Site Description Fort Smallwood Park is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River, 11 miles south of Baltimore, MD. Best winds are from the southwest.
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Raptor Observations: A second day where the weather seemed good for substantial flights, but where those flights didn't materialize. Seven local Bald Eagles.
Non-raptor Observations: American Redstart, two large snapping turtles mating.
Site Description Fort Smallwood Park is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River, 11 miles south of Baltimore, MD. Best winds are from the southwest.
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Date: 5/6/25 8:14 pm From: 'SUE RICCIARDI' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbirding...> Subject: [MDBirding] Fort Smallwood Park (06 May 2025) 6 Raptors
Fort Smallwood Park Pasadena, Maryland, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: May 06, 2025
Species
Day's Count
Month Total
Season Total
Black Vulture
1
9
280
Turkey Vulture
1
221
8572
Osprey
0
2
358
Bald Eagle
4
16
105
Northern Harrier
0
1
103
Sharp-shinned Hawk
0
35
1050
Cooper's Hawk
0
5
316
American Goshawk
0
0
0
Red-shouldered Hawk
0
0
258
Broad-winged Hawk
0
7
301
Red-tailed Hawk
0
9
118
Rough-legged Hawk
0
0
0
Golden Eagle
0
0
0
American Kestrel
0
1
143
Merlin
0
0
50
Peregrine Falcon
0
0
2
Unknown Accipitrine
0
0
9
Unknown Buteo
0
2
15
Unknown Falcon
0
0
10
Unknown Eagle
0
0
0
Unknown Raptor
0
1
19
Total:
6
309
11709
Observation start time:
9:00 am
Observation end time:
1:30 pm Daylight Time
Total observation time:
4.5 hours
Official Counter
Sue Ricciardi
Observers:
Hal Wierenga, Steve Steimel
Weather: Mostly cloudy with a preponderance of dark low clouds; 68-73 degrees; fair to good visibility; winds starting out from the SSE, becoming SSW and ending as WSW, 3-14 mph. Count ended when rain began.
Raptor Observations: Very little northward movement, but there were lots of Bald Eagles up and about. Twice two joined talons and spun around laterally in a circular motion.
Site Description Fort Smallwood Park is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River, 11 miles south of Baltimore, MD. Best winds are from the southwest.
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Date: 5/6/25 12:14 pm From: 'Marcia Watson' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbirding...> Subject: [MDBirding] Some State Parks Will Require Advance Reservations for Day-Use on Summer Weekends and Holidays
MD DNR has announced that some of the most popular state parks will now require advanced reservations for day-use entry passes for weekends and holidays during the summer. This is because of increased crowds at these parks. The reservation system will be required at Greenbrier and Sandy Point State Parks starting Memorial Day weekend and will be implemented at Newtowne Neck, Point Lookout, and North Point State Parks later this summer. More state parks may follow. Needless to say, individual birders are going to have to plan ahead, and bird clubs are going to have to figure out how to schedule field trips. See the press release below or at https://news.maryland.gov/dnr/2025/05/06/maryland-department-of-natural-resources-launches-new-day-pass-reservation-system-in-select-state-parks/
Maryland Department of Natural Resources Launches New Day Pass Reservation System in Select State Parks --------------------------------------------------------------
May 6, 2025
Required reservations to relieve backups at busiest state parks
People on a beach in a state park
Greenbrier State Park, photo by Ranger Sarah Rodriguez, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
The Maryland Park Service is launching a new Day-Use Reservation System, which will go live at several parks starting with Greenbrier State Park and Sandy Point State Park on May 19. This new system requires all visitors to reserve their day-use passes in advance during peak times, to reduce overcrowding, limit traffic backups at park entrances, reduce the frequency of capacity closures, and ensure that every visitor knows they have a space before arriving.
“The goal of this new day use reservation system is making our parks more welcoming and accessible to all,” said Maryland Park Service Director Angela Crenshaw. “By allowing visitors to plan ahead, we’re helping families make the most of their time outdoors — with less stress and more confidence that they’ll have a great day in our state parks.”
With the new system, advance reservations are mandatory on weekends and holidays from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day— no same-day drive-up access will be allowed. Reservations must be made online and can be made starting seven days in advance of a visit. Reservations may be edited or canceled until 8 a.m. the day before the visit.
Regular day-use fees will be paid at the time of reservation using credit or debit cards or other online payment methods.
Reservations will be made through the Maryland State Parks website. Visitors will check in with a QR code upon arrival at the park, and discounts will be validated for Maryland Park Pass holders, veterans and individuals with disabilities. Park staff may also adjust and require additional payment based on the actual number of visitors in your party.
