MARCH/APRIL 2013 Newsletter of the Maryland Ornithological Society VOL. 33, NO. 2 President’s Corner by Maureen F. Harvey Have you participated in any of the seasonal bird surveys conducted in Maryland - Christmas counts, winter counts, May counts (see the Calendar for a listing), or fall counts? Bird counts are, to me, a great source of fun and adventure and, best of all, put me outdoors all day, regardless of the weather, no excuses. In addition to the personal benefits of exercising body and mind, the survey results contribute to the body of knowledge about avian populations. Dave Ziolkowski, the keynote speaker at MOS’s Annual Conference in May, will address the significance of this and other data collected by citizen scientists. As I’m writing this article, I’m fresh off a winter count in my home county, Carroll, and look forward to doing a couple more in neighboring counties in the coming weekends. Yesterday morning I spent about 5 hours walking frozen trails in Piney Run County Park with my spouse Dave and our good friend Chuck Stirrat. We counted hundreds of waterfowl (thousands of Canada geese) on the unfrozen lake and plenty of songbirds in the woods and meadows. My numb hands and feet finally thawed during our pleasant lunch break at Sykesville’s Big Belly Deli. Back to our bird-seeking task, we had another long walk on a neighbor’s farm where the thawed ground was muddy and the hills were steep. We shifted to a less strenuous effort by driving the streets in our territory, stopping often to tease out the birds as we sought additional species. At sundown, we completed the checklist and headed to the count tally, hosted by Amy Hoffman and her son Matthew. The event began with a sumptuous meal accompanied by a side dish of sharing and teasing with the other counters, and it Inside This Issue President’s Corner 1 MOS Conference 2013 1 Brochure Mailing Problem 2 Chapter Chatter 2 YMOS News 4 MOS Calendar 4 MOS Scholarships 15 ended with the actual species tally. What a satisfying day! Harford County MOS Conference May 24-26, 2013 Don’t forget it’s almost time for the conference! You can look forward to lots of interesting and fun things to do. Below are some examples. Field Trips : Harford & Cecil Counties - wonderful areas in which to bird. We might add a trip or two to Baltimore County and we won’t miss Bombay Hook. Also, there is the possibility of boat trips. Contact Dennis Kirkwood, 410-692-5905, newarkfarms@gmail. com, if you are willing to help lead a trip or act as a guide. There might be a surprise field trip; we won’t know for a bit. If we find out it is possible, conference attendees will be notified of the details by email and will need to sign up in advance on a first-come, first- served basis. Keynote Speaker : Dave Ziolkowski - “What It Means to Count Birds” His topic invites us to question whether we really understand what our bird tallies represent and offers ways to ensure that they are useful. Workshop : Mark Johnson is doing a Warbler Workshop on Friday afternoon and a follow-up field trip Saturday morning with 20 lucky birders. Sign-ups for both the workshop and the field trip are on the conference registration form. Silent Auction & Raffle : Jean Wheeler, 410-838-6774, jswheeler3@verizon.net, is heading it up this year. Jean is looking for volunteers to help and donations of items. Emily Wilberg has been helping Jean by soliciting organizations for donations with great success; here is what she has obtained: From REI Columbia - REI xr 1 0x50 Waterproof Binoculars. Retail Value $199.95 From River Garden Center of Clarksville - a $50 gift certificate From Whitetail Ski Resort - 2 Learn To Ski or Snowboard Packages Retail Value $1 78 continued on page 2 2 The Maryland Yellowthroat MOS Conference continued from page 1 Conference accommodations are available nearby at the Ramada Conference Center and also the Sleep Inn & Suites (both at the scandalously low price of $75/night) . Meals will be provided by Richlin Ballroom & Catering. The Ballroom will be the site of the Wine and Cheese Social, and the Business Meeting. It’s going to be a great conference! Why don’t you plan to attend? It’s not too late. You can use the Registration Form in the Conference flyer that came in your mail. Or, go to the MOS Web site (http://www. mdbirds.org/), follow the Activities & Events link and you can print out a registration form to submit. If you have questions, contact me: Janet Shields, Conference Chair 410-901 -1 039, janetbill@prodigy.net Problem with the 2013 MOS Conference Registration Brochure Mailing Did you get mail? I certainly hope you eventually got a brochure with your name and correct address. Here is what happened. People received the first (pink) brochure with their correct address but the name of someone else. The corrected brochure (green) was mailed out shortly after the problem was discovered. This problem with address and names on the registration brochures mailed out to MOS members happened to everyone. I talked with Tri-State Printing. When they sent their work order to their printers, they shifted the column with MOS names. This caused the wrong names to go with the addresses. All of the addresses were correct MOS addresses and all of the names were MOS members. Since there was no way everyone could be contacted and people were understandably confused, Tri State agreed to reprint and remail the brochures. I received my brochure from the new (green) printing, but never received the first wrongly addressed (pink) mailing. I have dealt with Tr-State Printing for ten years. They have always been helpful and responsive. After quickly checking, they admitted it was their error which caused the problem. They then instantly did a reprint. I thank Tri-State for their quick action and am very happy to have such a dependable company with which to work. Janet Shields, Chair MOS Conference Committee ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY Barbara Johnson was one of 5 winners in the National Wildlife Refuge Association’s Birding Community E-Bulletin National Geographic quiz for December 2012. Last month’s quiz question: Mao Zedong’s “Four Pests Campaign” of the late 1950’s targeted supposed pests, including the mosquito, fly, rat, and a sparrow. What sparrow species was the main target of this campaign?” The correct answer was: Eurasian Tree Sparrow. For correctly answering the question, Barbara won a copy of BIRDS OF PARADISE, by Tim Laman and Edwin Scholes. Congratulations Barbara! - Bobbie Reichwein HARFORD COUNTY After noticing how much the students enjoyed watching nest cams last year, teachers Mary Murray and Barb Gasper decided to start a bird club at their school, Prospect Mill Elementary in Bel Air. Soon “Early Birds” grew into a monthly gathering of about 35 students ranging from grades K-5 where students are encouraged to develop an appreciation of the natural world and hopefully enjoy bird watching as a lifetime hobby. Visitors of the club are amazed and impressed at the knowledge already gained by these fledgling birders as they exclaim “I hear a White- breasted Nuthatch” or “Bluebirds nested in the boxes at our meadow project”, and “This feather appears to have come from a Wood Duck”. Harford Bird Club has been honored to frequently help with this enthusiastic club. Guest speakers have brought in owl pellets, bird specimens, and have taught on the subjects of bird seed, bird beaks, eBird, birds of the world, and habitats. The Prospect Mill campus has a meadow, wetland, a creek, forest, and fields with walking trails so students can tally over 20 species in less than an hour during field trips with help from experienced birders. When I ask students what they like best about Early Birds, they respond enthusiastically with “I like to see all the birds on the walks”, “I loved seeing a Bald Eagle!”, or “I like to learn everything about birds”, and “This is so fun, I love birds!” My three grand-nephews are a part of this continued on page 3 March/ April 2013 3 Chapter Chatter continued from page 2 group and I can tell by listening to their conversations that Early Birds is making a difference in how they see their world. Ruth Bergstrom , Harford Bird Club Youth Coordinator HBC President Dennis Kirkwood at Prospect Mills Early Bird Club MONTGOMERY COUNTY Rockville member Jim Moore writes that he decided 2012 would be the year for