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Last updated: 05/07/2008

 
   

 

 

 

  

 

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Beginners =

Because some trips offer an easier learning environment, we have marked them with a "young hatchling." If in doubt, don’t hesitate to query the field trip coordinator Linda Friedland.

2007 - 2008 Trips

 
 

  

  

                                                                                            

 

 

                                                                                                                                                        

                                                                                       

 

                                                                                      DECEMBER

 

                                                                                                

                   

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December 1 (Saturday) SOUTHERN MARYLAND: LATE WATERFOWL. Half day. Locations to be determined based on the waterfowl concentrations; possibilities include Piscataway and Mattawoman Creek. Some walking required. Dress for the weather and bring food and drinks. Scopes useful. Limit: 12. For reservation and directions, contact

LEADER:  George Jett and Gwen Brewer at gmjett@comcast.net.  

RESULTS:

We had eight hardy birders ready to search southern Maryland for waterfowl on an early December blustery (windy) day.  After watching a Pileated Woodpecker fly over the park & ride in Accokeek, we headed to the end of Wharf Road.  Wharf Road is off of Farmington Rd. in southern Prince George's County.  It has historically been a Mecca for waterfowl this time of year. We were not disappointed.  The highlights for some were the late Great Egret and Bonaparte's Gull, but we did stay long enough to tally 18 species of water birds.  I include Pied-billed Grebe and American Coot in that count. If you count the Great Blue Heron, we had 20 species.  Highlights on the duck/geese/swans were 50+ Tundra Swan, two Green-winged Teal, 5 Northern Pintail, 30 Northern Shovelers, an amazing 800 Gadwall, about 150 American Wigeon, 10 Canvasback, and a few Redheads.  Five Hooded Mergansers and 300 Ruddy Ducks finished out the waterfowl at this spot.  We had the four usual species of gulls at Wharf Rd. (Bonaparte's, Ring-billed, Herring, and Great Black-backed).  Raptors included several Bald Eagles of various plumages, and Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks.  A small number of passerines were also present, including Brown Creeper, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and several flocks of Cedar Waxwings.  Next we went to the Colonial Farm Park fishing pier.  We found a lot of wind and only a few waterfowl hunkering up against the banks of the Potomac to the north.  We had nice close looks at Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet, and Yellow-rumped Warbler near the parking lot.  The major interest at this location, however, was the restrooms, which were open and heated.  We spent a good amount of time in them for various reasons.  We then decided to head to Charles County since some on the trip wanted to find some birds there.  At the Mattawoman Natural Environmental Area (NEA), we had the luxury of being able to bird on state property during deer season on Saturday.  There is no hunting in this NEA.  Because of this and the fact that the waterways are pretty sheltered, we often find good numbers of waterfowl here like Wharf Road.  The NEA is located just on RT. 224, 1/2 mile south of Mason Springs.  The spot is poorly marked so drive slowly past Lackey High School (on your left), and about 1/4 mile south, park on the right on a wider grassy area.  You will then see the sign if you look carefully.  It is a little trek into the best area but I always stop along the way to search the pine tree grove for kinglets, nuthatches, chickadees, etc.  We found them all including both Red-breasted and White-breasted Nuthatch.  We also encountered a few Brown Creepers along the way.  Next stop was at the creek, where we had hoped for Winter Wren and Hermit Thrush.  Not today, as it was a little late in the morning.  Last week these species as well as Yellow-bellied Sapsucker were at this spot.  Next we headed to the edge of the creek carefully so as to not flush the waterfowl.  When this spot is right, the ducks are just over the rise and very close to shore.  Unfortunately Mr. Wind had done us in.  The birds were scattered far and wide to avoid the wrath of the wind.  We did hear several Red-headed Woodpeckers but gritted our teeth and began to search for waterfowl.  Along the way we found two Northern Harriers, and more Bald Eagles.  The eagles would occasionally flush the ducks, which confounded the problem of counting ducks.  We had most of the species we found at Wharf Road, and, in addition, Mike Bowen spotted a male Wood Duck.  We did not have repeat performances with the Lesser Scaup and Bufflehead, Canvasbacks and Redhead.  Our only Tundra Swans were flyovers- heading to Swan Point I guess.  With the eagles, cold weather, and hunger setting in, my numbers at this location are pretty vague at this point.  I mentioned the one Wood Duck; we also had small numbers of Hooded Mergansers and Green-winged Teal, larger numbers (perhaps 100) for Northern Pintail and Shovelers, larger yet numbers of Gadwall, Mallards and Black Duck, and even larger numbers of Ring-necked Duck.  There may also have been 150 Canada Geese, mixed in with a few Pied-billed Grebe, and about twenty Great Blue Heron hunkering up against the marsh vegetation in a row, trying to stay out of the wind.  It was a rough day to be out but the company was excellent, and it was good seeing some old friends.  Happy birding & Happy Holidays.

