Maryland birdlife

MARYLAND BIRDLIFE

Su[[eHh oj~ thz <^A/[axij[and Gxniifi o £°s icu[ <^oci£.hj, One.

SEPTEMBER 1969

Volume 25
Number 3

Maryland Ornithological Society, Inc.

Cylburn Mansion, 491 5 Greenspring Are., Baltimore, Maryland 21209

State Officers

President:
First V.P.:
Second V.P.:
Treasurers
Secretary:

V, Edwin Unger, West Central Ave. f Federalsburg 21 632

754-2291

Dr. Edgar E. Folk, III, 11 55 Ave. "A". Perry Point 21902

642-6591

Chandler S. Robbins, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center,

Laurel 20810 776-4880

Winfield Henning, 104 N. University Ave., Federalsburg

21632 75S-9883

Mrs. Edwin C. Gras, 125 Academy St., Annapolis 21401

263-4708

Executive Council

Mrs. Joshua W. Rowe, Box 348, Glen Am Rd., Glen Arm 21057 665-7207
Barclay E. Tucker, Rte. 3, Box 308, Bel Air 21014 838-6269
Mrs, Edward Mendinhall, "Daasite", R. D. 2, Chestertown 21620 778-0826
Carl Carlson, 5706 Lone Oak Drive, Bethesda 20014 365-3836
Dr. Lawrence Zeleny, 4312 Van Buren St., Hyatts villa 20782 927-3971
Joseph A. Robinson, Box 92, St. Michaels 21663 745-9438
Charles Baker, Route 3* Zion Road, Salisbury 21801 749-3627

State Trustees

Allegany: ♦Kendrick T. Hodgdon

Mrs. Kendrick I. Hodgdon
Anne Arundel: ♦Mrs. Edwin C. Gras

Mrs. Will 1am C. Parades
Baltimore: *Mrs. Joshua W. Rowe

Mrs. Raymond Geddes, Jr.
Rodney B. Jones
Mrs. Robert E. Kaestner
Mrs. Martin G. Larrabee
Mrs. Edward A. Metcalf
A. MacDonough Plant
Chandler S. Robbins

Caroline: *A, J. Fletcher

Mrs. Percy Scudder

Frederick: ♦Mrs. Mary S. Motherway

Dr. Howard Hodge

Harford: * Barclay E. Tucker

Frank A. Buckley

Kent: ♦Mrs. Edwin Mendinhall

Mrs. A. J. Delario

Mrs. Thomas S. Carswell
Montgomery: ♦Dr. J. Whu Oberman
Carl W. Carlson
Edward Goods tein

Patuxent

Rossmoor:

Talbot:

Wicomico:

♦Dr. Lawrence Zeleny
ELwood L. Fisher
♦Richard H. Rule
Miss Agnes T. Hofftaam
*Mrs. C. D. Delphey, Jr,
Joseph A. Robinson
Mrs. Joseph A. Robinson
♦William L. Johnson
Charles Baker

* Chapter President

Active Membership (adults)

Junior Membership (under 18 years)
Family Membership (Mr. A Mrs.)
Sustaining Membership
Life Membership

Out-of-State Membership

$ 2.00 plus local chapter dues

•5° plus local chapter dues

3.00 plus local chapter dues

. 5*00 plus local chapter dues

100.00 (payable in 4 annual

installments)

2.00 ( Maryland Birdlife only)

COVER: Marsh at Irish Grove Wildlife Sanctuary

Photo by Okey McCourt

MARYLAND BIRDLIFE

Volume 25 MARYLAND BIRKLIFE Number 3

STATUS AND BEHAVIOR

OF COLOR-BANDED WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES AT BALTIMORE

Hevvey Braakbill

From 19^ through the spring of 1 969 I color-banded 77 White-breast-
ed Nuthatches ( Sitta carolinensis ) in northwestern suburbs of Baltimore —
Howard Park, Dickeyville and Larchmont. This banding, and general
observation, have shown that the species is chiefly a winter resident in
these places, with an occasional bird or pair permanently resident and
summer occurrences otherwise rare. Information has also been obtained on
various other facets of the species' life history. No nuthatch that I
have banded has ever been reported away from Baltimore.

Permanent residency and permanent mating

Four birds have shown permanent residency and a pair of them perman-
ent mating as well. A female banded September 19* 19^8* and a male
banded January 1, 19*J9, were paired from at least March 12, 1949, through
the female's final date of March 24, 1951* and during that time were seen
regularly.

A male banded on my feeder May 20, 1956 , was seen about a quarter-
mile away in September and October, and at the feeder again in November
and in March and April of 1957.

A female banded July 15, 1951* was seen regularly to July 5 , 1952,
then went unseen until September 17, 1953* °n which date she was rebanded
and disappeared.

Perhaps a fifth bird was resident, though there was a big gap in my
sightings of it too. This one, a male banded December 8, 19^, was seen
through June 21, 1947 , but then not again until May 8 to June 6, 1948,

Permanent residency and permanent mating have also been reported in
New Hampshire (Whittle, 1925 * 65 ) and Massachusetts (Osborn, 1930). In
New York State Butts (1927:3^1 ) found permanent residency, but (1931*70)
only one possible instance of permanent mating; he believed, though, that
the changes in mates by his birds were caused by disappearances, not
8 divorces."

88 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE Vol. 25. No. 3

Home ranee

My long-mated pair was seen commonly, both summer and winter, in an
irregular, well-wooded residential area of Howard Park about 500 by 310
yards in its extreme dimensions , This would be, at most, about 32 acres*
Butts (1931:65) found territories at Ithaca, N.Y., to vary from 25 to 48
acres, depending on the amount of woods. When his first mate finally
disappeared, the male of ay pair acquired a new one and maintained at
least the same east-west range. Butts likewise (1931*70) reported the
same area occupied all year and (1931:71) found that when one member of a
pair disappeared the survivor remained on the same territory, where a new
mate was obtained.

Winter residents

Regarding as winter residents birds making observed stays of 3 months
or more, winter residents were banded as early as August 19 and September
12 and as late as December 11. Some have stayed as late as May 3 and 6.

Month Banded
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Males 1 2 3 IT 2

Females —1731

Month Last Identified
Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May

1 2 3 T" 5 2

2 3 4 3 -

The longest winter stays I have observed have been:

August 19 to March 2 1 96 days, male

October 16 to April 18 — 186 days, male

November 6 to May 6 184 days, male

October 26 to April 6 — 1 63 days, female

Sex ratio

In Howard Park and Larchmont I trapped on my feeding shelves and
caught practically every nuthatch that came there; in Dickeyville I trap-
ped only intermittently, but randomly. At each place males far outnum-
bered females:

Males

Females

Unsexed

Howard Park

19

10

Dickeyville

6

1

1

Larchmont

26

14

Totals

51

25

"T

At Summerville, S.C., a catch of 7 males and 1 female during a 7-
year period was reported (Mason, 1942:122). However, at Island Beach,
N.J., the Operation Recovery catch one fall was only 15 males to 3^
females (Murray, 1966:356).

Sexual dominance

At the feeding shelf, males commonly but not invariably show domin-
ance over females. In the winter of 1 968-69 I paid particular attention

September 1969

MARYLAND BTRIILTFE

82

to this. One male drove one female off my shelf 5 times and chased her
about it another time; in addition she herself showed subordination by 7
times fleeing as he arrived and 4 other times coming only after he left.

On the other hand, I 6 times saw the two present together without any
show of hostility, and sometimes these two birds made feeder visits during
periods when no other nuthatches were coming, this indicating that they
were travelling together. Despite that association they apparently were
not a pair, for I last saw the male on March 16 but the female was pres-
ent through April 6. During that spring period the female 5 times showed
subordination to a different male, and 30 once did a second female.

Similarly, in 1963-64 one male showed dominance over one female 7
times; she was last seen January 24 but he was present through May 3 and
in January and March showed dominance over a second female though I once
saw these two travelling together, apart from any others.

Judging from those observations, it is not safe to assume that a
male and female which associate in winter are paired. It may be that in
the instances above pairs really were formed and then were disrupted by
deaths, but this possibility seems to be discounted by the following:

Dominance within a pair

Scanty observations suggest that there is no dominance within a pair.
The one resident pair that I have had long enough to yield data were to-
gether on my feeder on March 26, 27, Aptil 9 and May 11 in 19^9, and on
March 12, April 2, October 15 and November 11 in 1950. A few times in
May and June of both years the male seemed to follow the female to the
shelf, so it may be that at this season she was dominant. However, I
never saw a clear show of dominance by either bird.

Age

The greatest age I know to have been reached was about 4 years; a
male banded January 1, 19**9, was seen through March 9, 1952. Another
male and a female attained about 3 years. Far greater ages are on record;
for instance, a New Jersey bird reached about 10 years (Cooke, 1946:69).

A possible courtship flight

In Howard Park on January 1, 1951 t at 11 a.m., a male high in a tree
sang two short songs, then flew 40 yards or so to another stand of tall
oaks and for a few seconds dashed crazily in and out among these, now
high, now low, at terrific speed. Then it disappeared. I could see that
the bird was a banded one but could not make a complete identification;
undoubtedly, though, it was the male of what was then my resident pair,
for those two were the only nuthatches I saw in the area that day.

Such flights made by a Red-breasted Nuthatch ( Sitta canadensis ) in
early April were called "courtship (?) flights" by their observer (Well-
man, 1933); and Bent (1948:23), quoting that account, flatly calls them
courtship flights. After them a female joined the male and the two in-

90

MARYLAND BIRDLIFE

Yol. 25.

vestigated holes in trees. My bird's sate was not in evidence, and X
have found no record of such a performance by the White-breasted Nuthatch.
The temperatures on and for several days before January 1 were only 1 to
4 degrees above normal; not enough, one would think, to induce courtship
activity on such a date.

Redirected pecking

Four White-breasted Nuthatches that patronized one of my feeders did
redirected (or possibly displacement) pecking nearby on some occasions
when, upon approaching it, they found other birds on it or me standing
too close to it.

