leaders: Pete Webb, 410-486-1217 (h) or 443-904- 6314 (m) or pete_webb@juno.com, and Kevin Graff, keyweststyle2001@ gmail.com. Optional early dinner possible at Kent I. restaurant on way home. It Baltimore. Saturday Monitoring Walks at Fort McHenry. Continuing survey of bird activity at the Fort and wetland. Cancelled in inclement weather. Meet 8 AM in the park, outside the Visitor Center. Leader: Wendy Alexander, 410-788-4080 or dadolbw@aol.com. It Carroll. Piney Run Park. Meet 8 AM at the parking lot outside the gate to Piney Run Park on Martz Rd. Moderate walking around Piney Run Lake to scope early waterfowl and explore mixed forest and field edges for late migrants and winter resident birds. For info, call Dave Harvey, 410- 795-3117. It Frederick. Blackwater NWR. Full day trip. Waterfowl, Brown-headed Nuthatches, and sparrows will be our primary targets. Leader: Kathy Calvert, 301-698-1298. Contact her for meeting time and place. It 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. It Tri-County. Prime Hook NWR, DE. Waterfowl, raptors, and sparrows. Meet 7:30 AM in Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art parking lot on S Schumaker Dr on Beaglin Park Dr in Salisbury. Contact leader Betty Pitney at 410-543-1853 for more info. Bring lunch and drinks. Sunday, November 20 It Caroline. Pelot Sanctuary Cleanup. 8:30 AM. Dress appropriately; bring work gloves and trash bags. Coordinator: Bill Scudder. Directions: from Rte 313 in Greensboro, turn right on to Whitelysburg Rd. Left on Wothers, then right on Boyce Mill Rd. Left on Drapers Mill Rd and look for sanctuary sign on the right. Info: Debby Bennett at dabennettl996@gmail. It Harford. Bombay Hook NWR. Take a late fall/early winter survey of this DE shorebird haven with leader Dave Larkin, 410-569-8319 or Larkin3001@comcast.net. Meet at the Rte 155/1-95 P&R at 7:30 AM. Bring lunch. Scopes helpful. It Howard. Centennial Park. Meet 8 AM at West End parking lot. Easy walking on paved path around Centennial Lake. Woodlands, fields, and water host a wide variety of species. Great view of the sky for flyovers. Early waterfowl, lingering migrants likely. Facilities available. Leader: Joe Hanfman, aukl844@ comcast.net or 410-772-8424. It Kent. Kent County Waterfowl. Twenty or more species of ducks and geese migrate through or to Kent Co. We will explore landings, small ponds, and the Chesapeake Bay to see how many of them have arrived before Thanksgiving. 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 and/ or borealdee@baybroadband.net, and Glenn Dulmage, 410-778-5166 or gdulmage@verizon.net. It Talbot. Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center (aka Horsehead) for waterfowl and sparrows. Leader: Danny Poet, 410- 827-8651. Depart Easton Acme parking lot at 7 AM or meet leader at Horsehead gate at 7:30 AM. Tuesday, November 22 Meeting. Washington. Meeting starts at 7 PM at Mt. Aetna Nature Center. Walter Ellison will present “The History of Ornithology and Birding in North America.” Call Anna at 301- 797-8454 for details and directions. Saturday, November 26 II Cecil. Eagles at Conowingo Dam. Half day. Meet 9 AM at Fisherman’s Park lot below dam. Leaders: Sean McCandless, seanmccandlessl@ comcast.net, and Charley Gant. II Harford. Conowingo Eagle Watch. Meet at 8 AM at Fisherman’s Park below the dam. Expect more than 100 Bald Eagles and possibly Golden Eagle. There will be waterfowl and early winter songbirds. Contact leader Dennis Kirkwood at 410-692-5905 or newarkfarms@gmail.com for info. Sunday, November 27 A Howard. Centennial Park. Meet 8 AM at West End parking lot. Easy walking on paved path around lake. Woodlands, fields, and water host a wide variety of species. Great view of the sky for flyovers. Early waterfowl, lingering migrants likely. Facilities available. Leader: Joe Byrnes 410-730- 5329, LBRoller@verizon.net. A Patuxent. Piscataway