Trip Highlights

Five members set out to explore the sanctuary trails on a cool, cloudy morning, with air fresh as could be and ears alert.  We walked just over a mile and enjoyed the songs and calls of 40 species in all.  Highlights included a very close Pileated Woodpecker working away at a stump near the parking area, hearing the song of the Louisiana Waterthrush, and getting a Blackpoll Warbler (FOY for some).  Click below to view complete species list.

More sun than clouds greeted us at Parker River NWR, along with a light cool breeze to make 60 degrees feel like the perfect temperature for birding.  There were 10 members in all and we identified 82 species.  

After a brief stop at Joppa Flats Audubon Center, we hit Lot 1, where Purple Martins galore were swooping around and occasionally returning to the nests, where others were poking their heads out in anticipation of a food delivery. Other highlights here included Bald Eagle and Osprey flyovers, a Black-billed Cuckoo vocalizing, and the sounds of a Saltmarsh Sparrow at a visit to the boat ramp.

Our idea was to head to Hellcat next to try for the reported Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Least Bittern and a wealth of interesting warblers.  We spent three hours here walking the the boardwalks and the dikes, but came up empty on the YC Night Heron and Least Bittern.  Some birds of note there were Marsh Wren, Orchard Orioles, Parula, Magnolia and Blackpoll Warblers.

We did a quick stop at the Bill Forward Pool Blind, getting Gadwall, GW Teal, and Willet. Then we were off to Sandy Point with hopes of getting the 4 parking spots we needed, and we did!  The walk down the beach gave us wonderful views of at least 10 different Piping Plovers, which delighted the photographers in the group.  We also spotted a small group of Black Scoters on the water and a Common Loon, and flyovers of a White-winged Scoter, 10 Glossy Ibis, an Osprey, and many Least Terns.  

Emerson Rocks was our next destination and we found ample parking there, too.  Terns were resting on the beach, mostly Common Terns, but we were able to pick out 2 Roseate Terns and several Least Terns as well. There were just two species of shorebird here, a Black-bellied Plover in breeding plumage and a White-rumped Sandpiper, both gave us great scope views.

Stage Island Trail added Bobolink to our list and made us work hard in vain to identify a flycatcher that did not vocalize, though most of us thought it was a Willow Flycatcher.

While traveling down the dusty road, we decided to try again for the Yellow-crowned Night Heron from the Hellcat boardwalk.  To our amazement, we found two, both very difficult to spot, but also very rewarding to add to our list.

To complete a long day of birding, our last stop was at the Salt Pannes, where we picked up a Dunlin, Semipalmated Plovers, and Semipalmated Sandpipers.  Hooray for a great day of birding on the coast with an enthusiastic group of birding buddies! Click below to view complete trip list.

The morning was very hot, and incredibly humid in the woods.  There were 6 of us on the walk.  The most striking thing was how incredibly loud the birds were, especially the catbirds, redstarts, and yellow warblers.  A couple of highlights were hearing the Willow Flycatcher and spotting a Solitary Sandpiper.  We found 29 species in all. Click below to view species list.

We were serenaded by Wood Thrush, Peewees, Ovenbirds, Redstarts and Red-eyed Vireos the whole trip.  We did pretty good with warblers, seeing 2 Tennessees, a Blackburnian, Black-throated Blue and Green and of course the Cerulean.  We heard 2 Worm-eating Warblers but did not see them, and also heard a Nashville. The top of the mountain brought us Indigo Buntings, Great Crested Flycatchers, Turkey Vultures with a Black Vulture thrown in, as well as flybys of a Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk and Double-crested Cormorant.  On the way out, a couple of us stopped to check out the eagle nest at the bottom of the hill.  We managed to get a photo of an adult eagle and a large eaglet with heads well above the rim of the nest. Click below to view complete trip list.

Eight members birded Bark Haul Trail and a short distance left, beyond the “T.”  The weather was overcast and in the 50’s, and we ended early when light sprinkles became rain.  Click below to view complete trip list.