Later this summer, the system will also expand to other parks including Point Lookout, Newtowne Neck, and North Point State Parks. The launch dates will be announced in the coming weeks.
The system is needed due to the influx of new visitors entering Maryland State Parks–particularly parks with public swimming access such as on lakes, the Chesapeake Bay or ocean–following the Covid-19 pandemic. Park visitation rates increased from an average of 10.8 million per year from 2010 to 2019 to an average of 18.7 million per year from 2020 through 2024. This has resulted in a significant corresponding increase in park capacity closures. These sudden closures can result in large backups at state parks and traffic issues on approaching roads as visitors wait in lines to enter the park, or in disappointment when park staff must turn away potential visitors due to capacity limitations.
With a little bit of pre-planning, visitors can ensure they’ll get to enjoy the parks they set out to visit on a weekend or holiday by using the new day-use reservation system.
La versión en español está a continuación:
El Departamento de Recursos Naturales de Maryland lanza un nuevo sistema de Reserva de Pases Diarios en determinados parques estatales
Las reservas son obligatorias para descongestionar los parques estatales más concurridos
El Servicio de Parques de Maryland está poniendo en marcha un nuevo sistema de reserva de pases diarios, que entrará en funcionamiento en varios parques, empezando por el parque estatal de Greenbier, y el parque estatal de Sandy Point el 19 de mayo. Este nuevo sistema requiere que todos los visitantes reserven sus pases de uso diario con antelación durante la temporada alta, para reducir la masificación, limitar las retenciones de tráfico en las entradas de los parques, reducir la frecuencia de los cierres debido al lmite de capacidad, y garantizar que todos los visitantes sepan que tienen una plaza antes de llegar.
“El objetivo de este nuevo sistema de reservas de uso diario es conseguir que nuestros parques sean más acogedores y accesibles para todos” dijo la Directora del Servicio de Parques de Maryland, Angela Crenshaw. “Al permitir a los visitantes planificar con antelación, estamos ayudando a las familias a aprovechar al máximo su tiempo al aire libre, con menos estrés y más confianza en que pasarán un gran da en nuestros parques estatales”.
Con el nuevo sistema, se requiere una reserva previa los fines de semana y festivos desde el fin de semana del da de los cados hasta el da del trabajo; no se permitirá el acceso el mismo da. Las reservas deben de hacerse por internet y pueden realizarse hasta siete das antes de la visita. Las reservas pueden modificarse o cancelarse hasta las 8 de la mañana del da anterior a la visita.
Las tarifas estándar de uso diario se pagarán en el momento de la reserva mediante tarjeta de crédito o débito u otros medios de pago en lnea.
Las reservas se harán a través del sitio web de los parques estatales de Maryland. Los visitantes se registrarán con un código QR a su llegada al parque, se aprobarán descuentos para los titulares del pase Maryland Park Pass, los veteranos y las personas con discapacidad. El personal del parque también puede ajustar y exigir un pago adicional dependiendo del número real de visitantes en su grupo.
A finales de este verano, el sistema se ampliará también a otros parques, como Point Lookout, Newtowne Neck y North Point State Parks. Las fechas de lanzamiento serán anunciadas en las próximas semanas.
El sistema es necesario debido a la afluencia de nuevos visitantes que visitan los parques estatales de Maryland – en particular para parques que tienen acceso público a zonas de baño, como los de los lagos, la baha de Chesapeake o el océano – tras la pandemia de Covid-19. Los ndices de visitas a los parques aumentaron de una media de 10.8 millones al año entre 2010 y 2019 a una media de 18.7 millones al año entre 2020 y 2024. Esto ha dado lugar a un correspondiente aumento significativo en los cierres de los parques debido al lmite de capacidad. Estos cierres repentinos pueden provocar grandes atascos en los parques estatales y problemas de tráfico en las carreteras de acceso mientras los visitantes hacen cola para entrar en el parque, o provocar decepciones cuando el personal del parque debe rechazar la entrada a posibles visitantes debido al lmite de capacidad.