Creek and the Potomac River. Migrating waterfowl and other early winter birds. Meet 7:30 AM at the Beltway Plaza P&R to carpool or 8 AM at Wharf Rd. Reservations required. Contact Dave Mozurkewich at 301-459-3375 or November/December 201 1 13 mozurk@bellatlantic.net for more info. A Talbot. Prime Hook NWR and other DE Coastal Sites. Leader: Dave Palmer, 410-829-3376. Depart Easton Acme parking lot at 6:30 AM. Monday, November 28 Meeting. Tri-County. Program: “The Story of Hope, the Whimbrel, and the Nature Conservancy’s Virginia Coast Reserve Shorebird Research” presented by Stephen Parker. 7 PM at Asbury Methodist Church, Fox Rm, south entrance, Camden Ave, Salisbury. Thursday, December 1 Christmas Dinner and Meeting. Frederick. We will be pleased to welcome Don Messersmith, who will present “Seventy Years of Finding and Studying Birds: My Life as a Naturalist.” Dinner will be at the Cozy Restaurant in Thurmont at a cost of $15.50 per person. Please make reservations with and send money to Treasurer Nancy Parker before Nov 26. 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, December 2 Meeting. Anne Arundel. “Maniac Tours Does the Wildlife of Brazil: From Jaguars and Tapirs to Hyacinth Macaws, Southern Screamers, and Blond-crested Woodpeckers” by Peter Hanan , Past President of the AABC and founder of Maniac Birding. 8 PM Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center, 975 Indian Landing Rd, Millersville. 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, contact Bob Schaefer, 301-831-5660. A Indicates Field Trip Saturday, December 3 MOS Board Meeting. 10 AM. Hosted by the Harford Bird Club at Swan Harbor Farm, Havre de Grace. Contact Janet Shields, MOS Secretary, at janetbill@prodigy.net for add’l info. A Baltimore. Piscataway Park. Winter waterfowl trip to site along the Potomac River southwest of Washington, DC for rafts of ducks at Accokeek Creek and Wharf Rd locations. Meet 7:30 AM at Nursery Rd P&R. Leaders: Pete Webb, 410- 486-1217 (h) or 443-904-6314 (m) or pete_webb@juno.com, and Kevin Graff, key weststyle2 00 1 @gmail.com . A Harford. DE Coast. Meet at the 155/1-95 P&R at 6:30 AM. This trip will visit several hotspots along the DE Bay for wintering specialties. Contact leader Russ Kovach at 410-443-386- 4787 or russell.kovach@gmail.com. A Howard. Blackwater NWR. Full day. Plan to stop at the Choptank River Bridge for ducks and coffee. Bring lunch and drinks. Dress warmly! Entrance fee or Duck Stamp required. E-mail the leader to reserve a spot and get details. We will carpool. Leader: Stan Arnold, thrushhost@gmail.com, 410-768-0155. Facilities at some spots. 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. A Patuxent. Southern Prince George’s County Pond Tour. Meet at the Bowie P&R at 7:30 AM to carpool. This half- day trip will include stops at several local ponds and wetlands in southern and central PG Co in an attempt to find returning waterfowl and rare gulls. Stops will include Schoolhouse Pond, Depot Pond, the Recycling Center Pond, the “Marlborough” wetlands, and possibly some Bowie or Greenbelt area ponds. Come prepared for cold weather, lots of birds, and hopefully a few rarities. Contact Fred Shaffer at 410-721-1744 for more info. Sunday, December 4 A Baltimore. Loch Raven. Waterbirds and landbirds. Possible Bald Eagle, Eastern Bluebird, and Common Loon. Scopes useful. Two-mile level walk. Leader: Peter Lev, 410-823-2962 or plev@comcast.net. Meet 8 AM along Stone Hill Rd. All cars need to park on the same side of the road. A Montgomery. Lilypons/New Design Road. Half day. Wintering field birds, targeting Fox and American Tree Sparrows, possibly Virginia Rail and American Bittern. For reservations (required) and more info, call leader, Gail Mackiernan, at 301-989-1828. A Talbot. Blackwater NWR. Late fall search for Bald Eagles, waterfowl, sparrows, nuthatches, creepers, and maybe a lone White Pelican. Bring warm clothes for short hiking excursions in the woods. Leader: Dave Palmer, 410-829-3376. Depart Easton Acme parking lot at 7 AM. Tuesday, December 6 Meeting. Baltimore. Tuesday Evening Lecture at Cylburn, 4915 Greenspring Ave. Tonight: “Aimophila Adventures.” Travel with Kurt Schwarz , Howard Bird Club member and MOS Conservation Chair, to explore the Southwest’s gaudy birds (Elegant Trogon, Scott’s Oriole, and Flame-colored Tanager) and the little brown jobs, including the ultimate LBJ, Botteri’s Sparrow. 