 
bullet December 2 (Sunday) BLACK HILL RP. Half day. Joint MBC/ANS trip. All are welcome. We’ll concentrate on identifying winter waterfowl on the lake while looking for landbirds, too. Short easy walks with car jaunts in between. Area can be windy, so dress appropriately. Scopes helpful. No reservations required. Meet on the deck behind the Visitor Center at 8 a.m.

LEADER: Jim Green, 301-742-0036 (m).

RESULTS:  The weather was overcast and cloudy with temps in the 40’s. We had a small rain shower mid-morning and the wind increased slightly throughout the morning. Our meeting place was behind the park’s visitor center where we scanned the lake for approx. an hour. Highlights here included a common loon, several greater scaup and a pair of common goldeneye. A bald eagle was perched at the far end of the lake. Flyovers included 3 tundra swans and a sharp-shinned hawk. Bufflehead and ruddy ducks were numerous. Despite many visits to the feeders we failed to find any of this year’s eruptive species.  Our next stop was over at the boat ramp and the “Big Sit” area. A belted kingfisher and several hooded mergansers were seen. We then drove over to 10-mile creek road and walked the trail adjacent to the lake. Black ducks were numerous and ring-necked ducks were abundant. One pair of American wigeon were found among the latter as well as several more hooded mergansers. At one point as we were walking back a ring-billed gull was being harassed by a raptor. Those who had the better (though quick) look thought that it was a peregrine falcon. Our best laqnd birs in this location was a red-breasted nuthatch. Our final stop was on the Rt. 121 causeway where we located a pair of canvasback.

Participants: 13…………Total Species: 44

 

bullet December 15 (Saturday) TRIADELPHIA CHRISTMAS COUNT. Compilers: Jay and Diane Jones, 301-670-0516 or jayrjones@juno.com. Novice and experienced birders welcome.

 

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December 16 (Sunday) SENECA CHRISTMAS COUNT. Compiler: Mark England, 240-252-4218 (h), 240-375-4500 (m), or markengland@canamcontractors.com.

 
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December 19 (Wednesday) BIRDING WESTERN AUSTRALIASpeaker:  Don Messersmith

 

bullet December 28 (Friday) CENTRAL LOUDOUN CHRISTMAS COUNT. This count includes 5 miles along the C&O Canal in MD near White’s Ferry. Compiler: Joe Coleman, 540-554-2542 or joecoleman@rcn.com.

 

bullet December 30 (Sunday) SUGARLOAF CHRISTMAS COUNT. If you can help out, contact Helen Horrocks (Frederick), 301-831-6315, or Janet Millenson (Montgomery), 301-983-9337 or janet@twocrows.com.
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                                                                                              JANUARY

 

                                                                                             

 

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January 1 (Tuesday) EARLIEST-BIRD WALK, GEORGETOWN RESERVOIR AND DC HOTSPOTS. Half day. Start the New Year right. Meet 8 a.m. at Georgetown Reservoir, DC, by the gate leading to the dike between the pools. Reservations required. Limit: 20.

LEADER: Mike Bowen, 301-530-5764. 

RESULTS:  Participants 14, Weather:  Unexpectedly pleasant, mostly sunny and warming up from the mid-30’s. Forecast showers never materialized but winds were strong from the NW by midday.  Species count:  39.

