Yellow-throated Vireo - but not Philly Vireo...

Three quarters into walking the trail, I ran into Karl, who showed us crystal clear pictures of a Philadelphia Vireo on his camera screen. I tried 45 more minutes to relocate the bird but in vain. Clearly plenty of vireos were moving through the area though, and I got a consolation prize in the shape of a bright Yellow-throated Vireo, patch bird number 144. The fresh buck kill from last weekend was entirely reduced to bones and skull - nice job done by the Turkey and Black Vultures that feasted on the carcass. The outing ended up pretty disappointingly in terms of warblers, only Common Yellowthroats, two Prairie Warblers and a potential Magnolia Warbler were about. A vocal Yellow-billed Cuckoo posed for photographs. Next week I will embark on my first-ever pelagics boat trip, if the weather cooperates. I will report as soon as I get back off the boat.

Patcher #143 - Greater Yellowlegs

Birdy Sunday morning at the Mash! I had to get my act together pretty quickly because the oppressive heat moved in rapidly and by 9am I was covered in sweat and the birds stopped singing altogether. The action started right from the get-go though when I exited the car and found American Redstart and a  Scarlet Tanager that was undergoing molt into winter plumage. On the loop I added one Magnolia Warbler and then moved on the mudflats where I spent way too much time. Amidst the Lesser Yellowlegs I picked out one Greater Yellowlegs. Apparently all my Yellowlegs in the past here were Lesser so this was a welcome patch bird. Metallic 'chip' notes alerted me to the presence of a Blue Grosbeak. Great Egrets are still hanging out with the one in the photo close on the small pond. Since my interest in Turtles was sparked last week, I kept an eye out for various Terps as well. I found this obliging Northern Red- bellied Cooter on the small pond. Walking along the trail I stepped over 2 grizzly looking deer carcasses. One of them was still pretty fresh, probably from the previous night. Whatever killed it I hope it's gone.
Here are the stats: Total: 143 Year: 107 or 75%

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Semipalmated Plover - Patcher #141

This Sunday morning felt more like fall than summer, something I don't mind at all. The mudflats did not disappoint and shorebird migration sure seems under way now. Undoubtedly best bird of the day was a Semipalmated Plover, patch bird number 141! Other waders included several Pec Sandpipers, a handful of Least Sandpipers, Solitary Sandpipers, Spotted Sandpipers, a Lesser Yellowlegs, 5 Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons,  and the always present Killdeer. This was also the second time I have seen Blue Grosbeak here this year. I am no expert on turtles but this Eastern Box Turtle crossed my path and it's my first time I notice them here, although they are probably abundant here. Well here it comes for the statisticians then:

Total: 141 species
Year: 102 species or 72%

And again we have successfully reduced beautiful and charismatic creatures to sheer numbers! Way to go!

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Patcher #140

No time for a morning visit to Blue Mash this weekend, but with no world cup games in the way, I dropped by in the afternoon instead. An hour on the loop produced some fine shots of a female Baltimore Oriole as well as patch bird no. 140: Purple Martin. Really?! 98 species for the year or 70%.

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Independence Day birding

Storm Arthur dumped plenty of rain Thursday evening, so it was just as well that Friday turned out to be Independence Day. Not that I really share the sentiment of the holiday, but still I relished the opportunity to go birding, as well as watch the Germany-France game in my own home. The first trickle of shorebird migration arrived in the shape of Least Sandpipers that walked the banks of the larger of the two ponds at Blue Mash. I also kept an eye out for any breeding evidence and found juveniles of Brown-headed Cowbird, White-eyed Vireo, Eastern Bluebird, Mallard, Killdeer, Tree Swallow, Field Sparrow and Red-winged Blackbird. A Orchard Oriole obliged for half-decent photos. No new patch birds though.

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World Cup Birding

I briefly hit Blue Mash on Sunday morning mainly to take a break from excessive World Cup watching. Given that we are in the middle of breeding season, it was surprisingly birdy. Great views of Yellow-breasted Chat were to be had, just when my camera decided to run out of juice. Offspring was all around, young House Wren, Field Sparrow and Mallard fledglings. The water levels are starting to drop now, and we should have plenty of exposed mud just in time for shore bird migration in a couple of weeks. Bird of the day was a handsome Baltimore Oriole and also a year tick. Year: 97 or 70% Total: 139

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Western Maryland Specialities

As passerine migration has grinded to a hold in the coastal plain, it only made sense to head to the extreme western Maryland mountain region in search of high elevation breeders. First stop was Old Legislative Road where we got killer looks at several Henslow's Sparrows. Bonus birds were Grasshopper Sparrow, Meadowlark and singing Golden-winged Warbler. Further attempts to spot Golden-winged Warblers along the road failed, and we had to console with a Redstart and several Black-capped Chickadees. From there we swang by Finzel Swamp where we picked up Alder Flycatcher, Acadian Flycatcher, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, a drumming Ruffed Grouse and Chestnut-sided Warbler. Our final stop was the Billmeyer WMA where we got short but decent views of Cerulean and Worm-eating Warblers. A great day in great weather!

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