Tuesday, November 30, 2010

I Saw What?

A NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL peers down from it's day time roost. Over the past few weeks, these impressive little owls have been migrating through our region. They're mighty tricky to locate, but quite docile once found. For the record, I did not find this bird... I just have really nice friends!Not the best photo, to be sure, but a bird cool enough to merit a blurred photo: an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER.Lastly, even a HERRING GULL enjoys a good old fashioned crab feast. All this bird needs is some newspaper and a pitcher of beer.-Dan

Monday, November 29, 2010

Ash-throated Flycatcher & Short-eared Owls

It was a very nice Sunday spent on Maryland's Eastern shore. The weather was mild, the sun was shining and the birds were cooperative!My son Declan and I enjoyed the ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER on Assateague as it fed around the Bayside Campground area.Later in the evening, and about an hour West of that wonderful flycatcher, we finished the day watching two SHORT-EARED OWLS flying around the marshes of Elliott Island Road. What a fantastic way to finish the Thanksgiving weekend. A life bird, great weather and some cherished father/son birding... I mean BONDING.The sun was vanishing below the horizon, so we were mighty lucky to have one of the owls glide by us... before all the lights went out!Happy Holidays,
Dan

Monday, November 22, 2010

Rufous (selasphorus) Hummingbird in College Park, MD

Here are many photos of the RUFOUS selasphorus HUMMINGBIRD currently being seen in College Park, MD. It could become an Allen's or it may be a Rufous. Banding measurements taken today (Friday, Nov 26th) determined that this bird is fact a hatch year female Rufous!

Fall and winter hummingbirds are fantastic!

Enjoy!So... have you got your hummingbird feeders cleaned, filled and outside? What are you waiting for???

Happy Thanksgiving,

Dan

Monday, November 1, 2010

November (for MD Birders) is Rarity Month

Thus far this fall along the Eastern seaboard up to New England, the Western vagrants have started to trickle in and be observed. Here are just a few of the notable rarities being reported:

-A state-record Yellow-billed Loon in Maine.
-A Tropical Kingbird in New York.
-A Tropical Kingbird in Falmouth, Mass.
-A selasphorous hummingbird in Northern Virginia.
-An Ash-throated Flycatcher in New Jersey.
-A Western Kingbird and a White-winged Dove in Delaware.
-A Mountain Bluebird in Pa.
-Orange-crowned Warblers at several locations from WVa to New England.
-A Rufous Hummingbird in New Hampshire.
-Cave Swallows in several states (mostly to the North of MD).
-Long-eared, Short-eared and Saw-whet Owls are on the way.
-Common Ground Dove in Cape May, NJ and Captree, New York.
-A Gray Kingbird in Ogunquit, Maine.
-Snow Bunting at Cape May, NJ.
-Lark Sparrow, Black Brant, Evening Grosbeaks in Massachusetts.
Here in Maryland, we've had two Cave Swallows at South Point in Worcester County (found by Jim Stasz) and a Say's Phoebe (3rd ever in the state) found in Queen Anne's County (found by Jeff Culler and Joe Hanfmann). Both of these rare sightings were observed this past Friday, October 29th, 2010.Bring on those Western vagrants!

Good Birding,

Dan

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