Highlights:  Georgetown Reservoir disappointed this year, with only 4 Bufflehead in the duck department and no uncommon gulls.  However, an immature Bald Eagle kept us entertained as it plummeted repeatedly over the Buffleheads, causing them to dive to avoid being struck.  Fortunately, the pond at Constitution Gardens, which we visited next, was terrific and gave us a large flock of Ring-necked Ducks, a pair of American Wigeon, and single drake Lesser Scaup, Wood Duck and Redhead, as well as easy-to-study Ring-billed Gulls of all ages.  Hains Point yielded a perched adult Bald Eagle, two small rafts of Scaup, and Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks. We also found 5 Black-crowned Night-herons in their customary daytime rest area at the head of the Washington Channel.  The group, sandwiched into three cars, then headed over the Memorial Bridge to the seldom birded LBJ Memorial Grove and Columbia Island Marina (which are in D.C. due to the vagaries of the Potomac’s side channels), where we saw the only Hooded Mergansers of the day, picked up a nice Cooper’s Hawk and another adult Bald Eagle, and encountered a most cooperative and chirpy Winter Wren, giving some of us the best looks of our lives.  Last stop of the day was at Roaches Run Waterfowl Sanctuary in Arlington County, where there were several small groups of Pied-billed Grebe.  This trip is becoming a New Year’s Day tradition, with many repeat participants, and most of us could not think of a more fun way to spend the first morning of a new year.

bullet January 3 and 5 (Thursday and Saturday) GULL WORKSHOP. Meet 7:30 p.m. at Cyndie Loeper’s house for light fare and a gull slide presentation by Clive Harris. Then join Clive for the associated field trip on Saturday. All are welcome for either or both sessions. Call Cyndie for directions, field trip details, and required reservations.

COORDINATOR: Cyndie Loeper, 301-530-8226.

RESULTS:  Nine of us – including representatives of the Howard and Frederick chapters – ventured into Virginia on January 5 for a half day gull field trip, taking in the delights of both the Fauquier and Prince William sanitary landfills.  We were blessed with below freezing temperatures overnight, which kept the mud mostly solid at both sites, though as it warmed up in late morning conditions got distinctly stickier.The focus was of course on gulls – both looking for the rarer white-winged species as well as getting to grips with the commoner gulls in all of their varied plumages.  We went to the Fauquier landfill at Warrenton first.  Our first scan of the assembled gulls revealed a couple of Lesser Black-backed gulls, both adults.  Soon after that we found our first Kumlien’s (Iceland) Gull of the day, a first-cycle bird, which came in very close to us to feed in the tipping area and gave great views.  We had the chance to compare first-cycle Lesser Black-back with Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls of the same age.We then all caravanned off to the Prince William county landfill. Here we found a total of three (!) first-cycle Kumlien’s Gulls – easily the most I have ever seen at the site at one time.  It is clearly a good winter for these very attractive birds.  Despite all nine pairs of eyes scanning we did not find a Glaucous or Thayer’s Gull, but we found several more Lesser Black-backed Gulls.  The eagles – around 7 or so in sight at one time at the PW landfill – provided a diversion from the gulls for a few of  the participants. Many thanks to the staff at both landfills for being so accommodating, both to ourselves and to visting birders in general.  And now Gull Heaven:

bullet January 9 (Wednesday) SPARROWS 102, WOODSTOCK EQUESTRIAN PARK. We will continue the explorations begun in Sparrows 101, while hoping to add winter visitors such as Fox, White-crowned, and American Tree Sparrows. All are welcome. Half day. Reservations required. Meet at Zion Rd parking lot at 8 a.m. Call leader for more info and reservations.

LEADER: Lydia Schindler 301-977-5252.

 

bullet January 16 (Wednesday) Birding the Florida Coast  Speaker:  Jim Green
bullet January 19 (Saturday) INTRODUCTION TO THE WINTER SHORE: OCEAN CITY TO BROADKILL MARSH. Full day. We'll brave winter's icy blasts for the chance to see some seasonal specialties: scoters, eiders, Harlequin Duck, loons, Bonaparte's Gull, Purple Sandpiper. New members and new birders are encouraged but all are welcome. Meet 8:30 a.m. at the Ocean City Inlet parking lot. For reservations (required) and directions call.