This feeder was a 20-inch-square shelf at a window of a shingle-
sided house. Coming to it, nuthatches often alit first on the wall about
3 feet away, then flitted to the shelf. But under, circumstances like
those mentioned they sometimes — by no means always— delivered 2 to 17
hard pecks on the shingles before coming on, or while waiting "for the
coast to clear"; rarely, they then flew away instead of coming cm. It
seemed unmistakable that they were venting on the shingles hostility they
felt toward the other birds or me for being in their way; once, indeed,
after coming on to the shelf a female displayed at the Tufted Titmouse
( Parus bicolor ) already there— and was driven off the shelf by it. Other
species that I saw provoke the redirected pecking were the House Sparrow
( Passer domes ticus ) , Cardinal ( Richmondena cardinalis ) , Carolina Chicka-
dee ( Parus carolinensis ) and Downy Woodpecker ( Dendrocopos pubes cons) .

Curiously, although X operated this feeder from 1946 to raid-1955* I
noted the redirected pecking only between January 1, 1951* and February
22, 1953. It was not seasonal; the 23 days on which I observed it fell
in every month of one or more of the years indicated except June, August
and December. The birds that did it were a resident pair, a resident fe-
male, and a female winter resident.

Writing this species' life history for Bent (1945:1-12), Winsor Mar-
rett Tyler says (p.9), referring to Massachusetts, that it sings every
month in the year. In Baltimore I have heard song in every month, but

not in every month of any one year; the nearest to that was 19^* every

month but September. March and April have been the months of most song
in my area, June and November those of least song. In my experience,
only males sing.

Tyler also says (p.9) • "In winter, singing is confined to the early
morning hours,— soon after sunrise— and even during the spring it is
rare, before the first of April, to hear a nuthatch sing in the after-
noon." My notes show four "exceptions to the rule"; on December 21,

1948, January 23, 19^9, January 28, 1951. and February 1, 1959* I heard
from 2 to 12 songs at hours ranging from 1 to 3*30 p.m., E.S.T.

In 1952 a bird gave songs that were much more rapid than normal, and

MARYLAND BIRILIFE

September 1969

21

squeaky instead of nasal in quality; they reminded me of a sewing machine
needle flying up and down. I heard them August 28 and 29, then on Sep-
tember 12 I color-banded a male and during December several times saw him
give such songs — now usually with lesser degrees of squeakiness— -and also
normal ones.

On April 12, 1954, a bird that had been singing in one tree gave a
long song during a 50-yard flight to another tree, and did more singing
there. This bird had apparently been about for several days and I had
banded him on April 11, but I did not see him after April 12; apparently
he was a migrant.

During various years I have counted the number of notes in 591
songs, heard throughout the year. The number ranged from 1 to 25. Of
the total, 501 were of 5 to 13 notes. The commonest lengths were 9, 8
and 10. Songs longer than 10 notes were most common in the periods Feb-
ruary to mid- April, August to mid-September, and December 21 -January 10.

Frozen maple sap eaten

One March day I saw a male break off and eat a quarter-inch long sap
icicle that had formed on a Norway maple. The tree had been trimmed sev-
eral weeks earlier, but not all the cuts had been sealed. Warn weather
made the sap flow, then a turn of cold produced the icicle, I tasted the
ice and found it slightly sweet.

References

Bent, A. C. 1948. Life histories of North American nuthatches, wrens,
thrashers and their allies. U.S. Nat. Mus . Bull . 195.

Butts, W. K. 1927. The feeding range of certain birds. Auk 44; 329-3 50.

Butts, W, K. 1931* A study of the chickadee and White-breasted Nuthatch
by means of marked individuals, Bird-Banding 2;59-?6.

Cooke, M. T. 1946 Returns of banded birds: some recent records of in-
terest. Bird- Banding 1 7 : 63-7 1 .

Murray, B. G. , Jr. 1 966 . Migration of age and sex classes of passerines
on the Atlantic coast in autumn. Auk 83:352-360.

Osborn, R. A. 1930 Interesting history of two White-breasted Nuthatch-
es. Bird-Banding 1:142,

Wellman, G. B. 1933. The courtship flight of the Red-breasted Nuthatch.
Auk 50:112.

Whittle, H. G. 1925. Notes from a Peterboro N.H., banding station.
N.B.B.B.A . Bull . 1:63-65.

2620 Poplar Drive, Baltimore 21207

92

MARYLAND BIRDLIFE

Vol. 25, No. 3

APRIL, MAY, JUNE, 1969

Chandler S. Robbins

An uneventful spring migration period was followed by a normal
breeding season. Temperatures averaged slightly above normal and preci-
pitation below normal. The normal northeastward movement of High and Low
pressure systems from the Mississippi Valley to the Atlantic Coast did
not materialize until after the peak migration period had passed. As a
consequence, the great surges of migration that customarily take place in
the warm sector between a departing Low and an arriving cold front were
not evident here this spring. Songbird arrivals tended to be late. There
were many days when the numbers of transients were moderate, but no great
flight days. Several distraught observers even suggested that "Silent
Spring" was upon us.

The warbler species whose main spring pathway follows the Mississippi
Valley were especially scarce in Maryland this spring. These include the
Golden-winged, Nashville, Tennessee, Magnolia, Blackburnian, Chestnut -
sided, Bay-breasted, Wilson's and Canada Warblers. None of these species
can be considered rare in Maryland in May; yet I do not know of anyone
who saw all 9 of them here this spring. The Bay -breast and Wilson's
were missed on the State-wide Bird Count, May 3; the Golden-wing was not
reported all spring except on May 3- The Convention list for May 9-H
lacked the Golden-wing, Nashville, Blackburnian, Bay -breast and Wilson's.

I had the privilege of being afield all day on May l4 (Seneca to Ocean
City) with Jeff Swinebroad and Will Russell; with a list of 189 species
we missed 2 of the above warblers and saw or heard a combined total of
only 23 individuals of the other 7 species. Four days later, when I was
in eastern Massachusetts, I saw the same numbers of these warblers in ray
mother's little back yard plus a few acres of a nearby cemetery. I men-
tion this to illustrate how migrants can slip through, over, or around
Maryland almost unnoticed, and arrive in normal numbers in states to the
northeast of us.

The earliest and latest migration dates reported this spring are
listed by counties in Tables 1 and 2, with the counties arranged from
northwest to southeast. The great majority of the dates were supplied by
the following observers, whose cooperation is gratefully acknowledged
here: Garre tt County— Glenn Austin, Billie Taylor, Dick Douglass, John
Workmaister; Alleg any — Ken Hodgdon and the Garrett County observers;
Washi ngton — Mrs. Alice Mallonee, Dr. Ralph Stauffer, Carl Carlson and the

September 1969

MARYLAND BIRDLIFE

93

Eckstines; Frede rick --Dr. and Mrs. John Richards, William Shirey, Sarah
Quinn, Carl Carlson, Mrs. A. L. Hoffman, Mr. and Mrs. E. T. McKnight;
Balti more City and County--Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bo-wen, Mrs. Robert E.
Kaestner, Mrs. Carl Lubbert, Douglas Hackman, Stephen W. Simon, Haven
Kolb, David Holmes, Mrs. Richard Cole, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Bohanan, Burton
Alexander; Harfo rd County--David Smith, Joseph Pannill, Douglas Hackman,

Dr. Edgar Folk: Howa rd --Mrs . Dorothy Rauth, Morris Collins, Mrs. G. C.
Munro, George Robbins; Montg omery --Robert W. Warfield, Mrs. John Frankel,
Paul Woodward, Philip DuMont, Mr. and Mrs. James Cooley; Prince Georges —
Elwood Martin, Dr. Lawrence W. Murphy, Mr. and Mrs. C. S. Robbins, Melvin
Kleen, Arthur Alexander, Dr. and Mrs. B. C. Getchell, Brooke Meanley,

Ralph Andrews, Jerry Longcore, Duncan McDonald, Danny and Paul Bystrak;

Anne Arundel — Prof, and Mrs. David Howard, Prof. Harold Wierenga, Paul
and Danny Bystrak, Dr. Lawrence Murphy; Calve rt — John Fales; Ceci l--Dr .
Edgar Folk; Kent - -Mr . and Mrs. Edward Mendinhall, Mr. and Mrs. A. J.
Delario, Dr. D. Z. Gibson, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Ruhnka, Mr. and Mrs. Clark
Webster, Carl Westerdahl; Carol ine --Marvin W. Hewitt, Mr. and Mrs. A. J.
Fletcher, Mrs. Ethel Engle, Mrs. Alicia Knotts, V. Edwin Unger; Talbo t --
Richard L. Kleen, Jan Reese, John Valliant, Jeffrey Effinger; Dorch ester --
Henry T. Armistead, William C. Russell; Somerset (Irish Grove Wildlife
Sanctuary) — Mrs. Richard D. Cole, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Hackman, Mr. and
Mrs. Douglas Hackman, Mel Garland, V. Edwin Unger; Wicom ico — Samuel
Cimino, Ruth Denit, Dr. Harvey Hall, Mildred and William Johnson, Gertrude
Oakman, Eugene Redden, Samuel H. Dyke; Worce ster --Samuel H. Dyke, V. Edwin
Unger, Dr. Donald Messersmith, Jan Reese, Kevin T. Mullen, David Holmes,
Dickson Preston, Robert Warfield.

Shearwaters , Petrels , Cormorants . A Sooty Shearwater was seen from
Assateague Island on May 11 "(m.O.S. Convention), although a boat trip
offshore on the preceding day yielded not a single shearwater or petrel.

On May 2b, however, McKnight and party found 20_ Sooty Shearwaters (a new
high for the State) and 15 Wilson's Petrels off Ocean City. Flocks of 71
and 32 Double -crested Cormorants passed over Irish Grove Wildlife Sanc-
tuary below Marion on Apr. 2 6, flying northeast (Hackmans): if they con-
tinued on this course they would head up the Pocomoke River and reach the
coast north of Ocean City.

Herons and Ibis . Jackson Abbott estimated 400 Great Blue Heron
nests on Poplar Island on Apr. 23 and 20 Common Egret nests on Bodkin
Island, Queen Annas Co., on May 5 (Audubon Field Notes). An early Cattle
Egret was seen in Kent County on Apr. 4 (Edward Mendinhall). During the
next five weeks this species was found in all Eastern Shore counties ex-
cept Queen Annes. High counts were 15 at Preston on May 7 (Rebecca
Voshell), 38 in Southern Dorchester County on May 3 (Harry Armistead),
and 50 at Marion on Apr. 2 6 (Mel Garland, Gladys Cole). The last Cattle
Egrets sighted away from the nesting colonies were at Greensboro on May
28 (Marvin Hewitt) and Plum Point on June 3 and July 10-11 (John H. Fales).
Other sightings west of the Bay were: Sandy Point State Park (Apr. 19,
Harold Wierenga) and Baltimore County (May 3 Count). Four Yellow-crowned
Night Herons were in their nesting area in the Potomac bottomland west of
Seneca as early as Apr. 13 (Robert W. Warfield). After the first sighting
at Lake Roland at the north edge of Baltimore on May 1 (Rosalie Archer),

Median

Table 1. Spring Arrival Dates, 1969

Species

10 -yr

1969

Alle

Wash

Fred

Balt

Harf

Howd

Mont

Pr.G

Anne

Calv

Cecl

Kent

Caro

Talb

Dorc

Somr

Wico

Wore

Common Loon

..