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. Wednesday, December 7 A Baltimore. First Wednesdays at Fort McHenry. A continuing series of monthly morning surveys of bird activity at the Fort and wetland. Scope can be useful. Cancelled in inclement weather. Meet 8 AM in the park, outside the Visitor Center. Leader: Mary Chetelat, 410-665-0769. continued on page 14 14 The Maryland Yellowthroat Calendar continued from page 13 Meeting. Carroll. “Lights Out Baltimore” by Wendy Olsson. 7:30 PM at the Carroll Senior Center, 125 Stoner Ave, Westminster. Contact Dave Harvey at 410-795-3117 for more info. Meeting. Cecil. Program and Speaker TBA. 7 PM at Elkton HS, 110 James St, Elkton. For more info, contact President Maryanne Dolan, maryanne. dolan@gmail.com. Thursday, December 8 Meeting. Howard. “The Birds of Magee Marsh,” by Ralph Gender. Spring warblers are the main draw here, but this Ohio site offers many other interesting species as well. Hospitality and club bookstore 7:30 PM; meeting/ program 8 PM at Robinson Nature Center, 6692 Cedar Ln, Columbia. Info: Ward Ebert, 301-490-5807. Saturday, December 10 A Carroll. New Design Rd/Lilypons/ Noland’s Ferry. Meet 8:30 AM at the P&R on Rte 32 north of 1-70. Checking for winter birds and rarities. For info, call Dave Harvey, 410-795-3117. Sunday, December 11 A Baltimore. Marshy Point Nature Center. Half-day trip for winter waterfowl, raptors, and passerines. Half- mile trail leads to point overlooking Dundee Creek. Boots advisable, scopes useful. Meet 9 AM at the Nature Center parking lot. Leaders: Bob Rineer, 410- 252-6408 or rrineerl@jhmi.edu, and Brent and Mary Byers, 410-626-7294 or baypuffin@hotmail.com. A Montgomery. Blackwater NWR. Full day (to dusk). Ducks and thousands of Canada and Snow Geese. Brown-headed Nuthatch possible. Rough-legged Hawk and Short-eared Owl possible in late afternoon. Bring lunch and drinks. Reservations required. Limit: 12. For meeting place and time, contact the leader: Andy Martin, martinap2@ verizon.net or 301-529-2066 (m). H Talbot. Cambridge Waterfront. Wintering waterfowl; also some land species. Breakfast at local restaurant. Leader: Les Coble, 410-829-5501. De- part Easton Acme parking lot at 7 AM. Tuesday, December 13 Meeting. Kent. “An Ecologist Visits Peru” by Wayne Bell. 7:30 PM at Wesley Hall, Heron Point, E Campus Ave, Chestertown. For info contact Nancy Martin, 410-778-9568. Annual Holiday Party. Patuxent. 6 PM at Watkins RP Nature Center. Our annual gathering and slide show. Bring your favorite slides or photos from the past year to share with the group. Add’l info at http://www.pgaudubon. org/programs.html. Thursday, December 15 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. Saturday, December 17 Christmas Count. Oakland/Garrett. Christmas Count. Denton. Christmas Count. Triadelphia Reservoir. Christmas Count. Washington, DC. Christmas Count. Wachapreague, VA. Christmas Count. Baltimore Harbor. A Baltimore. Saturday Monitoring Walks at Fort McHenry. Continuing survey of bird activity at the Fort and wetland. Cancelled in inclement weather. Meet 8 AM in the park, outside the Visitor Center. Leader: Erin Lineberry, 443-742-9895(m). 