Con un poco de planificación previa, los visitantes pueden disfrutar de los parques que se planteen visitar un fin de semana o un da festivo utilizando el nuevo sistema de reservas de uso diario
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Date: 5/2/25 6:35 pm From: 'SUE RICCIARDI' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbirding...> Subject: [MDBirding] Fort Smallwood Park (02 May 2025) 53 Raptors
Fort Smallwood Park Pasadena, Maryland, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: May 02, 2025
Species
Day's Count
Month Total
Season Total
Black Vulture
2
2
273
Turkey Vulture
45
51
8402
Osprey
0
0
356
Bald Eagle
2
3
92
Northern Harrier
0
0
102
Sharp-shinned Hawk
1
2
1017
Cooper's Hawk
1
4
315
American Goshawk
0
0
0
Red-shouldered Hawk
0
0
258
Broad-winged Hawk
0
2
296
Red-tailed Hawk
1
1
110
Rough-legged Hawk
0
0
0
Golden Eagle
0
0
0
American Kestrel
1
1
143
Merlin
0
0
50
Peregrine Falcon
0
0
2
Unknown Accipitrine
0
0
9
Unknown Buteo
0
0
13
Unknown Falcon
0
0
10
Unknown Eagle
0
0
0
Unknown Raptor
0
0
18
Total:
53
66
11466
Observation start time:
8:30 am
Observation end time:
2:30 pm Daylight Time
Total observation time:
6 hours
Official Counter
Chris Reed
Observers:
Hal Wierenga, John Hoffman, Lynn Davidson, Ralph Geuder, Sue Ricciardi
Visitors: Ranger Brandon and 10 participants on a bird walk
Weather: Partly cloudy becoming mostly cloudy with an abundance of puffy cumulus clouds; 72-85 degrees; good visibility; winds southwesterly for the first three hours, then westerly for the final three hours.
Raptor Observations: Despite the favorable weather conditions, the flight was light. Perhaps the pipeline hadn't refilled.
Non-raptor Observations: Orchard Orioles have been very vocal the past few days.
Site Description Fort Smallwood Park is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River, 11 miles south of Baltimore, MD. Best winds are from the southwest.
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Site Description Fort Smallwood Park is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River, 11 miles south of Baltimore, MD. Best winds are from the southwest.
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Date: 5/1/25 8:28 pm From: Matthew Felperin <mattyfelp...> Subject: [MDBirding] PG May Count Correction: May 10
Please forgive error in previous message! Here is the corrected blurb:
Greetings!
For anyone who is interested and available to birdin Prince George’s County
on Saturday, May 10th for the annual May Count please let me know. Each
birder can request an assigned location and time coverage, so please let me
know your top 3 choices of where to bird. Backyard birding counts too! We
need as much help as we can get, so if you’re outside the county but your
county has plenty of coverage, we’d love to have you! There is more
information in the link below, as well as a checklist pdf. If you’re from
elsewhere in the state but would like to participate in your county, you
can contact your compiler via this link.
Roving Naturalist, NOVA Parks
Director, Patuxent Bird Club MOS Chapter
<mfelperin...>
novaparks.com
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Date: 5/1/25 7:15 pm From: 'James Tyler Bell' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbirding...> Subject: Re: [MDBirding] May 11th: Annual MOS Spring Count- Prince George’s County
Sorry, Saturday, May 10. Some counties are holding theirs on Sunday, May 11. I believe that Matt's count is also on May 10. Here's the blurb we ran in the Southern Maryland Audubon Society's newsletter.
May 10 or 11 – SATURDAY OR SUNDAY (possible rain date) – All Day
COUNTY MAY COUNTS
Calvert, Charles, Prince George’s, St. Mary’s Counties
Help is always appreciated from all: backyard birders, beginners, new members. This is a great way to learn! Data and information help save our birds. The county coordinators for you to contact are as follows:
CALVERT: Saturday, May 10. Maggie Silverman (860-918-3858), <CalvertBirds...>
CHARLES: Saturday, May 10. Lynne Wheeler (301-751-8097), <somdaudubon...>
PRINCE GEORGE’S: Saturday, May 10. Matthew Felperin, (703-268-6064), <mattyfelp...>
ST. MARY’S: Saturday, May 10. Tyler Bell (301-862-4623), <jtylerbell...>
On Thursday, May 1, 2025 at 10:06:50 PM EDT, Sarah Lister <samjlister13...> wrote:
Hi, Tyler. Can you please resend with clarification; is count day Sat the 10th or Sunday the 11th, which is Mother's Day? Thanks! Sarah
On Thu, May 1, 2025, 9:34 PM 'James Tyler Bell' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbirding...> wrote:
St. Mary's County is desperate for experienced counters on May 11. Several of the regulars are out of town for various reasons leaving a large swath of the central and northern part of the county without observers. We currently have 6 people to cover the whole county. If you're interested, please let me know and I can assign you an area.
TIA!
Tyler Bell
<jtylerbell...>
California, Maryland
On Thursday, May 1, 2025 at 07:37:15 PM EDT, Matthew Felperin <mattyfelp...> wrote:
Greetings!
For anyone who is interested and available to birdin Prince George’s County on Saturday, May 11th for the annual May Count please let me know. Each birder can request an assigned location and time coverage, so please let me know your top 3 choices of where to bird. Backyard birding counts too! We need as much help as we can get, so if you’re outside the county but your county has plenty of coverage, we’d love to have you! There is more information in the link below, as well as a checklist pdf. If you’re from elsewhere in the state but would like to participate in your county, you can contact your compiler via this link.
https://mdbirds.org/go-birdwatching/count-birds/may-count-spring-migration/ Happy Birding!
