—— i 4 2 ie Te ey ee ee
by Glenn Thorres
There is growing concern in Maryland, as well as nationally and internationally, about invasive species. “What are invasive spe- cies?” you ask. These are species of animals, plants, or micro-organisms that cause signifi- cant environmental or economic harm or present a threat to human health. Most inva- sive species are not native to the ecosystem in which they are causing problems. An ex- ample familiar to birdwatchers is the Euro- pean Starling. This species is native to Europe and was introduced into North America in the 1800s. It has supplanted many native cavity-nesting birds, such as the Eastern Blue- bird and various woodpeckers.
An estimated 50,000 non-native species have been introduced into the United States, of which between 10-15% have become inva- sive according to the U.S. Office of Technol- ogy Assessment report on non-indigenous species. Introductions have resulted from intentional or unintentional releases. Inten- tional introductions are the result of species being imported into the country or ecosystem for the benefit of the general publicorasmaller group, that were subsequently released to the wild or escaped to the wild. Examples in- clude purple loosestrife, which was intro- duced and sold as ornamental flowers and is now causing serious problems in freshwater wetlands, and mute swans, which were im- ported by captive waterfowl enthusiasts and subsequently escaped and are now causing problems with native waterfowl and marshes.
Unintentional introductions occur when an invasive species is transported into an ecosystem on some commodity, conveyance, or person without notice. West Nile virus is a good example of such. The micro-organism which causes this disease has somehow made it to North America from Eurasia and is now causing a public health concern. Zebra mus- sels were introduced into the Great Lakes through the ballast of transoceanic ships and are now causing millions of dollars in dam- age.
Native plant communities are becoming increasingly threatened by invasive plants. Some of the invasives were intentionally in- troduced, such as kudzu to control soil ero- sion. DNR itself introduced plants thought to be beneficial to wildlife, such as autumn olive and multiflora rose, several decades ago that are now problematic. Other invasive plants, have been introduced unintentionally by com- ing into the country on the clothing of tourists traveling aboard.
Many organizations are now joining forces to combat the invasion. Several invasive spe- cies councils have been formed, including the
(continued on page 3, column 1, top)
DUR Reports...
THE MARYLAND ~ YELLOWTHROAT
Newsletter of the Maryland Ornithological Society
VOL. 21, NO. 1
Hart-Miller Island Study Group
Progress Report by Gene Scarpulla, MOS Representative
On November 28, 2000, the Hart-Miller Island Study Team met to review and discuss the “35% Submittal” of the Final Design for the South Cell Environmental Restoration Project. The consulting firm of Michael Baker, Jr., Inc. is preparing the design for the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District. Two-thirds of the Study Team members were new to the project and therefore much time was spent reviewing what had transpired over the two-year study phase of the project. It was decided that the January 9, 2001 meet- ing would be held on the island since many of the new members had never visited Hart- Miller.
Baker staff will investigate the feasibility and cost effectiveness of using windmills as an alternative power source to run the water pumps that will supply the mudflat and pool areas of the South Cell. A Pump Subcommit- tee will be formed to investigate the types and numbers of pumps that would be needed to run the system. The system will provide a constant source of bay water into the South Cell even during spring and fall drawdowns (for shorebirds). Monthly water budgets have been developed.
The Phragmites control efforts are show- ing signs of success. Much of the South Cell is now Phragmites free. The control activities are also showing some success on the original portion of Hart “island.”
The Corps expressed the need for both before-and-after monitoring and long-term monitoring of the restoration site. Monitoring would include biological, physical, and chemi- cal parameters. Some of the biological studies would include planting success, aquatic and terrestrial invertebrate colonization, fish sur- vival and reproduction, amphibian coloniza- tion, breeding bird surveys, avian nesting success, and shorebird usage. A Monitoring Subcommittee will be formed to investigate potential partnerships with local universities, the various bay research facilities, the Na- tional Aquarium, etc. Opportunities will ex- ist for interested MOS members to conduct research projects. The Subcommittee will also investigate sources of funding for these
(continued on page 3, column 1, bottom)
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2001
by Martha Waugh
Baltimore Chapter Loses a Valued Mem- ber—On September 27, Robert C. Wood died after a long battle with cancer, first diagnosed during a birding trip in the mountains of Thailand near the Burma border. Asa profes- sional ornithologist and biologist, he was a member of the Johns Hopkins Operation Deep Freeze Team, studying skuas and penguins in the Antarctic in the 1960’s. He was an enthu- siastic birder with a life list of 3,257 birds. Elmer and Jean Worthley knew him at the University of Massachusetts in 1946-48. Jean reports that he was a collector — of everything. He collected beer and root beer containers, cans of black pepper, skulls froma large horse skull to a tiny red bat skull, and even cones. Memorial donations may be sent to The Na- ture Conservancy for Member #10071883, 4245 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22203.
Jim Peters Honored by Coastal America— With a special ceremony on November 2 for outstanding volunteer achievements, Coastal America honored Jim Peters for his contribu- tions to the development of the Fort McHenry Wetland. Coastal America is a partnership of
(continued on page 3, column 2) iy
Contents
DNR Reports
Hart-Miller Progress Report Chapter Chatter
An Apology
MOS Dateline
Neighborhood Nestwatch
Jug Bay / Patuxent River Report C&O Canal Mid-winter Count Sanctuary Committee Report NOAA Weather Website Update MOS Calendar, Jan/ Mar
Page 2
An Omission and an Apology
by Norm Saunders In the process of getting a blizzard of
donations and pledges in support of our 2000 |
Maryland Yellowthroat team, I did my best to | carefully document each and every piece of |
mail and check received. Even with that care I somehow managed to let one of the dona- tions go undocumented in my records and unacknowledged in the September issue of the Yellowthroat (their check DID get depos-
ited in a timely fashion, however—I suppose |
I didn’t totally lose control).
In any event, my apologies and my thanks go out belatedly to Norman & Mary Tyson of Lancaster, PA for their donation in support of the 2000 Maryland Yellowthroats. Thank you!!!
THE MARYLAND YELLOWTHROAT Newsletter of the Maryland Ornithological Society, Inc.
Norman C. Saunders 1261 Cavendish Drive Colesville, MD 20905 (301) 989-9035 (Home) (202) 691-5701 (Office) (202) 691-5745 (Fax) marshhawk@worldnet.att.net
Editor-in-chief:
Assistant editor: Frances C. Saunders fcsaunders@worldnet.att.net
Les Eastman
4034 Wilkinson Rd.
Havre de Grace, MD 21078 (410) 734-6969 (Home) (410) 436-3490 (Office) les_eastman@netfox.net
Calendar editor:
State Web Page: _http:/ / www.mdbirds.org
If you have a change of address or are experienc- ing difficulties with MOS mailings, contact the Mailing List Coordinator, William Guion, 8007 Martown Road, Laurel, MD 20723, (301) 490-0444.
All other questions regarding the Maryland Orni- thological Society should be referred to the Execu- tive Secretary, Larry Fry, 1202 Ridge Rd., Pylesville, MD 21132, (410) 452-8539 or at (800) 823-0050. Larry's e-mail address is: _ffryjl@aol.com
For information on advertising rates and dead- lines, contact the editor.
Copy deadlines for the March/April issue are: March-May Calendar Activities: February 25
All Other Submissions: February 1
19*Annual World Series of Birding: MOS Goes For It a 4th Time! by Norm Saunders
For the third year in a row, the Maryland Ornithological Society (MOS) sent a team to the 2000 World Series of Birding (WSB). From midnight to midnight, Saturday May 13, our team participated in birdathon history. For twenty-four windy hours, culminating in a spectacular thunderstorm and lightning show over Delaware Bay, our Maryland Yellowthroats birded New Jersey’s Cape May County hotspots looking for as many species as possible. Led by captains Hal Wierenga and Lynn Davidson, and joined by elite Maryland birders Mark Hoffman and Marshall Iliff, the team tallied 180 species to place 10" overall and to tie for 1* in the Cape May County competition with the team led by another home-grown birder, Michael O’Brien!
If you missed all the fun and excitement of last year’s competition, plan to join us on May 12, 2001! Once again, MOS will sponsor a WSB team of a few of Maryland’s finest birders. Corporate and individual supporters are needed to help make this a successful event. Let’s talk a bit about the team and about the WSB and how you can ensure the success of this effort.
Why are we sponsoring this team? First, for the sheer joy of rooting for the home team in the premier competitive birding event in the United States. Second, and just as critical, to raise money from donations and pledges to support the on-going Education, Research, and Sanctuary programs of the Society, programs that contribute to the environmental well-being of the State of Maryland. MOS grossed over $2,800 and cleared just about $1,000 after expenses. Contributions from earlier efforts have funded the Mist Net Replacement Fund and several additional MOS Scholarships. Over the three years that MOS has competed in the World Series we have grossed just shy of $10,000, have had a net profit of $4,500, and still have $2,500 of that net profit unspent.
How can you contribute? Well, we are soliciting pledges and donations from members and other individuals interested in our work. Last year we outfitted our team with team baseball caps and paid their housing and automotive expenses for the week preceding the World Series, a week taken up by the all-important phase of scouting all the nooks and crannies of Cape May County. We are also looking for business supporters. All income from donations and pledges will go to support the on-going Education, Research, and Sanctuary programs of the Society. Most importantly, since the Maryland Ornithological Society is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, all of your donations are fully tax-deductible.
How MOS Members and Chapters Can Help Support the MD Yellowthroats e Make an individual pledge or fixed contribution.
e Ask your chapter to make a pledge or fixed contribution. e Solicit pledges and fixed contributions from friends, neighbors and family members.
|e Talk to neighborhood businesses that may be interested in supporting the program.