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. Sunday, December 18 ^Christmas Count. Catoctin Mountain. ^Christmas Count. Salisbury. ^Christmas Count. Port Tobacco. ^Christmas Count. Point Lookout. ^Christmas Count. Lower Kent County. ^Christmas Count. Elkton. ^Christmas Count. Jug Bay. ^Christmas Count. Seneca. ^Christmas Count. Allegany County, '•f Christmas Count. St. Michaels. ^Christmas Count. Nassawadox/ Brownsville, VA. ^Christmas Count. Manassas-Bull Run, VA. ^^YMOS. Youth Birding Trip to help with St. Michaels CBC. Join other youth birders to count birds on the Eastern Shore of MD. Overnight accommodations can be provided. You will need to have money for meals. More info at http://www.ymos. org. Pre-registration required (2 weeks prior). Contact George Radcliff at radclifg@gmail.com or alternatively, if member of Baltimore Orioles youth birding club, can contact Marty Brazeau at 410-583-0275 or tropicbirder@verizon.net. Wednesday, December 21 Meeting. Montgomery. “Birding in the Land of the Thunder Dragon — Bhutan” by Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper. 7:30 PM at Potomac Presbyterian Church, 10301 River Rd, Potomac. For more info, contact Steve Pretl at stevep@takomavillage.org. Monday, December 26 ^Christmas Count. Southern Dorchester County/Blackwater. ^Christmas Count. Washington County. Tuesday, December 27 ^Christmas Count. Crisfield. Wednesday, December 28 ^Christmas Count. Ocean City. ^Christmas Count. Central Loudoun. Thursday, December 29 ^Christmas Count. Chincoteague NWR, VA. Friday, December 30 ^Christmas Count. Cape Charles, VA. ^Christmas Count. Rock Run/ Harford. Sunday, January 1 ^Christmas Count. Chesterville. ^Christmas Count. Patuxent River. ^Christmas Count. Fort Belvoir. ^Christmas Count. Annapolis- Gibson Island. ft Indicates Field Trip November/December 201 1 15 It Baltimore. Loch Raven. Start the New Year birding. Varied habitats including woods, fields, and the reservoir. Probably also other sites for a “Big Day” in Balt City and Co. Meet 8:30 AM along Stone Hill Rd. All cars need to park on the same side of the road. Leader: Kevin Graff, keyweststyle2001@gmail.com or 410- 557-2456. A Harford. Perryman Area. Celebrate the New Year/recover from New Year’s Eve by birding the always- productive Perryman Area with leader Phil Powers, 410-679-4116 or birdsinmd@verizon.net. Meet at the Wal-Mart parking lot at 8:30 AM. A Howard. Start Your 2010 List. Half day. Plan to carpool to different locations to find as many species as possible. The one day of the year where every bird is new! Meet 8 AM at boat ramp of Centennial Park. Expect moderate walking. Possibility of lunch stop depending on the weather. Facilities at some spots. Leader: Bonnie Ott, 410-461-3361. A Montgomery. Earliest Bird Walk, Georgetown Reservoir and DC Hotspots. Half day. Start the New Year right. Meet 8 AM at the reservoir, by the gate leading to the dike between the pools. Reservations required. Limit: 20. Leader: Mike Bowen, 301-530-5764 or dhmbowen@yahoo.com. Monday, January 2 ^Christmas Count. Bowie. ^Christmas Count. Sugarloaf Mountain. ^Christmas Count. Calmes Neck, VA. Wednesday, January 4 A Baltimore. First Wednesdays at Fort McHenry. A continuing series of monthly morning surveys of bird activity at the Fort and wetland. Scope can be useful. Cancelled in inclement weather. Meet 8 AM in the park, outside the Visitor Center. Leader: Mary Chetelat, 410-665-0769. Thursday, January 5 Meeting. Frederick. Kate Weatherby gave us a short version of her trip to Senegal in Jan ’ll on Members’ Night last year, and we asked for more. Tonight we’ll get the full program. Meet 7 PM at Homewood at Crumland Farms (7407 Willow Rd) in Frederick. Friday, January 6 Meeting. Anne Arundel. “The Wonders and Management of Blackwater NWR.” The following day there will be a field trip to Blackwater NWR. 8 PM at Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center, 975 Indian Landing Rd, Millersville. A Frederick. First Thursday Morning Trip. Leader and destination