Important Field Trip Pointers
Code of Birding Ethics 

MARCH 2 (Tuesday) INFORMAL LATE AFTERNOON WALKS UNTIL DUSK. Joint MBC/ANS trips. Meet at the end of Seneca Rd at Riley's Lock "on the bridge" at 5 p.m. After checking out the river we will proceed to Hughes Hollow. Highlights here will include waterfowl flying into roost. We will try for displaying woodcock if they are in the vicinity. Bring scope, flashlight, and wear "muddy conditions" footwear. Reservations not required. For more info call Jim Green at 301-208-2393.

MARCH 4 (Thursday) INFORMAL LATE AFTERNOON WALKS UNTIL DUSK. See March 2 listing.

MARCH 9 (Tuesday) INFORMAL LATE AFTERNOON WALKS UNTIL DUSK. See March 2 listing.

MARCH 13 (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. Call leader for details and driving instructions. Check ANS News for more info. Reservations required. LEADER: John Bjerke, 240-401-1643.

MARCH 16 (Tuesday) INFORMAL LATE AFTERNOON WALKS UNTIL DUSK. See March 2 listing.

MAY 1 (Saturday) PIGTAIL AND TRIADELPHIA. One-third day. Joint trip with Howard County, in conjunction with WSSC. Meet at Green Bridge Rd. parking lot, off Triadelphia Mill Rd. in Howard County. The cove is bordered on three sides by deciduous and coniferous woods. Extensive mudflats may exist with the possibility of shorebirds. Facilities available (but rustic). LEADER: Joe Hanfman, auk1844@comcast.net, 410-772-8424.

MAY 2 (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.

 MAY 4 (Tuesday) ROCK CREEK PARK, DC. One third day. Early migrant warblers, vireos, etc. Meet at 7:00 a.m. at Picnic Area #18, one-half mile below the Nature Center on Ridge Road. Limit: 8. Reservations required. Call the leader for more information or specific directions. LEADER: Wallace Kornack, 202-338-7859.

MAY 5 (Wednesday) EXPLORING CALVERT COUNTY. Three-quarter day. Sue Hamilton will guide us as we cover some of the birding hotspots of Calvert County. Participants will meet at 7 a.m. at the road leading to Flag Ponds. We’ll begin at Battle Creek Cypress Swamp and move on to other spots before we stop for lunch on the beach. Reservations required. Limit: 10. Call the coordinators for detailed directions and more information. LEADER: Sue Hamilton. COORDINATORS: Lydia Schindler, 301-977-5252, and Linda Friedland, 301-983 2136.

MAY 7 (Friday) BIRDING BY EAR ALONG THE C&O. The emphasis is on listening so tune up your ears for this half-day canal walk. We’ll be on the lookout for nesting and migrant landbirds. Meet at 7 a.m. at the end of Pennyfield Lock Rd. Reservations required. For more information and reservations, call the leaders: Cyndie Loeper, 301-530-8226, or Ann Lucy, 301-229-8810.

MAY 16 (Sunday) ROCK CREEK PARK, DC. See May 4 description. Reservations required. Limit: 6. LEADER: Wallace Kornack, 202-338-7859.

 MAY 22 (Saturday) HOT SPOTS FOR RED KNOTS. Full day. Joint trip with Howard County. We will start at 8:30 a.m. at the visitor center at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge and work our way north along the Bay. We will also visit the handsome and informative nature center at Mispillion Lighthouse, which offers great views of Red Knots and other shorebirds. We will go until dark or exhaustion, whichever comes first. Bring binoculars, scopes, food, water, sunscreen, loads of insect repellent. Trip is limited to 12 persons/3 vehicles per chapter. Reservations required. Kurt Schwarz (krschwa1@comcast.net or 410-461-1643) will co-lead for Howard Co. For reservations and information, contact co-leader Cyndie Loeper, cyndieloeper@comcast.net or 240-535- 8584.