Remember to tell them that major supporters receive free advertising on our MOS State Web Site.
MOS 2001 World Series of Birding Pledge Form
Name:
Address:
City: State: Zip:
Telephone: E-Mail:
__._ My contribution of $ to the MOS World Series of Birding Team is enclosed.
___ My pledge of $ per species seen (expected to range between 150 and 200
species, we will contact you with the actual count by May 31).
Please mail this pledge form (and your check made payable to the Maryland Ornithological Society if you are making an outright contribution) to: Norm Saunders, 1261 Cavendish Drive, Colesville, MD 20905-7030. Pledges may also be submitted to Norm via e-mail at: »arshhawk@worldnet.att.net.
Page 3
DNR Reports...
(continued from page 1, column 1)
National Invasive Species Council and the Maryland Invasive Species Council, to coor- dinate and accelerate efforts in this field. These councils include representatives from vari- ous government agencies, especially agricul- ture and natural resources agencies, and oth- ers. They are developing plans of action to address all the issues of invasive species man- agement. detection, control, restoration, research, edu- cation, and coordination of efforts.
Prevention is the most cost effective means to deal with the situation. It is much cheaper than trying to control or eliminate an invasive species once it has become established. How-
ever, developing effective prevention meth- |
ods is extremely challenging given the nu- merous pathways invasive species have of
tions by themselves will not solve the prob- lem.
Once an invasive species has become es- tablished, control is a costly proposition. Ide-
ally, control should occur when the species |
first becomes established. Using starlings as an example; it would have been relatively easy to eliminate their invasion at the time they were released in Central Park, New York in the 1800s as compared to the cost of eradi- cating them from the continental United States today (which is an impossible task). DNR has estimated the cost of eradicating nutria from Maryland’s coastal marshes at well over $10 million. Eradication may not always be fea- sible or necessary, but controlling expansion or increases of invasive species is advisable before the species becomes a problem else- where.
Restoration of damaged ecosystems is the |
final step in the invasive species arena. This can also be extremely expensive, depending on the extent of the damage. Included in this phase is usually a maintenance aspect to in- sure that the invasive species does not reinvade the ecosystem.
We are just starting to tackle this gigantic problem at the state and federal levels. It will take some time and resources to accomplish. Public support and awareness is needed to assist in these efforts. Please stay tuned!
Hart-Miller Island
(continued from page 1, column 2)
activities. I will be serving on this Subcom- mittee.
Major construction activities are tenta- tively scheduled to begin in fall 2001. The construction phase of the South Cell Environ- mental Restoration Project has not yet re- ceived official funding by the Corps. I will continue to provide periodic updates as the project progresses.
These include prevention, early |
| (continued ‘from page 1, column 3)
_ boulders placed along the shoreline to stop erosion also made walking difficult. Peters built
Chapter Chatter
government agencies and the private sector. The Wetland was created 15 years ago with muck dredged from the Bay. It lies between the Locust Point Marine Terminal and the ventilation building for the Fort McHenry Tunnel. According to the Baltimore Sun’s article of November 5, Jim and his wife, Paula, “began hacking down the weeds with a sickle to create a path, but when they reached the last several hundred feet of the wetland, they ran into a problem. The
a path one bucket of dirt at a time and then seeded the area.” He carved steps out of dirt, reinforced them with wood, put up hand rails, and made benches along the trails. Then, he brought in the feeders, Purple Martin gourd houses, an Osprey platform, and Tree Swallow
_ boxes. He also marked the trail and its vistas with signs. Some honor people who have been
_ working and planning with him and others are evocative of places such as Walden Pond. A
man of many talents, Jim has even composed the Volunteer Song. The Baltimore Aquarium has installed a water quality monitoring station and weather station in the wetlands. Four biology majors from Morgan State are helping at the site, and Boy Scout Troop 980 is helping to maintain the trail. The Baltimore Bird Club has been conducting a bird study of the area, the “First Wednesdays at Fort McHenry.” So far they have identified 134 species at the Wetland. (See the Yellowthroat of March/April 2000, page 6.) Jim and Barbara Ross have established a
; _ banding station as well. They started banding on August 23 and hope to continue throughout accessing our ecosystems. Laws and regula- |
the year, one day per week, weather permitting. At this date they have banded 200 birds.
How You Can Participate in the Fort McHenry Project—In addition to the First Wednes- day at Fort McHenry walks, Jim Peters has scheduled three Saturday walks. Participants will meet at 8:00 a.m. in the Fort’s parking lot on January 27, February 17, and March 17 for
_ passerines and waterfowl. With Jean Worthley’s help, Jim has made an approved list of native
trees and shrubs to plant next April on “Wetland Arbor Day,” the exact date to be announced. Donations of plants and labor will be appreciated. Jeanne Bowman has already donated a
_ dozen Kousa Dogwood trees she dug from her garden which Jim planted at the Wetland in
October. For more information, contact Gail Frantz at 410-833-7135 ( guineabird@aol.com) or
Carol Schreter at 410-664-5151.
Dorchester County Members of Talbot Chapter Find a Sandhill Crane—For about two weeks, beginning in late July and ending on August 12th, many area birders enjoyed seeing a Sandhill Crane on Hooper’s Island. First word of the bird’s presence came via a phone call from a Hooper's Island resident to the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. The resident wondered if anyone was interested in this strange bird. Interested indeed! Blackwater staff sent word to Levin Willey, who often volunteers at Blackwater and is a highly experienced birder. But Levin was at work, so his wife, Diane, rushed on down and became the first birder to confirm the report. Levin and Diane are members of the Talbot County Chapter who reside in Dorchester County. Levin proceeded down to see the bird as soon as he was available, and by then Les Roslund of the Talbot Chapter had also paid a visit. Subsequently, with full approval of the property owner, the presence of the bird was publicized via the internet, and many birders shared the viewing of a very tame and cooperative crane. After a couple of weeks, the local supply of black cherries from the property owner’s tree was depleted. Then the bird bade farewell to its hosts, and departed, leaving many pictures and memories behind. The property owners now have a metal replica of a crane in their yard as a reminder of their special visitor in the summer of 2000.
Harford Countians Try a Fish Diet—Debbie Saylor described a recent adventure in Alaska: “My husband Larry and I spent three wonderful weeks cruising the Inside Passage of Alaska. I recommend a small ship cruise, for the larger vacation ships cannot reach the tight passage where all the glaciers and wildlife are located. The biodiversity of wildlife is fantastic! We saw tons of eagles...they are so common there, sitting on the light posts, sitting in the Sitka pines,( you first notice tufts of white cotton balls in the pines) then you realize that there are about 30 Bald Eagles in that tree. When you fish for salmon, you must keep your catch close to you. The eagles are such opportunists, that they will hop over to you and steal your fish. My husband, who lives and breathes for fishing, was delighted to bring home 184 pounds of fileted halibut and King Salmon. We'll be eating fish for the next ten years!”
Young Baltimore County Birder Spots a Special Bird—According to an article by Gail Frantz in the Baltimore Bird Club’s Chip Notes, Lauren Costley, then age eight, saw the “red bird” on an outing to Soldiers Delight with her father, Keith Eric Costley. She “insisted that the mystery bird was not a Cardinal ‘cause it didn’t have a crest nor did it have black wings like a Scarlet Tanager.” Summer Tanagers have not bred in Baltimore County since 1977, but Keith believed Lauren. The following spring, he searched Soldiers Delight and managed to locate
(continued on page 14, column 1)
Page 4
[really wanted to doacolumn on ducks. I really did. Only, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. This was, by far, the most frustrating subject I have yet researched on the web. It was not fun, the results weren't worth the agony, and I almost gave it up in despair. But every good birder and surfer learns to take the hard knocks and press on for better days, and so here I am.
I first thing I learned is that there are more teams in the world named The Mighty Ducks than there are species of ducks on my life list. The second thing I learned is that the world of ducks on the web is made for hunters. Sigh.
Okay, that being said, there were a few useful sites that you might want to visit.
Ducks of the World focuses on a selection of dabbler species. It includes photos and a facts table, information about nesting and wintering areas, and references. The She/ducks site presents a similar arrangement, as does Waterfowl and Wildfowl. The Animal Diversity Web includes a sections on some duck species, and provides photos, songs, facts and life histories, although not all data is available for all species. Some of these may be works in progress and would be worth tracking at a later date. Two photo galleries can be found on the Virtual Birder site, one for dabbler and the other for divers.
If you are looking for identification aids you will love Ducks at a Distance. This is an online reproduction of the classic Bob Hines (USF&WS) pamphlet of the same name, which is an excellent aid to identifying duck profiles. The site is part of the USGS site and you can
Animal Diversity Web Breeding Distribution of Ducks DuckData
Quack, Quack said the Web Surfer
by Fran Saunders
view the material online or download a copy for future reference (1.58 MB). Topography and characteristics of duck species are developed on the Waterfowl. You will also want to check out Waterfowl! ID in the Central Flyway, where you will find information about duck character- istics and topography. Ducks are, of course, also covered on the all- around identification sites, such as the Patuxent site we often mention here.
You can also find a good selection of data on scientific projects concerning ducks. USGS has an online monograph on the Breeding Distribution of Ducks, while the Patuxent site lists its waterfowl projects, giving a short description of each. There are many concerning local issues that would surely interest MOS members. Duck Data is a bibliography of published literature on North American waterfowl, concentrating on conservation and management and other like issues. You can search online and download items of interest.
There are also species sites, although you won't find very many.
Among the better sites were two for teachers. Ducks for Teachers and Kids includes a FAQ on duck attributes and behavior and lovely drawings and illustrations. It provides resources for activities, such as songs, poems, clipart and coloring sheets. Ducks is a teaching plan for use with primary students. This is a no-frills offering that is neverthe- less full of activities lists and resource outlines.