4/21

0

0

4/23

4/12

V25

0

4/19

5/ 1

„

..

4/l4

4/ 5

4/19

5/ 3

4/26

0

Homed Grebe

3/31

0

0

0

4/31

—

4/22

3/29

0

3/23

0 .

4/ 7

0

0

0

—

Pied -billed Grebe

—

3/26

0

0

0

4/20

--

3/2 6

3/ 1

4/11

3/25

0

0

0

0

Double -cr. Cormorant

--

4/2 6

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

4/19

0

0

0

4/ 7

Si 3

4/26

0

3

Great Blue Heron

--

4/ 4

4/ 5

3/i4

--

4/ 1

3/23

--

—

4/16

4/ 4

4/26

--

Green Heron

4/23

4/22

--

—

5/ 3

4/27

—

vw

4/19

*-

4/i8

5/ 7

—

4/10

4/18

4/19

5/ 3

4/26

4/13

—

Cattle Egret

—

4/30

0

0

0

5/ 3

0

0

0

0

4/19

4/21

4/17

4/ 4

5/ 3

5/24

5/ 3

4/26

Si 3

--

Common Egret

—

5/ 3

0

0

0

0

0

0

4/19

5/ 3

0

0

0

Si 3

0

4/ 4

5/ 3

4/27

Q

5/ 3

Snowy Egret

--

5/ 3

0

0

0

5/ 3

0

0

. 0

0

5/ 3

0

0

0

0

4/ 7

Si 3

4/ 5

0

5/ 3

Am. Bittern

--

4/22

0

0

0

0

0

0

4/30

4/13

4/12

0

0

si 3

0

0

5/ 3

4/ 9

1

Glossy Ibis

--

4/19

0

0

0

0

0

0

4/i9

0

4/ 18

0

0

0

6

0

57 3

4/ 9

0

5 / 3

Broad -winged Hawk

4/22

4/25

4/27

—

—

4/17

4/25

4/16

4/19

4/30

4/26

0

0

0

4/21

0

Si 3

' 0

0

0

Semipalmated Plover

--

5/ 3

0

0

0

0

0

5/ 9

0

0

5/ 3

0

0

0

5/15

5/ 3

Si 3

0

0

Spotted Sandpiper

4/30

4/27

0

5/ 3

4/20

4/20

0

4/22

4/12

5/ 3

4/22

3/30

5/ 3

5/ 3

Si 3

4/20

Si 3

4/27

0

5 / 3

Solitary Sandpiper

5/ a

5/ 3

0

0

3/26

4/29

0

,5/ 3

4/19

5/ 3

5/ 3

0

0

S 3

5/ 2

0

5/ 3

0

0

--

Greater Yellowlegs

4/ 8

4/26

0

0

5/ 3

4/29

0

4/22

4/ 6

5/ 3

4/ 5

0

0

5/ 3

ZfW

4/ 4

5/ 3

3/23

0

5/ 3

Lesser Yellowlegs

—

5/ 1

0

0

5/ 3

5/ 1

0

0

4/2 5

0

4/29

0

0

5/ 3

—

4/20

5/ 3

0

0

Pectoral Sandpiper

— *

—

0

0

5/ 3

0

0

0

0

5/10

0

0

0

0

0

0

5/ 3

0

4/ 7

--

Least Sandpiper

5/ 3

0

0

5/ 3

5/ 3

0

5/ 9

5/ 3

5/10

5/ 3

0

0

5/ 3

--

5/13

Si 3

0

0

--

Dunlin

--

n 3

.ft .

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3/25

0

0

0

5/20

5/13

5/ 3

0

0

5/3

Semipalmated Sandpiper

—

5/ 3

0

0

0

5/ 2

0

5/ 1

0

0

5/ 3

0

0

5/ 3

5/n

5/13

5/ 3

0

0

Laughing Gull

—

5/ 3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

4/23

Si 3

0

Si 3

4/12

4/19

Si 3

4/26

5/ 3

5/ "3

Bonaparte's Gull

—

--

; S

0

0

4/ 5

0

0

3/30

0

4/ 3

0

0

0

0

3/17

—

0

0

--

Common Tern

—

Si 3

0

0

0

5/ 3

0

0

5/ 3

0

0

0

0

0

—

4/18

Si 3

4/26

0

5 / 3

Least Tern

—

5/ 3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

5/ ?

0

0

3/ 3

0

5/13

5/ 3

0

0

5 / 3

Yellow -billed Cuckoo

Si 4

5/ 3

4/27

3/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

4/26

5/ 2

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

6/l4

—

5/ 3

St 3

5/10

Black-billed Cuckoo

5/ 5

5/ 4

4/27

0

5/ 3

5/ 6

0

5/ 5

0

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/13

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

5/10

Chuck-will's widow

5/ 3

0

0

0

0

0

0

4/2 6

0

4/29

Si 4

0

0

5/ 3

5/ 5

Si 3

4/27

4/28

5 / 9

Whip -poor -will

4/21

4/26

4/22

—

4/26

5/ 3

5/ 3

4/25

Si 3

4/27

4/24

4/19

0

Si 3

—

4/26

5 / 9

Com. Nighth&vk

Si ?

5/ S

5/ 3

0

5A3

5/ 4

5/ 8

0

5 / 8

0

0

5/15

—

5/ 3

0

--

5 > 9

Chimney Swift

4/15

4/i6

—

4/iB

4/19

4/14

—

V29

4/13

4/11

4/16

4/ 6

4/16

--

TTY?

"W

5/ 3

4/26

4/20

Ruby-thr. Hummingbird

4/30

5/ 3

—

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 2

--

5/13

5/ 3

5/10

5/ 3

4/27

Si 3

4/27

4/29

4/27

5/ 3

4/27

--

5/10

Yellow-shaft Flicker

—

3/28

4/27

3/21

4/ l

3/18

—

—

3/i6

4/ 8

3/25

4/ 6

Red -headed Woodpecker

—

5/ 3

0

5/ 3

5/ 3

4/28

0

0

5/ 3

0

—

0

0

5/ 3

Si 3

5/14

0

0

5/10

Eastern Kingbird

4/26

4/28

4/27

5/ 3

3/ 3

4/24

--

4/21

4/28

4/28

4/29

5/ 4

s( 3

4/28

4/23

4/18

5/ 3

4/26

5 / 3

5 / 3

Gt. Crested Flycatcher

4/20

5/ 3

5/ 3

573

5/ 3

T72S“

5 / 3

5 / 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

Si 3

4/26

5 / 2

4/29

5/ 3

5/ 3

—

5 / 3

Acadian Flycatcher

Si 4

5/ 3

—

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 2

5/ 3

4/27

--

—

4/28

5/ 3

—

5 / 3

—

Traill's Flycatcher

—

—

0

0

5/17

5/31

0

—

5/10

—

0

' 0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Least Flycatcher

—

—

—

5/ 3

0

5/17

0

5/10

5/14

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

E. Wood Pewee

5/ t

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

—

5/ 3

—

5/ 5

5/ 3

Si 7. . .5/ 3

Igftl

4/28

--

4/27

Si 1

..-5/. 3..

--

5 / 3

--

Bank Swallow

5/ 3

0

0

4/22

0

5/ 3

5/ 3

^4726

4/22

4/13

0

5 / 3

Si 3

0

5/ 3

0

0

--

Rough -winged Swallow

4/l4

4/22

Si 3

5/ 3

4/20

4/15

--

5/ 3

4/19

—

4/ 3

—

--

4/24

4/ 5

—

Si 3

—

--

—

Bam Swallow

4/ 8

4/11

4/12

4/17

5/ 4

4/10

4/13

4/ 2

4/18

4/ll

4-/10

4/16

--

3/31

4/ 4

--

4/26

4/11

--

Purple Martin

3/2T

4/10

5/ 3

4/ll

5/ 3

4/ 7

4 / 5

5/10

4/ 6

4/ 9

4/12

4/11

—

4/ 5

3/22

Blue Jay

4/2?

4/24

4/27

—

4/19

4/29

4/19

—

4/21

4/29

—

-**

4/10

House Wren

4/21

4/22

5/ 3

' U/iS

4/18

V 15

4/27

5/ 2

T7l9

4/12

4/26

4/20

—

4/24

4/26

__

—

Long-billed Marsh Wren

5/ 3

0

0

0

5/ 3

0

0

4/30

5/ 3

4 / 3

--

0

0

5/ 3

0

5/ 3

4/26

0

--

Catbird

4/27

4/28

4/27

4/28

4/28

4/22

5/ 3

4/2 6

4/30

5/ 1

4/26

4/13

Si 3

5/ l

4/2^

4/27

5/ 3

4/26

4/29

5 / 3

Brown Thrasher

4/ 7

4/ 8

5/ 3

4/15

4/ 8

4/ 3

4/ 7

3/29

4/ 1

4/ 8

3/22

--

4/15

4/ 4

4/18

—

4./26

—

Wood Thrush

4/25

4/30

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

4/17

4/3°

4/27

?/ 7

_4/22_

4/27

4/20

J>L JL

..5/. .3.