TBA. Meet at Baker Park by Culler Lake at 8 AM. Return at approximately 1 1 AM. For info, contact Bob Schaefer, 301-831-5660. Saturday, January 7 A Anne Arundel. Blackwater NWR. Wetlands, waterfowl, and Bald Eagles. Meet 8:30 AM at Bay 50 Shopping Center. Bring lunch. Leader TBA. For info, contact Kathie Lambert, kbert59@yahoo.com. Annual Holiday Party. Carroll. Once again hosted by Splinter and Sue Yingling at 70 Ridge Rd in Westminster. If you haven’t attended before, now’s the time to start. Everyone has a good time. 7:30 PM until ? For more info and to coordinate your potluck dish, contact Sue Yingling at 410-857-0902 or syingling@mac.com. A Harford. Conowingo. Gull and/or eagle watch. Les Eastman (410-734- 6969 or les@birdtreks.com) leads this morning survey from Fisherman’s Park just below the Conowingo dam on the Harford Co side of the Susquehanna. Meet 8 AM to begin the search for Bald Eagles, with some prospect for a Golden Eagle, various gulls, and waterfowl. A Kent. Kick off your birding year with a half-day at Eastern Neck NWR for waterfowl, eagles, and winter landbirds. Colby Hawkinson will also be on hand to provide add’l info about the Refuge’s wintering Tundra Swans. Meet 8 AM at Dollar General Store parking lot, Chestertown. Leaders: Walter Ellison and Nancy Martin, 410-778-9568 or rossgull@ baybroadband.net and/or borealdee@ baybroadband.net, and Glenn Dulmage, 410-778-5166 or gdulmage@verizon.net. Sunday, January 8 A Baltimore. Marshy Point Nature Center. Half-day trip for winter waterfowl, raptors, and passerines. Half- mile trail leads to point overlooking Dundee Creek. Boots advisable, scopes useful. Meet 9 AM at the Nature Center parking lot. Leaders: Bob Rineer, 410- 252-6408 or rrineerl@jhmi.edu, and Brent and Mary Byers, 410-626-7294 or baypuffin@hotmail.com. Covered Dish Dinner and Lecture. Baltimore. 5 PM at Vollmer Center at Cylburn. Tonight’s featured talk: “Changes in Birding in China over 25 years: 1982-2007,” with Don Messersmith. Please contact Kevin Graff in advance, keyweststyle2001@ gmail.com, to let him know you are coming, and what you plan to bring. Audrey Carroll Mid-winter Count. Frederick. Meet at the Sanctuary at 6:30 AM. You may want or need waterproof boots. Compiler: David Smith, 410-549-7082. A Tri-County. MD and DE Coast. Full day. Search for winter specialties and perhaps a rarity from recent CBCs. Bring a lunch. Dress for the weather. Meet 7:30 AM Ward Museum parking lot. Contact leader Sam Dyke, 410-742-5497, for directions and more details. Christmas Bird Counts continued from page 16 Fort Belvoir. MD area Compiler: Carol Ghebelian, 301 -753-6754 or ghebelian@comcast.net. VA Compiler: Kurt Gaskill, 703-768-2172 or kurtcapt87@ verizon.com. Annapolis-Gibson Island. Coordinators: Sue Ricciardi, 410-647-9513 and Hal and Lynn Wierenga, 410-647-7439. Monday, January 2 Bowie. Compiler: David Mozurkewich, 301-459-3375, mozurk@bellatlantic.net. Sugarloaf Mountain. If you can help out, contact Helen Horrocks (Frederick), 301 -831 -631 5/hlh_37@ yahoo.com or Janet Millenson (Montgomery), 301 - 983-9337/janet@twocrows.com. Calmes Neck, VA. Compiler: Margaret Wester, 540- 837-2799 or margaretwester@hotmail.com. This count includes much of far-western Loudoun Co as well as Clarke Co. 16 POSTMASTER: TIME-DATED MATERIAL— PLEASE EXPEDITE! LAST CALL. MARYLAND ORNITHOLOGICAL ... for Ocean City pelagic. Signup SOCIETY, INC. deadline is November 1 5. Contact Janet Cylburn Mansion Shields, janetbill@prodigy.net. 4915 Greenspring Avenue Baltimore, MD 21290-4698 ... for Research Proposals. Grants up to $2,000 are available for ornithological research in the state of Maryland. Applications are due by December 1 . For info, contact Dave Ziolkowski, 443-299-8453. Nonprofit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID at Hagerstown, MD Permit No. 1 84 «£ 2011 to E stly 2012 VLpryhnd ?Dcf mstby s?