If you have been lucky enough to happen upon a useful duck site, do let me know so I can share it with others next time around. Until then, great birding....and good surfing....
animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/chordata/aves/anseriformes/anatidae.html www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/ distr/birds/distduck/distduck.htm www.nwrc.gov/duckdata/duckdata.html
Ducks
Ducks at a Distance
Ducks for Teachers and Kids
Ducks of the World
Patuxent’s Waterfow] Projects Shelducks of the World
Virtual Birder: Dabbler Gallery Virtual Birder: Diver Gallery Waterfowl ID in the Central Flyway
www libsci.sc.edu/ miller /ducks.html www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/tools/duckdist/duckdist.htm kiddyhouse.com/Farm/ducks.html www.utm.edu/departments/ed/cece/ducks.shtml
www.pwrc.nbs.gov /watfowl.htm
www.utm.edu/ departments /ed/cece/shelducks.shtml www.virtualbirder.com/ vbirder/onLoc/onLocDirs/ CHIN /Gallery.html www.virtualbirder.com /vbirder/onLoc/onLocDirs /SACH/Gallery.html www.npwic.usgs.gov/ resource /tools/ waterfwl/waterfwl.htm
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Page 5
Conservation News Updates by Maureen F. Harvey
Feds Declare Virginia Horseshoe Crab Moratorium - In the September / October 2000 issue, this column reported MOS’ participa- tion with the American Bird Conservancy in an effort to halt the harvesting of horseshoe crabs in Virginia. Also, Montgomery Chapter (and perhaps others) wrote to the Commerce Department Secretary in favor of a horseshoe crab moratorium. Virginia had refused to accept a quota to protect the crab from over-fishing. The U.S. Commerce Department shut down Virginia’s horseshoe crab fishery effective October 23, 2000.
CARA Side-stepped by Senate - The Conservation and Reinvest- ment Act (CARA) was never brought up for a vote in the Senate. Details of what went wrong appeared in the November 2000 issue of the American Birding Association’s newsletter “Winging It.” CARA would have provided $350 million annually to the states from offshore oil revenues to be used for wildlife-related conservation, recreation, and education. Instead wildlife enthusiasts received another hollow promise in the form of an anemic Interior Appropriations bill that was passed and signed into law. The law authorizes but does not guaran- tee appropriation of $50 million in grants for competitive application by the states. Quick action by dedicated CARA supporters yielded an additional bill based on the Commerce, Justice, and State (C-J-S) Appropriations Conference Report that copied CARA’s Title III lan- guage. The C-J-S bill would provide an additional $50 million per year for five years directly to the states for wildlife conservation. This wildlife bill copied CARA’s plan to establish a subaccount to the Pittman-Robertson Fund to make use of existing bureaucracy and CARA’s formula for allocating funds to each state. However, it was not passed. Although disappointing to those of us who worked so hard to convince our U.S. Senators and Representatives to pass CARA, we'll regroup and try again with the new President and Congress.
Permits Denied for Proposed Douglas Point Gravel Pit- Nanjemoy activists are celebrating! I received a thank-you email from Deanna Wheeler of Nanjemoy, MD for MOS’s letters to Charles Co. Zoning Board of Appeals, Governor Glendening, PEPCO, and so on. Our letter, stressing the economic benefits of preserving Douglas Point for conservation, education, and ecotourism compared to the damaging impact of a gravel mine, appeared in the November December 2000 issue of this publication. Deanna wrote on October 18", “We won the first round before the Zoning Board of Appeals with 5-0 decision....Thank you for all that you have done. We all earned this victory. What a group effort! What a good feeling!” Maryland Rock plans to appeal the decision, claiming they did not get a fair hearing because of interference from federal, state, and county officials who want to acquire and preserve the land. Deanna provides current news
on this issue at www.nanjemoy.net/ protect.
Mute Swan Control Will Need MOS Volunteers - You probably don’t know that Dale Johnson, Jug Bay Chapter President, has been MOS’ ears on Maryland’s Mute Swan Task Force since October 2000.
The Conservation Connection
She reports that the task force expects to complete its final report (white paper) in December. The white paper will include recom- mended actions to reduce the rampant mute swan population so destructive to habitat and native breeding birds in and around the Chesapeake Bay. Conservation groups like the MOS will be asked to provide volunteers to help DNR employees carry out the plan. Stand ready for the call!
MOS Chapters Name Conservation Representatives - The Con- servation Committee asked each chapter to provide the name, ad- dress, phone number, and email address of a conservation contact person. The conservation representative will occasionally receive email on hot issues of statewide concern that may suggest a specific action or simply provide current information to pass along to the local chapter. The following list presents the chapter representatives submitted by press time. If your chapter does not have a representa- tive, please consider volunteering. MOS is NOT strictly a birding organization; conservation of birds and their habitats is part of our charter. Your chapter president and the Conservation Committee would appreciate hearing from you. Information will be submitted to chapter presidents for those chapters currently without a conserva- tion representative. The Conservation Committee looks forward to working with you!
Allegany Charles Hager
Anne Arundel Steve Carr & Eileen McClellan Baltimore Peter Lev
Caroline (To be determined)
Carroll Maureen Harvey
Cecil Doug Senn
Frederick Bob Balestri Harford Debbie Bowers Howard Bob Solem
Kent (To be determined) Montgomery Gail Mackiernan Patuxent (To be determined) Talbot (To be determined) Tri-County Ilia Fehrer Washington Annette Jeffers
Maryland Legislative Session Opens January 10, 2001 - Rich Dolesh, MOS Conservation Committee member and head of DNR’s Wildlife and Heritage Division, expects another bill on Sunday hunt- ing and a proposed change to the Maryland Endangered Species Act. He asks us to keep an open mind about any Sunday hunting initiative until we hear the specifics. Other bills of interest to MOS may come “out of the blue.” Rich states, “MOS can be very effective if members are mobilized to contact their own elected Senators and Delegates when bills are in committee or on the floor.” He also reminds us, “MOS should not just have a platform of opposition; there will be worthy legislation that MOS can and should support.”
Page 6
The MOS Dateline
January 2001 through December 2001
January 5 Christmas Count Season Ends 15 Mid-Winter Count Season Begins 25 Deadline for Mar/Apr/ May Meeting/ Field Trip Schedule Submission to Les Eastman 31 Scholarship Applications Due to Jean Fry
February 1 Deadline for Mar/Apr Yellowthroat Submissions to Norm Saunders 1 State MOS Budget Submissions Due to Paul Zucker 15 Board Meeting Agenda Items Due To Karen Morley 15 Mid-Winter Count Season Ends TBA MD/DC Records Committee Annual Meeting
March 10 State Board Meeting, Baltimore 15 Deadline to submit Winter (December to February) bird sightings to Dan Southworth and to Jim Stasz Deadline for May/Jun/Jul/ Aug Meeting /Field Trip Schedule Submission to Les Eastman
April 1 Deadline for May/Jun Yellowthroat Submissions to Norm Saunders 7 Irish Grove Spring Work Weekend 28 Carey Run Spring Work Weekend
May 2 May Count 12 2001 World Series of Birding (Support your Yel- lowthroats!) 15 Board Meeting Agenda Items Due To Karen Morley
June 1 MOS Grant Applications Due to David Brinker 10 State Board Meeting, Kent 15 Deadline to submit Spring (March to May) bird sightings to Dan Southworth and to Jim Stasz
July 25 Deadline for Sept/Oct/Nov Meeting /Field Trip Schedule Submission to Les Eastman
August
1 Deadline for Sept/Oct Yellowthroat Submissions to
Norm Saunders 10-12. Annual MOS Conference, Salisbury
11 Chapter & Committee Annual Reports due to Karen Morley
15 Board Meeting Agenda Items Due To Karen Morley Deadline to submit Summer (June & July) bird sightings to Dan Southworth and to Jim Stasz
September Membership year commences—renew now! State Board Meeting, location TBA Fall Count Deadline for Nov/Dec/Jan Meeting/Field Trip Sched- ule Submission to Les Eastman
RRer
October 1 Deadline for Nov/Dec Yellowthroat Submissions to Norm Saunders 27-28 Irish Grove Fall Work Weekend
November 15 Board Meeting Agenda Items Due To Karen Morley 25 Deadline for Jan/Feb/Mar Meeting/Field Trip Schedule Submission to Les Eastman
December
1 Deadline for Jan/Feb Yellowthroat Submissions to Norm Saunders
1 MOS Grant Applications Due to David Brinker
8 State Board Meeting, Location TBA
15 Deadline to submit Fall (August to November) bird sightings to Dan Southworth and to Jim Stasz
14 Christmas Count Season Begins
31 Conference Pin Contest Entries Due to John Malcolm
The Smithsonian’s Neighborhood Nestwatch
The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center has recently launched Neighborhood Nestwatch, a citizen-based scientific research project conducted during the spring and summer months in the backyards of those living in urban, suburban, and rural environments of the Washington D.C. - Baltimore region. Urban sprawl is destroy-
ing wildlife habitat at an unprecedented rate, adversely impacting |
birds and increasing public isolation from nature. In an effort to mitigate these effects, Neighborhood Nestwatch brings citizens and scientists together to study backyard birds and develop data that is necessary to understand the impact that rapid land conversion is having on bird populations. With the help of Nestwatch staff, birds are netted, banded, measured, released, and their nest success and year-to-year survival monitored. Ultimately, Neighborhood Nestwatch will provide scientific data and public awareness to aid in the associ- ated goals of conservation and responsible growth. If you are interested in participating in this citizen-science project
email us at nestwatch@serc.si.edu or call:
301-261-4190 x344 (D.C)
410-798-4424 x344 (Annapolis)
410-269-1412 x344 (Baltimore)
Jug Bay/Patuxent River Reports by Chris Swarth
Patuxent River Census Set for Feb. 17.—The third annual census of waterbirds on the Patuxent River is set for Saturday, February 17. This one-day count takes place from 7:30 to 10:30 am, and is designed to provide a snapshot of the abundance and distribution of waterbirds on the river. We have established 160 census points from Solomons to Mt. Airy. Atleast 50 counters are needed to visit the census points. An efficient team of counters can visit 5 points in the three-hour counting period. If you want to help or want more information, please contact Chris Swarth (Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary) at jugbay@clark.net or by phone at (410) 741-9330.