his introduction to neotropical birding, and so he took two ten-day guided trips: in March to Costa Rica and in November to Ecuador. He saw over 700 species of birds. Jim says he hadn’t taken an international birding trip since the early 80s, and one thing he did not anticipate was how much fun preparing and studying for them could be in the Internet age. He developed a system of digital flashcards using thousands of photos of birds that he could scroll through on his home computer or smartphone when he had a free minute. This turned the traditional but somewhat tedious study of field guides before a trip into a fun virtual birding game. And it was very effective - other tour participants complemented him on how well he knew the birds. The Costa Rica trip focused on the central part of the country, traversing both the Caribbean and Pacific slopes, as well as the high mountains and central valley. Highlights included: seeing a pair of Spectacled Owls, Costa Rica’s largest and most striking owl, mating in a Caribbean slope rainforest; sitting quietly in a Pacific slope tropical forest while only a few feet away gorgeous male Red-capped Manakins flew down to bathe in a rushing stream; watching a male Resplendent Quetzal somehow manage to fit almost all of its 30 inch long tail into its small nest cavity in a thin tree; close views of King Vultures soaring overhead; amazing close-ups of Double-striped Thick-knees, Collared Plover, Yellow- headed Caracara, Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, and others all together from about 20 feet away in a boat on the Tarcoles River; and being somewhere where one of “our” rare birds, the Golden-winged Warbler, was common. The Ecuador trip focused on the Andes, both the high elevations and the foothills, especially the endemic- rich western slope. Highlights included: soaring Andean Condor, which is Ecuador’s national bird; visiting a lek of the gorgeous brilliant orange Andean Cock-of-the-rock; close looks at the amazing Sword- billed Hummingbird, which is the only bird whose bill is longer than its body; great looks at the secretive but striking Ocellated Tapaculo; amazingly cooperative Sunbittern and Torrent Ducks that provided great photo ops; a pair of the endemic and bizarre Toucan Barbets giving their calls in an alternating chorus; visiting a lek of Club-winged Manakins, which is said to be the only bird that produces a sound by rubbing its wings together like a cricket; and seeing another one of “our birds”, Blackburnian Warblers, almost everywhere. For those curious, Jim says “guiding services for the Costa Rica trip were provided by Sunrise Birding and for the Ecuador trip, Tropical Birding.” Jim’s photos of his trips can be seen on his Flickr site at: h ftp:/ /www. flickr. com/ph o tos/357 1 6495 @N08/ (or search for his Flickr username Jim Moorel). Chris Wright TRI-COUNTY Intrepid world birders Joelle Buffa and Clyde Morris spent 3 weeks in January 2012 on a self-organized birding tour in northern Ecuador. They arranged all the logistics via the internet including a rental car, travel to birding lodges, a five day flight/boat trip into one of the Amazonian Basin lodges and a local bird guider’s tour of the Andes’ eastern slope. It’s not far fetched to see 12 species of Antpittas in northern Ecuador, and see them they did, including Scaled (seen from a comfortable blind), Plain-backed ( seen in the vicinity of Summer and Scarlet Tanagers), White-bellied and Giant Antpittas. Last on the list was Tawny Antpitta seen at the end of their adventure at the Antisana Ecological Reserve where at 12,000 ft they felt on top of the world. Also adding to this moment was seeing Andean Condors. continued on page 4 4 The Maryland Yellowthroat Chapter Chatter continued from page 3 Joelle and Clyde urge birders to consider Ecuador birding. Dollars spent there actually protect the birds. Families that previously logged forests and grazed cattle for income and harvested large birds for food are now realizing that it’s more profitable to protect the forests for small-scale ecotourism. Members of Tri-County look forward to the next program presented by the couple. We didn’t think their Ethiopia slide show could be surpassed but this might do it. -Carol Broderick YMOS News By George Radcliffe World Series of Birding MOS Calemcl air Mair - Apir 2013 Friday, March 1 MEETING. Anne Arundel. Subject and Speakers: ‘‘Penguins and More: Birding the Falklands, South Georgia, and the Antarctic Peninsula,” by Nancy Golden, Wildlife Toxicologist at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Linda Weir, Wildlife Biologist at USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. 7:30 PM at Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center, 975 Indian Landing Rd, Millersville. Foradd’l info contact Barbara Johnson at 410-703-4664 or barbQrQjohnson222@gmail.com. DINNER MEETING. Harford. 6:15 PM for dinner; 7 PM for meeting and program. Program: ‘‘Banding Hummingbirds in the Mid-Atlantic Region” presented by Bruce Peterjohn, Director of the Bird Banding Lab at Patuxent Wildlife Center. Get location info and make dinner reservations at newarkfQrms@gmail.com or 41 0-692-5905. This year YMOS will have 3 teams heading to the World Series of Birding in May. In addition to the middle and high school teams, YMOS will also be sending an elementary team for the first time. These students have been training for this all year, and the funds to send them will, as usual, come from our Birdathon. Held March 16-17, MOS members will be pledging an amount per bird found by the teams. Please email your species pledge of $0.25, $0.50, $0.75, or $1 .00 to either George Radcliffe (radclifg@ gmail.com) or Wayne Bell (wbell2@washcoll.edu). We will let you know where to send your actual donation when we transmit the results shortly after the Birdathon. On behalf of this next generation of birders and their families who encourage birding as a lifelong outdoor activity, we thank you very much. Summer Birding Programs Once again YMOS in conjunction with Washing- ton College will be offering the Maryland Birds and Habitats Program for both educators and students incoming to grades 7-12. The registration deadline for the June 23 - 28 residential birding programs is March 31, 2013. Information and application are both found on the YMOS website (ymos.org). If you know an educator or student interested in birding, direct them to this website, or contact George Rad- cliffe at radclifg@gmail.com. George Radcliffe ^fYMOS. Deadline to commit to youth World Series of Birding team. Contact George Radcliffe at radclifg@ gmail.com if interested. Saturday, March 2 A Anne Arundel. Blackwater NWR. Blackwater NWR is located 12 miles south of Cambridge, MD. Habitat includes tidal marsh, freshwater ponds, mixed evergreen and deciduous forests, and small amounts of cropland and managed impoundments that are seasonally flooded for waterfowl use. Scopes are recommended. Contact Kevin Smith at 410-917- 3004 or ravens3077@yahoo.com for more info and departure time from the Bay 50 shopping center parking lot (located off Rte 50 on Whitehall Rd). H 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 8 AM. Co-leaders are Dave Ziolkowski, 443-299-8453 or djziolkowski@yahoo.com and Mark Magnani, 410-838-1778 or mmagnani@peoplepc. com. A Howard. Winter Sparrow Search. Explore wetlands and dry fields in this intensive search for as many sparrows as possible. Previous years have turned up non-sparrow rarities! Limit: 12. Expect difficult walking for most of the day. Knee boots a must. Facilities at some spots. Contact Bonnie Ott, bonnieott@verizon. net or 443-285-3302 to sign up and get meet time. continued on page 5 March/ April 2013 5 Calendar continued from page 4 MO S. Board Meeting. Hosted by the Frederick Bird Club. 10 AM at Catoctin Creek Park and Nature Center, 2929 Sumantown Rd, Middletown. Contact Janet Shields, MOS Secretary atjanetbill@prodigy.net or 410-901-1039 for add’l info. 