This joint trip with Audubon Naturalist Society boated around the wild rice marshes of Jug Bay. We had excellent views of two Sora, the target bird for the trip. At least a dozen Sora were heard. A dramatic highlight was the flyover of two adult Bald Eagles who perched on a snag and allowed close approach in the boat and wonderful photo opportunities. They were joined by a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks that also posed obligingly. Great Egrets, Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal, Wood Ducks, Spotted Sandpiper, Belted Kingfisher, Forster's Terns, Ospreys, and two more eagles added to the glories of the morning on the river. Somewhat unusual was a fly-by Glossy Ibis. A short walk on land produced the usual small landbirds including Black- and-white Warbler and American Redstart. There were several Pewees with variation in molt and song to challenge our skills. Although mostly cloudy throughout the morning, the views over the marsh were more than worth the very early start.

 RESULTS:  Participants:  16 (including leaders).  Species:  about 122.  It was a fun group, and the 16 sets of eyes paid off in great sightings throughout the day. We began the day with an unforgettable morning flight at Bayside, spent the rest of the morning working migrant flocks on Assateague, and then worked a scenic and productive route to Hurlock. Without targeting a high species tally we ended with about 122 species. Standing out among highlights were Lark Sparrow, the continuing Marbled Godwit, two Black Terns, two Sandwich Terns, five migrant Dickcissels, 14 species of warbler including Wilson's, Nashville, and Tennessee; and impressive morning flights of Magnolia Warbler (27), American Redstart (166), and Baltimore Oriole (125). These latter totals are conservative and represent only the minimum Bayside counts before 9:00 a.m. New arrivals included Red-Breasted Nuthatch, Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, and Northern Shovelers. We also had Common Nighthawks.

RESULTS:   Participants:  11 plus leader.  Species:  30.  Weather:  Sunny and beautiful.  We had a perfect day for walking on the C&O Canal but didn’t manage to turn up many migrants.  Highlights for the participants were good views of a perched female Pileated Woodpecker, a perched immature Red-shouldered Hawk, a fall-plumaged male Scarlet Tanager, and Red-eyed Vireos.  Surprisingly we saw NO warblers and had almost no birds on or over the River, and overall numbers of birds were low.  Before the walk officially started we had a fly-over Osprey and large numbers of Chimney Swifts and Cedar Waxwings in flight at Violette’s Lock.  Notwithstanding the limited birds, the group was very congenial and had a good time

RESULTS:  Four participants visited the main birding locations at the Park---Ridge, Equitation Field, Maintenance Yard, Yard Parking Lot, Stable Area, and Dog Run. Overall bird activity was very slow, yielding four warbler species---Black-throated Blue, Black-and-white,Yellowthroat, American Redstart---and 24 other species. Five woodpecker species were seen--- Red-bellied, Downy, Hairy, Pileated and Flicker.

RESULTS:  Twelve participants, including five from the eastern shore (Talbot Bird Club), enjoyed fine birding at the park.  They toured all the main birding areas in the Park, with the Maintenance Yard yielding some of the most interesting birds. Highlights included Philadelphia, Warbling and White-eyed Vireos, Red-headed Woodpeckers, and Gray-cheeked Thrush.  In addition the group saw or heard nine warbler species, distributed fairly evenly at each of the major sites. The Tennessee Warbler stood out as best of the lot. Swainson's Thrush, Wood Thrush, Veery, and Gray-cheeked Thrush rounded out the noteworthy birds.

RESULTS:  Four birders set out on the Kingsley Trail at Little Bennett Regional Park on a warm muggy morning.  It was a slow start with little activity, save some park personnel working with a wood chipper.  We decided to turn around and try the trail on the other side of Clarksburg Road.  On the way back to to the parking lot we stopped to investigate some chickadee activity.  At first it looked like it might be another false alarm, but then warblers started to appear.  That flock turned up a nice group including Blackpoll, Bay-breasted and Cape May warblers.  Continuing on to the other side of Clarksburg Road we added a few more more species and more nice looks at birds seen previously.  By the end of the morning we had accumulated 41 species, including 9 warblers, and a few FOS birds, including Red-breasted Nuthatch (heard only) and Ruby-crowned Kinglet.  Last bird of the day was a croaking Raven that is becoming a familiar sound at Little Bennett.  Miss Congeniality went to a lovely female Black-throated Blue Warbler that posed at eye level for several minutes.  Once again, Little Bennett did not disappoint!