Reports Available on Jug Bay/Patuxent River Waterbirds—Those wishing recently-completed reports on waterbird studies on the Patuxent River carried can contact the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary for copies. The two reports available are: “Waterbirds in Freshwater Tidal Wetlands: Population Trends and Habitat Use in the Non-breeding Season”, by Christopher Swarth and Judy Burke and “Summary Report: Patuxent River Waterbird Census; February 1999”, by Chris- topher Swarth and Judy Burke. Copies are $7.50 each (make checks payable to Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary). Send your request to Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, 1361 Wrighton Rd., Lothian, MD 20711.
A total of 12 people participated in the workday weekend at Irish Grove on October 28-29. The weather was mostly pleasant with partly cloudy skies with some wind at times. It was frosty in the mornings and pleasant in the afternoons. Mike Knott had come down the week before to do some odds and ends and to enjoy fishing from his canoe in East Creek. On Friday the 27th, he installed a beam under the kitchen floor with the help of Dick Roberts.
On Saturday the 28th the official workday began around 9 a.m. All 12 participants had arrived by 11 a.m.. and we broke about 12:30 p.m. for a mid-day meal provided by the Sanctuary Committee. We went back to work about 2 p.m. and worked till about 4, when some people left to go home. Nine of us went birding down Rumbly Point Road,
seven had dinner at the house and six spent the night at the house. Star |
and planet gazing was enjoyed that night. On Sunday the 29th, after doing some morning birding, we did
some odds and ends jobs to complete tasks. About 10 a.m. four of us |
remained to walk up the North Trail behind the house to find and blaze a rerouting of a section of the trail that had been invaded by the expanding marsh. Back at the house we had a quick lunch before going birding at Chincoteague NWR. Three spent the night at the house.
On Monday the 30th, we finished up with some housecleaning at the house before everyone departed at noon.
The work completed this Fall was as follows: installed first support beam under the kitchen floor, put straps on several storm windows, junked old refrigerator and replaced with donated metal cabinet, painted garage roof, painted roof and side of pump housing, built a short board walk, pruned Cedar, Rail, and North Trails, cleaned out nest boxes, refitted door and covered holes in the living room closet, tape blazed relocation of North Trail, and started renovation of the tool shed by removing its contents before removing the siding on the east and south sides.
The 12 participants included Polly Bachelder, Brent and Mary Byers, Marty Cribbs, Sue Hamilton, Mike Knott, Dotty Mumford, Nick Nicholson, Betty Pitney, Sue Ricciardi, Dick Roberts, and John Will- iams.
Carey Run Sanctuary
During this past summer work was accomplished on a number of projects that were identified in the house inspection as needing to be done in the next one to three years. These projects will improve the facilities inside the house and protect the buildings from inclement weather.
Committee Restructuring
On November 25, a meeting was held at Dotty Mumford’s house. Attending were Karen Morley, Bob Rineer and Brent Byers. The meeting discussed the aims and goals of the Sanctuary Committee and evaluated how it functioned (or did not function). A recommendation resulting from this meeting is to have the Sanctuary Committee restructured to a five or six member committee made up of people who feel strongly about our sanctuaries and their future. This recommen- dation is to be made at the Board of Directors meeting on December 9. Be sure to read the minutes of that meeting to see whether or not was accepted. Meanwhile, if you think you qualify for this new committee, please contact Karen Morley.
April Workdays The schedule for the workdays in April are as follows:
April 7, 2001 for Irish Grove April 28, 2001 for Carey Run
— OM A A i i i een ER A = he he Tn. | Page 7 7 : = Sanctuary Committee Report The 3rd C& O Canal eee Bird Survey: Birders ioe fue by Peter Vankevich | Irish Grove Workday Weekend
On Sunday, January 21, 2001, the Maryland-D.C. Audubon Coun- cil and the Maryland Ornithological Society, will conduct the Third Annual C&O Canal National Historical Park Mid-Winter Bird Survey. The methodology used is based on the Christmas Bird Counts and Mid-Winter Bird Surveys for the state of Maryland.
The Survey provides valuable information on the resident winter- ing birds; not just which species are present but their abundance relative to specific measured miles of the towpath. This knowledge will help to identify key areas of concentration—a valuable tool for environmental monitoring and for improving habitat management within the park. Over time, as year-to-year survey data is accumu- lated, long term trends in the numbers of birds can be tracked and, because birds are sensitive to changes in their habitat, population declines serve as warnings of problems before it’s too late to act.
We have a special request for experts in chickadee identification to cover miles 114 to 136 (Washington County) on the tow path since this is a transition zone and was the one area that continues to need good coverage.
To volunteer, contact Peter Vankevich, preferably by email or telephone at (202) 547-4523 (H) or (202) 707-0600 (O). All participants will receive the data report broken down mile by mile.
NOAA Climate Internet Site Gets Makeover by John Leslie
One of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) most popular climate Internet sites has been overhauled to highlight NOAA’s climate products that assess and forecast the im- pacts of short-term climate variability, emphasizing enhanced risks of weather-related extreme events. The products can be used in mitigat- ing human and economic losses and maximizing economic gains.
Web users now can easily surf to a 6 to 10-day and seasonal forecasts; seasonal drought, excessive heat, and hurricane season outlooks; and El Nino and La Nina advisories. The Climate Prediction Center’s web site also features expert analysis from meteorologists and climatologists, temperature and precipitation monitoring data,
_U.S> and world temperature and precipitation climate maps and
graphs, and educational materials.
The web site (www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov), is the virtual home of the NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, the division of the National Weather Service that produces these official U.S. seasonal climate outlooks.
“In the Internet Age, finding timely climate forecasts, assessments, and data should not be a headache for anyone,” said Ants Leetmaa, director of the Climate Predictions Center. “This makeover empha- sizes our goal to strengthen relationships with our customers and build relationships with new ones to manage weather and climate- related risk.”
A few of the Climate Prediction Center’s most popular older products are: 6-10 day Outlook, U.S. Treats Assessment, the El Nino/ La Nina Advisory and the 30 and 90 day Outlooks. Within the last year, the Climate Prediction Center has introduced the popular drought assessment, hurricane season outlook, and the excessive heat outlook.
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MOS Field Trips & Meetings January-March 2001
Monday, January 1 FIELD TRIP. Cecil. New Year’s Day & The Seasons at Fair Hill - Winter. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Fair Hill Nature Center Covered Bridge Parking Lot. 1/2 day. For further information, contact the leader, Parke John, at 410-287-6037 (H) or 410-506-3874 (W).
FIELD TRIP. Howard. New Year’s Day. Our annual trip to wher- ever and possibly all over Howard county to tally as many birds for the year 2001. A mid-day lunch stop at a local eating establishment and further afternoon birding for the die hards! For further information, call Bonnie Ott at 410-461-3361.
FIELD TRIP. Montgomery. Earliest Bird Walk - Georgetown Reservoir & DC Hot Spots. Start the new year right. Everyone welcome. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at Georgetown Reservoir, DC, by the gate leading to the dike between the pools. No reservations required. For further information, contact the leader, Mike Bowen, at 301 530-5764.
Wednesday, January 3 FIELD TRIP. Baltimore. First Wednesdays at Ft. McHenry. Monthly survey of bird activity at the wetland. Folding chair and telescope useful. Cancelled in bad weather (high winds, fog, rain). Meet 9:30 a.m. at Fort McHenry. From the entrance, the wetlands are to the right. Meet just past the statue of Orpheus. Coordinators Gail Frantz 410-833-7135, guineabird@aol.com, and Catherine Bishop, 410-435-9569.
Thursday, January 4 MEETING. Frederick. TBD. Meet in the Frederick High School Music Room at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, January 5 MEETING. Anne Arundel. “Rare Birds of Maryland” by Mark Hoffman. 8:00 p.m. at the DNR Conference Room, Tawes Building, corner of Taylor Avenue and Rowe Boulevard, Annapolis.
Saturday, January 6 FIELD TRIP. Baltimore. Saturdays at Hart-Miller Island. Meet 7:00 a.m. sharp. Strenuous carry-your-scope hike, 7 miles on shifting sand and gravel under open sky with no shelter or shade; one rest stop (bathrooms) half way around the trek. Carry drinks, lunch, sunscreen and insect repellant. For shorebirds, possible rare gulls. Merlins and Peregrine Falcons in fall; Snow Buntings in winter. Maryland’s best shorebird hotspot by far. For reservations, call Gene Scarpulla, (410) 388-0852 or ejscarp@juno.com.
HOLIDAY PARTY. Carroll. Our annual holiday party is here again & we always have a good time. 8:00 pm til ?. For more info, call our host Sue Yingling at 410-876-8211.
FIELD TRIP. Montgomery. Gull Workshop at Patuxent Research Refuge. A morning 2-hour concentrated workshop with multiple slides, will be followed by an opportunity to practice I.D. skills on gulls on refuge premises. Call Mike Bowen at 301 530-5764 to sign up. The leaders are Paul Pisano and Mike Bowen.