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, March 3 A Howard. Centennial Park. 2-3 hours. Easy walking on paved path around Centennial Lake. Woodlands, fields, and water host a wide variety of species. Great view of the sky for flyovers. Waterfowl expected along with early migrant passerines possible. Meet 8 AM at west end parking lot. Leader: Mike Kerwin, m63kerwin@ verizon.net or 410-461-2408. Facilities available. ft Talbot. Akridge Properties. The Akridges have again welcomed us to bird and enjoy their wonderful array of habitats. Always a good spot for a nice variety of wintering waterfowl, especially ducks. Leaders: Priscilla and Paul Thut, 410-745-6657. Depart Easton Acme Parking Lot at 7 AM. Breakfast Hosts: Mary Cotton and Tom Corl. Tuesday, March 5 MEETING. Baltimore. Tuesday Evening Lecture at Cylburn, 4915 Greenspring Ave. Tonight: “Identifying Gulls” by Clive Harris. Doors open at 7 PM for socializing and snacks, show starts about 7:15 PM. Info: Pete Webb, 443-904-6314 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. For more info call Jim Green at 301-742-0036 (m) orjkgbirdman53@gmQil.com. Wednesday, March 6 n 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. “Tiger Beetles” by James McCann. 7:30 PM at South Carroll Senior Center, 5928 Mineral Hill Rd, Eldersburg. Contact Dave Harvey, 410-795- 31 1 7 for more info. n Harford. Timberdoodle Search. Evening watch for one of our most interesting (and elusive!) birds, the American Woodcock, as it performs its mating dance. Meet 6 PM at the Rte 1 55/95 P&R. Leader: Tom Gibson, 410-734-4135 orgibsonlld@aol.com and Jane Scocca. Thursday, March 7 MEETING. Frederick. Mike Bowen, Linda Friedland, and Jim Nelson will teach us about “Identifying and Learning about the Warblers of Maryland.” 7 PM at Homewood at Crumland Farms (7407 Willow Rd) in Frederick. For info contact Bob Schaefer, 301-831- 5660 or Pres@FrederickBirdClub.org. A Montgomery. Informal Late Afternoon Walks Until Dusk. See Mar 5 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 David Mozurkewich, 301 -459-3375 or mozurk@bellatlantic.net for more info. Friday, March 8 n Frederick. First Friday trip. Leader and destination TBA. Meet at Culler Lake in Baker Park at 8 AM. For info contact Bob Schaefer, 301-831-5660 or Pres@ FrederickBirdClub.org. Saturday, March 9 A Allegany/Garrett. Rocky Gap SP, Mason Rd, and the C&O Canal Terminus area. Meet at the Western MD Train Station parking lot at 8 AM. Contact leaders: Ray Kiddy, rrkiddy@atlanticbb.net or Mary Huebner, marybrd22@gmail.com for more info. 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, 443-904-6314 or pete_webb@juno.com. Contact leader to learn if trip is on or off, due to ice on lake or weather conditions. A Carroll. Woodcock Walk at Audrey Carroll. Meet at the Mount Airy P&R on Rte 27 at 5:30 PM. Leader Ray Bourgeois, 240-285-4331 . n Cecil. Cabin Fever Event at Moore’s Chapel. Contact leader, Maryanne Dolan at maryanne. dolQn@gmail.com for all trip details. continued on page 6 6 The Maryland Yellowthroat Calendar continued from page 5 ft Frederick and Anne Arundel. Lilypons. Looking for overwintering birds. FBC members contact Marcia Balestri at 301-473-5098 for meet place and time. AABC members make reservations (required) for this trip with Kevin Smith at 410-917-3004 or ravens3077@ yahoo.com. It Howard. Waterfowl Search. Meet at Broken Land Pkwy/Rte 32 P&R (West side) at 8 AM. We’ll carpool to search the Howard Co waterways for ducks, grebes, mergansers, and loons. Chance of an early migrant. Leader: Kurt Schwarz, 410-461-1643 or krschwal@ verizon.net. n Kent. Pickering Creek Audubon Center. Early spring birding for waterfowl, raptors, sparrows, and the occasional surprise. Bring lunch. Meet 8 AM at Dollar General parking lot, Chestertown. Leaders: Walter Ellison and Nancy Martin, 410-778-9568 or rossgull@ baybroadband.net. It Montgomery. Patuxent River Park, Jug Bay NA, PG Co. Half day. Joint trip with ANS. Waterfowl, Wilson’s Snipe, winter and early spring songbirds, Ospreys displaying. Meet 8 AM at parking lot by park hdqtrs. Wear “muddy conditions” footwear. Reservations required. Limit: 15. Call the leader: John Bjerke at 240- 401-1643. n Patuxent. Sites along the Patuxent River in PG County for sparrows and early migrants. Meet at 7:30 AM at the Bowie P&R to carpool. Contact David Mozurkewich at 301-459-3375 or mozurk@bellatlantic. net for more info. Sunday, March 10 It Baltimore. Marshy Point Nature Center. Half-day trip for winter waterfowl, raptors, passerines. Meet 8:30 AM. Half mile trail leads to point overlooking Dundee Creek. Boots advisable, scopes useful. Leaders: Brent and Mary Byers, 410-626-7294 or baypuffin@hotmail. com and Bob Rineer, 410-252-6408 or brineer@ verizon.net. n Howard. Centennial Park. See Mar3 trip description. Leader: Joe Byrnes 410-730-5329, LBRoller@verizon. net. Facilities available. ItTalbot. Wye Island. In search of waterfowl, sparrows, and possible early migrants. Leader: Danny Poet 410- 827-8651 . Depart Easton Acme Parking Lot at 7 AM or meet Danny at Wye Island bridge at 7:30 AM. Note: Daylight Savings Time begins, set clocks 1 hr ahead Sat night. Tuesday, March 12 MEETING. Allegany/Garrett. Speaker: Fred Shonholzer, Topic: “Trinidad.” 7 PM at Compton Hall, Rm 224, Frostburg State U. Foradd’l info contact Mary Huebner at marybrd22@gmail.com. MEETING. Kent. Speaker: Marcia Balestri. Program: “Birding Cuba.” 7:30 PM at Wesley Hall, Heron Point, E Campus Ave, Chestertown. For info contact Nancy Martin, 410-778-9568. fft Montgomery. Informal Late Afternoon Walks Until Dusk. See Mar 5 listing. MEETING. Patuxent. “Forensic Ornithology” by Carla Dove. 7:30 PM at the College Park Airport Annex, College Park, MD. For add’l info call David Mozurkewich at 301-459-3375 or go to http://www. pgaudubon.org/programs.html. Wednesday, March 13 n Harford. Timberdoodle Search. See Mar 6 for trip description, except meet 6:45 PM at the Rte 155/95 P&R. Leader: Elaine Beery, 410-272-6037 orehbeery@ yahoo.com and Jane Scocca. Thursday, March 14 MEETING. Howard. “Shorebirds: Selected Identification Challenges,” by Cyndie Loeper and John Bjerke. These Montgomery Co shorebird enthusiasts will share their strategies to identify common migrants in the Mid-Atlantic region. Hospitality 7:30 PM; meeting/ program 8 PM at Robinson Nature Center, 6692 Cedar Lane, Columbia. Info: Wes Earp, 410-531-3197. Friday, March 1 5 Annual Social. Montgomery. 6:30 PM at Woodend, Chevy Chase. Social hour followed by dinner and presentation to this year’s Guest of Honor. The evening will conclude with the traditional members’ slide show. See the back page of the MBC Feb ‘13 Chat (http://montgomerybirdclub.org/Newsletters.php) for the signup form and info about submitting photos for the slide show. Saturday, March 1 6 n Baltimore. Blackwater NWR. All-day trip to see large numbers of waterfowl during the height of spring staging season. Bald Eagles are a bonus feature. Ospreys and Pine Warblers may be newly arrived. Early shorebirds possible. Brown-headed Nuthatch possible. Bring lunch. Meet 7:30 AM at Nursery Rd P&R. Leader: Pete Webb, 443-904-6314 (m) or pete_webb@ juno.com. Ice/snow date: Mar 23. n 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. Leaders: Joe Supik, 443-41 7-5015, and Jim Peters, 410-429-0966. continued on page 7 March/ April 2013 7 Calendar continued from page 6 ft Anne Arundel. Family Bird Walk, Kinder Farm Park. This trip is designed for beginners and families to discover the joy of bird watching. Experienced leaders will facilitate these walks through various habitats and introduce you to the basics of spotting and identifying birds. Bring binoculars if you have them, but they are not required. We will be using our ears as much as our eyes! We’ll meet in the first parking area on the left just after the park entrance at 9 AM. This park has paved, level trails. Park entry fee $6 per vehicle. Leader: Stacy Epperson, 410-987-7533 or tryswim@comcast.net. 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 Edgewood on Rte 40 at 6:45 AM. Bring a photo ID for admittance to Aberdeen Proving Grounds. Leader: Mark Johnson, 410-692-5978 or mj31 51 @comcast.net. ft Patuxent. Governor Bridge NA. Joint trip with PGAS. 