RESULTS:  Three courageous participants braved the threatening weather to look for "migrant warblers, vireos, thrushes and assorted woodland residents" as advertised.  Well, the variety was sparse, but some of the individuals were worth the effort.  As for warblers, there was but a single female Magnolia, a Black-and-White, two male American Redstarts, one adult and one immature, and a Common Yellowthroat.  But a very cooperative Yellow Palm Warbler two feet off the ground made it worthwhile.  The Vireo list was shorter but sweet: a single Red-eyed and one colorful Philadelphia, which we see here perhaps once a season. Timing is everything.  Despite high hopes of a Thrush fallout, we saw only a single Wood thrush.  The edges were more productive than the woodland with the usual suspects, including a fearless Brown Thrasher that stood its ground at ten feet.  So the woodland assortment was primarily restricted to four species of Woodpeckers, which, fortunately, were conspicuous.  The highlights of the day turned out to be none of the above.  Resident hawks made themselves conspicuous with both adult and juvenile female Cooper's Hawks making repeated passes nearby, along with a juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk.  At about 10 AM there was apparently a lift-off of hawks that spent the night nearby.  First we saw an Osprey, then a Broad-winged and a Sharp-shinned, all at low altitude.  A few minutes later a small kettle of five Broad-winged Hawks plus one Red-shouldered Hawk, also low, struggled to gain altitude in the absence of thermal-generating sunshine.  The low altitude made the viewing quite satisfactory.  Although the species list was a mere 41, the participants were all pleased to have had good, clear looks at some handsome birds.

RESULTS:  Seven birders joined the leader for a nice walk that produced 42 species.  The weather was overcast with some light drizzle, but the temperatures were mild in the low 60’s.  We had an especially good raptor day, with a few nice migrants as well as many of the resident park species.  Early on, we had a low Cooper’s Hawk over the field near the parking lot, and we later had another good Coop’s sighting, and three separate good looks at Sharpies.  We had a close, tail-molting Merlin fly just overhead as we were checking out a mixed songbird flock, and later Ed Patten spotted a hovering Kestrel that we all saw.  The only Buteo was a Red-shouldered Hawk near the end of the walk—no Red-tailed or Broadwings.

RESULTS:  Participants: three; species: 34. Not a big day in terms of total species, but some great birds and a lovely fall day to be outside. We had excellent looks at a flock of Swainson’s Thrush (6-8 individuals), with other individual Swainson’s seen at several other stops along the way. We also had fantastic looks at 3-4 Gray-cheeked Thrush, with a tag-along Wood Thrush and a probable Bicknell’s Thrush (Gray-cheeked-like, but with rusty primaries/tail and a lighter-colored lower mandible).  Common Ravens called throughout the morning, and we surprised a Barred Owl as we descended the (appropriately named) Owl Ridge Trail. A nice burst of warbler activity near the end of our walk included Am. Redstart, Cape May, Tennessee, and Black-throated Green Warblers.

RESULTS:  We set up camp at 7:00 am on the earthen dyke near the boat ramp. The day started out clear and cold with a temperature of 42°. The sunrise was beautiful and the weather the rest of the day was clear and warm. We had a total of nine birders (Observers: Chuck Parker, Mike Bowen, Clive Harris, John Pangborn, Bob Hartman, Susan Hunt, Lydia Schindler, Woody and Rae Dubois.) come out for the event as well as several curious onlookers. Total species count was 55. Highlights of the day were a Lincoln’s Sparrow, American Wigeon, N. Shoveler and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. The most impressive sight of the day came when two soaring Red Tails locked talons and engaged in a freefall spin that last more than ten seconds.

RESULTS:  Participants: 10 including 3 from an impromptu merge with an ANS trip on Nov 14, plus 2 more on Nov 18. Species: about 40 both days. We postponed the trip because the original date, Nov 11, was rainy and windy. Nov 14 was not a huge improvement; it started with drizzle and cool temps--moisture in the air, on the optics, and underfoot. Birding was mostly quiet, including the vaunted sparrows: low numbers, except for Song and White-throats; a couple of Swamps, a couple of Fields, a Chipping. Saving the day, 8 or 10 Fox Sparrows, several of them singing their melodious song. Thanks to Jim Nelson’s intervention, the willows that used to block the small pond had been cut, giving us a view of 8 Green-winged Teal, a Lesser Scaup, and a coot. We saw a perched American Kestrel and a Northern Harrier over the landfill. Many Mockers were prominently fighting and chasing. The following Wednesday, Nov 18, held no rain, but it was cool, 45-55, with some wind. This day sparrow numbers were low, without even the small flocks of Song and White-throats of Saturday. Again, the stars were Fox Sparrows--but just 3, all perched up, but none singing. (However, we were able to cover only the front half of the loop because of standing water.) We enjoyed excellent and prolonged views of a hovering Northern Harrier. The only addition of note was a female Bufflehead on the big pond.