_4/25_

4/20

5 / 3

—

4/19

?/ 3

U>

MARYLAND BIKDLIFE Vol. 2 $, No

Hermit Thrush

4/ 8

V 7

4/ 8

4/ 8

__

4/14

3/23

4/17

Swains on's Thrush

5/ 6

--

0

0

0

5/ 3

0

0

5/ 3

5/ 9

5/ 3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

--

Veery

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

--

—

4/29

--

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 4

5/ 3

--

0

5/15

0

0

0

0

—

Blue -gray Gnatcatcher

Vi 4

4/ll

5/ 3

—

4/20

4/11

—

4/ 9

4/ii

4/il

4/24

4/13

--

—

4/11

--

—

4/26

4/11

--

Bub y -crowned Kinglet

4/12

b/lf

—

4/10

V8

--

4/19

—

4/13

4/ 8

4/ 6

Cedar Waxwing

—

4/24

4/27

5/ 3

5/ 3

4/16

4/21

5/ 3

—

4/;i ;

4/ 6

—

—

3/31

5/ 3

Loggerhead Shrike

--

3/20

0

5/ 3

0

3/21

c

0

3/ 8

0

a /11

3/23

0

0

3/18

0

—

—

0

--

White-eyed Vireo

4/26

4/29

0

0

--

4/26

5/ 3

4/19

5/ 3

4/19

4/29

4/20

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 6

4/20

5/ 3

4/26

4/24

5 / 3

Yellow -throated Vireo

4/26

4/29

—

5/ 3

5/ 3

4/26

5/ 3

4/29

4/19

4/26

4/26

4/26

--

5/ 3

5/ 3

—

5/ 3

—

—

4/21

Solitary Vireo

4/26

0

0

0

4/27

0

bjk

0

0

4/ 8

0

0

0

4/26

0

0

c

0

0

Red -eyed Vireo

4 / 28 ”"

5/ l

4/27

5/ 3

5/ 3

4/29

5/ 3

5/ 1

5/ 1

“4725“

4/26

" 4/2 ''

17~F

5/ 3

4/27

5/ 3

5/ 3

—

4 '26

5 ■' 3

Warbling Vireo

5/ 2

5/ 3

--

5/ 3

4/27

5/ 3

5/ 3

0

5/ 3

0

4/26

0

4/28

5/ 3

5/ 3

--

0

0

0

0

Black-Si -white Warbler

4/22

4/20

--

5/ 3

4/22

--

4/19

5/ 3

4/ 8

4/26

4/ 8

--

5/ 3

4/18

5/ 3

5/ 3

--

4/11

—

Prothonotary Warbler

4/26

5/ 3

5/ 3

0

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

0

4/19

5/ l

5/ 3

0

0

5/ 3

4/18

5/ 3

5/ 3

0

4/20

4 /21

Worm-eating Warbler

5/ 2

?

—

5/ 3

4/29

--

4/28

5/ 3

4/2 6

5/ 3

0

0

&

X 3...

0

5/ 3

0

5 / 5

5 / 3

Golden -winged Warbler

--

--

—

5/ 3

0

0

0

5 / 3

5/ 3

0

5/ 3

0

0

0

0

a

0

d

0

0

Blue -winged Warbler

5/ 3

5/ 3

0

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 2

—

0

5/ 3

5/ 5

5/ 3

0

0

5/ 3

4/29

4/20

0

h &

0

4/21

Tennessee Warbler

5/11

0

0

0

5/10

V

5/n

--

5/ 3

5/14

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

5 -'ll

Nashville Warhler

—

0

0

4/29

5/ 1

0

0

0

0

5/ 3

0

0

0

0

0

5/ 3

0

&

0

Parula Warbler

4/25

4/29

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

4/22

5^ 3

4/29

4/12

,4/19-

4/26

4/13

5/. 3

--

4 .'24

JX

41

—

--

4/21

Yellow Warbler

4/27

5/ 3

5/ 3

4/28

4/27

5/ 3

5/ T

4/19

5/ 3

5/ 3

4/19

5/ 3

4 / 15 "

5/ 3

4/26

5/ 3

"4/25

--

5 1 3

Magnolia Warbler

5/ 4

5/ 3

0

5/ 3

0

5/ 3

O'

5/13

5/ 3

-

5/ 3

0

0

0

5/ 3

5/13

0

0

0

5/ 3

Cape May Warbler

5/ 4

5/ 3

0

0

5/ 3

5/ 3

0

5/ 5

5/ 3

5/ 2

5/ 4

0

0

0

0

5/ 3

0

0

0

0

Black -thr. Blue Warb.

5/ 2

5/ 3

0

0

5/ 3

4/30

0

5/ 8

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

--

0

5/ 3

5/ 3

0

0 :

0

0

0

Myrtle Warbler

4/16

4/27

4/27

--

5/ 3

4/22

5/ 3

5/ 3

Xjj_

4/29

4/27

4/13

4/27

5/ 3

—

4/26

Black -thr. Green Warb.

5/ 2

5/ 3

--

--

0

4/23

0

0

5/ 3

T72T

5/ 3

0

0

0

5/ 3

0

0

0

0

5' 1 3

Cerulean Warbler

5/ 3

5/ 3

—

--

5/ 3

—

5/ 3

--

4/19

5/ 3

5/ 3

0

5/ 3

0

0

0-

0

0

0

0

Blackburnian Warbler

5/ 4

5/ 3

—

0

5/ 7

4/27

0

5/ 5

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

0

0

0

5/13

0

0

0

0

0

Yellow -throated Warb.

4/19

0

0

0

0

5/ 3

0

4/19

0

4/ 8

4/ 5

0

0

5/ 3

Chestnut -sided Warbler

5/ 4

5/ 3

5/ 3

—

5/ *

5/ 3

0

--

Xi

—

41

1

0

0

xx_

0

0

0

0

0

Blackpoll Warbler

5/^

5/ 4

0

0

XX

5/ 2

0

5 / 4

5 / 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 7

0

f ■

5 / 8

3

5/ 3

0

5' 4

5ao

Pine Warbler

3/30

4/18

5/ 3

5/ 3

0

5/ 3

0

4/28

0

3/25

4/13

4/ 6

0

--

4/ 3

—

4/11

4/26

—

Prairie Warbler

4/25

4/26

5/ 3

--

4/20

5/ 3

4/18

4/19

4/28

4/26

4/26

—

4 "]4 !

4/19

5/ 3

5/ 3

4/26

4 ' 24

--

Palm Warbler

4/13

0

0

0

4/ 8

0

4/l4

4/ 9

--

4/13

0

0

4/l4

0

0

0

0

0

0

Ovenbird

4/27

4/26

4/27

--

5/ 3

4/20

5/ 3

4/27

4/19

4/19

4/26

4/26

5/ 3

—

4/16

XL

5 / 3

4/26

4/17

5- 3

Northern Waterthrush

5/ 2

5/ 3

0

0

5/ 3

4/20

0

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

0

0

0

5/ 3

5/ 3

0

0

0

Louisiana Waterthrush

4/14

4/10

—

—

4/18

4/ 8

--

4/ 6

4/19

4/13

4/ 7

4/ 6

5/ 3

—

4/ 9

--

4/11

—

4/ 9

4/21

Kentucky Warbler

5/ 3

5/ 3

—

5/ 3

4/30

4/28

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 1

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

4/24

5/ 3

5/ 3

4/26

Yellowthroat

4/21

4/20

5/ 3

5/ 3

4/22

4/13

4/28

5/ 3

4/19

4/20

4/ 8

4/19

--

5/ 2

4/l6

4/l8

4/ll

4/ 9

"*■

Yellow-breasted Chat

5/ 2

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 2

5/ 3

5/18

5/ 4

5/10

iZ 4

;/i,

--

—

XX

--

5 7 3

—

5*10

Hooded Warbler

4/29

^730^

5/ 3

4/22

5/ 3

5/ 3

4/19

4/26

4/19

—

5/ 3

5/ 3

0

0

0

4/21

Wilson's Warbler

5/n

0

0

0

5/13

0

5/10

5/ 5

5/11

0

0

0

5/15

0

0

0

0

0

Canada Warbler

5/"i

5/ 8

0

0

0

5/ 3

0

5/ 8

5/10

5/ 3

5/ 3

—

0

0

5/14

0

0

0

0

5/11

American Redstart

4/29

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

4/22

5/ 3

5/ 6

5/ 3

4/20

4/26

4/26

5/ 3

—

5/ 6

—

5/ 3

—

--

4 -'21

Bobolink

5 / 6

0

0

0

?/ 8

0

0

—

5/ 2

ji/k.

0

0

0

4/29

0

0

0

0

0

Orchard Oriole

57^

ITT -

0

5/ 3

5/ 3

4/26

5/ 3

5/ 1

5/ 3

5/ 1

T?29

4/26

"5730"

4/21

V25

5/18

5/ 3

4/27

—

Baltimore Oriole

4/30

4/30

4/27

5/ 2

4/18

4/20

4/29

5/ l

4/19

5/ 3

4/27

5 / 3

4/30

5/ 8

4/27

5/ 3

0

0

5 / l

--

Scarlet Tanager

4/28

5/ 1

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

4/22

—

4/26

4/19

4/29

4/26

5 / 3

4/26

5/ 3

4/27

5/ 3

5/ 3

--

4 '26

5' 3

Summer Tanager

5/ 3

5/ 3

0

5/ 3

0

0

0

0

5/ 4

—

5/ 8

5/22

0

0

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

Rose -breasted Grosbeak

5/ V

?/ 3

5/ 3

?/ 3

0

4/29

0

5/25

5/ 3

5/ii

0

0

0

?/. 3

0

0

0

—

Blue Grosbeak

4/3^~

5/ 3

0

0

0

0

—

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 8

0

5/ 2

T72T

5/ 3

5/ 3

Indigo Bunting

5/ 1

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

4/27

5/ 1

5/ 3

4/30

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

—

5/ 1

5/ 3

5/ 3

—

5 / 3

--

Savannah Sparrow

3/30

0

0

4/20

4/ 9

0

0

3/17

—

3/15

4/ 6

0

4/27

5/ 3

3 ; 23

—

--

Grasshopper Sparrow

4/30

5/ 3

—

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

--

5/ 3

4/30

5/ 3

5/ 3

5/ 3

--

--

White -crowned Sparrow

5/ 4

5/ 3

4/27

5/ 3

5/..X

4/28

0

4/28

4/1$

5/1-4

0

0

0

5/.. 3-

XX

5/ 3

0

0

0

0

September 1969 MARYLAND BIRDLIFE

96

MARYLAND BIRDLUFE

Vol. 25 3 No. 3

Table 2. Spring Departure Dates, 19 69

Median

Species 10 -yr 1969

Common Loon -ftf 9 5/ 8

Homed Grebe — 4/20

Double -cr. Cormorant
Whistling Swan 4/21 5 / 6

Canada Goose 4/30 5 / 3

Fred Balt

- 5/ 8
0 4/22
0 0
5/95/2
3/ 3. 5/ 3

Hovd Mont

0

4/22 3/26
0 0
0 4/13
.3/1.6 3/20

Pr.G Anne

0 0

0 0

0 4/11
3/19 5/ 3

Calv :

