Frederick County May Count Highlight

David Smith (lacsmith@erols.com)
Sun, 9 May 1999 00:04:57 -0400 

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Hey all,

I was birding in western and southwestern Frederick County today during =
the May Count. Specifically, my team began the day walking a three mile =
stretch of the C & O Canal between Point of Rocks and Lander Road and =
spent the rest of the day canvassing the farm country between I-70 and =
US 340. We wound up with 114 species of birds including 23 species of =
warblers. The two highlight species were a pair of HORNED GREBE (one in =
breeding plumage the other in transition)  on the Potomac River about =
one half mile downstream of Lander Road and a first summer FRANKLIN'S =
GULL in a plowed field southeast of the intersection of Gapland Road and =
Catholic Church Road (DeLorme map page 55, 3A). The Franklin's Gull was =
associating with 42 Ring-billed Gulls (adults and immatures) in the =
field, eating bugs off the ground and hawking them in the air over the =
field. For about an hour we had close looks at the bird perched on the =
ground and in the air. The darker mantled, hooded gull was noticably =
smaller than the Ring-billed Gulls with which it associated. The plumage =
was most like that of a first summer bird, as the hood was somewhat =
incomplete (white flecking on the face) and the white bar at the base of =
the primaries was not prominent (a hint of the bar was, however, still =
visible). The bird had distinct white tips to the primaries, prominent =
eye crescents, and a less substantial bill than on a Laughing Gull. Both =
the grebe and the gull were county firsts for us; the gull also being a =
state first. All in all a great day of birding. What a difference a week =
of makes!

David R. Smith

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Hey all,
 
I was birding in western and = southwestern=20 Frederick County today during the May Count. Specifically, my team began = the day=20 walking a three mile stretch of the C & O Canal between Point of = Rocks and=20 Lander Road and spent the rest of the day canvassing the farm country = between=20 I-70 and US 340. We wound up with 114 species of birds including 23 = species of=20 warblers. The two highlight species were a pair of HORNED GREBE (one in = breeding=20 plumage the other in transition)  on the Potomac River about one = half mile=20 downstream of Lander Road and a first summer FRANKLIN'S GULL in a plowed = field=20 southeast of the intersection of Gapland Road and Catholic Church Road = (DeLorme=20 map page 55, 3A). The Franklin's Gull was associating with 42 = Ring-billed Gulls=20 (adults and immatures) in the field, eating bugs off the ground and = hawking them=20 in the air over the field. For about an hour we had close looks at the = bird=20 perched on the ground and in the air. The darker mantled, hooded gull = was=20 noticably smaller than the Ring-billed Gulls with which it associated. = The=20 plumage was most like that of a first summer bird, as the hood was = somewhat=20 incomplete (white flecking on the face) and the white bar at the base of = the=20 primaries was not prominent (a hint of the bar was, however, still = visible). The=20 bird had distinct white tips to the primaries, prominent eye crescents, = and a=20 less substantial bill than on a Laughing Gull. Both the grebe and the = gull were=20 county firsts for us; the gull also being a state first. All in all a = great day=20 of birding. What a difference a week of makes!
 
David R. = Smith
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