Sunday, January 7 FIELD TRIP. Harford. Conowingo Gull Watch. Led by noted gull- watcher Gene Scarpulla, this all-morning trip may turn up such winter rarities as Iceland, Lesser Black-backed, or Black-headed Gulls. Non-gulls should include Bald Eagle, Black-crowned Night- Heron, and mergansers. Mostly stationary trip with only minimal walking; heavy clothing and a warm beverage recommended. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the base of the dam, at the East end of Shures Landing Road. For more information, contact coordinator Rick Cheicante at 410-803-2712.
FIELD TRIP. Montgomery. Ducks Unlimited! -Black Hill Regional Park. Predictably excellent for wintering waterfowl, and good also for raptors, finches, and possible red-headed woodpeckers. Meet at 9:00 a.m. in front of the park visitor center. Scopes and snacks desirable . Reservations not required. Call the leader, Howard Elitzak, at 703 575-8418 to determine trip status in the event of inclement weather.
Thursday, January 11 MEETING. Howard. “Maryland Coast to Crest: A Look at our State’s Diverse Wildlife,” by Dr. Charles Stine. Programs are held at Longfellow Elementary School, 5470 Hesperus Drive, Columbia. Hospitality session and club book store at 7:30 p.m. Meeting/ Program begins at 8:00 p.m. For further information contact Don Waugh at 410-381-8841.
MEETING. Montgomery. “Birding in Eastern Australia” by Donald Messersmith, Montgomery County Chapter, MOS. 7:30 p.m. at the Potomac Presbyterian Church, 10301 River Road, Potomac, MD.
Friday, January 12 MEETING. Harford. Program TBD. Meet at 7:00 p.m. at Churchville Presbyterian Church, MD 22 & MD 136. For further information, call 410-692-9305.
Friday-Monday, January 12-15 FIELD TRIP. Montgomery. Outer Banks, North Carolina. Wintering ducks, geese, swans, shorebirds, loon, gannets. Search also for less common gulls and a variety of wintering land birds. A perennially popular trip. Reservations required. Tentative limit: 14. Jim Green will co-lead. For motel and trip information, contact the leader, Frank Witebsky, at 301 871-7990.
Saturday-Monday, January 13-15 FIELD TRIP. Howard. Ocean City and environs. We are putting together a trip for the eastern shore. Call Bonnie for details and to reserve a spot. For further information, call Bonnie Ott at 410-461- 3361.
Saturday, January 13 FIELD TRIP. Anne Arundel. Conowingo Dam, Harford County for gulls, gulls, gulls and other wintering birds. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Severna Park Park & Ride lot located in the NW corner at the intersection of Jones Station Road and Ritchie Highway. For further information, contact the leader, Sue Ricciardi, at 410-647- 9513.
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FIELD TRIP. Baltimore. Winter Waterfowl at Marshy Point. Our first visit to Baltimore County’s newest nature center for winter waterfowl: ducks, geese, swans. Half mile trail leads to point overlooking Dundee Creek. Boots advisable. Telescopes useful. Exit Beltway 1-695 at Rt. 702 south. 2nd exit onto Chase/Eastern Blvd. Go 6 miles. Turn right at sign for Dundee & Saltpeter Creek Park. Go 1/4 mile to dead end. Alternate date: Sat Jan 20 if weather is questionable. To confirm, call the leader and Chief Naturalist, Bob Stanhope or the coordinator, Bea Nicholls at 410-687-1461 or birderbea@aol.com.
FIELD TRIP. Cecil. Ocean Trip. Meet at 6:00 a.m. at the Big Elk Mall Dunkin Doughnuts Parking Lot Area. Full Day. For further information, contact the leader, Sean McCandless, at 410-392-3407.
FIELD TRIP. Frederick. Frederick County Feeder Watch. A leisurely tour to 5 member homes to watch our winter residents. Call Lois Kauffman at 301-845-6690 for details.
FIELD TRIP. Kent. Feeder watch at the Lorenz’s home. Meet at the Dollar General Store parking lot at the intersection of Rt. 213 and Spring Avenue, Chestertown at 8:30 a.m.
FIELD TRIP. Montgomery. Conowingo Dam, Harford County, MD. Gull Workshop attendees particularly welcome for furthering gull I.D. skills. Also other wintering waterbirds. No reservations needed but contact leader for directions. Meet at 9:00 at base of dam in front of the pavilion and restrooms. Bring scope and lunch, warm drinks. Car pooling from Montgomery County encouraged. For further information, contact the leader, Mike Bowen, at 301 530-5764.
FIELD TRIP. Washington. A walk along the C & O Canal. Meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Dept. of Motor Vehicles Park & Ride on Rt. 65. Contact Judy Lilga at 301-432-2276 for further information.
Sunday, January 14 FIELD TRIP. Baltimore. Conowingo Dam for gulls and eagles. Thousands of gulls, possibly some rarities, as well as waterfowl, raptors and eagles. Wear warm clothing and boots. Telescopes useful. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the White Marsh Mall at light pole on NE side of Sears. For further information, contact the leader, Gene Scarpulla, at 410-821-0575.
MEETING. Baltimore. Covered Dish Supper at 5:30 p.m.. “Birding Adventures in Cuba” with world traveling McCormick Spice Company purchase agent and birder Hank Kaestner. For your dish assignment, register by Thursday, Jan 11 with Carolyn Webb at 410- 486-1217.
Thursday, January 18 MEETING. Caroline. “Birder’s Eye View of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed” presented by Dr. Wayne Bell. Meet at 7:30 p.m. at the Caroline County Public Library, Denton Meeting Room, 100 Market Street, Denton, MD.
Sunday, January 21 FIELD TRIP. Harford. South Baltimore. Target species include Ring-necked Pheasant, Short-eared Owl, sparrows and waterfowl. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the I-95 / MD 152 Park and Ride lot. For further details contact Mark Johnson at 410-692-5978.
Tuesday, January 23 MEETING. Washington. Potluck Dinner at 6:30 p.m. & Monthly Meeting at 7:30 at the Mt. Aetna Nature Center. Bring a covered dish to share. Our speaker is Mike Welch, a Frederick County MOS member. Mike is presenting a program on “50 Years of the Catoctin Christmas Count” and “An Overview of Frederick May Counts.” Contact Janet Shields at 301-416-7109 for more information.
Saturday, January 27 FIELD TRIP. Cecil. Cecil Waterfowl. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the North East Plaza Acme Parking Lot. 1/2 day. For further information, contact the leader, Leslie Fisher, at 410-658-2427.
FIELD TRIP. Howard. Piney Run (Carroll County). Bird this large body of water surrounded by mixed habitat. Wide variety of waterfowl and winter land birds possible. Moderate walking. Scopes recommended. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the main gates off Martz Road. For further information, contact the leaders, Dave and Maureen Harvey, at 410-795-3117.
Sunday, January 28 FIELD TRIP. Anne Arundel. Annapolis Neck & Thomas Point, A. A. County. Waterfowl birding and socializing over soup. Meet at 12:00 noon at the Bay Ridge Shop. For further information, contact the leader, Gerald Winegrad, at 410-280-8956.
Thursday, February 1 MEETING. Frederick. Bill Young will show his video entitled “Wings of Silence, Owls of Australia.” Meet in the Frederick High School Music Room at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, February 2 MEETING. Anne Arundel. “Bay Scapes - Landscapes for Wildlife” by Britt Slattery. 8:00 p.m. at the DNR Conference Room, Tawes Building, corner of Taylor Avenue and Rowe Boulevard, Annapo- lis.
Saturday, February 3 FIELD TRIP. Baltimore. Saturdays at Hart-Miller Island. Meet 7:00 a.m. sharp. Strenuous carry-your-scope hike, 7 miles on shifting sand and gravel under open sky with no shelter or shade; one rest stop (bathrooms) half way around the trek. Carry drinks, lunch, sunscreen and insect repellant. For shorebirds, possible rare gulls. Merlins and Peregrine Falcons in fall; Snow Buntings in winter. Maryland’s best shorebird hotspot by far. For reservations, call Gene Scarpulla, (410) 388-0852 or ejscarp@juno.com.
FIELD TRIP. Harford. Black Marsh & North Point State Park. Morning trip to Baltimore County hotspots along the Chesapeake shoreline. A mixture of habitats attracts a wide variety of birds, ranging from waterfowl (Canvasback and Lesser Scaup) to Winter Wren, Northern Harrier and Fox Sparrow. Mostly flat walking. Meet at 7:00 a.m. at the MD 152/I-95 Park & Ride (Magnolia-Joppa exit). For further information, contact the leaders, Larry and Jean Fry, at 410-452-8539.
FIELD TRIP. Montgomery. Ocean City to Broadkill Marsh. Winter- ing waterfowl, gulls, terns, shorebirds. Meet at 8:30 a.m. at the parking lot at Ocean City Inlet. Bring scope, food and warm drinks. Reservations required. For further information, contact the leader, John Bjerke, at 301 963-8525.
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FIELD TRIP. Washington. Lily Pons with Judy Lilga. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Rt. 66 Park & Ride. Call Judy at 301-432-2276 to find out
more.
Sunday, February 4 FIELD TRIP. Anne Arundel. George Washington Birthplace, VA. Lots of waterfowl. Meet at 9:00 a.m. at the Parole Park & Ride lot located off Harry Truman Parkway. For further information, contact the leader, Doug Forsell, at 410-626-8486.
Tuesday, February 6 MEETING. Baltimore. “The Lives of Birds” by Chris Manning. 7:30 p-m. at Cylburn Mansion. The Mansion is located off Greenspring Avenue one block south of Northern Parkway (accessible from I-83 Northern Parkway exit south of the Beltway) in Baltimore.