Cecl

0

5/ 3

Kent Caro ‘

0

3/23 0

0 0
5/21 3/21
5/13 5/ 5

Talt Pore

5/30 5/ 3
5/30 5/ 3
5/30 5/ 3
5/30 5/14
5/30 5 / 1 *

Somr Wore

4/28 5/14
4/27 5/14
4/27 5/14

Pintail

- 4/ 5

0 0

0

—

-- V 5

—

5/1^

— 4/ 4

5/3 5/14

—

—

Green -winged Teal

— 4/20

0 0

0

—

- 4/ 3

—

—

5 / 34/3

4/20 5/l4

--

—

American Widgeon

- 4/30

0 4/12

0

4/30

- 5/ 3

4/13

5 / 34/4

--

5/25

—

--

Ring -necked Duck

— 4/12

4/13 4/12

0

--

5/14 0

0

3/16

- 4/19

0

3/£3

--

Lesser Scaup Duck

- 4/18

0 0

4/22 3/26

0 3/15

0 ■

4/13

--

0

5/55/3

0

--

Bufflehead

— 4/22

0 4/22

4/22

--

0 5/ 3

0

3/27

0

5/!5

--

0

—

Oldsquaw

--

0 4/22

0

0

0 4/ 3

0

0

—

0

5/ 5

—

0

—

Ruddy Duck

—

0 4/22

0

0

0 —

0

0

5/ 3

0

5/25 5/ 3

0

—

Hooded Merganser

- 4/13

4/13 0

4/ 1

--

5/ 3 0

0

3/16

5/ 3

0

0

--

0

—

Common Merganser

- 4/29

- 4/ 7

4/29 4/ 6

-- 5/3

0

?/ 3

0

—

0

—

0

0

American Coot

- 5/ 3

0 5/ 3

0

5T3

5/ 3 ~

—

5/ 3

5/ 3

0

--

Semipalmated Plover

■T> 5/27

0 0

5/27

0

0

0

0

0 :

5/22

5/31 5/25

0

6/13

Black-belly Plover

--

0 0

0

0

0 0

0

0

0 ;

>/25

5/25 5/1*

0

5/1*

Common Snipe

5 / 25/3

5/3 0

0

5/14

5/55/3

0

0

5 / 35/3

4/20

—

4/27 5/ 3

Spotted Sandpiper

- 5/21

- 5/31

5/27 5/21

- 5/io

5/13

Solitary Sandpiper

- 5/17

5/27 5/10

0

0

--

—

0

--

0

5/11

Greater Yellovlegs

- 5/ 2

0

0

0

--

5/30 5/25

—

5/14

Least Sandpiper

- 5/19

5/27 5/19

--

0

0

--

5/13 5/25

0

5/14

Dunlin

--

0 0

0

0

0

0

0

0 :

5/20

5/13 5/25

0

5/14

Semipalmated Sandp.

- 5/24

0 5/17

5/31

'0

0 —

0

■ 0

5/24

5/30 5/25

—

5/i*

Gt. Blk -backed Gull

- 5/ 8

0 0

0

0

0 5/14

—

4/13

5/ 3

5/31 5/ 3

5/1*

Ring -billed Gull

- 5/ 3

-- 5/ 3

—

5/14

5/ 3

5 / 35/3

5/31 5/14

4/27 5/1*

Bonaparte ' s Gull

- 5/10

05/3

0

0 5/ 3

0

0

0

0

5/30 5/14

0

5/10

Yellow -belL Sapsucker4£4 --

- 5/ 3

- 5/ 3

- 4 / 3

Blue Jay

5/14 6/ 4

- 6/ 8

6/ 6

5/31

H 7 5/31

6/ l

Red-breasted Nuthatch — 5/ 4

5/35/5

5/ 3

V25

5/13 -

6/ 1

--

5 / 3 5/12

5/ 3

—

—

5/10

Brown Creeper

4/22 4/13

- 4/ a;

4/ 6 5 / 3

- 4/ 8

4/21 4/13

— 4/20

Winter Wren

—

4/23 5/ l

4/27 4/13

Hermit Thrush

4/28 4/28

- 5/ l

—

4/ 8

- 5/ 3

4/26

--

5 / 3 4/17

Swainson's Thrush

5/24 -

0 5/18

0

5/2*

5/30 5/21

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

--

Gray-cheeked Thrush

0 5/31

0

6/5 5/16

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Veery

- 5/15

- 5/20

—

5/14

5/22 -

5/14

—

0 1

5/16

0

0

0

5/10

Golden-cr. Kinglet

4/11 4/io

- 4/l4

--

5/ 3

4/ 3 4/26

4/ 6

3/21

Ruby-crown. Kinglet 5 / 25/3

5/ 3 5/ 3

4/19 5/ 3

- 5 / 8

4/26

--

5 / 35/1

Cedar Waxwing

- 5/21

- 6/ 4

5/24 5/21

5/27 4/20

?/ 5

—

—

5/10

Blue -winged Warbler

5/6

-- 5/13

0

0

0

5/ *

5/ 5

0

0

5/ 6

Magnolia Warbler

5/19 5/16

0 5/17

5/13 5/17

- 5/31

0

0

0 ;

5/16

5/13

0

0

Cape May Warbler

5/10 —

- 5/17

--

5/14

- 5/18

0

0

0

0

5/ 5

0

0

0

Black -thr. Blue W.

5/14 5/14

- 5/25

—

5/14

5/i4 5/15

5/n

0

5/ 6

0

0

0

0

Myrtle Warbler

5/10 5/13

- 5/17

.5/ 5 5/21

5/14 5/17

5 / 3

--

—

4/27 5/10

Black -thr. Green W.

5/11 -

6 5/15

0

5/21

-

0

0

0 1

5/i5

0

0

0

—

Blackburnian Warb,

~ 5/15

- 5/15

—

5/14

6/ 7 5/18

0

0

0 :

5/13

0

0

0

0

Chestnut -sided W,

5/13 5/15

- 5/15

5/24 5/14

5/1* 5/15

0

0

0 !

5/15

0

0

0

0

Bay-breasted Warb.

--

0 0

0

5/21

5/10 5/21

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Blaekpoll Warbler

5/28 5/26

5/30 5/31

--

5/26

5/26 6/ 4

5/22

0

, 1 °, ■

5/ 8

5/30

--

0

5/11

Palm Warbler

5 / 4 4/22

0 y/ T

4/14 5 / 4

4/29 4/13

0

0

4-i4

0

0

0

0

0

North. Waterthrush

5 / 1 ? 5/21

- 5/18

--

5/24

5/25 5/24

0

0

0 :

5/18

5/21

0

0

5/11

Mourning Warbler

--

© 5/30

0

5/26

5/25 0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Wilson's Warbler

- 5/17

0 5/18

5/1 6 5/26

5/24 5/16

0

0

0 1

5/15

a

0

0

0

Canada Warbler

5/20 5/23

0 5/16

—

?/23

5/27 -

5/ 2 5

0

0 :

5/16

0

0

0

--

Bobolink

5/16 -

5 5/2CT

0

573T

5/14 --

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Rusty Blackbird

- 4/24

— 4/17

--

5/ 3

5/ 3 4/27

4/20

—

3/ 7

Evening Grosbeak

5/ 6 5 / 5

S'/ 3 5/29

5/ 3 5/ 3

5/ l 5/15

5/ 7

0

5 / 5 5/15

5/55/3

4/27 5/11

Rose-br. Grosbeak

5/12 5/11

0 5/22

5/25 5/21

5/ 8 5/11

0

0

0

—

5/ 5

0

0

5/11

Purple Finch

5/35/3

5/35/6

5/35/3

- 5/ 3

4/25

0

5 / 35/1

5/ 3

0

<x

0

Pine Siskin

- 5/ 3

0 5/ 9

5/ 3 5/ 3

5/3 5/16

0

0

0 :

5/ 3

3/2T

0

0

0

Savannah Sparrow

m 6 5 / 3

5/ 3 5/ 3

0

5/14

5/35/3

4/27

0

5 / 35/3

5/ 3

5/11

Slate -colored Junco 5/15/2

- 5/ 3

4/25 4/13

5/25/3

4/19 5 / 3

5 / 3

Tree Sparrow

— 4/ 2

4/ 6 3/29

- 3/24

4/26 3/16

3/17

0

White -crowned Spar.

5/13 -

- 5/15

--

5/14 0

0

0

5 / 3 5/12

—

0

0

0

White -throated Sp,

5/14 5/11

5/25 5/21

5/11 5/14

5/15 5/22

5/11 5/ 3

5 / 3 5/15

5 / 45/3

5/11 5/11

Fox Sparrow

4/ 4 -

- 4/ l

4/16

- 4/ 3

- 3/29

Swamp Sparrow

.5/.J.5/.*.

?A L

4/27 5/17

5/10 5/ 3

5ZJ_

—

ILL

—

LA

4/27

—

MARYIAND BIRDLIFE

97

S eptember 19&9

this species was found on all of Alice Kaestner's weekly hikes in May in
Lake Roland Park. Glossy Ibis appeared first at Irish Grove (Apr. %

Gladys Cole and V. Edwin Unger). Small wandering flocks in mid-April were
noted at Sandy Point State Park (5 on Apr. l8, Lawrence Murphy) and at
Seneca (i on Apr. 19, Warfield).

Hawks , Eagles , Swallow-tailed Kite . Apparently no counts were made
this spring of hawks in active migration. The highest one -day tally other
than those on the State -wide Count on May 3 was from Irish Grove Wildlife
Sanctuary: 7 Marsh Hawks, 5 Ospreys, 3 Red -tails and 1 Red -shoulder on
Apr. 2 6. Bald Eagle reports were as follows: a maximum of 3 adults and 2
brown -plumaged birds at Blackwater Refuge in April and May (Arm! stead and
others), 1 adult near Highland in Howard County, Apr. 29 (Dorothy Rauth
and John N. Wilson), 1 adult at Loch Raven on Apr. 27 (Burton Alexander),

1 adult at Nelson's Island, Talbot Co. in mid -April (Armistead) and another
in Talbot County on June 12 (Jan Reese), 1 adult in Tanyard on Apr. 13 and

2 birds of unspecified age in Caroline County on May 3, 2 birds in Kent
County on the same day, 1 at Plum Pt. on May 9 (Fales), and 1 at Crowns -
ville on May l4 (Mrs. W. F. Bode ns te in). A Swallow -tailed Kite , the first
recorded in Maryland since 1895, was seen flying up the Pocomoke River near
Whale ysville on one of the M.O.S. Convention field trips on May 10 (Merrill
Cottrell and others).