LEADERS: Lydia Schindler, 301-977-5252, and Linda Friedland, 301-983-2136 (before 9 p.m.).

RESULTS: Participants: 10, including leaders. Species: 57, plus 4 seen by one or two individuals. Weather: Benign; 40 degrees, cloudy, little wind. Starting with killer views of Harlequin Ducks at the Ocean City Inlet and ending with killer views of Short-eared Owl at Broadkill Beach Road, this trip ticked just about all of our target birds. The Inlet yielded a flock of Brant, Common Loons (including one flotilla of 12), Red-throated Loons, and Red-breasted Mergansers, Long-tailed Ducks, and distant Surf Scoters. The rocks drew Purple Sandpipers, Sanderlings, Ruddy Turnstones, and fly-around Black Oystercatchers. Further out were a few Northern Gannets and a couple of Bonaparte’s Gulls. Overseeing it all was the Peregrine Falcon on the water tower.  At the 4th Street Flats we added Bufflehead and Great Blue Herons, but with the Rte 50 drawbridge closed for repairs, we skipped the West Ocean City Pond and drove straight to Indian River Inlet. Here, amidst a good-sized flock of Long-tailed Ducks, rode a handsome first-winter male Common Eider. Great Cormorants lounged on the tower, and Boat-tailed Grackles flounced around on the rocks. A search in the marshy edges of the campground yielded few of the hoped-for sparrows, but did score Cooper’s and Red-tailed Hawks and Northern Harrier.  After refueling at McD’s, we headed to Cape Henlopen SP. Near the campground we checked small flocks for crossbills but settled for waxwings. Feeders at the Nature Center hosted Red-breasted and Brown-headed Nuthatches. At the Point, a flock of about 70 Snow Buntings flew over, close enough to reveal their winter patches and splotches.  North to Broadkill Beach Rd, where we found Prime Hook NWR closed for a deer hunt. The roadside impoundments held a smattering of ducks: Black, Shoveler, Green-winged Teal. At least four Northern Harriers were quartering the fields across the road, and alerted by Gemma’s keen ear, we all got to hear a distant Great Horned Owl. Then back to the bridge area; as we drove up, a Short-eared Owl was working next to the road; we leapt from our cars and watched, entranced, as it wafted back and forth alongside us. The finishing touch: skeins of Snow Geese, doing the Wave.

 

bullet January 26 (Saturday) DUCKS AT A DISTANCE: BLACK HILL RP. Learn and review the basics of duck ID at the county’s premiere spot for winter waterfowl. The trip will be geared to new birders but all are welcome. Bring a scope if you have one. Meet 7:30 a.m. at the pull-off next to the Rte 121 bridge. Half day. No reservations needed. For more info or directions, call.

LEADER: Dave Powell, 301-540-8776. 

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February

 

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February 2 (Saturday) BLACKWATER NWR/ELLIOTT ISLAND. Full day (to dusk). Bring food and warm drinks. Hoped-for species include Cackling Goose, Ross's Goose, ducks, Rough-legged Hawk, Short-eared Owl, and Brown-headed Nuthatch. Will American White Pelicans winter again this year? Meet 8 a.m. at the new Visitor Center. Reservations required. Limit: 12. For reservations and directions, contact:

LEADER: Bill Hubick, 443-854-9753 or bill_hubick@yahoo.com.

RESULTS:  On February 2nd, a group of fifteen birders set forth on a well-timed field trip to Blackwater NWR, Hoopers Island, and Shorters Wharf. Lovely weather, cooperative birds, and excellent company combined to make it an outing to be remembered. The weather was chilly, but sunny and clear. Great birds were found consistently throughout the day, and many of them were unusually cooperative. Highlights included two Greenland Greater White-fronted Geese, Cackling Goose, Redheads amidst the excellent waterfowl showing in Cambridge, watching an American Bittern via scopes for 20 minutes, Rough-legged Hawk, two Golden Eagles, Peregrine Falcon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, and Short-eared Owls. A winter visit to this area is always enjoyable, but this trip exceeded even the most optimistic expectations. An impressive 88 species were tallied for the day.