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. Saturday to Sunday, March 1 6 to March 1 7 ^fYMOS. MD Youth Bird-a-thon. Ocean City to Western Shore. Remaining wintering birds, early migrants, owls, and rails. Fund Raiser for youth World Series of Birding team. The group will begin in Ocean City on Sat morning and end up in Dorchester Co by evening. The search will resume Sun morning in Dorchester Co and conclude in Cecil Co late Sun afternoon. Lodging will be available at local homes Fri night in Ocean City and for Sat night in Dorchester Co. Students will need money for meals. Logistics and specific times will be coordinated once we know who is going. Participants can participate in either or both days. Level: medium to advanced. Contact George Radcliffe at radclifg@gmail.com to reserve a spot. Sunday, March 1 7 h Baltimore. Irvine Nature Center. With forest, field, and marsh this 116-acre site has an extensive trail system and is full of promise. Expect between 45 and 55 species with plenty of ‘‘little brown job” birds. Possible Lincoln’s Sparrow. Leaders: Pete Webb, 443-904-6314 or pete_webb@juno.com, and Kevin Graff, keyweststyle2001@gmail.com. Meet 8:30 AM. Contact leaders for location. n Howard. Centennial Park. See Mar 3 trip description. Leader: Allen Lewis, allenrlewis@gmail.com. Facilities available. A Talbot. Casson’s Neck, Dorchester Co. This is a new location for our club. Bill and Sue West have invited us to bird their 100+ acres with a mix of EARLY open fields and pastures, over a mile of waterfront, marsh, hedgerows, and forests. We should get a nice variety of birds. Leader: Terry Allen, 410-829-5840. Depart Easton Acme Parking Lot at 6:30 AM. A Patuxent. Birding local ponds for waterfowl. Meet at 7:30 AM at the Bowie P&R to carpool. Contact Fred Fallon at fwfallon@ymail.com or 410-240-815 for more info. Tuesday, March 1 9 A Montgomery. Informal Late Afternoon Walks Until Dusk. See Mar 5 listing. Wednesday, March 20 A Washington. Bird around the Antietam Battlefield with an emphasis on the battlefield bluebird trail. Meet 7:30 AM in the visitor’s center parking lot. Call Judy Lilga at 301 -432-2276 for further info. Thursday, March 21 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 David Mozurkewich, 301 -459-3375 or mozurk@bellatlantic.net for more info. MEETING. Talbot. Speaker: Don Meritt, Director of the Horn Pt Oyster Hatchery. Don (Mutt) will cover some background on MD’s oyster resources and fisheries and the efforts that the U of MD’s Horn Point Laboratory and partners have undertaken to help bring healthy oyster populations back to the Chesapeake Bay. 7 PM at Wm. Hill Auditorium, 501 Dutchman’s Ln. Info: Terry Allen, 41 0-829-5840. Saturday, March 23 it Anne Arundel. Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary. Meet at Parole P&R at 8:30 AM. Leader: Dotty Mumford, 41 0-849-8336 or dottymum@comcast.net. A Baltimore. Patterson Park. Early spring migrants found in this urban park may include Caspian Tern, Merlin, Pine Warbler, Fox Sparrow or Woodcock! Meet 8 AM at fountain in park near intersection of Lombard St and Patterson Park Ave. For questions or to borrow binoculars for the walk, contact Patterson Park Audubon Center at ppaudubon@gmail.com or 410-558-2473. 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. Ospreys may be newly arrived and if continued on page 8 The Maryland Yellowthroat Calendar continued from page 7 so, will be setting up territories. Some early shorebirds might be on the move. Come take advantage of the peaceful Eastern Shore ambiance before the tourist season sets in. Bring breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Dress for possible extreme cold and wind. Bring scope if you have one. Contact: Sean McCandless, seanmccandlessl @comcast.net for all trip details. A Frederick. Swan Harbor. 3/4 day. We’ll visit this fine park in Harford Co looking for waterfowl, sparrows, and wintering grassland species. Contact leader: Kathy Calvert, 301-810-5677 or kathycalvertl @gmail. com for meet place and time. A Harford. Eden Mill Nature Center. Survey the late winter/early spring bird life along this prime segment of Deer Creek. Meet leader Bob Werrlein, 410-692-5180 or we2.rein@gmail.com at 7:30 AM at the “pavilion” or lower parking lot of the Mill on Eden Mill Rd. A Howard. Sharps at Waterford Farm. Half day. Fields with crop residue, extensive woodlands, Cattail Creek and floodplain, three ponds, and five shallow waterfowl impoundments make for diverse habitats and good birding opportunities. Meet 8 AM at farm parking area, through barns on right. Knee- high waterproof footwear required for part of walk. Leader: Wes Earp: wesandsue@gmail.com, 410-531- 3197. Facilities available. 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@ baybroQdband.net. Sunday, March 24 H Howard. Centennial Park. See Mar3 trip description. Meet 8 AM at west end parking lot. Leader: Jeff Culler, cullerfuls@hotmail.com, 410-465-9006. Facilities available. H Talbot. Destination and target birds TBD. Leader: Wayne Bell, 410-820-6002. Depart Easton Acme Parking Lot at 7 AM. Group may stop at a local Palm Sunday Restaurant after birding to eat and for compilation. Monday, March 25 ANNUAL DINNER MEETING. Tri-County. 6 PM at Ward Museum of Wildlife Art, Education Rm. Program: “Namibia, Botswana, and Zambia: An African Safari” by Sam Dyke and JoAnn Wilber. For more info contact Betty Pitney at 410-543-1 853. Tuesday, March 26 MEETING. Washington. Tom Mathews will present “Efforts to Improve the Habitats of Woodcock, Golden- winged Warblers, and Other Birds.” Call 301-797-8454 for info. 7 PM at the Mount Aetna Nature Center. Saturday, March 30 Anne Arundel. Governor Bridge NA. This park offers a wide variety of habitats: mature riparian woodlands, second growth scrub, open grassy fields, and small ponds and creeks. Contact Kevin Smith at 410-917- 3004 or ravens3077@yahoo.com for more info and departure time from the Parole P&R. A Tri-County. Deal Island and Fairmount WMA. Waterfowl, herons and other March birds. Bring lunch and drinks. Meet 7:30 AM in Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art parking lot on S Schumaker Dr, Salisbury. Leader: Ron Gutberlet, 410-334-2655. Sunday, March 31 Talbot. East of Route 50. In search of late wintering and/or early arriving north bound transient species in forested bottomlands and open habitats in close proximity to Easton. Leader: Jan Reese, 410-745-2875. Depart Easton Acme Parking Lot at 7 AM. Tuesday, April 2 H Baltimore. Robert E. Lee Park (Lake Roland). A series of weekly walks to follow the progress of Spring migration. Habitats include woods, lake, streams, and marsh. Beginning birders welcome. Meet time 8 AM. Leader: TBD. Check schedule at BBC website, http:// baltimorebirdclub.org/, for updates or contact Pete Webb, 443-904-6314 or pete_webb@juno.com. MEETING. Baltimore. Tuesday Evening Lecture at Cylburn, 4915 Greenspring Ave. Speaker and topic TBD. Doors open at 7 PM for socializing and snacks, show starts about 7:15 PM. Info: Pete Webb, 443-904- 6314 or pete_webb@juno.com. Wednesday, April 3 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. “Birds of Magee Marsh” by Ralph Geuder. 7:30 PM at South Carroll Senior Center, 5928 Mineral Hill Rd, Eldersburg. Contact Dave Harvey, 410- 795-31 1 7 for more info. Thursday, April 4 MEETING AND ANNUAL FUNDRAISER. Anne Arundel. Annual Heise Lecture, 8 PM at Quiet Waters Park, Blue Heron Rm. Subject and Speaker: “Gorilla Doctor-Saving a Species One Gorilla at a Time” by Dr. A/l/ke Cranfield, Mountain Gorilla Veterinary continued on page 9 March/ April 2013 Calendar continued from page 8 Project. More info: Barbara Johnson, 410-703-4664 or barbarajohnson222@gmail.com. MEETING. Frederick. Gail Mackiernan will take us to the distant, beautiful, and bird-rich land of “Bhutan.” 7 PM at Homewood at Crumland Farms (7407 Willow Rd) in Frederick. For info contact Bob Schaefer, 301 - 831-5660 or Pres@FrederickBirdClub.org. ft 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 David Mozurkewich, 301 -459-3375 or mozurk@bellatlantic.net for more info. Friday, April 5 n Frederick. First Friday trip. Leader and destination TBA. Meet at Culler Lake in Baker Park at 8 AM. For info contact Bob Schaefer, 301-831-5660 or Pres@ FrederickBirdClub.org. Saturday, April 6 A Allegany/Garrett. Garrett County Ponds (Finzel Swamp, Piney Reservoir, Meadows Lake and Campground, and New Germany SP). Pack a lunch. Meet at Parkside School, LaVale at 9 AM. Contact: Mary Huebner, 301-777-0545 or marybrd22@gmail. com. A Anne Arundel. Quiet Waters Park. We’ll explore the wooded areas in the park and down along the river. Meet at Parole P&R at 7:30 AM. There is a $6/vehicle fee to enter the park. Leader: Pat Tate, 410-266-6043 orjpt8@earthlink.net. n Harford. Swan Harbor Farm Park. This Harford Co gem with three impoundments, a commanding view of the Bay, wooded trails, and open fields has developed into a fine location for a broad spectrum of bird life, including waterfowl, marsh specialties, raptors, and sparrows. Meet 5 PM for late afternoon activity. Park in the lot adjacent to the Agricultural Education Center (near end of driveway). Leader is Matt Hafner, 41 0-971 -3203 or hQfner.mQtt@gmail.com. n Howard. Alpha Ridge Landfill. Half day. Vesper sparrow and other field birds possible. Meadowlarks, kestrels, and other open country birds expected. Meet 7:45 AM at Alpha Ridge Park to carpool to landfill. Moderate walking over hills and fields of the landfill. Leader: Ralph Cullison, rociii@cullison.org, 410-442- 2181. Facilities available. n Kent. Blackwater NWR. Prime waterfowl and eagle country; potential for surprise migrants. Full day, bring lunch. Meet 8 AM at Dollar General parking lot, Chestertown. Leaders: Walter Ellison and Nancy Martin, 410-778-9568 or rossgull@bQybroQdband.