Rails . Another species not reported from Maryland for many years is
the Yellow Rail. George B. Reynard not only heard 3 or b Yellow Rails in
the Elliott Island marsh on Apr. 2h, but he succeeded in getting tape re-
cordings of their calls. The 8 previous State records are of birds shot
or seen. Now that we know the Yellow Rail does sometimes give its
characteristic clicking call note during spring migration in Maryland,
people who have never seen or heard this species --which means most
Maryland birders — now have a fighting chance to find one. On the same
evening, Dr. Reynard heard 7 or 8 Black Rails in the Elliott Island marsh,
breaking the State arrival record by 2 days. The Black Rails were still
in full song on May l4 (Russell, Swinebroad and Robbins). Black Rails
also returned to Irish Grove Sanctuary, where they were heard calling in
May (tape recording by George Newcomer) and June (Robbins and Unger). An
early migration date for the Clapper Rail was provided by Samuel H. Dyke,
who found one dead on a highway near Salisbury on Apr. l8.

Shorebirds . The spring flight of shorebirds through Maryland is so
much poorer than the fall flight, both in variety of species and number
of individuals, that observers do not systematically visit the best con-
centration areas for waders during the spring flight. Some of the
sightings that follow may not really be unusual, even though they add to
present knowledge of the spring status of these birds. The State arrival
record for the Solitary Sandpiper was broken by one day when Hervey
Brackbill discovered one at Woodlawn in Baltimore on Mar . 28 . Harold
Wierenga submitted an early arrival date for the Black -bellied Plover
for the Upper Bay when he found one at Sandy Point State Park on Apr. 22;
a flock of lj-5 Sanderlings at the same place on June 9 "was surprisingly
large for that late date.* A one -day count of 28 Am. Oystercatchers at
Ocean City, May 10, shows that this species is continuing its steady

98

MARYLAND BIRDLIFE

Vol. 25, No. 3

increase along the Maryland coast. Four Willets were on their nesting
grounds at Irish Grove Sanctuary as early as Apr. 10, and at the same
place Gladys Cole and many others established the fourth spring record
for Maryland of the Wilson's Phalarope on the Convention field trip. May
10. Other spring rarities- were a Ruff (5th State record), 2 Long -billed
Dowitchers ‘(first spring record), and 3 Stilt Sandpipers (earliest State
record) feeding together at Blackwater Refuge on May 3 (Armistead and
Russell). One of the Stilt Sandpipers was still present on May l4
( Russell and party). High counts of 154 Lesser Yellowlegs on May 3
(Armistead and Russell) and 500 Semipalmated Sandpipers on May 25 at
Blackwater (Armisteads and Jared Sparks) are noteworthy.

Gulls , Terns , Skimmers . Sam Dyke had a monopoly on Little Gull
sightings at Ocean City. He witnessed an all-time peak of 3 (l adult and
2 immatures) on Mar. 9J an immature was still present on Apr. 20. Jan
Reese and party saw a Roseate Tern at Ocean City on May 10; this species
migrates far offshore and seldom is seen from the Maryland mainland. A
Black Skimmer at Sandy Point State Park on June 9 (Prof. Wierenga) created
quite a stir, as did 3 la Talbot County on June 19 (Don Meritt).

Owls . I was pleasantly surprised to receive Barn Owl repprts from
6 counties: Baltimore, Montgomery, Calvert, Talbot, Dorchester, and

Somerset. This secretive species probably nests regularly in all Mary-
land Counties except Garrett, but few people recognize their calls and
even fewer get to, see the birds. Dr. Lawrence Murphy saw a Short-eared
Owl flying over the Severn River at Se verna Park on Apr. 4. One of the
more significant finds of the season was a small summering population of
Short -eared Owls in the Elliott Island marshes. B irds of Maryland and
the District of Columbia cites two old summer observations for Dorchester
County, but repeated searches by several observers during the past 25
years have failed to yield any evidence that it still summers there. On
May 3, Armistead and Russell saw 3 in the extensive brackish marshes along
the Elliott Island road, and Russell and party saw 2 together at the same
location on May l4 . A good project for next year would be to locate the
nest of these birds, as no fully satisfactory nesting record for the
Short -eared Owl has ever been obtained in Maryland.

Woodpeckers . Irish Grove Sanctuary IS proving to be strategically
located for the observation and study of land bird migrants as well as
water birds. Doug Hackman counted 15 Yellow -shafted Flickers migrating
over the marshes in 1 l/2 hours on Apr. 26. Pileated Woodpeckers con-
tinue to move into suburban areas where they have not been known earlier
in this century. Mrs. Rauth discovered the first nesting pair for Howard
County near Highland, Apr. l8. A pair was watched for 2 hours near the
intersection of Falls Road and Seminary Avenue in Baltimore on Mar. 15
(Erana Lubbert). There were 4 Pileateds on the May 3 count in Caroline
County (Fletchers and others); the first sighting for the Germantown area
was recorded on Apr. IT (Warfield); and one bird was seen at Maryland
City near Laurel on May 15 (Murphy). Maryland populations of the Red-
bellied Woodpecker are currently at a peak. The total of 451 on the
Statewide Bird Count sets a new record for a single day, and the birds -
per -effort figure of 55 per 100 party -hours also is close to a record.

September 1969

MARYLAND BIRDLIFE

99

Flycatchers . The transient Empidonax flycatchers which, like the
"Mississippi Valley" warblers, migrate primarily to the west of Maryland,
were virtually absent from Maryland this spring. Only one Yellow-bellied
Flycatcher was noted (Patuxent Research Center); only one transient Least
Flycatcher was found east of Washington County (Seneca, May 1^); and not
a single Traill's Flycatcher was detected outside of the few places where
it has been known to nest in the past. The Olive -sided Flycatcher also
went unrecorded. These scarcities are related to the absence of strong
westerly winds during the peak migration period of these species.

Swallows , Jays . The Cliff Swallow, which almost disappeared as a
Maryland breeding bird when horses and unpainted barns went out of style,
has finally shown signs of adapting to civilization in our State, There
have previously been attempts by small colonies to nest on Triadelphia and
Rocky Gorge dams, but these sites have since been deserted. It is very
encouraging, therefore, to learn of Douglas Hackman's discovery of a
colony of about 100 adults nesting under the Prettyboy Dam in northwestern
Baltimore County; they were feeding young on June 7- Blue Jays were still
migrating as late as June 7 at Laurel (Robbins) and June 8 over Baltimore
( Doug Hackman ) .

Titmice , Wrens , Creepers . Populations of Tufted Titmice and Caro-
lina Wrens are higher than they have been for a decade, according to the
Statewide Bird Count figures. A sharp increase over last year's totals
is attributed to the relatively mild winter. Two pairs of Brown Creepers
were netted in my 135 -acre study plot at the Patuxent Wildlife Research
Center in late May and early June; Elwood Martin found one of the nests,
from which the young left successfully.

Warblers . Two early warbler dates in addition to those in Table 1
are a Pine Warbler on Apr. 1 and a Hooded Warbler on Apr. 19, both in
Charles County (Bystraks). Burton Alexander observed a Lawrence's hybrid
on Loch Raven on Apr. 27; this bird sang a "hybrid" song, consisting of
a typical Blue -wing song followed by one or two notes typical of the last
part of a Golden-wing's song. The Mourning Warbler, another of the
Mississippi Valley transients, was not included in the earlier discussion
of these species because it is rarer. Like the others, however, it was
scarcer this spring than usual. Only 3 were reported: Towson (Mrs, Cole),
Patuxent, and "Adventure" near Potomac in Montgomery County (Robbinses),

A female Blackburnian Warbler banded at the Patuxent Wildlife Research
Center on June 7 (Robbins) was three days beyond the previous State de-
parture date for spring transients. Two rarities for Caroline County were
a Blackburnian Warbler on May 13 and 2 Wilson's on May 15 (Hewitt).

Bobolinks , Orioles . More Bobolinks were heard uttering their call
notes as they migrated under cover of darkness than were seen during day-
light hours. Douglas Hackman heard many between May 8 and May 20 over
the Towson area. An early Orchard Oriole was spotted in the Chestertown
area on Apr. 21 (E. Mendinhall).

Winter Finches . Evening Grosbeaks left most sections of the State
in the week following the State -wide Bird Count. One straggler was found

100

MARYLAND BIKDLJ7E

Vol. 25, No- 3

dead in a garden at Glen Bumie on May 28, and another was seen at a
feeder in Lutherville (Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Bolz) on May 29* Purple
Finches and Pine Siskins also departed in early May, with final observa-
tions of siskins on May 1 6 (Howards).

Sparrows . At Sandy Point State Park, which marks the northern limit
of their breeding range in Chesapeake Bay, Seaside Sparrows arrived on
Apr. 19 and Sharp -tailed Sparrows on Apr, 29 (Wierenga). By Apr. 27,
Seasides were present in full force (30 birds) at Irish Grove Sanctuary
and a few Sharp-tails were also singing on territory (Hackmans, Mrs. Cole,
Garland and Unger ) .

Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife,
Migratory Bird Populations Station, Laurel

#

DON'T MISS THE BIRD CARVING EXHIBIT

Mark the dates on your calendar: Wednesday, Nov. 19 through Sunday,

Nov. 23* Those who have seen the two previous biennial bird carving
exhibits sponsored by the Kent County Chapter of M.O.S. had nothing but
the highest praise for the exceptionally high quality and the great variety
of the exhibits. Once again, several of the exhibitors will be on hand
to demonstrate their skills. This year’s exhibit will be held at the
Fine Arts Center, Washington College, Chestertown. Hours, noon to 5 p,m*
Donation, Adults $1.00, Children 50^.