RESULTS:  Eight birders from the Montgomery Bird Club traveled to the Eastern Shore on November 21 for a fine day of fall birding in Dorchester County. We started at the Cambridge Waterfront, birded Egypt Road on our way to Blackwater and finished the day along Elliot Island Road. We had a good day weather wise. Temps were in the 50s with a light overcast and little wind.  Birding highlights included nice looks at Surf Scoters and Long-tailed Ducks from Great Marsh Point on a very placid Choptank River and great views of Eastern Meadowlarks and American Pipits along Egypt Road. At Blackwater, there was a nice flock of landbirds in the vicinity of the Marsh Trail, including 7 or 8 Brown-headed Nuthatch, many Golden-crowned Kinglets, and a Pine Warbler. Pool 5c still held a few shorebirds including a Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs and a Black-bellied Plover. We enjoyed nice views of an  American White Pelican near the bridge off Key Wallace Drive (a life bird for Diane Ford). After Blackwater, we headed over to Elliot Island Road to look for Short-eared Owls. What a beautiful place. We found 2 SEOW's flying low over the marsh north of Pokata Creek. Jim Moore briefly got sight of an American Bittern and we also had a late Osprey and "heard only" Great Horned Owl and Tundra Swans.  Non-birding highlights included a small herd of Sika Deer in an open field along Egypt Road and meeting the nice folks from the Youth Chapter of MOS and Baltimore Bird Club who also had trips scheduled at Blackwater the same day. Also spotted were veteran MBCers Jane Farber and Jean Lacerte.

RESULTS:  Nine birders joined the two leaders on a gorgeous mild late fall day exploring some sites in southern Frederick County. After the rain and wind of the previous week, everyone just felt good to be out! It was calm and sunny, with mid-day temperatures exceeding 60F. The birds cooperated as well, ending up with 48 species for the half-day. We started off along Oland Road where a close-in flock of Horned Larks contained three Lapland Longspurs, seen by all in the scope. The New Design Road/Rt. 85 loop yielded more larks as well as a huge blackbird flock that was dominated by Grackles. Back to Lilypons and a clamber through the fence to explore its many pools and pits. Highlights included 4-5 bright Fox Sparrows, a single White-crowned Sparrow and two lovely American Tree Sparrows sitting up for all to admire. Other highlights were 4-5 Wilson’s Snipe, a late Gray Catbird and noisy flock of over 35 Eastern Bluebirds on the move. Fair numbers of Swamp, Song and White-throated Sparrows were also present. Our final stop was at the Bishop Claggett Center where a short walk along their hedgerows and trails yielded 7-8 more White-crowned Sparrows as well as Brown Creepers, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers and a large flock of Juncos, our 7^th sparrow species for the day. On the down side, waterfowl were few and we dipped on rails and bitterns.

Highlights: An immature Peregrine Falcon, a perched adult male Cooper's Hawk, 2 Red-tailed Hawks, a female Red-breasted Merganser, 3 Hooded Mergansers, 39 Buffleheads, numerous Pied-billed Grebes and a single Horned Grebe.  10 Bonaparte's Gulls swam around with a group of Ring-billed and Herring Gulls.   Very large groups of Coot and (Lesser) Scaup were far out in the bay, together with smaller numbers of Gadwall.  Among our 7 species of sparrow the standouts were an American Tree and a Savannah, both feeding on a grassy roadway, and 4 Swamp.  We also picked up a couple of Winter Wrens and a Hermit Thrush.  Eastern Bluebirds and Robins were present in quantities. We also had a most cooperative Brown Creeper, not commonly seen at Occoquan.