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, April 7 A Baltimore. Cylburn Self-guided Walk. Meet 8:30 AM at the Vollmer Center parking lot (4915 Greenspring Ave) for easy birding in Cylburn ’s gardens and urban forest. Beginning birders welcome. No designated leader. Coordinator: Joe Lewandowski, 410-358-7834 or ilenel@juno.com. A Talbot. Urban Birding. This will be our fifth year birding around the Target Shopping Center and other nearby locations. Every year we have seen our FOY Rough- winged Swallow. We will scan fields, open water, tidal guts, wood margins, and hedgerows for early arriving migrants as well as wintering birds. Leader: Terry Allen, 410-829-5840. Depart Easton Acme Parking Lot at 7 AM. Breakfast Hosts: Patty and Harpo Allen and Savona Turner. Tuesday, April 9 MEETING. Allegany/Garrett. Speaker: Dave Curson, Topic: “IBA’s in the State of Maryland.” 7 PM at Compton Hall, Rm 224, Frostburg State U. Foradd’l info contact Mary Huebner at marybrd22@gmQil.com. n Baltimore. Robert E. Lee Park (Lake Roland). A series of weekly walks to follow the progress of Spring migration. Habitats include woods, lake, streams, and marsh. Beginning birders welcome. Meet time 8 AM. Leader: TBD. Check schedule at BBC website, http:// baltimorebirdclub.org/ for updates or contact Pete Webb, 443-904-6314 or pete_webb@juno.com. MEETING. Kent. Speakers: Dan Small and Maren Gimpel. Program: “Chino Farm Grassland Restoration and Banding Research.” 7:30 PM at Wesley Hall, Heron Point, E Campus Ave, Chestertown. For info contact Nancy Martin, 410-778-9568. MEETING. Patuxent. Life History of Redstarts by Clark Rushing. 7:30 PM at the College Park Airport Annex, College Park, MD. For add’l info call David Mozurkewich at 301-459-3375 or go to http://www. pgaudubon.org/programs.htmL Thursday, April 1 1 MEETING. Howard. “Enhanced Identification: Seeing Beyond Color,” by David Holmes. Plumage color is an obvious field mark for nailing down the bird you have spotted. But many other features are equally useful. David will draw upon years of bird banding experience to help us hone our identification skills. Hospitality continued on page 10 10 The Maryland Yellowthroat Calendar continued from page 9 7:30 PM; meeting/program 8 PM at Robinson Nature Center 6692 Cedar Ln, Columbia. Info: Wes Earp, 41 0- 531-3197. MEETING. Talbot. Speaker: Dr. Robert Blohm. Biologist Bob Blohm will give an illustrated talk about Trumpeter Swans in North America, both past and present, discussing their life history, habits, numbers and distribution; and outline ongoing efforts to rebuild Trumpeter Swan numbers in many parts of their former range. 7 PM at Wm. Hill Auditorium, 501 Dutchman’s Ln. Info: Terry Allen, 410-829-5840. Saturday, April 13 H Anne Arundel. Fort Smallwood Park Hawk Watch. Join Sue Ricciardi for a morning of counting hawks. If the hawks don’t cooperate, then we’ll walk around the park to see what else may have arrived. Meet at Fort Smallwood Park by 9 AM. Leader: Sue Ricciardi, 410-647-9513 or susiericc@comcast.net. H Baltimore. 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. Reservations required by Thur Apr 4 and $25-$35 cash for each person. Check schedule at BBC website, http://baltimorebirdclub.org/ for complete trip details and instructions or contact Pete Webb, 443-904-6314 or pete_webb@juno.com. H Harford. Cromwell Valley Park. Take an avian excursion through this Baltimore Co preserve sure to score well with Spring migrants. Led by veterans Phil Powers (410-679-4116; birdsinmd@verizon.net) and Dave Larkin (410-569-8319; dlarkin@towson.ed). Meet at the commuter lot on the west side of Rte 152 (Fallston Rd) just north of Rte 147 (Harford Rd) at 7 AM. H Frederick and Montgomery. Hughes Hollow and Vicinity. Joint trip with FBC. Half day. We will explore the wetlands of Hughes Hollow, Sycamore Landing, and Riley’s Lock. Meet at Hughes Hollow parking lot in the McKee-Beshers WMA at 7 AM. For more info, contact the co-leaders: Bob Schaefer (Frederick) at 301-831-5660 or robert.schaefer@gmail.com, or Jim Nelson (Montgomery) at 301 -530-6574 or kingfishers2@ verizon.net. ^fYMOS. Youth birding on the lower Eastern Shore (Nassawango Creek, Elliott’s Island and Blackwater NWR). Early migrant search. Meet 7 AM (returning by 6 PM) at Sailwinds Park, Cambridge. Level: beginning to advanced. Contact George Radcliffe at radclifg@ gmail.com to reserve a spot. Sunday, April 14 A Baltimore. Marshy Point Nature Center. Half-day trip for winter waterfowl, raptors, passerines. Meet 8:30 AM. Half mile trail leads to point overlooking Dundee Creek. Boots advisable, scopes useful. Leaders: Brent and Mary Byers, 410-626-7294 or baypuffin@hotmail. com and Bob Rineer, 41 0-252-6408 or brineer@verizon. net. Harford. Perryman. Explore several spots within this Bush River region that attract a variety of species. Russ Kovach, 410-457-4274 or russell.kovQch@gmail.com will lead the group departing from the Aberdeen Wal Mart parking lot at 8 AM. Howard. University of MD Farm. Half day. Search the wetland 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 to sign up and get meet location at bonnieott@verizon.net or 443-285-3302. No facilities. A Talbot. Tuckahoe SP and Adkin’s Arboretum. In search of early arriving migrants and still lingering wintering birds. Leader: Dave Palmer, 410-829-3376. Depart Easton Acme Parking Lot at 7 AM. Tuesday, April 1 6 Baltimore. Robert E. Lee Park (Lake Roland). A series of weekly walks to follow the progress of Spring migration. Habitats include woods, lake, streams, and marsh. Beginning birders welcome. Meet time 8 AM, contact leader for location. Leader: John Landers, 41 0-292-9549 or dadol bw@aol.com. Wednesday, April 17 MEETING. Montgomery. Speaker: Gail Mackiernan. Topic: “The Philippines.” Gail will talk about her recent trip to three of the largest Philippine Islands in search of such “mega” birds as Philippine Eagle, Palawan Peacock Pheasant, and Azure-breasted Pitta. 7:30 PM at Potomac Presbyterian Church, 10301 River Rd, Potomac. For more info contact Anna Urciolo at urcioloa@sidwell.edu. Thursday, April 18 MEETING. Caroline. Dave Curson, MD Audubon, will present: “MD Salt Marsh Project.” 7:30 PM, Caroline Co Public Library, 1 00 Market St, Denton. For more info contact Debby Bennett at dabennettl996@gmail. com. 