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February 10 (Sunday) BLACK HILL REGIONAL PARK. Half day. We’ll focus on identifying winter waterfowl on the lake, but look for landbirds, too. Short easy walks with car jaunts in between. Area can be windy so dress appropriately. Scopes are helpful. Reservations required. Limit: 10. Meet on the deck behind the Visitor Center at Black Hill at 8 a.m.

LEADER: Andy Martin, 301-294-4805 (h), 301-529-2066 (m), or apmartin2@comcast.net.

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February 20 (Wednesday)  8:00 p.m. Birding Uganda:  The Pearl of Africa  Speaker:  Gail Mackiernan  The small country of Uganda, an increasingly popular birding destination, bridges the faunal zones of East and Central Africa and has one of the continent's largest bird lists. Gail and Barry Cooper recently spent 25 days in Uganda visiting most of the major game and national parks, recording almost 550 species of birds, including Shoebill, African Broadbill, Giant Eagle Owl and Pennant-winged Nightjar, and enjoying superb scenery, including Murchison Falls, Lake Victoria and the misty Virunga Mountains.  Gail's talk will combine slides and video of their trip.

 

 

 

 

                                                 

March

 

 
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March 8 (Saturday) JUG BAY, PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY. Half day. Joint trip with ANS. Possible Rusty Blackbirds, migrating Wilson's Snipe, and courtship display of Osprey. Meet 8 a.m. For more info, check ANS News. Reservations required; call leader for details and driving instructions. LEADER: John Bjerke, 240-401-1643.

 

bullet March 12 (Wednesday) INFORMAL LATE AFTERNOON WALK UNTIL DUSK. Meet at the end of Seneca Rd at Riley's Lock "on the bridge" at 5 p.m. After checking out the river, we will proceed to Hughes Hollow, where highlights will include waterfowl flying into roost. We will try for displaying woodcock if they are in the vicinity. Bring scope and flashlight and wear "muddy conditions" footwear. Reservations not required--all are welcome. For more info, call LEADER: Jim Green, 301-208-2393.
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March 14 (Friday), 6:30 p.m. Annual Montgomery Bird Club Social, Woodend, Chevy Chase.  Guest of Honor: Mike Bowen.  The dinner is being catered by Smokey Glen Farm of Gaithersburg.  Limit: 90.  Acceptances and checks ($20 per person) to Jim Nelson, 8510 Bradmoor Drive, Bethesda, MD 20817.  For info, contact Jim at kingfishers2@verizon.net or 301-530-6574.  Click Here For Reservations.

 

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March 16 (Sunday) LINGERING WATERFOWL AND SPARROWS. Half day. Meet at Riley's Lock at 7 a.m. Then follow the leader to a sequence of interesting places. Reservations not required. LEADER: Dave Powell, 301-540-8776. 

 

bullet March 18 (Tuesday) INFORMAL LATE AFTERNOON WALK UNTIL DUSK. See March 12 listing.

 

bullet March 19 (Wednesday) INFORMAL LATE AFTERNOON WALK UNTIL DUSK. See March 12 listing.

 

   
 

                                      

  

April

 

bullet April 16 (Wednesday), 7:30 p.m.  “Warblers of Maryland.” Linda Friedland and Mike Bowen, Montgomery Bird Club.  Linda and Mike will educate us with a shortened version of their popular workshop presentation, “Warblers of Maryland,” first given at the June, 2006, Maryland Ornithological Society Conference in Allegany County. Their presentation will cover all 37 warbler species that breed in or migrate through our state. Identification pointers and songs of birds in the spring will be emphasized. The presentation will use high-resolution photos taken by some of North America's finest nature photographers and song tracks from the Stokes Bird Song series.
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April 19 (Saturday) BLUE MASH NATURE TRAIL. Half day. Interesting walk at this relatively new and surprisingly birdy site. Waterproof boots helpful. Meet 7:30 a.m. at Zion Rd parking lot. Call leader for reservations and directions. Trip is limited to 8-10 participants. LEADER: Mark England, 240-252-4218 (h) or 240-375-4500 (cell).