Wednesday, February 7 FIELD TRIP. Baltimore. First Wednesdays at Ft. McHenry. Our monthly “sit” to assist the National Aquarium in surveying bird activity around a 10-acre man-made (mitigated) wetland.. Folding chair and telescope useful. Cancelled in bad weather (high winds, fog, rain). Meet 9:30 a.m. at Fort McHenry. From the entrance, the wetlands are to the right. Meet just past the statue of Orpheus. Coordinators Gail Frantz 410-833-7135, guineabird@aol.com, and Catherine Bishop, 410-435-9569.
MEETING. Carroll. “Photography & Birds” by Bob Boner. Meet 7:30 p.m. at Carroll Community College, Westminster. For more info, call Laura Tarbell at 410-857-1109.
Thursday, February 8 Meeting. Howard. “The Role of Bird Rehabilitation in Conservation and Education,” by Corin Parks of the Carrie Murray Nature Center. Programs are held at Longfellow Elementary School, 5470 Hesperus Drive, Columbia. Hospitality session and club bookstore at 7:30 p.m. Meeting / Program begins at 8:00 p.m. For further information contact Don Waugh at 410-381-8841.
MEETING. Montgomery. “Patuxent River Ospreys: 1973 to 2000” by Steve Cardano, Nanjemoy Creek Environmental Education Center. 7:30 p.m. at the Potomac Presbyterian Church, 10301 River Road, Potomac, MD.
Saturday, February 10 FIELD TRIP. Anne Arundel. National Zoo, Washington, DC for caged exotics and unexpected natives. Meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Parole Park & Ride lot located off Harry Truman Parkway. For further information, contact the leader, Paul Speyser, at 410-266- 5669.
FIELD TRIP. Baltimore. New Design Road and Lilypons. For Horned Larks, sparrows and hawks, possible Lapland Longspurs. Telescopes useful. Some walking in exposed, cold, windy fields; wear warm clothing and boots. Meet 8:00 a.m. at the Security Boulevard Park & Ride at the east end of I-70. For further informa- tion, contact the leader, Pete Webb, at 410-486-1217.
FIELD TRIP. Harford. Bradenbaugh Flats. Traditional trip to the gentle rolling fields of the Upper Deer Creek watershed for Horned Lark, Snow Bunting, Lapland Longspur, and Eastern Meadowlark. Other stops may turn up waterfowl] and winter sparrows such as White-crown. Meet at 9:00 a.m. at Jarrettsville Elementary School, located on MD 23, a half mile west of MD 165. The morning trip will consist mostly of drive-and-stop birding. For further informa- tion, contact the leader, Dennis Kirkwood, at 410-692-5905.
FIELD TRIP. Kent. Feeder watch at the Stotts’ home. Meet at the Dollar General Store parking lot at the intersection of Rt. 213 and Spring Avenue, Chestertown at 8:30 a.m.
Thursday, February 15 MEETING. Caroline. “Birds of Australia and New Zealand” presented by Dr. Don Meritt. Meet at 7:30 p.m. at the Caroline County Public Library, Denton Meeting Room, 100 Market Street, Denton, MD.
Friday-Monday, February 16-19 FIELD TRIP. Montgomery. Presidents’ Birthday Observance Weekend, Delmarva Peninsula: Wilmington, DE to Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. (Joint with ANS). Winter waterfowl, songbirds, possibly white-winged gulls, eiders, harlequin ducks and great cormorants. For further details, look in late 2000/early 2001 issues of ANS Naturalist News. For further information and reservations, contact the leader, Paul DuMont, at 703-931-8994.
Saturday-Monday, February 17-19 FIELD TRIP. Anne Arundel. Winter Weekend Birding Trip from Bombay Hook to Chincoteague. Make reservations by Feb 9. For further information and reservations, contact the leader, Dotty Mumford, at 410-849-8336.
FIELD TRIP. Carroll. Annual President’s Day weekend at the beach. Come spend all or part of this weekend with us birding the Eastern Shore area. Limited accommodations. For more info, call Bob Ringler at 410-549-6031.
FIELD TRIP. Frederick. President's Weekend Trip to Southern Maryland or Eastern Shore, where the really rare birds are. Call Mike Welch at 301-874-5828 to reserve a spot.
Saturday, February 17 FIELD TRIP. Baltimore. Cape Henlopen to Ocean City. Trip to Delaware coast and Ocean City in search of Scoters, Oldsquaw, Brant, Purple Sandpipers, Red-throated Loons, and Gannets. Eiders and Harlequin Ducks possible. Telescopes very useful. Meals bought on the road. Meet at 7:00 a.m. at Nursery Road - Hammonds Ferry Road Park & Ride at Beltway Exit 8. Optional meeting place: Cape May-Lewes Ferry parking lot at 10:00 a.m. For further information, contact the leader, Pete Webb, at 410-486-1217.
FIELD TRIP. Cecil. Pot Luck - Determined by Rare Bird Alerts. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Big Elk Mall Dunkin Doughnuts Parking Lot Area. Full Day. For further information, contact the leader, Brian Moyer, at 410-306-0967 (W) or 410-378-5307 (H).
Sunday, February 18 FIELD TRIP. Howard. Alpha Ridge Landfill. Meet at the parking lot at the entrance at 8:00 a.m. Bird the landfill for possible Rough- legged Hawk, winter sparrows, possible pipit and Horned Lark. Difficult walking over hills and short grass areas. Dress VERY warmly. For further information, contact the leader, Ralph Cullison, at 410-442-2181.
Friday, February 23 FIELD TRIP. Frederick. Timberdoodles at Audrey Carroll. Meet at the Park & Ride, Rte. 75 just south of I-70 at 5:30 p.m. Bring a flashlight.
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Saturday, February 24 FIELD TRIP. Baltimore. Patuxent Naval Air Station. Southern Maryland reservation-only trip for winter delights. Guaranteed to get lots of Horned Larks, Savannah Sparrows, Common Snipe, and a great variety of waterfowl. Snow Bunting likely, Lapland Long- spur and Short-eared Owl possible. Limit 20 people, by reservation only. Call Pete Webb at 410-486-1217, or pwebb@bcpl.net , to reserve your space on this special trip. “Snow date” is March 10. The leader is Kyle Rambo.
FIELD TRIP. Cecil. Eastern Neck NWR. Meet at 7:00 a.m. at the Big Elk Mall Dunkin Doughnuts Parking Lot Area. Full Day. For further information, contact the leader, Parke John, at 410-287-6037 (H) or 410-506-3874 (W).
Sunday, February 25 FIELD TRIP. Harford. Maryland and Delaware Shore. Eiders, Harlequin Duck, Brown-headed Nuthatch, and Purple Sandpiper could highlight this annual favorite. Meet at 6:00 a.m. at the MD 155 & I-95 commuter lot (Havre de Grace exit). Bring lunch or buy en route. Wear warm, comfortable clothing; scope helpful. For further information, contact the leader, Les Eastman, at 410-734-6969 or les_eastman@netfox.net.
FIELD TRIP. Howard. Black Hill Regional Park (Montgomery County). Bring scopes if possible to bird this large reservoir for waterfowl and the surrounding mixed habitat for winter birds. Possible are loons, Red-necked and other grebes, Goldeneye, Long- tailed Duck. Bald Eagle, Red-headed Woodpecker, Red-breasted Nuthatch and American Tree Sparrow. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the Lisbon park and ride. Call Kate for meeting spot questions at 410- 489-7052 or the leader, Paul Zucker, for trip info at 301-279-7896.
FIELD TRIP. Montgomery. Black Hill Regional Park. Waterfowl, land birds. Meet at the visitor center at 8:00 a.m. Bring scope and snacks. For further information, contact the leader, Rob Gibbs, at 301-253-6903.
Tuesday, February 27 MEETING. Washington. Jonathan Kays of the Western Maryland Research & Education Center in Keedysville will speak about “The Challenges Facing Forests and Wildlife in the Mid-Atlantic: Past, Present and Future.” The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Mt. Aetna Nature Center. Contact Janet Shields at 301-416-7109 for more information.
Thursday, March 1 MEETING. Frederick. Beth Zang will regale us with tales from Attu. Meet in the Frederick High School Music Room at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 2 MEETING. Anne Arundel. Annual business meeting and members slide show. 8:00 p.m. at the DNR Conference Room, Tawes Build- ing, corner of Taylor Avenue and Rowe Boulevard, Annapolis.
MEETING. Harford. Program TBD. Meet at 6:15 p.m. at Churchville Presbyterian Church, MD 22 & MD 136. For further information, call 410-692-9305.
Saturday, March 3 FIELD TRIP. Baltimore. Saturdays at Hart-Miller Island. Meet 7:00 a.m. sharp. Strenuous carry-your-scope hike, 7 miles on shifting sand and gravel under open sky with no shelter or shade; one rest stop (bathrooms) half way around the trek. Carry drinks, lunch, sunscreen and insect repellant. For shorebirds, possible rare gulls. Merlins and Peregrine Falcons in fall; Snow Buntings in winter. Maryland’s best shorebird hotspot by far. For reservations, call Gene Scarpulla, (410) 388-0852 or ejscarp@juno.com.
FIELD TRIP. Harford. Perryman. Target species include White- Crowned Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Short-eared Owl and migrating waterfowl. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the Wal-Mart located in Aberdeen on US 40. Most of the walking will be along roads. Call Dave Powell at 410-452-5806 for further details.