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 David Mozurkewich, continued on page 11 March/ April 2013 11 Calendar continued from page 10 301 -459-3375 or mozurk@bellatlantic.net for more info. Saturday, April 20 A Anne Arundel. Family Bird Walk, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center/Edgewater. This trip is designed for beginners and families to discover the joy of bird watching. Experienced leaders will facilitate these walks through various habitats and introduce you to the basics of spotting and identifying birds. Bring binoculars if you have them, but they are not required. We will be using our ears as much as our eyes! We’ll meet in the parking area in front of the visitor center at 9 AM. Leader: Stacy Epperson, 410- 987-7533 or tryswim@comcast.net. ft 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 both possible. Three-hour level walk on paved paths and boardwalks. Optional extension, after picnic lunch, for Prothonotary Warblers singing on territory in MD. Meet 7:30 AM at Nursery Rd P&R, Leader: Pete Webb, 410-486-1217 (h), 443-904-6314 (m) or pete_webb@juno.com. H 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. Leaders: Erin Lineberry, 443-742-9895, and Jim Peters, 410-429- 0966. ft Carroll. Morgan Run. Meet 8 AM at the parking lot at the end of Ben Rose Ln. Looking for some early migrants or some late winter birds. Leader Dave Harvey, 410-795-3117. BIG DAY. Frederick. We’ll spend Earth Day in Catoctin Creek SP seeing and recording as many species as possible in one day. Join us for all or part of the day. Contact Mike Welch, 301 -685-3561 , for details. ft Harford. Susquehanna SP. An ideal time to enjoy emerging wildflowers, early migrant songbirds, and lingering winter visitors. Meet at the parking area at the confluence of Deer Creek and the Susquehanna River just north of Rock Run Mill at 8 AM. The leaders are Colleen Webster, cwebster@harford.edu and Sue Procell, suzanne.procell@us.army.mil. A Howard. Mt. Pleasant Farm. 2-3 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, 410-461-2408 or m63kerwin@verizon.net and Scott Berglund, 410-750- 2568 or Business250@yahoo.com. A Kent. Beginner’s Bird Walk at Eastern Neck NWR. Half day. In honor of Earth Day, we’ll spend the morning exploring several of the trails and overlooks, looking for a variety of migrants, from raptors to warblers. Meet 8 AM at Dollar General parking lot, Chestertown. Leaders: Walter Ellison and Nancy Martin, 410-778- 9568 or rossgull@baybroadband.net. A Patuxent. Governor Bridge NA. Joint trip with PGAS. 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. 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 21 n Anne Arundel. Birds & Flowers at the National Arboretum, DC. The arboretum functions as a major center of botanical research, conducting a wide- range of basic and developmental research on trees, shrubs, turf, and floral plants. For this trip we will be observing trees, shrubs and plants, as well as birds. Meet at Parole P&R at 7 AM. Leader: David Gillum, 410-266-8775 or dagmapper@verizon.net. n Harford. Anita Leight Estuary Center. One of three estuary centers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the Leight Center provides attractive habitat for passerines, shorebirds, and waterfowl. Leader Phil Powers invites you to stroll the trails, visit the water’s edge, or just sit to enjoy the avian activity on the grounds of the Center. You can contact Phil with questions at 410-679-4116 or birdsinmd@verizon.net. Begins at 7:30 AM. 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. Reservations required. For more info contact leader: Anna Urciolo at urcioloa@sidwell. edu. A Talbot. Hawk Watch at Fort Smallwood Park. One of the best spots in MD to watch migrating hawks at a concentration point at the mouth of the Patapsco River. Leader: Andrew Bullen, 410-763-8156. Depart Easton Acme Parking Lot at 7 AM. Bring lunch, drinks, and snacks to share. Full day trip. continued on page 12 12 The Maryland Yellowthroat Calendar continued from page 11 Monday, April 22 H Kent. Chester River Field Research Station at Bluestem (Chino) Farms, Kingstown, Queen Anne’s Co. Visit the bird banding station and grasslands research areas. Meet at 7 AM in Chestertown for car pooling. Preregistration required. Leaders Walter Ellison and Nancy Martin, 410-778-9568 or rossgull@ baybroadband.net. Rain date Apr 29. MEETING. Tri-County. Program: “Managing Habitat and Wildlife on Coastal Barrier Island,” by Kevin Holcomb, Senior Wildlife Biologist, Chincoteague NWR. 7 PM at Asbury Methodist Church, Fox Rm, south entrance, Camden Ave, Salisbury. For more info contact Betty Pitney at 41 0-543-1 853. Tuesday, April 23 H Baltimore. Robert E. Lee Park (Lake Roland). A series of weekly walks to follow the progress of Spring migration. Habitats include woods, lake, streams, and marsh. Beginning birders welcome. Meet time 8 AM. Leader: TBD. Check schedule at BBC website, http:// baltimorebirdclub.org/ for updates or contact Pete Webb, 443-904-6314 or pete_webb@juno.com. MEETING. Washington. Program TBA. Call 301-797- 8454 for further info. 7 PM at the Mount Aetna Nature Center. Friday, April 26 H Harford. Jerusalem Mill. Visit this appealing stretch of the Little Gunpowder River marking Harford’s western border. Meet at the Mill on Jerusalem Rd (not far west of Rte 1 52) at 7 AM. The leader is Phil Powers, birdsinmd@verizon.net or 41 0-679-41 1 6. Saturday, April 27 ft Baltimore and Anne Arundel. Soldiers Delight. Soldiers Delight Natural Environment Area (NEA) is comprised of 1 ,900 acres of serpentine barren. The area has over 39 rare, threatened, or endangered plant species as well as rare insects, rocks, and minerals. BBC members meet 7:30 AM at historical marker. BBC leader: Pete Webb, 443-904-6314 or pete_webb@juno.com. AABC members leave from Parole P&R at 6:30 AM and meet the BBC members at Soldiers Delight. Contact: Kevin Smith at 410-917-3004 or ravens3077@yahoo.com for more info. H Baltimore. Patterson Park. Catch Spring migration at this green urban oasis in Balt. City. Meet 8 AM at fountain in park near intersection of Lombard St and Patterson Park Ave. For questions or to borrow binoculars for the walk, contact Patterson Park Audubon Center at ppaudubon@gmail.com or 410- 558-2473. H Cecil. Woodlawn Wildlife Area. Located near Port Deposit, this small site is primarily open fields and forest edge, and is productive for spring warblers and meadow birds. NA. Meet at 7 AM in the parking lot off Firetower Rd. Directions: from MD 276 turn west onto Firetower Rd. After about 1 more mile, you will pass the entrance to a county transfer/recycling center. The Woodlawn Wildlife Area parking lot is on the left just beyond. Contact leader, Richard Donham, rdonham8@gmail.com, if you have questions. NATIVE PLANT SALE. Frederick. Held by Audubon Society of Central MD, held 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. n Harford. Ma and Pa Trail. Explore the newest section of this popular trail walking from Annie’s Playground to Tollgate Rd and back. Field, forest marsh, and water make for a variety of habitats and birdlife. Meet 7:30 AM at the parking lot at the playground on Smith Ln off of Connolly Rd in Fallston. The leader is Susan Hood, 41 0-937-7552 or susanjhood@comcast.net. ft 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 (h) or 240-375- 4500 (m). ft Washington. Join Bruce Field for a combo birding and photography excursion to Ft. Frederick. Trip leaves from the DMV parking lot. Call Bruce at 301-797-6189 for a departure time and directions. Sunday, April 28 ft Baltimore. Chimney Swifts at Dusk. Join the BBC Swift Watch Team as Chimney Swifts enter a favorite chimney at sunset. Due to the fact that the swifts routinely change migration roosting chimneys, this year’s site will be posted on the BBC website (http:// baltimorebirdclub.org/) and Facebook page on Fri, Apr 26. Meet 7:45 PM. Come a half hour early if the weather is cloudy or gray. Cancelled if raining. Leader: Joan Cwi, 410-467-5352 orjafjsc@verizon.net. ft 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 Co 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. continued on page 13 March/ April 2013 13 Calendar continued from page 12 A Montgomery. Occoquan Bay NWR. Half day. Explore the diverse habitats in this one-square mile refuge at the confluence of the Potomac and Occoquan Rivers in Woodbridge, VA. A variety of raptors and migratory warblers, vireos, thrushes, and flycatchers should be present, and rails and bitterns are possibilities. Meet at the parking lot in the center of the refuge at 8 AM. Reservations required. Limit: 25. For reservations, call the leaders: Mike Bowen at 301-530-5764 or dhmbowen@yahoo.com, and Gerry Hawkins, 571-277-8406 or maineusa@comcast.net. A Talbot. Hope House Farm. This property provides a mixed habitat of forest, forest edge, fields, and tidal waterfront. Leader: Les Roslund, 410-763-8169. Depart Easton Acme Parking Lot at 7 AM. Breakfast Hosts: Bobbie and Kenny Wells. YMOS. Western Shore Migrant Search. Preparation for the WSB. Meet 5:45 AM (returning by 6:30 PM) at Elkton McDonalds (Rte’s 40/213). Level: beginning to advanced. Contact George Radcliffe at radclifg@ gmail.com to reserve a spot. A Patuxent. Jug Bay and Merkle for migrant waders, hawks, and early warblers. Meet 7AM at the Bowie P&R. Contact David Mozurkewich at 301-459-3375 or mozurk@bellAtlantic.net for more info. Tuesday, April 30 ft Baltimore. Robert E. Lee Park (Lake Roland). A series of weekly walks to follow the progress of Spring migration. Habitats include woods, lake, streams, and marsh. Beginning birders welcome. Meet time 8 AM, contact leader for location. Leader: Joan Cwi, 410- 467-5352 orjafjsc@verizon.net. Wednesday, May 1 MEETING. Carroll. “Birding Quiz” by Mark Hoffman. 