RESULTS: 12 birders joined the leader on this cusp-of-spring walk.  42 species were seen or heard in ideal weather.  Resident Yellow Warblers had just returned, and were easy to find.  We also had good looks at Yellow-rumped Warblers, Common Yellowthroat, Eastern Bluebird, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and Eastern Towhee.  Both ponds were unfortunately devoid of waterfowl, except for Canada Geese and Mallards. A female Northern Harrier flying over the landfill was well-seen by all, and an adult Cooper’s Hawk glided into the “back-corner” woods where we stood looking for possible migrant songbirds.  Sharp-eyed Don Messersmith was first to note distant Double-crested Cormorants and Broad-winged Hawks headed our way, as we rounded the little pond near the end of the walk. One of the adult Broadwings was quite low overhead, and we had a good look at its field marks as it came by.

 

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April 20 (Sunday) HUGHES HOLLOW AND VICINITY. Half day. With a variety of habitats, Hughes Hollow is always inviting in spring. Depending on where interesting birds have been seen, we may also visit nearby areas. We will look for waterbirds on the move and early songbird migrants. Possible birds include Purple Finches, Blue-winged Teal, swallows, and maybe even an American Bittern. Meet at 7 a.m. at the Hughes Hollow parking lot in McKee-Beshers WMA. Reservations required. For more info, directions, and reservations contact LEADER: Jim Nelson, 301-530-6574 or kingfishers2@verizon.net.

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April 28 (Monday) WOODSTOCK PARK/DICKERSON CONSERVATION AREA. Half day +. Come out for a morning and search for migrants around the parking area at Woodstock Equestrian Park (Dr. William Rickman side). A quick car ride will then take us to Dickerson Conservation Area to search for birds along its wooded trails and the nearby C&O Canal. Meet 7:00 a.m. at Woodstock. Directions: Take MD 28 north/west from Rockville. About 1 mile past intersection of MD 28 and Rte 109, turn right on dirt entrance road (past stone sign announcing "Dr. William Rickman Equestrian Center") and proceed one-eighth of a mile to parking area. Limit: 10. Reservations required. LEADER: Andy Martin, 301-294-4805 (h), 301-529-2066 (cell) or apmartin2@comcast.net.

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April 30 (Wednesday) ROCK CREEK PARK, DC. One-third day. Early migrant warblers, vireos, etc. Meet at 7 a.m. at Picnic Area #18, one-half mile below the Nature Center on Ridge Rd. Call the leader for more info or specific directions. Reservations required. LEADER: Wallace Kornack, 202-338-7859.

RESULTS: Rock Creek Park, April 30. Leader:  Wallace Kornack.  A group of 10 birders explored the Ridge, Equitation Field, and the Maintenance Yard.  The most interesting birding activity was in the Yard.  Nine warblers and three vireos plus 28 other species were seen or heard.  Highlights included the Blue-winged Warbler, Blue-headed Vireo, Yellow-throated Vireo, Scarlet Tanager, and striking views of Baltimore Oriole.

 

 

                                      

  

May

 

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May 4 (Sunday) 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.

 

 
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May 7 (Wednesday) EXPLORING CALVERT COUNTY Three-quarters day. Sue Hamilton will guide us as we cover some of the birding hotspots of Calvert Co. Participants will meet at 7 a.m. at the road leading to Flag Ponds. We’ll then move to Battle Creek Cypress Swamp and other spots before stopping for lunch. Reservations required. Limit: 10. Call the coordinators for detailed directions and more info. LEADER: Sue Hamilton. COORDINATORS: Lydia Schindler, 301-977-5252, and Linda Friedland, 301-983-2136.