Sunday, March 4 FIELD TRIP. Anne Arundel. Huntley Meadows and Dyke Marsh, VA. Freshwater marsh and meadow, King Rails possible. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the Parole Park & Ride lot located off Harry Truman Parkway. For further information, contact the leaders, Bobbi Reichwein at 410-451-2671 or Wafi Rains at 410-573-0352.
Tuesday, March 6 ANNUAL MEETING. Baltimore. “Brown Pelicans in Maryland” by Dave Brinker. 7:30 p.m. at Cylburn Mansion located off Greenspring Avenue one block south of Northern Parkway (accessible from I-83 Northern Parkway exit south of the Beltway) in Baltimore. . .
Wednesday, March 7 FIELD TRIP. Baltimore. First Wednesdays at Ft. McHenry. Monthly survey of bird activity at the wetland. Folding chair and telescope useful. Cancelled in bad weather (high winds, fog, rain). Meet 9:30 a.m. at Fort McHenry. From the entrance, the wetlands are to the right. Meet just past the statue of Orpheus. Coordinators Gail Frantz 410-833-7135, guineabird@aol.com, and Catherine Bishop, 410-435-9569.
MEETING. Carroll. Program to be announced. Meet 7:30 p.m. at Carroll Community College, Westminster. For more info, call Laura Tarbell at 410-857-1109.
FIELD TRIP. Harford. Woodcock Watch, Volume I - Dusk outing to witness the extraordinary display flight of the American Wood- cock. Meet at 5:45 p.m. at the Aberdeen Wal-Mart along US 40. For further information, contact the leader, Dave Webb, at 410-939-3537.
Thursday, March 8 FIELD TRIP. Howard. Weekday Walk at Lake Elkhorn. Walk the paved path around the lake in search of waterfowl , woodpeckers and, Winter Wren. Great walk for new birders. Meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Broken Land Parkway lot. For further information, contact Bonnie Ott at 410-461-3361.
FIELD TRIP. Montgomery. Mckee-Beshers WMA. Wintering landbirds, some waterfowl. Part I: Meet at 7 a.m. at Seneca parking lot (end of Riley’s Lock Rd.). Bird until around 1:30 p.m., then lunch in Poolesville. Part II: Bird from 3 p.m. until dark. Meet at 3 p.m. at Hughes Hollow Parking lot of River Rd. and hopefully finish with a Woodcock display at dusk. Bring folding chair if you want and scope as well.
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Saturday, March 10 FIELD TRIP. Cecil. Blackwater NWR & Beyond. Meet at 7:00 a.m. at the Big Elk Mall Dunkin Doughnuts Parking Lot Area. Full Day. For further information, contact the leader, Sean McCandless, at 410-392-3407.
FIELD TRIP. Carroll. Birding at Centennial Lake in Columbia. Looking for early waterfowl and/or lingering winter residents. Meet 7:30 a.m. at the Park & Ride, Rts 32 & I-70. For more info, call trip leader Dave Harvey at 410-795-3117.
FIELD TRIP. Frederick. Lily Pons. Meet at Lily Pons at 7:30 a.m. For further information, contact Mike Welch at 301-874-5828.
FIELD TRIP. Montgomery. Jug Bay. (Joint with ANS). Possible Rusty Blackbird, migrating Common Snipe and courtship display of Osprey. Meet at 8 a.m. Reservations required. Also check ANS newsletters for more information. For further information and driving instructions, contact the leader, John Bjerke, at 301 963-8525.
Tuesday, March 13 MEETING. Kent. “The Chesapeake Bay Osprey” by Steve Cordano. (He’s been studying them for years!) 7:30 p.m. at the Kent County Library, Chestertown. For further information, contact Pat Wilson, at 410-778-1005.
Wednesday, March 14 FIELD TRIP. Harford. Woodcock Watch, Volume II Another dusk outing to witness the extraordinary display flight of the American Woodcock. Meet at 6:00 p.m. at the Aberdeen Wal-Mart along US 40. Trip TBA. Contact Dave Powell at 410-452-5806 for further details.
Thursday, March 15 MEETING. Caroline. Speaker: Nick Carter. Subject: TBA. Meet at 7:30 p.m. at the Caroline County Public Library, Denton Meeting Room, 100 Market Street, Denton, MD.
Saturday, March 17 FIELD TRIP. Anne Arundel. Severn Run for early migrants. Meet at 7:00 a.m. at the Parole Park & Ride lot located off Harry Truman Parkway. For further information, contact the leader, Dave Walbek, at 410-757-0112.
FIELD TRIP. Baltimore. Middle Creek WMA. Visit this major gathering place for Snow Geese and other waterfowl north of Lancaster PA. There is also an excellent display of mounted birds in its visitor center. Note: Trip may end up going elsewhere if Middle Creek’s reservoir is frozen over. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at Timonium Park & Ride on Greenspring Drive / Deerco Rd. off Timonium Road just east of I-83.For further information, contact the leader, Steve Sanford, at 410-922-5103 or by e-mail at tanager@bcpI.net.
FIELD TRIP. Carroll. Owling at Hugg-Thomas WMA. A chance to not only hear but perhaps see a Barred Owl, Great-Horned Owl & maybe a Screech Owl. Don’t forget to bring flashlights. Meet 8:00 p.m. at the Hugg-Thomas parking lot on Forsythe Rd in Sykesville. For more info, call trip leader Mark Hoffman at 410-549-3598.
FIELD TRIP. Howard. Waterfowl Search. We will carpool to various locations in Howard County to look for migrating water- fowl. Scopes helpful. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the concession stand of Centennial Park. For further information, contact the leader, Jane Coskren, at 410-381-7344.
Sunday, March 18 FIELD TRIP. Anne Arundel. Wooten’s Landing for Woodcocks. Meet at 4:00 a.m. at the Parole Park & Ride lot located off Harry Truman Parkway. For further information, contact the leader, Kathie Lambert at 410-867-4056.
FIELD TRIP. Howard. Centennial Park. Walk around the lake on paved path looking for waterfowl. Fox Sparrows expected. Great for beginners! Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the west end lot on Centennial Lane. For further information, contact the leader, John Maloney, at 301-317-4961.
Tuesday, March 20 FIELD TRIP. Baltimore. Lake Roland. First in a series of weekly walks to follow the progress of spring migration. Two or three hours and miles of walking, early departure possible. Some uneven terrain and steep dikes optional at far end. Spring migrant song- birds. Yellow-crowned Night-Herons possible after March. Meet at 9:00 a.m. at the footbridge in Robert E. Lee Park. Note: possible bridge construction may cause spring walks to be relocated. For further information, contact the leader, Adelaide Rackemann, at 410-823-4709.
FIELD TRIP. Howard. First day of Spring Walk at Wilde Lake. Walk along the lake on paved path and possible muddy woodland path. Waterfowl likely and variety of woodland birds. Meet at 8:30 a.m. at the boat dock. For further information, contact Bonnie Ott at 410-461-3361.
Wednesday, March 21 FIELD TRIP. Harford. Woodcock Watch, Volume III Yet another dusk outing to witness the extraordinary display flight of the American Woodcock. Meet at 6:00 p.m. at the Aberdeen Wal-Mart along US 40. Trip TBA. Contact Dave Powell at 410-452-5806 for further details.
Saturday, March 24 FIELD TRIP. Anne Arundel. Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary for early shorebirds and late waterfowl. Meet at 7:00 a.m. at the Parole Park & Ride lot located off Harry Truman Parkway. For further informa- tion, contact the leader, Dotty Mumford, at 410-849-8336.
FIELD TRIP. Frederick. Piney Run in Carroll County. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the Culler Lake Boathouse in Baker Park. For information contact Marcia Balestri at 301-473-5098.
FIELD TRIP. Harford. Gravel Road Walk to a yet to be determined gravel road in the county. Most of the gravel roads are in undevel- oped areas and can have a variety of birdlife. Target species will be early Spring migrants such as Phoebe and Pine Warbler. Meeting time is 8:00 a.m. at the MD 543 park & ride located a quarter mile from MD 165. For further information, contact the leader, Debbie Bowers at 410-692-9741.
FIELD TRIP. Howard. Mount Pleasant (Fox Sparrow search).Moderate to difficult walking over hilly mown grass areas in search of Fox Sparrows and other wintering species. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the shed. For further information, contact the leader, Kurt Schwarz, at 410-461-1643.
FIELD TRIP. Kent. Eastern Neck NWR for Osprey, eagles, late waterfowl. Meet at the Dollar General Store parking lot at the intersection of Rt. 213 and Spring Avenue, Chestertown at 7:30 a.m. For further information, contact the leader, Howard McIntyre.
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Sunday, March 25 FIELD TRIP. Baltimore. Cylburn Self-guided Walk. Meet 8:00 a.m. at the front porch of Cylburn Mansion. First in a series of casual self-guided spring walks at one of Baltimore’s birding hot spots. For further information, call coordinator Joe Lewandowski at 410- 358-7834 or ilenel@juno.com.
FIELD TRIP. Howard. Centennial Park. Walk around lake on paved path to view waterfowl and early migrants. Great for new birders. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the west end lot off Centennial Lane. For further information, contact the leader, Mike Kerwin, at 410 461 2408.
Tuesday, March 27 FIELD TRIP. Baltimore. Lake Roland. Meet at 9:00 a.m. at the footbridge in Robert E. Lee Park. Note: possible bridge construction may cause spring walks to be relocated. For further information, contact the leader, Chris Manning, at 410-668-8713.
Saturday, March 31 FIELD TRIP. Baltimore. Cromwell Valley Park. A series of walks co-sponsored by the Wild Bird Center. Diverse habitats include a stream, a pond, woods and fields. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the “Willow Grove Farm” Information Kiosk in the park off Cromwell Bridge Road 1.5 miles north of I-695 Beltway exit 29A. For further informa- tion, contact the leader, Jim Meyers, at 410-435-2008.