7:30 PM at South Carroll Senior Center, 5928 Mineral Hill Rd, Eldersburg. Contact Dave Harvey, 410-795- 31 1 7 for more info. it 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, May 2 n 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 David Mozurkewich, 301 -459-3375 or mozurk@bellatlantic.net for more info. Friday, May 3 MEETING. Anne Arundel. 7:30 pm at the Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center, 975 Indian Landing Rd, Millersville, MD. The subject is “Seabirds, Pelagic Sargassum, and Marine Biodiversity in the Western Atlantic Ocean,” by Dr. J. Chrisfopher Haney, Chief Scientist, Defenders of Wildlife, Washington, DC. For add ’I info contact Barbara Johnson at 410-703-4664 or barbarajohnson222@gmail.com. n Frederick. First Friday trip. Leader and destination TBA. Meet at Culler Lake in Baker Park at 8 AM. For info contact Bob Schaefer, 301-831-5660 or Pres@ FrederickBirdClub.org. MEETING. Harford. Program: “Winter Birding in Northern Minnesota” presented by Volney Ford and friends. 6:30 PM at Harford Glen Environmental Center. Info: Dennis Kirkwood, newarkfarms@gmail.com. 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. Saturday, May 4 A Anne Arundel. Roosevelt Island, DC. Theodore Roosevelt Island is an 88.5-acre island and a national memorial located in the Potomac River in Washington, DC. This trip is in conjunction with the May 3rd presentation by Dr. Chris Haney at our AABC meeting. We will be leaving Parole P&R at 6:15 AM. Leader: Dr. Chris Haney For add’l info contact Barbara Johnson at 410-703-4664 or barbarajohnson222@gmail.com. n Baltimore. Rock Run Area, Susquehanna SP. Meet at Cromwell Bridge Rd P&R. Trip to Harford Co for resident Cerulean and Prothonotary Warblers and a collection of spring migrants. Possibly one of the best spring warbler watching sites in MD; expect 18 to 24 warbler species in a single day. Bring a picnic lunch for the wrap-up of what could be an excellent morning of birding. Meet 7 AM. Contact leader: Pete Webb, 443-904-6314 (m) or pete_webb@juno.com for meet location. n Baltimore. Youth Birding at Oregon Ridge Park. Ages 8-15 with parent. On the best warbler birding day of the year learn about how to bird with other birders ages 8 to 15. Learn how to use field guides and iPod apps to locate birds. Meet time is 8:30 AM. Please contact leader, Marty Brazeau, 410-583-0275 or tropicbirder@verizon.net to register and get meet location. n Carroll. Jug Bay Wetland Center. Meet Jerry and continued on page 14 14 The Maryland Yellowthroat Calendar continued from page 13 Laura Tarbell, 41 0-857-1 1 09 at Jug Bay visitor center at 8 AM. Let them know you’ll be there so they’ll know to look for you. A Frederick. C&O Canal Walk. Half day. We will go from Point of Rocks (with its newly spacious parking lot) to Lander for migrating warblers. Be sure to do your neck exercises beforehand. Contact leader: Pat Caro, 301-845-6246, for meet time and place. A Harford. Fifth Annual Epic Birding Contest. The first four of these contests have each been a real hoot (although we haven’t had an owl, yet)! Don’t miss out on this fun time at Susquehanna SP. Birders at all skill levels welcome. Meet at the Rock Run Mill at 6:30 AM for team selections and rules review. Counting will begin at 6:45 AM and end at 11:30 AM. Rally celebration will occur at approximately 1 2 noon at the Tidewater Grille in Havre de Grace. Family members and others are welcome to join the contestants for the celebration. Coordinators are Tom Gibson (410- 734-4135; gibsonlld@aol.com ) and Sue Procell (410- 676-6602; suzanne.procell@us.army.mil) . H Howard. Pigtail at Triadelphia Reservoir. 2-3 hour trip. Joint trip in conjunction with WSSC. Meet 8 AM at the Green Bridge Rd parking lot off Triadelphia Mill Rd (note this is the Howard side Green Bridge Rd). The cove is bordered on three sides by deciduous and coniferous woods. Extensive mudflats may exist with the possibility of shorebirds. For more info contact leader, Dennis Coskren, coskren@verizon.net or 410- 381-7344. Facilities available (rustic). H Kent. Beginner’s Bird Walk at Andelot Farm. By special arrangement with the owner, we’ll take a leisurely walk among wood margins, fields, and small ponds looking for spring migrants: swallows, warblers, vireos, and sparrows. Half day, bring snacks. Meet 8 AM at Dollar General parking lot, Chestertown. Leaders: Walter Ellison and Nancy Martin, 410-778- 9568 or rossgull@baybroadband.net. MAY COUNT. Dorchester. 91st May Count. 1st of two Dorchester May counts. Compiler: Harry Armistead, hQrryQrmisteQd@hotmail.com. Sunday, May 5 A Anne Arundel. Bird Banding at Foreman’s Branch Bird Observatory. We will spend time at the banding station and then walk the grasslands for birds. Leader: Dan Small. Meet Bay 50 shopping center parking lot (located off Rte 50 on Whitehall Rd) at 7 AM. Kevin Smith, 410-917-3004 or ravens3077@yahoo.com will coordinate at Bay 50. H Baltimore. North Point SP. Meet in the parking lot just after the toll booth. There is a fee of $3 per car to enter the park. We will walk down the path to Black Marsh Wildlands, a great spot for various wetland birds, raptors, warblers, and flycatchers. The woods around the Black Marsh area host many woodpeckers and vireos, and we can head down to the beach to check for terns. Scopes very useful. Path tends to be very muddy, and don’t forget your bug spray. Meet 8 AM. Contact leader, Rose Anderson, 443-802-8012 for meet location. A Baltimore. Cylburn Self-guided Walk. Meet 8:30 AM at the Vollmer Center parking lot (4915 Greenspring Ave) for easy birding in Cylburn ’s gardens and urban forest. Beginning birders welcome. No designated leader. Coordinator: Joe Lewandowski, 410-358-7834 or ilenel@juno.com. FRED ARCHIBALD MAY COUNT. Frederick. Meet at the Sanctuary at 6 AM. Coordinator: Bob Schaefer, 301 - 831-5660 or Pres@FrederickBirdClub.org. 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. Pocomoke Swamp. We will bird the edge of the Nassawango Creek Preserve along Johnson Rd in search of migrant and resident songbirds with a focus on warblers. Leader: Steve Ford, 443-786-7814. Depart Easton Acme Parking Lot at 6:30 AM. Bring lunch, drinks, and snacks. Full day trip. Patuxent. Governor Bridge NA. Joint trip with PGAS. 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. Tuesday, May 7 Baltimore. Robert E. Lee Park (Lake Roland). A series of weekly walks to follow the progress of Spring migration. Habitats include woods, lake, streams, and marsh. Beginning birders welcome. Meet time 8 AM, contact leader for location. Leader: Paul Noell, 410- 243-2652 or myconut@verizon.net. MEETING. Baltimore. Tuesday Evening Lecture at Cylburn, 4915 Greenspring Ave. Speaker and topic TBD. Doors open at 7 PM for socializing and snacks, show starts about 7:15 PM. Info: Pete Webb, 443-904- 6314 or pete_webb@juno.com. A Montgomery. Rock Creek Park, DC. Early migrant warblers, vireos, etc. Meet 7 AM at Picnic Area #18, continued on page 13 March/ April 2013 15 Calendar continued from page 14 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 8 ft Montgomery. Washington County: Seeking Breeders and Migrants. Explore some of Washington Co’s under-birded treasures. Expect some birding from the road mixed in with some moderate hikes (nothing overly strenuous). Bring snacks, drinks, lunch, insect repellent, etc. Reservations required. Limit: 10. Carpooling suggested. For reservations, directions, and meet time, contact Jim Green at 301-742-0036 (m) orjkgbirdman53@gmail.com. Wednesday to Sunday, May 8 to May 1 2 ^YMOS. World Series of Birding, Cape May, NJ. For YMOS WSB team members only. Trip departs at 5 AM Wed morning for 3 days of scouting. We’ll participate in the Big Day on Sat, trying to find as many species as we can in 1 day. We’ll return Sun around 4 PM after the Awards Brunch. The Birdathon fundraising will hopefully pay for the motel, the Awards Brunch, a T-Shirt, and most of the food costs. For more info, go to http://www.ymos.org/ or contact George Radcliffe at radclifg@gmail.com. Friday, May 1 0 * Montgomery. Birding by