[MDOsprey] Two (!) Ruffs in MD and thoughts on "MDShorebirdNet" (long)
Miliff@aol.com
Mon, 19 Jul 1999 01:24:00 EDT
Hello all,
What Greg Miller did not mention about today's birding was the molting male
Ruff that he, Todd Day, and I found at a private farm in Queen Anne's County
today at about noon. It was with about 30 other shorebirds (25 Least, 3
Lesser Yellowlegs, 1 Solitary, 1 Spotted) at a small farm pond but was far
enough away that a scope was required for good views. If anyone is extremely
interested in this bird for county listing purposes or any other purposes I
can reveal the location and you can likely arrange permission: I am however
reluctant to post the location publicly given that the property is private.
Please don't hesitate to email me if you are interested though.
Fortunately though, when I returned home I had a message from George Jett
that ANOTHER Ruff was at Easton Sewage Plant on Saturday. So...I turned back
around and went off to see that one. It is an even more striking bird, also
a molting male (cream colored head and extensive black below), and is
impossible to miss in the impoundment there which is drawn down and has quite
a number of shorebirds in it. Access to the sewage plant is easy
Monday-Friday during working hours - just stop in at the office and ask
permission. The plant is east of Easton.
Directions: Take MD 331 out of Easton. Turn right on Chilcutt Lane (about
your second right) and take it a mile or more to the end. Turn right at the
stop sign and in about .2 mi make your first left. Follow the pavement to
the end and you will be at the entrance to the sewage plant. The office is
straight ahead. You may usually drive around the roads of the facility and
you will easily find the shorebird pond up the grassy hill to your right.
In the course of our birding this weekend, Greg Miller mentioned to me that
folks in Ohio have a shorebird webpage where people log in and make regular
postings not just on shorebird sightings in the state, but on the condition
of shorebird hotspots around the state (i.e. water levels at such-and-such
seem good or so-and-so's pond is completely dry and is now worthless or at
the intersection of whosiwhatsit Lane and Rte. godknowswhat there is a rain
puddle that seems good). Well, I think we need this in Maryland! We
Marylanders have a hard enough time with shorebirds given that the best spots
are hard to access (i.e. Hart-Miller Island, Assateague Island) and that we
have an inferiority complex being sandwiched between Bombay Hook and
Chincoteague). I have most of my free summers in MD since I was 16 driving
around to various shorebird spots checking the conditions. But it is far
easier for all us internet connected folks to share our observations so that
we can hit the spots that are good and skip the ones that aren't. Conditions
often change yearly, monthly, or even weekly (depending on rain or lack
thereof) and this kind of network would be a real boon to the MD birding
community I think, especially those of us that like shorebirds. Plus, Greg,
Todd, and I wouldn't have missed Pectoral, Western and Ruff on our July Big
Day if we had known how good Easton STP was!
Now...I didn't quite get Greg to volunteer to maintain such a site...but
maybe if we all begged in unison.
In any event, here are my observations thus far this summer:
Easton Sewage Plant: Water in impoundment very low with only a couple small
pools remaining. Many shorebirds present 7/18 (1 Ruff, 3 SB Dowitchers, 10 L
Yellowlegs, 1 Semi Plover, 200 Least Sands, 15 Semi Sands, many Killdeer and
some Spotteds). Likely to get drier and worse pretty quickly
Hurlock Sewage Plant: Few shorebirds 7/17 (SoSa, LeYe, GrYe, LeSa, SpSa,
Kill) and all on the rocky margins...not much sludge built up yet on surface
of pools)
West Ocean City Pond: Water levels fairly low but tall grass makes viewing
very tough. LeYe, LeSa, SBDo present 7/17
Deal Island: No good habitat anywhere as water levels are very high
throughout, though I did NOT check the "Green Dumpster Road" which is often
good...
Lilipons: Pond under bridge at Lilipons Rd. has potential. No birds there
7/17 probably due to goose flock...
North Beach: Looked good back on 7/11. Not too many birds yet though.
Horsehead Wetlands Sanctuary/Wildfowl Trust: Lake Knapp excellent 7/15 with
SBDo (10), LeYe (35), LeSa (75), SeSa (1), and SpSa (1) all present. Also
LBHe and SnEg. This spot tends to dry up fairly quickly though so further
updates would be good.
Blackwater: On 7/16 the tide was high and habitat non existant. Non tidal
pools generally dry or have far too much water to be good for shorebirds.
Ridgely Sewage Plant: Judging from Bob Ringler's 7/17/99 post, the
conditions are good!
Tanyard: Water levels look good here...tidal influx fills the small marsh on
the south side of Md 331 and dry weather drains it. The pool is now about
half full but only GRYE and SBDo there today.
Areas I've not yet checked that can often be good and for which updates would
be desirable:
Piney Run Reservoir, Garrett Co.
Rouge Lagoon/PPG Ponds, Allegany Co.
Harney Rd. Pond and Bullfrog Rd. Pond, Frederick County
Tridelphia Reservoir, Howard County
Browns Bridge Rd., Howard County
Liberty Reservoir, Carroll County
Papermill Flats, Baltimore County
Beawview Ponds, Saint Mary's County
Courthouse Point, Cecil County
Bethel WMA, Cecil County
Gunther's Pond, Cecil County
Remington Farms, Kent County
Green Dumpster Rd., Deal Island, Somerset Co.
Fairmont WMA, Somerset Co.
Salisbury Turf Farms, Wicomico Co. (usually needs rain which we haven't had!)
E. A. Vaughn WMA, Worcester Co.
So..if anyone has any insight on conditions at any of these spots, or any
insight on other spots they've been recently, perhaps you can post your
observations?
In the meantime, good shorebirding and lets find a Little Stint for MD!
Best,
Marshall Iliff
miliff@aol.com
PS - Undoubtedly I've mentioned shorebird locations not familiar to
everyone...if you want to know where some of them are I'd gladly provide info.