*

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

My two weeks at the Audubon Camp of Maine, made possible by the
Katharyn Brown Lakeman Scholarship of M.O.S., were a most enjoyable ex-
perience biologically and sociologically, if I may classify natural
history and human experience that way. It is quickly obvious that the
Audubon outlook, as most of us know, has gone from "just" birds to total
ecology, and at the Maine camp one quickly learns about weather, marine
life, woodlands, etc. But there are also plenty of birds.’ Yellow War-
blers, Common Eiders, Herring and Great Black -backed Gulls, even Black
Guillemots, and others— all seen at close range, nesting.

In fact, there was so much of so many things that one could never
have stood the pace except for the people. Staff and campers alike were
so wonderfully friendly and enthusiastic that it was like a joyful home-
coming. And we all needed a little mutual support to eat sea urchin
and shark, and swim in 58 -degree water.'

Again, my thanks to M.O.S.

Charles Brumley

September 1969

MARYLAND BIRDLIFE

101

SANCTUARY NEWS

A Message from our Treasurer

It is now a year since we instituted o'Ur campaign to raise funds to
purchase the Irish Grove Wildlife Sanctuary property, a campaign that
was highly successful. The original mortgage of $40,000.00, just half
of the purchase price, has already been reduced to $16,000.00.

The present total of unpaid pledges made during the drive is
$4, 400.00, more than half of which is due for payment in 1970. I would
point out, however, that since we have the option to make payments in
thousand -dollar increments at our convenience, we benefit from reduced
interest charges by making payments as fast as possible. Prepayment of
1970 pledges now would produce savings at the rate of fifty-five dollars
per thousand. That, of course, is the same as a gift of that amount to
the Sanctuary Fund.

While only the 1969 pledges are now due, we would hope for as many
prepayments as can be made without inconvenience to the donor. Is it
too much to hope for a mortgage -burning at the 1976 Convention? Wouldn’t
that be a great way to celebrate the Society's twenty-fifth birthday.’

Winfield Henning, Treasurer

A Resolution and Gift in Memory of William R. McAlpin

Resolved, That, the Kent County Chapter of the Maryland Ornitho-
logical Society give an additional $500.00 toward the purchase of the
Irish Grove Sanctuary, and

Resolved, Further, that this gift is made specifically to honor the
memory of our late member and Friend, William R. McAlpin. By solid con-
viction and energetic example, he espoused the causes of nature education
and conservation of wild life. His dedication is our inspiration for
furtherance of these worthy projects.

The 600 Club

In 1963, Stuart Keith (Audubon Magazine 65: 376-377) introduced us
to the ’600 Club’. To join this exclusive club, one must identify 600
species of birds in North America north of Mexico. So much interest was
generated by Dr. Keith's article that he published a sequel (68: 24-26)
in which he discussed some of the rules of the game in greater detail.
During the past six years the membership has risen from 19 to nearly
twice that number. Mr. Earle R. Greene, l600 West Fifth Street, Oxnard,
California, is presently bringing the list up to date. He has asked our
cooperation in spreading the word that birders who believe they qualify
for this club should get in touch with him.

102

MARYLAND BIRJ3LIFE

Vol. 25. No. 3

CHRISTMAS SUGGESTIONS - M.O.S. BOOK STORE

The M.O.S. Book Store has for your convenience books on natural
history, records, note paper, jewelry and other sundries. When purchas-
ing by* mail, please add 2# handling charge, postage and 4# sales tax.
Write M.O.S. Book Store, 1523 Pentridge Road, Baltimore, Md. 21212

Allen

THE BOOK OF BIRD LIFE

$ 7.95

Allen

LIFE OF PRAIRIES AND PLAINS

4.00

Amos

LIFE OF THE POND

4.00

Amos

LIFE OF THE SEASHORE

4.00

Audubon

BIRDS OF AMERICA IMPERIAL

11.50

Austin

BIRDS OF THE WORLD

9.95

Austing

THE WORLD OF THE GREAT HORNED OWL

4.00

Austing

THE WORLD OF THE RED-TAILED HAWK

4.00

Bates

ANIMAL WORLDS

12.95

Berrill

LIFE OF THE OCEAN

4.00

Brooks

LIFE OF THE MOUNTAINS

4.00

Cochran

LIVING AMPHIBIANS OF THE WORLD

13.50

Comstock

HANDBOOK OF NATURE STUDY

8.50

Distort

BIRDER'S LIFE LIST AND DIARY

2.25

Gilley

BIRD CARVING

1.75

House

WILD FLOWERS

13.05

Ipcar

SONG OF THE DAY BIRDS AND THE NIGHT BIRDS

2.95

Keeler

OUR NORTHERN SHRUBS (Paperback)

3.25

Klots

LIVING INSECTS OF THE WORLD

13.50

Livingston

BIRDS OF THE NORTHERN FOREST

18.00

Livingston BIRDS OF THE EASTERN FOREST

18.00

McCormack

LIFE OF THE FOREST

4.00

Miner

SEASHORE LIFE

7.00

Murphy

WILD SAN CTO ARIES

17.50

Mohr

LIFE OF THE CAVE

4.00

Niering

LIFE OF THE MARSH

4.00

Pettingill THE BIRDWATCHER* S AMERICA

7.50

Platt

THE GREAT AMERICAN FOREST

5*95

Pruitt

ANIMALS OF THE NORTH

4.75

Bedford

THE CHRISTMAS BOWER

3.00

Rue

THE WORLD OF THE BEAVER

4.10

Rue

THE WORLD OF THE RACCOON

4.10

Rutler

THE WORLD OF THE WOLF

4.80

Schmidt

LIVING REPTILES OF THE WORLD

13.50

Sheldon

THE BOOK OF THE AMERICAN WOODCOCK

7.00

Sprunt

NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS OF PREY

4.25

Stanger

THAT QUAIL ROBERT

3.25

Stout

THE SHORE BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA

19.50

Stupka

WILDFLOWERS IN COLOR

4.95

Sutton

THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL

4.00

Sutton

LIFE OF THE DESERT

4.00

U singer

LIFE OF RIVERS AND STREAMS

4.00

Von Frisch THE DANCING BEES

1.75

Welty

THE LIFE OF BIRDS

10.95

and, of course, any and all of the Field Guides.

September 1969

MARYLAND BIRDLUE

103

THE

PRESIDENT’S PAGE

On a recent cross-country trip, I had occasion to read many of the
newspapers of the areas through which I passed. In paper after paper I
found articles and editorials dealing with the problems of environment,
from pollution to destruction. One might, at first, be discouraged by
the repeated reminders of so sad a condition, but deeper reflection
gives one hope and encouragement. Pollution and profligate waste of our
vital resources has been going on for a long time, but public concern is
something comparatively new. Properly encouraged, developed and di-
rected, such concern can be most effective.

Reflection upon such matters naturally leads to thoughts about the
part, however small, that we play or can play in developing this public
concern. 1 knew of and pondered the activities of our chapters in con-
ducting nature -study classes, nature -walks and demonstrations at our
sanctuaries. On returning home, I found in my mail a detailed outline
of the Baltimore Chapter's 1969-70 program of demonstrations and nature -
study classes for its junior members and for the school children of
Baltimore. A telephone call advised me that a course in ornithology
will be provided at Salisbury State College this year. Visits to and
use of our Irish Grove Sanctuary are a part of the course. I've just
learned that a biology teacher in a nearby high school has asked per-
mission to take her classes to this sanctuary. At least two garden
clubs have already scheduled visits there. While details can not yet be
announced, I will mention our planned participation in the operation of
a newly planned nature center in the D. C. area.

This sort of work is very much a part of our duty and of our very
purpose. It is so stated in our Articles of Incorporation and in our
By-laws, We owe ourselves the satisfaction of sharing our appreciation
and enjoyment of nature. We owe it to our Society to further its objec-
tives to the best of our ability, and we owe it to our Sanctuary Fund
donors to make the fullest use of our sanctuaries, not only as protected
areas for wildlife, but as tools for the dissemination of knowledge and
the creation of concern for the great scheme of nature on which man him-
self is so dependent.

All this must be done without our losing sight of the fact that we
are an ornithological society and that the observation and study of bird-
life, together with the compiling and publishing of information thereon
is our basic function. But since no one form of life can be disassoci-
ated from other life forms, we do become involved in the discipline of
ecology, and rightly so. y . Ungep

MABTT.AMn RTBnr.TTre

Vol. 25. No. 3

COMING

Sept. 3 KBIT

7 ALLEGANY
7 BALTIMORE

11 BALTIMORE

12 CAROLINE

13 BALTIMORE
13 FREDERICK
16 BALTIMORE

1 8 MONTGOMERY

1 8 ROSSMOOR

19-21 BALTIMORE

19 TALBOT

20 BALTIMORE

20 MONTGOMERY
20 ROSSMOOR

20 TALBOT

21 TALBOT

23 PATUXENT

25 BALTIMORE
26-28 MONTGOMERY
28 BALTIMORE

28 TALBOT
28 FREDERICK

Oct. 1 BALTIMORE

Monthly meeting. Mr. Norris E. Pratt, "Old
Decoys"

Bird Walk at Carey Run 3 p.m., followed by
covered dish supper at 5 p.m.

Cape Henlopen State Park and Bombay Hook
National Wildlife Refuge.

Lake Roland. First of 3 fall migration walks.
Leaders Mrs. Wm. F. Gerringer
Wildflower Identification and Study. Marvin W.
Hewitt. Meeting at The Fletchers, Denton
Market Day at Qylburn.

Eller's Valley

Hawk Identification Class with Mr. William
Corliss, 8 P.M. , Qylburn.

Monthly meeting. "Flyway : Blackwater to Texas"
a new film narrated by Peter Scott and presented
by Luther Goldman

Monthly meeting at Clubhouse 8 P.M. Ehoch John-
son, President of Northern Virginia Chapter of
VSO will show movies of Bonavanture Island.

Annual Autumn Cape May weekend.

Monthly meeting 8 p.m., Talbot County Library.
South Mt. and Lilypons. Leader; Mr. William
Corliss .

Kent Island Operation Recovery.

Bird walk, 700 a.m.

Work Trip to Mill Creek Sanctuary
Breakfast Hike. Meet in front of St. Michaels
High School 7:00 A. M.

Monthly meeting, St. Philip's Parish House,
Laurel, 7 P.M, "Family canoe trip into
Canadian Waters" by H. Edmund Stiles
Lake Roland. Leader; Mrs. Raymond Geddes, Jr.
Cape May, New Jersey, weekend.