FIELD TRIP. Harford. Edgewood Area, APG. The Army installation between the Bush and Gunpowder Rivers is one of the best early spring birding areas in the county. The variety may include Horned Grebe, bay ducks, Pine Warbler, Osprey, and Rusty Blackbird. Morning trip begins at 8:00 a.m. at the post’s MD 24 gate. Mostly point-to-point driving, with some easy walking. For further information, contact the leader, Les Eastman, at 410-734-6969 or les_eastman@netfox.net.
FIELD TRIP. Howard. Gwynn Acres (Birding by Ear for beginners). Learn tips and techniques to identify birds by their voices. Easy walking on paved path through woodlands. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at Rams Horn Row and Old Columbia Pike. For further information, contact the leader, Bonnie Ott, at 410-461-3361.
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a singing male Summer Tanager which he seasonally tracked for the next four years. The bird favored a section of woods at the edge of a certain power line cut. This summer, Gail joined Keith on his annual search for the Summer Tanager and the never-yet-seen nest site. After an exciting hunt, they did locate the nest in a sixty foot high Red Oak tree and followed the activities of a male and female Summer Tanager with ascope. On subsequent trips, three chicks were observed as they developed.
Cecil Works to “Grow” Membership—The November chapter newsletter, Cecil Birdlife, gave “a warm Cecil Bird Club welcome” to new members Ann DeMott of Rising Sun, Dr. Maurice Barnhill of Newark, Dianna Gatchell of North East, Robert Hooper of Street, David Kimball of Elkton, and Diane and Dave McIntosh of Rising Sun. These new members illustrate some of the ways Cecil is working on increasing membership. Ann Demott works in the same facility with the Chapter president, Leslie Fisher, showing the value of person-to- person contact. Another personal relationship is illustrated as Dr. Barnhill is a long time mentor of club member Sean McCandless, and enjoyed joining Cecil members at the Turkey Point Hawk Watch. The Hawk Watch augmented by participation in community activities has attracted other new members as well. Roy and Mary Ellen Beck stopped at the club’s exhibit at the North East “Yesterdays Festival” and went directly to the Hawk Watch and on to membership. Roy and Mary Ellen were joined at the November meeting by another new member, Dave Kimball. Robert Hooper is a Maryland State Senator who was made an honorary member of the club. He has taken an active interest in the club , attending the 1999 ceremony introducing the Hawk Watch interpretive sign and donating money for Hawk Watch related expenses. The Chapter has offered a temporary discount for Christmas gift subscriptions. At this writing, Mikki Senn has already taken advantage of this offer to get youth memberships for two of her 8th grade students.
Baltimore Countian Birds in Southeast Asia—Irma Weinstein used a two-week trip to Southeast Asia to find a variety of birding opportunities. She enjoyed the Jurong Bird Park in Singapore with twenty hectares of aviaries and 600 species and in Hong Kong the Botanical Gardens had aviaries with exotic birds, as well. She took a train from Hong Kong to the World Wildlife Funds, marsh and wetland refuge at Mai Po, where birding is facilitated by blinds and trails through the ponds and mangrove swamps. She saw Common Kingfisher, Black-browed Reed Warbler, Spotted Dove, Baya Weaver, Chinese Pond Heron, Little Grebe, Great Egret, Black-winged Stilt, Snowy Egret, Chinese Bulbul, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Gray Heron, and Little Swift. She recommends her guide at Mai Po, a young man named Zeeman Ng, whocanbe reached at zeeman@acapacific.com.hk / by anyone who is interested in birding Hong Kong and other South- east Asia locations. She went onto Bangkok and the area around it, seeing Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Asian Openbill, White-breasted Waterhen, Red Turtle-Dove, House Swift, Common Iora, Oriental Magpie-Robin, Asian Pied Starlind, Common Myna, White-vented Myan, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, and Plian-backed Sparrow.
Cecil Community Conservation Initiative—Doug Senn, Cecil Chapter Conservation Chair, and Leslie Fisher participated in a com- munity effort on October 21 to plant 300 native trees and shrubs on property in Cecil County owned by the Bridgestone / Firestone Com-
pany. There are comprehensive plans to revert this site to a wildlife sanctuary, under guidance of the Wildlife Habitat Council. Fortu- nately, all 300 holes were already dug by machine, so the work was made easier for a varied cross section of the community, including local Boy Scouts. Doug and Leslie took the opportunity to point out raptors flying overhead during the day. Leslie reports that “I only got poison ivy on one body extremity!”
New Birders in Howard Spot a Bird Alert—Howard Chapter’s initiative to attract new people to birding has already paid off for all the members of MOS who “flocked” to Centennial Lake to see the Greater White-fronted Goose. Howard has been publicizing regular weekly walks in the county’s hotspots, with newcomers especially invited. Bonnie Ott, Howard’s intrepid birdwalk organizer and sparrow-spotter extraordinaire, introduced two newcomers, Sharri Peruzzi and Ken Board, to birding and to the famous MOS “yellow book.” Sharri and Ken regularly walk around Columbia’s Wilde Lake and spotted the unusual bird. Consulting their bird guide and the Birds of Maryland, they decided they had found something special; Bonnie concurred. The goose moved to Centennial Lake where it kept very nearly commuter hours for the convenience of most of the birders who came to see it.
Howard Bird Checklist—Howard Chapter members have com- piled a bird checklist of Centennial Park coordinated by Jane Coskren. The checklist has been printed and will be distributed by the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks. To get a copy, send a stamped, self-addressed long envelope to Jo Solem, 10617 Graeloch Rd., Laurel, MD 20723.
Turkey Point Hawk Watch News—The Turkey Point gang of addicted hawk watchers will conclude the hawk watch season with a December 8 dinner at Woody’s Crab House in North East to share memories of the season, laugh, tell outrageous tall tales and have a great time. Only three count days (two of those in the rain) have been missed this season. Some of the more unusual flyovers this season have been Goshawk, Golden Eagle, Rough-legged Hawk, and Brown Pelican. Numbers are low for the season, 4,300 at this writing. Turkey Point has enjoyed many visitors and Leslie Fisher, the coordinator, praises the great volunteer counters who took last minute assign- ments, counted two and three days a week, and were flexible about changes. Mark your calendar for Saturday, October 20, 2001 when Cecil will sponsor a first annual MOS ALL CHAPTERS-to-TURKEY POINT HAWK WATCH. Turkey Pointers are wondering how many chapters could be represented. A great morning of fellowship and hawk watching might be followed by lunch at Woody’s.
Caroline Chapter News—Chapter president Bill Scudder attended a family reunion in Aiken, SC in October. A true birder, he reported that the family occasion was not bad, but he only counted ten species during the reunion. Owl banding at the Adkins Arboretum has been a continuing success. As of November 13, a total of 24 Northern Saw- whet Owls have been netted. One was a retrap from the previous year at Adkins; one owl banded last year at Adkins was recovered this year in Pennsylvania; and one owl banded at Adkins on October 31 was recovered the next night at Assateague Island. Dave Brinker, member- at-large, believes that this station is becoming more productive than Assateague. Wanda Cole of Caroline, Austin Farley of Talbot, and Danny Poet of Caroline have all participated in this project.
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Tri-County, Talbot, Caroline, and Kent Chapters—Mark your calendars for the Annual MOS Conference in Salisbury from August 10 through 12, 2001. It has been a while since the conference has been on the Eastern Shore and the Tri-County, Talbot, Caroline, and Kent Chapters are already at work preparing to make this a special week- end for everyone. If you would like to help, contact the conference chairman, Mike Callahan, at 301-490-9318 or raptorsrule@juno.com.
Last Attours Trip Members from Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Frederick, and Washington Counties—Maryland could boast the largest number of birders on the last Attours trip to Attu this Septem- ber. Phil and Barbara Davis of the Anne Arundel Chapter, Greg Miller of the Baltimore Chapter, Beth Zang and Marcia Balestri of the Frederick Chapter, and Janet Shields of the Washington Chapter formed the “Maryland delegation.” Phil reports that the birding highlights he and Barbara shared were Ballion’s Crake, a likely Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dusky Warbler, Common Ringed Plover, Arctic Loon, Gray-tailed Tattler, Emperor Goose, and Garganey. Their biggest miss was a Fork-tailed Swift. This was the last Attours trip after 22 years as the LORAN radio navigation station is being closed and the buildings are being bulldozed. For a
fascinating account of this last birding adventure plus lots of interest- ing information about Attu, see Phil and Barbara’s article in the online “zine” Surfbirds, at surfbirds.com/ Feature /lastattul /html/.
Montgomery Members in an Alaskan Adventure—Neal Fitzpatrick and Mark Garland (of the Montgomery Chapter) led a 12- day ANS safari to Alaska. Sam Freiberg of Montgomery, one of the group of 16, reported in the Chapter’s newsletter that “it was a wonderful, magical trip.” He reported the highlights of the trip were the wildlife sightings: 95 bird species, 17 animal species, and 4 spawn- ing salmon species. He added Horned and Tufted Puffins, Kittlitz’s and Marbled Murrelets, and Pelagic Cormorants to his life list. He also got to observe Sandhill Cranes performing their mating dance. The group was also fortunate in seeing a spectacular aurora borealis display.
Cecil Chapter Awards—The Cecil Chapter presented their presi- dent Leslie Fisher with a copy of the new Sibley Field Guide in recognition of her three-year service as president and her coordination of the Turkey Point Hawk Watch plus her total commitment to birding. They also presented her husband, Harry, with the Peterson Wildflower Field Guide as the “Mr. Congeniality” award.
Page 16
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Books Optics
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