RESULTS: Wednesday, May 7, Exploring Calvert County* A sunny almost summer-like day with temperatures starting in the 50’s and reaching 80. The trip began at 7 a.m. at the Flag Ponds entry road. Last year the woods and brushy areas on both sides of the road provided a bonanza of warbler activity; this year we were sad to see much of the habitat had been destroyed by the “clearing” of the power line area. Still, we caught some good warblers there- Chat, Black- and- White, Palm, Yellow, Prairie, Blackpoll- and male and female Summer Tanagers. The group of 13 under the expert leadership of Sue Hamilton began the walk on the South Ridge Trail, stopped at the ponds and headed over to the beach before returning back via the North Ridge Trail- a delicious mixture of habitats. During our time at Flag Ponds we tallied 21 species of warblers including Kentucky, Hooded, Magnolia, Northern Waterthrush and the park specialty - Yellow-throated Warbler. Swainson’s Thrush was a nice find as was Blue Grosbeak and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. At the ponds we scoped several Solitary Sandpipers, a Pectoral Sandpiper, some Least Sandpipers; a Little Blue Heron flew by followed by a Green Heron. Acadian Flycatchers kept us company on our walk as did Red-eyed and the occasional Warbling vireo. At the beach we picked up Spotted Sandpiper, Semi-palmated Plover, Caspian Tern, Savannah and Seaside sparrows. Then a quick run to over to Battle Creek Cypress Swamp where Andy Brown gave us a fine introduction to this lovely sanctuary of 100 foot cypress trees. We heard Prothonotary Warbler and saw some amazing frogs. Finally, at Scientist’s Cliffs, after enjoying lunch and hunting for fossils on the beach , we tallied the group total:100 birds!

 

 
bullet May 8 (Thursday)  PATUXENT DRIFT BOAT TRIP, PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY. Half day. Songbirds, some marsh and waterbirds. Joint trip with ANS. Meet Greg Kearns, park naturalist,at 6:30 am at entrance gate to park.  Drift-boat trip followed by hiking on trails and through marshes. Make reservation with Liz Jones at ANS, 301-652-9188 x30.
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May 9 (Friday) PENNYFIELD LOCK: BIRDING BY EAR. The emphasis is on listening, so tune up your ears for this half-day C&O Canal walk. Migrant and nesting landbirds. One-way walk to Violette’s Lock with car pooling return a possibility. Meet 7 a.m. at the end of Pennyfield Lock Rd. Reservations required. For more info and reservations call LEADERS: Cyndie Loeper, 301-530-8226, and Ann Lucy, 301-229-8810.

 
bullet May 10 (Saturday) UPPER WATTS BRANCH, ROCKVILLE . Half day. Migrant warblers, vireos, thrushes, and assorted woodland residents, including possible Red-shouldered Hawks. Meet 7:30 a.m. at corner of Princeton Pl and Fordham St. Limit: 12. Reservations required. LEADER: Paul O’Brien, 301-424-6491.

 

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May 10 (Saturday) MAY COUNT. Wherever you’re birding in Montgomery County this day, backyard or in the field, bring along a copy of the May Count Checklist and keep track of the variety and numbers of birds you see. The May Count Checklist can be downloaded from the MOS website at http://www.mdbirds.org/counts/namc/namcchecklist.pdf. Please submit completed checklist forms by mail to Andy Martin, 3 Thorburn Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20878 or fax at 301-294-4805 by June 15. For more info contact Compiler, Andy Martin, 301-294-4805 (h), 301-529-2066 (m), or apmartin2@comcast.net. 

 
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May 10 (Saturday), 25th Annual World Series of Birding. New Jersey Audubon will host this event, which has changed the birding landscape and raised over $8 million for bird conservation. Every species found/every dollar raised preserves and protects critical bird habitat. 

 
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May 13 (Tuesday) ROCK CREEK PARK, DC. One-third day. Active time for migrant warblers, vireos, etc. Meet at 7 a.m. at Picnic Area #18, one-half mile below the Nature Center on Ridge Rd. Call the leader for more information or specific directions. Reservations required. LEADER: Wallace Kornack, 202-338-7859.

 
bullet MAY 14 (Wednesday) RUGGED GREEN RIDGE STATE FOREST, ALLEGANY COUNTY, MD. ¾ to full day. . Meet at 7 A.M. “Facilities are natural.” Bring snacks, beverages, lunch and insect repellent. Wear sturdy shoes; some hiking involved. 4-wheel drive or pickup truck recommended (but not necessary). Prior arrangements to car pool via leader highly suggested. Target birds include Ruffed Grouse, Rose-breasted Grosbeak and nesting Vireos and Warblers (Hooded, Cerulean, Worm-eating, etc.). Reservations limited to 12 people and are required. (Due to the fact that the leader will already be in Western Maryland, reservations cannot be taken after Sunday, May 11). Call leader for directions to starting location. LEADER: Jim Green (301) 208-2393.