Ear along the C&O. The emphasis is on listening so tune upyourears forthis 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. Leaders: Cyndie Loeper, 301-530-8226 or Ann Lucy, 301-229-8810. Saturday, May 1 1 May Count. Allegany. To participate, contact J.B. Churchill, jchurchi@atlanticbb.net, 301-689-8344 or 301-697-1223 (m) to be assigned an area to count. MAY COUNT. Anne Arundel. Contact Dotty Mumford, 410-849-8336 or dottymum@comcast.net to let her know where you will be counting. May Count. Baltimore. All-day count of birds in Baltimore City and Co. For area assignments call compiler Joel Martin, 410-744-921 1 or jcdlmartin@aol. com. MAY COUNT. Calvert. Compiler: Sue Hamilton, 410- 586-1 494 or seal 1 0n2002@yahoo.com. MAY COUNT. Caroline. Compiler, Debby Bennett. Contact her at dQbennettl996@gmail.com for more info. MAY COUNT. Carroll. Individual parties of counters will set their own schedules in their pre-arranged areas. Parties will count resident and spring migrant bird species throughout Carroll Co. Contact Don Jewell to verify your bird counting area at jewelldg@gmail. com or 41 0-259-471 6. The Tally Rally will be hosted by Susan Bollinger at her home. RSVP to Susan at 410- 848-2050 if you will be attending Tally. Please bring a cash donation ($5) ora food item. MAY COUNT. Cecil. No count in 2013. MAY COUNT. Charles. Compiler: George Jett, 301 - 843-3524 or gmjett@comcast.net. MAY COUNT. Dorchester. 92nd May Count. 2nd of two annual Dorchester May counts. Compiler: Harry Armistead, hQrryQrmisteQd@hotmail.com. MAY COUNT. Frederick. 49th Annual! It’s peak migra- tion so this is the most fun you can have working on a census. Lots of eyes and ears are needed! Com- piler: Mike Welch, 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. Help Harford contribute to this important data collection day and monitor migra- tion throughout our locale. Contact the coordinator, Rick Cheicante, rickcheicante@cs.com or 410-803- 271 2, for assignment. MAY COUNT. Howard. Compiler: Kevin Heffernan, 410-418-8731 (h) orKJHeff@aol.com. MAY COUNT. Kent. An all-day effort to census as much of Kent Co as possible. Join a field party or count in your neighborhood. Contact one of the leaders for details. Leaders: Walter Ellison and Nancy Martin, 41 0-778-9568 or rossgull@bQybroQdband.net. MAY COUNT. Montgomery. Compiler: Diane Ford, dmford455@yahoo.com. MAY COUNT. Prince George’s. Compiler: Fred Fallon, 410-286-81 52 or fwfallon@ymail.com. MAY COUNT. Queen Anne’s. Compiler: Glenn Therres, therres@atlanticbb.net. Unable to confirm ‘13 count status with 201 2 compiler as of 2/1 /1 3. MAY COUNT. St. Mary’s. Compiler: Patty Craig, 301 - 872-5670 or eyrie@hughes.net. continued on page 16 16 The Maryland Yellowthroat Calendar continued from page 15 MAY COUNT. Somerset. Compiler: Paul G. Bystrak, shrike@comcast.net. Unable to confirm ‘13 count status with 201 2 compiler as of 2/1 /1 3. MAY COUNT. Talbot. To participate call coordinator/ compiler Les Coble at 41 0-820-61 65. MAY COUNT. Washington. Contact County Coordi- nator Mark Abdy, 301-432-7696, to participate. MAY COUNT. Wicomico. Compiler: Ellen Lawler, EM- LAWLER@salisbury.edu or 41 0-546-9056. MAY COUNT. Worcester. Compiler, Mark Hoffman, wcbirding@comcast.net. ft Montgomery. Izaak Walton League Property, B-CC Chapter. Half Day. The Club’s 2nd official trip to this large private property south of Poolesville. Woods, hedgerows, streams, fields, and ponds pro- vide a wide range of bird habitats, and migration should be on its way by this date. Trip will start at 7 AM at the League’s chapterhouse. Reservations re- quired. For reservations and directions, contact Mike Bowen, 301 -530-5764 or dhmbowen@yahoo.com. B-CC Chapter Treasurer and MBC member Jim Tate will co-lead. WORLD SERIES OF BIRDING. New Jersey Audubon will proudly host the 30th annual World Series of Birding. This event has changed the birding landscape and raised over $8,000,000 for bird conservation. More info: http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionWorldSerie- sofBirding/WorldSeriesofBirding.aspx. Sunday, May 12 AUDREY CARROLL MAY COUNT. Frederick. Meet at the Sanctuary at 6 AM. Coordinator: David Smith 410-549-7082. ft Talbot. Bombay Hook NWR and DE Bay Shore. This trip is at the height of spring migration for wading birds, shorebirds, and passerines. Leader: Charles Hopkins, 410-763-8742. Depart Easton Acme Parking Lot at 6:30 AM. Bring lunch, drinks, and snacks to share. Full day trip. A Baltimore. Marshy Point Nature Center. Half-day trip for migrant and resident passerines. Meet 8:30 AM. Half mile trail leads to point overlooking Dundee Creek. Boots advisable, scopes useful. Leaders: Brent and Mary Byers, 410-626-7294 or baypuffin@hotmail. com and Bob Rineer, 410-252-6408 or brineer@veri- zon.net. MOS Awards Seven Scholarships for 2013 MOS has awarded seven scholarships for summer workshops at the Project Puffin Audubon Camp located on Hog Island in Bremen, Maine. Scholarship recipients will attend one-week pro- grams focusing on environmental education, devel- oping ornithological skills, studying marine seabird biology and conservation as well as assisting with research projects. Again, the Sharing Nature: an Educator’s Week was the most popular choice among ap- plicants. Four of the seven awardees chose this program. Susan Dorsey, a school and teacher pro- gram coordinator at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore will receive the Frances Covington and Etta Wedge Scholarship. Susan was a past Project Puffin volun- teer Seal Island, ME. Susan was endorsed by the Bal- timore Bird Club. Also choosing the Sharing Nature workshop was Jennifer Miller, Nature Programs and Nature Facility Manager at Black Hill Regional Park in Boyds, MD. Sponsored by the Montgomery County Bird Club, Jennifer has an interest in raptors and has received training at the University of Minnesota Rap- tor Center. Jennifer will receive the Orville Crowder and Donald Messersmith Scholarship. Jack Parker, a resident of Salisbury, MD and the Youth Education Coordinator at the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art will attend the same program as Susan and Jennifer thanks to the Daniel and Helen Gibson and Dorothy Mendinhall Scholarship. Fred Williams, a science teacher with Harford County Public Schools and rec- ommended by the Harford Bird Club, will also attend the Sharing Nature workshop on the John Wortman Memorial Scholarship. Freda McMillan , a retired public school teacher and employee and volunteer at Black Hill Regional Park, will be attending a Field Ornithology workshop. Freda was recommended by the Mont- gomery County Bird Club and will receive the Chan- dler and Eleanor Robbins Scholarship. Emily Wilberg is the owner and teacher at a daycare facility. She is also a teacher at Glen Echo Childrens’ Theater and hopes to become a park ranger with the National Park Service. Emily, sponsored by the Montgomery County Bird Club, will receive the Helen Miller Scholarship for the Joy of Birding workshop. All of the above mentioned schol- arships are for National Audubon Society programs at Hog Island. Mark Bushman will receive a scholarship from the Tri-County Bird Club to attend a Road Scholar program, also at Hog Island, titled Maine Seabird Biology and Conservation. Mark is the Education Pro- gram Coordinator at the Ward Museum and profess- es a passion for education and natural history. by Kate Tufts March/ April 2013 17 POSTMASTER: TIME-DATED MATERIAL— PLEASE EXPEDITE! MARYLAND ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY, INC. P. O. Box 105, Monrovia, MD 21770-0105 Nonprofit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID at Hagerstown, MD Permit No. 1 84 The Maryland Yellowthroat Newsletter of the Maryland Ornithological Society, Inc. Editor: Richard Donham r donham8 @gmail . com Designer: Eric Skrzypczak ericskrz@gmail.com Calendar Editor: Andy Martin martinap2@verizon.net 301-294-4805 Chapter Chatter: Jean Wheeler jswheeler3@verizon.net Mailing list: Helen Horrocks hlh_3 7 @yahoo .com 301-831-6315 MOS web site: http://www.mdbirds.org Webmaster: John Hays Christy SiteMa ven@mdbirds . org Anyone is welcome to contribute articles, photos, or ideas that would be of interest to other birders. Copy may be e-mailed to Richard Donham by March 25, 2013 for the May/June 2013 issue. Illustrations pp. 1, 2 ©M. Suzanne Probst