Hi Folks,

Elaine and I spent the weekend in Talbot Co. atlasing five of our six blocks
west of Easton.  Birding highlights for the weekend include RED-HEADED
WOODPECKER, WILLET, RUDDY TURNSTONE, SANDERLING and CATTLE EGRET.  Atlasing
highlights were finding our first safe ACADIAN FLYCATCHER, WHITE-EYED VIREO,
and YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER after three seasons of atlasing in the area.  A
rundown, by atlas block, follows:

    St. Michael's SE Block (Miles River area; town of Newcomb)

I did not intend to spend much time in this block, but got here early Sat.
morning (5/27) with one target in mind:  Acadian Flycatcher.  I had one two
years ago along Miles River Rd., three days before safe dates, and that was
it.  The west end of Miles River Rd. is lush bottomland.  It is one of only
two Talbot Co. locations where Red-shouldered Hawk has been found during
safe dates.  White-breasted Nuthatches abound (scarce most other places in
the county), Pileated Woodpeckers live here, and I confirmed screech owl
here two years ago.  Elaine and I spent a good hour walking along this road.
No Acadian Flycatcher, but something better--a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER put in
an appearance, and then for the next 20 minutes we listened to not one, but
two of these birds coversing on opposite sides of the road.  We never could
get a visual on these birds again, so could not detect any nesting activity.
We were able to confirm Brown Thrasher (a pair with one collecting nesting
material), and a beautiful male Baltimore Oriole perched in the open and
sang for us.  It is needed for the block, once safe dates roll around (1
June).  Also, Titmouse fledglings provided another new confirm for the
block.

From Miles River Rd., we traveled south across the Miles River to Hwy 33,
and then turned south to this block's other mega-productive
location--Bloomfield Rd.  Here we stopped at the power-line cut which has
what I believe to be the furthest west Barred Owls in Talbot Co.  We had no
luck calling in the owls today, but had much greater fortune when we ran
into Stephanie Goddard, a bird-knowledgeable person who we had met two years
ago.  While talking with her, a Cooper's Hawk buzzed by with some passerine
in pursuit.  The next couple hours was spent with Stephanie and her husband
Dennis, and turned out to be among the most productive few hours of the
entire weekend, and we found our ACADIAN FLYCATCHERs (2 of them) in a
neighbor's yard, and then from the Goddard's sightings we added Wood Duck
and White-eyed Vireo to the block tally, as well as confirming Wood Duck,
Pileated Woodpecker, and Canada Goose.  The block is now in pretty good
shape with 85 species (4 are observed only) and 35 confirms.

    Claiborne SE (including the town of Bozman, and several disconterminous
fingers of land extending south from Wittman and other locations).

This, and the remaining blocks are largely water, and what isn't water is
mostly private property, making atlasing a great challenge, particularly for
non-residents.

We were able to add quite a bit to this block, primarily because a birder,
Claudia Orr, lives in this block, and has provided invaluable assistance to
our efforts.  An evening walk with Claudia on 5/27 produced the block's
first Grasshopper Sparrow in a farm field adjacent to May Port Rd.  Other
block pickups included Snowy Egret (O) on 5/28, CATTLE EGRET (O) on 5/27
where they are usually found, among the cows along Hwy 579 across from River
Ridge Rd., just south of Bozman; Bald Eagle (O), an adult pair on Beechley
Rd. (5/28); Gray Catbird (T), Ovenbird (X), and Common Yellowthroat (T).
New confirms for the block were Cardinal and RW Blackbird, both picked up by
Claudia.  There were also several upgrades from possible to probable
provided by Claudia.  Now in our second season with this block, it stands at
69 species (8 are O coded), with 26 confirms.

    Claiborne CE, which includes the well-known Wades Point Inn and town of
Wittman

Elaine and I visited Wades Point Inn the evening of 5/28 and morning of
5/29.  The pond there is the most productive place in the entire block, and
has given us confirms on Wood Duck, Mallard, Canada Goose, and Mute Swan.
Today (5/29) we picked up a single Am. Black Duck (X) there; perhaps it had
a mate that was not visible.  We were able to upgrade numerous species from
possible to probable during our visits (e.g. Green Heron, RT Hawk, Brown
Thrasher...).  When we left, I pulled off the side of Wades Point Rd. to
tally up what we had found, and while parked, Elaine looked up and saw an E.
Kingbird adding material to its nest, directly above the car!  That was our
only new confirm of the block.  The most surprising find of the block,
however, occured after we turned back onto Hwy 33, and saw a PILEATED
WOODPECKER flying across the road, just west of Wades Point Rd.  This is the
first time this bird has been recorded in this block in either atlas.  The
block now stands at 68 species (7 obs) with 20 confirms, in our second year.

    Claiborne NE.  This block is about 94% water, and about 4% private land,
meaning the atlasable part of this block consists of about a dozen or two
acres, comprising mostly the town of Claiborne.  Let it suffice to say,
there are limitied opportunities for finding birds here, and everything we
do is on foot.

We visited Claiborne all three days of the weekend, and were able to raise
the species count from 42 to 54 (5 O codes), and the number of confirms from
11 to 13.  What we really need is access to Tilghman Point (private), but
have not yet found a way to get it.  We still need a lot of really common
birds, such as Mallard, Red-tailed Hawk, Purple Martin, Catbird, and Towhee.
We haven't found them in town.

    Claiborne SW (which includes Poplar Island and the town of Sherwood)

Because of the inclusion of Poplar Island in this block, and Jan Reese's
work in recording nesting activity there, this block has some incredible
birds, most of which have been confirmed.  Nevertheless, the mainland parts
of this block have also turned out to be treasure troves themselves.  Birds
we added to the block during this trip include Green Heron, ROCK PIGEON
(VERY scarce west of St. Michaels), WHITE-EYED VIREO (singing along Hwy 33
and also end of Ferry Cove Rd.) and Gray Catbird.  We also had a singing
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER (seems late) along Punch Point Rd.  The block now
has 69 species (1 obs), with 32 confirms.  What is best in this block,
however, are the migrant shorebirds.  We found them in three locations as
follows:

Pond at end of Ferry Cove Rd. (private land, but partly visible from road)
(5/28):
Semipal. Plover--2
Least Sandpiper--8
Dunlin--3

Flats on both sides of Lowe's Wharf Rd. (5/28):
RUDDY TURNSTONE--3 flew in and landed on flats to north of road

Private Property, 50 wooded bay-front acres facing Poplar Island (5/28):
Semi Plover--2
WILLET--1
Least Sandpiper--8
SANDERLING--1
RUDDY TURNSTONE--2
Dunlin--1

    We will plan to spend time in our 6th block, St. Michael's SW, when we
return in June.

Stan Arnold
Glen Burnie