 

bullet May 19 (Monday), 6 p.m. Dedication of the Luther Goldman Birding Trail, Lake Artemesia Natural Area Park, Prince George’s County (See President’s Chat; invitation only, RSVP).  

 

bullet May 21 (Wednesday), 7:30 p.m.  Election of Officers then “Birds of Kenya and Tanzania.” Ed Patten, Montgomery Bird Club.  Ed will share with us his pictures and stories of the exotic birds of Kenya and Tanzania. In December 2006, Ed and his wife had the opportunity to visit these interesting countries because their daughter spent the fall semester of her college junior year in Kenya. They enjoyed a week in Amboseli National Park, Ngorogoro Crater, and the Serengeti plains and another week in Nairobi. A highlight of the trip was having Christmas in the spectacular Ngorogoro Crater.
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May 24 (Saturday) HOT SPOTS FOR RED KNOTS. Full day. Joint trip with Howard County Bird Club.  We’ll start at 8:30 a.m. at the Visitor Center at Prime Hook NWR and work our way north along Delaware Bay, including a stop at the new Nature Center at Mispillion Light. We’ll go until dark or exhaustion, whichever comes first. Bring binoculars, scopes, food, water, sunscreen, and insect repellent. Trip limited to 12 persons/3 vehicles per club. Reservations required. Kurt Schwarz, krschwa1@comcast.net or 410-461-1643 will co-lead for Howard Co. For reservations and info, contact co-leader Cyndie Loeper, cyndieloeper@comcast.net or 301-535-8584.

 

bullet May 30-June 1 (Friday-Sunday), MOS 2008 Conference. Ramada Conference Center, Edgewood, Harford County.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                   

 

June

bullet June 8 (Sunday) WOODPECKER ALLEY: NORTH BRANCH OF ROCK CREEK. Half day. Nesting woodpeckers and other woodland birds. Meet 7 a.m. at Swim Center parking lot of Olney Manor Recreational Park on right-hand (east) side of Georgia Ave opposite Emory Ln and car pool from there. Reservations required. Limit: 10. LEADER: John Williamson, jwilliamson12@yahoo.com or 301-654-5312.

 

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June 19 (Thursday) BANDING AT ADVENTURE. Half day. Joint ANS/MBC trip. Licensed Bander Gemma Radko will demonstrate the techniques of netting and banding birds at Adventure Banding Station on Glen Rd, Potomac. A great opportunity to see familiar birds up close and personal! For reservations (required), directions, and starting time, call the leader at 301-514-2894.
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July

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July 9 (Wednesday) HATTERAS, NC, PELAGIC CHARTER. All-day deep-water pelagic trip to the Gulf Stream aboard the 61-foot Stormy Petrel II, a trip that typically nets 9-15 species of pelagic seabirds, including Black-capped Petrel, Audubon's Shearwater, and Band-rumped Storm-Petrel. Designed to introduce MBC birders to pelagics and encourage more participation in Lewes, DE trips for MD birds. For reservations, directions, and details, contact leader, Paul O'Brien, at pobrien776@aol.com.

 

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August

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August 23 and 24 (Saturday and Sunday). BOMBAY HOOK AND NEARBY BEACHES. (Joint trip with ANS).  This is a terrific time of year to study adult and juvenile shorebirds, with the possibility of a large number of species. Lunch will be in the field both days, dinner at a local restaurant. Make hotel reservations in advance. Bring plenty of water, insect repellent, hat, sunscreen, and snacks. CO-LEADERS: Cyndie Loeper and Frank Witebsky. Call Cyndie, 301-530-8226 or cyndieloeper@comcast.net, for reservations and meeting time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                             

Send calendar additions and corrections to field trip coordinator Linda Friedland

 
       

www.mdkinc.com/mccbird