Patapsco State Park (Glen Artney area)

Leader: Mr. Irving Hampe. 7 A.M.

Breakfast Hike 7 A.M.

Shyrock Road and the Monocacy River Area, 2 P.M.
Leader: Miss Sarah Quinn

Fall Dinner Meeting, Govans Presbyterian Church,
5826 York Road, 6:30 P.M. $2.25. Reservations.
Film: "Africa" by Mr. David Smith

September 1969

Oct.

Nov.

MARYLAND BIRDLIFE 10£

1

KENT

Monthly meeting 8 P.M. , Alumni Rouse, Washing,
ton College. Speaker: Mr. H. G. Hackman,
"Sanctuaries and Refuges, especially Irish
Grove" .

2

FREDERICK

Monthly meeting 7:30 P.M., Winchester Hall,
Speaker: Steven A. Lewis and films: "Life in
the Woodlot" and "The Concession".

4

ALLS} ANY

Hawk Migration Trip to Dolly Sods, W. Va.
Meet at Barton* s Restaurant on Rte. 220 South,
9 A.M. Leader: Dale Fuller

5

TALBOT

Breakfast Hike 7 A.M., St. Michaels High School

9

BALTIMORE

Lake Roland, 9 A.M. Leader: Mrs. Win. Gerringer

10

TALBOT

Audubon Wildlife Film, 8 P.M., Mt. Pleasant
School. D. J. Nelson "Three Seasons North"

11

BALTIMORE

Ivy Hill Forest 8 A.M.

11

FREDERICK

Sugar Loaf Mt. for fall warblers.

11

PATUXENT

Kent Point Banding Station

12

KENT

Audubon Lecture 7:30 P.M., Fine Arts Bldg.,
Washington College. Dee Jay Nelson "Inherit the
Wilds"

12

TALBOT

Breakfast Hike 7 A.M. St. Michaels High School

14

CAROLINE

Local Indian Artifacts. Mrs. Larry Mullikin.
Meet at Ethel Ehgle's, Dover Bridge

16

MONTGOMERY

Monthly meeting. Film: "Birds of Prey of the
Northeastern United States". Comment by Carl
Carlson.

16

RQSSMOOR

Monthly meeting 8 P.M. A. Binion Amerson of
Smithsonian Institution will show movies of
Mid-Pacific Atolls.

17

TALBOT

Monthly meeting 8 P.M., Talbot County Library

18

ROSSMOOR

Bird Walk, 7*30 A.M.

18

MONTGOMERY

Waggoners Gap, Carlisle, Pa.

19

TALBOT

Breakfast Hike, 7 A.M.

22

ALLEGANY

Monthly meeting 7*30 P.M., Board of Education
Bldg. Slides: "Trinidad and Tobago", Mr.

Carl B. Lubber t.

26

BALTIMORE

Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge and Little
Creek area. Guest Leader: Mr. Carl Carlson.

26

FREDERICK

Point of Rocks and the Potomac River. Leader:
Bill Shirey

26

KENT

Blackvater Refuge for early water fowl.

26

MONTGOMERY

Hughes Hollow and South Mountain

26

TALBOT

Breakfast Hike, 7 A.M. St. Michaels High School

28

PATUXENT

Monthly meeting 7*45 P.M., St. Philips Parish
House. "Bird Migration", Jeff Svinebroad

1

MONTGOMERY

Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge

2

TALBOT

Breakfast Hike 7 A.M.

5

KENT

Monthly meeting, 8 P.M,, Alumni House,
Washington College.

6

FREDERICK

Monthly meeting 7:30 P.M. Speaker: Robert
Hoffman, "More of Nature Close-ups".

8

FREDERICK

Reich* s Ford Rd. and adjacent area.

106

MARYLAND BIRDLIFE

Vol. 25 ■ No. 3

Nor. 1 1

BALTIMORE

Nature Photography Seminar 8 P.M. Cylbum.
Registration required by Oct, 21. $10.00 for

2 classes.

14

BALTIMORE

Audubon Wildlife Film Lecture. Wilfred Gray*
"Four Seasons". Merganthaler High School, 35th
St. at Hillen Rd. 8 P.M.

14

TALBOT

Monthly meeting 8 P.M., Talbot County Library
Program: Jan Reese and Dick Preston

16

PATUXENT

Kent Island. Meet South Parking lot Sandy Point
State Park 8:30 A.M, Leader: David Bridge

18

BALTIMORE

Nature Photography Seminar 8 P.M.

18

KENT

Preview of exhibit and reception for members,
exhibitors and special guests.

19

ALLEGANY

Dinner meeting at Shrine Club. "Summer Birding
in Swedish Lapland" by Chan Robbins.

19-23

KENT

Third Biennial Bird Carving Exhibit, Fine Arts
Center, Washington College, Chestertown.

12 noon - 5 p.m.

20

MONTGOMERY

Monthly meeting "Birds and Radar". Speaker*
Jeff Swinebroad

20

ROSSMOOR

Monthly meeting at Clubhouse 8 P.M. Chandler
Robbins will show slides and speak on the "Birds
of the Hawaiian Islands".

21

TALBOT

Audubon Wildlife Film, 8 P.M. , Mt. Pleasant
School. Alvah W. Sanborn, "Wings of the Wild"

22-23

BALTIMORE

Irish Grove Wildlife Sanctuary, Somerset County.
Reservations for over-night stay at Sanctuary
House by Nov, 1?th. Only a limited number
may stay at house.

22

CAROLINE

Visit to Bird Carving Exhibit in Chestertown

22

ROSSMOOR

Bird Walk, 7*30 A.M.

23

FREDERICK

Field trip in Frederick area: Baker Park, Shooks-
town Road and members' gardens. Leader: Rene
C0llffiU3.

23

MONTGOMERY

Blackwater Refuge

24

KENT

Audubon Lecture 7*30 P.M. , Fine Arts Bldg.,
Washington College. Walter H. Berlet "Northwest
to Alaska".

25

PATUXENT

Monthly meeting 7*45 P.M. New British film,
"Flyway* Blackwater to Texas", narrated by Peter
Scott and presented by Luther Goldman.

Dec. 3

KENT

Monthly meeting 8 P.M., Alumni House. Plans for
Christmas Count.

4

FREDERICK

Monthly meeting and annual dinner. Speaker:
Chan Robbins, "Summer Birding in Swedish Lap-
land" . Reservations necessary

6

BALTIMORE

Sandy Point and Kent Island for winter residents
Leaders* Mr. & Mrs. John W. Poteet, Jr.

7

MONTGOMERY

Hughes Hollow and Sycamore Landing

12

BALTIMORE

Audubon Wildlife Film Lecture. Charles

Hotchkiss: "Tidewater Trails", Merganthaler
High School 8 P.M.

September 1969

MARYLAND BIRDLIFE

107

Dec. 18 MONTGOMERY
CHRISTMAS COUNTS

Monthly meeting. Members' night,
talks. "Where I Was this Summer".

Slides and

Dec. 20
21
27
2 ?

27

28

29

30

30

31

1970

Jan. 6

15

15

18

21

2 ?

28

CAROLINE

TALBOT

ALLEGANY

TRIADELPHIA RESERVOIR

BALTIMORE

KENT

BLACXWATER and ELLIOTT ISLAND

FREDERICK

OCEAN CITY

MARION (Irish Grove Wildlife Sanctuary)

KENT
8 FREDERICK

13 CAROLINE

MONTGOMERY

TALBOT

MONTGOMERY

ALLEGANY

25 BALTIMORE

PATUXENT

BALTIMORE

Audubon Lecture 7*30 P. M. Fine Arts Bldg.
Washington College. Charles Hotchkiss,
"Tidewater Trails".

Monthly meeting 7*30 P.M. Speaker: Frank
Mentzer, "New Horizons for Catactin National
Mountain Park and its place in the National
Park System"

"Land of the Drowned River", Nick Carter,
Chesapeake Bay Affairs Choptank Coop Bldg.,
West Denton

Monthly meeting - Social evening
Audubon Wildlife Film 8 P.M., Mt. Pleasant
School. Roger Tory Peterson "Galapagos -
Wild Eden"

Kent Island

Monthly meeting. Board of Education Bldg.
Film: "Wild Rivers".

Covered Dish Supper at Cylburn Mansion 5 P.M.
Film: "Wild Wings". Reservations with Mrs.
Nicholas Kay (823-1 533 ) by Jan. 21st.

Monthly meeting 7:U5 P.M. "Exploring the
Colorado Rockies" by Jane Robbins.

Duck Identification Class with C. Douglas
Hackman, Colburn 8 P.M.

JUNIOR PROGRAM

Baltimore Chapter - M0S Programs for all School Age Children at Cylburn
on alternate Saturdays and Spring vacation. All talks begin at
10 A.M. and are followed by bird and nature walks at 10:45.

Sept. 20 Insects and Bees
Oct. 4 Polar Animals - Slides and Film.
Oct. 18 Trees - Mr. Andrew Simon

Nov. 1 Shells - Mrs. Anthony Perlman

Nov. 15 Banding demonstration

Nov. 29 Geology - Dr. Owen Brisker

Dec. 13 Decorating Birds' Christmas Tree.
Jan. 10, 1970 Pollution - Mrs. Brenda Sladen
Jan. 24 Wild Pet Show

Dr. Carleton Ray

Film: The Great Swamp

108

MARYLAND BIRDLIFE

Vol. 25, No. 3

CONTENTS, SEPTEMBER 1969

Status & Behavior of White -breasted Nuthatches Hervey Brackbill 87
The Seas on --April, May, June, 1 969 Chandler S. Robbins 92
Announcement of Bird Carving Exhibit 100
Letter, to the Editor Charles Brumley 100
Sanctuary News 101
The 600 Club 101
Christmas Suggestions - M.O.S. Book Store Phyllis Ravesies 102
The President's Page V. Edwin Unger 103
Coming Events 104

MARYLAND BIRDLIFE

Published Quarterly by the Maryland Ornithological Society, Inc.

to Record and Encourage the Study of Birds in Maryland

Editor*

Chandler S. Robbins, Migratory Bird Populations Station,

Laurel, Md. 20810

Art Editor*

Willi am N. Schneider

Production*

Ethel Cobb, Mildred Cole, Shirley Geddes
C. Douglas Hackman, Phyllis Ravesies

Mailing*

Mr. and Mrs. Herbert P. Strack

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