May 26 Youth Bird Walk and IBA Dedication at Adkins Arboretum

Fifteen members from the Talbot and Caroline Bird Clubs, plus 5 youngsters from Queen Anne's County middle and high schools, finished off the spring season with a bang on Sunday, 25 May, at Adkins Arboretum. We enjoyed one of the finest late migrant fallouts anyone can remember, highlighted by 12 warblers (plus at least two more) and 5 thrushes. The youth-oriented bird walk was actually a "habitat competition" pitting the bottomland forest and swamp against the upland field and scrub. But this year there was no contest due to the presence of the late migrants in the forest and woods edge; the score was 53 species for the forest vs. 38 for the field, with 19 species seen in both habitats. Total species seen: 70.

This glorious morning ended with dedication of the Tuckahoe Creek Important Bird Area by MD-DC Audubon. The IBA encompasses all of Adkins Arboretum and most of Tuckahoe Creek State Park. The IBA certainly lived up to its name! What a gem of a place for all of us to enjoy. Special thanks to the following persons who contributed field data that qualified these lands for IBA status, particularly with reference to Prothonotary Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, and Louisiana Waterthrush: Christina Brinster, Amanda Spears, Danny Poet, Karen and Bill Harris, Forrest and Martha Bogan, Margie Steffens, Jessica Furlong, and Andrew Clark.

Here is the species list for the morning:

Heron, Great Blue
Vulture, Turkey
Hawk, Red-shouldered
Gull, Laughing
Dove, Mourning
Cuckoo, Yellow-billed
Hummingbird, Ruby-throated
Woodpecker, Red-bellied
Woodpecker, Downy
Flicker, Northern
Woodpecker, Pileated
Wood-pewee, Eastern
Flycatcher, Acadian
Phoebe, Eastern
Flycatcher, Great crested
Kingbird, Eastern
Vireo, White-eyed
Vireo, Yellow-throated
Vireo, Red-eyed
Jay, Blue
Crow, American
Swallow, Barn
Swallow, Tree
Chickadee, Carolina
Titmouse, Tufted
Nuthatch, White-breasted
Wren, Carolina
Gnatcatcher, Blue-gray
Bluebird, Eastern
VEERY
THRUSH, GRAY-CHEEKED
THRUSH, SWAINSON'S
Thrush, Wood
Robin, American
Catbird, Gray
Mockingbird, Northern
Thrasher, Brown
Starling, European
Waxwing, Cedar
WARBLER, MAGNOLIA
WARBLER, BLACKBURNIAN
WARBLER, BAY-BREASTED
WARBLER, CAPE MAY
Warbler, Pine
Redstart, American
Warbler, Prothonotary
Warbler, Worm-eating
Ovenbird
Warbler, Kentucky
Yellowthroat, Common
Chat, Yellow-breasted
Tanager, Summer
Tanager, Scarlet
Towhee, Eastern
Sparrow, Chipping
Sparrow, Field
Cardinal, Northern
Grosbeak, Blue
Bunting, Indigo
Blackbird, Red-winged
Grackle, Common
Cowbird, Brown-headed
Oriole, Orchard
Oriole, Baltimore
Finch, House
Goldfinch, American

In addition to the above, individuals reported CANADA WARBLER,
BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, and WILLOW FLYCATCHER.

That a way to end the spring season!

Yours -- Dave Palmer, Wayne Bell, and Debby Bennett

What are those white birds flying around the Easton Giant?

The birds that nest on the roof of the Easton Giant are Least Tern. This species has taken to nesting on several flat-roofed buildings in the Chesapeake region due to a lack of sandy beaches undisturbed by people and predators. Despite what must be intense

heat during the summer, nesting is quite successful and the colony is growing. The original Least Tern colony in Easton nested on the roof of the High School. Nesting was disrupted when a new roof was put on the school but I understand that the contractor took some pains to restore the original gravel design. As far as I know, the colony did

not return but apparently "migrated" to the newly built Giant. I know of smaller but also successful colonies atop Queen Anne's County High in Centreville and Rose's in Chestertown. These colonies are monitored by DNR and access to the rooftops during the nesting season is generally denied.

Information provided by Wayne Bell, incoming President of MOS and member of Talbot Bird Club.