Matt Felperin
Roving Naturalist, NOVA Parks
Director, Patuxent Bird Club MOS Chapter
<mfelperin...>
novaparks.com
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Date: 5/1/25 6:34 pm From: 'James Tyler Bell' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbirding...> Subject: Re: [MDBirding] May 11th: Annual MOS Spring Count- Prince George’s County
St. Mary's County is desperate for experienced counters on May 11. Several of the regulars are out of town for various reasons leaving a large swath of the central and northern part of the county without observers. We currently have 6 people to cover the whole county. If you're interested, please let me know and I can assign you an area.
TIA!
Tyler Bell
<jtylerbell...>
California, Maryland
On Thursday, May 1, 2025 at 07:37:15 PM EDT, Matthew Felperin <mattyfelp...> wrote:
Greetings!
For anyone who is interested and available to birdin Prince George’s County on Saturday, May 11th for the annual May Count please let me know. Each birder can request an assigned location and time coverage, so please let me know your top 3 choices of where to bird. Backyard birding counts too! We need as much help as we can get, so if you’re outside the county but your county has plenty of coverage, we’d love to have you! There is more information in the link below, as well as a checklist pdf. If you’re from elsewhere in the state but would like to participate in your county, you can contact your compiler via this link.
https://mdbirds.org/go-birdwatching/count-birds/may-count-spring-migration/ Happy Birding!
Matt Felperin
Roving Naturalist, NOVA Parks
Director, Patuxent Bird Club MOS Chapter
<mfelperin...>
novaparks.com
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Date: 5/1/25 4:37 pm From: Matthew Felperin <mattyfelp...> Subject: [MDBirding] May 11th: Annual MOS Spring Count- Prince George’s County
Greetings!
For anyone who is interested and available to birdin Prince George’s County
on Saturday, May 11th for the annual May Count please let me know. Each
birder can request an assigned location and time coverage, so please let me
know your top 3 choices of where to bird. Backyard birding counts too! We
need as much help as we can get, so if you’re outside the county but your
county has plenty of coverage, we’d love to have you! There is more
information in the link below, as well as a checklist pdf. If you’re from
elsewhere in the state but would like to participate in your county, you
can contact your compiler via this link.
Roving Naturalist, NOVA Parks
Director, Patuxent Bird Club MOS Chapter
<mfelperin...>
novaparks.com
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Date: 5/1/25 11:21 am From: JAMES SPEICHER <jugornought...> Subject: [MDBirding] Is it time for Global Big weekend (GBW)?
Sure the 11th is the fall back date in case of inclement weather on the 10th, but a lot more coverage is possible for a two day vs one day event. For the Fall, CBCs, and mid-winter counts with one exception a single day of census can give a pretty good picture of seasonal populations, but in Spring we are inundated with both variety of species and numbers that would seem to argue for a different approach.
Jim Speicher
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Date: 5/1/25 7:41 am From: Cintia Cabib <cintia...> Subject: [MDBirding] "Bird Walk" Film Screening on May 10 in Bethesda
Hi, everyone
In celebration of World Migratory Bird Day, Connie Morella Library in Bethesda is hosting a free screening of my documentary “Bird Walk” on Saturday, May 10 at 2 p.m., followed by a Q & A with me. Discover how an abandoned golf course became an oasis for birds and birders and learn about the grassroots campaign that helped preserve the 131-acre site as a public park: https://www.birdwalkfilm.com <https://www.birdwalkfilm.com/>. Connie Morella Library is located at 7400 Arlington Rd., Bethesda, MD. Library parking is free on Saturdays. The library is walking distance from the Bethesda Metro station on the Red Line. For more information, visit https://mcpl.libnet.info/event/12974121 <https://mcpl.libnet.info/event/12974121>
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Date: 5/1/25 7:23 am From: Anna Urciolo <anna.urciolo...> Subject: [MDBirding] Common gallinule at Avenel
Mea culpa. Disregard earlier post about a purple gallinule at Avenel golf course. It was a common gallinule with a male wood duck.
My phone was dead so I couldn’t take a picture or pull up an ID photo but I did write down a description. Still a nice surprise to see.
Anna Urciolo
Rockville MD
Sent from my iPad
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Date: 5/1/25 7:02 am From: Anna Urciolo <anna.urciolo...> Subject: [MDBirding] Male wood duck and purple gallinule at Avenel golf course
I monitor bluebird boxes weekly on this golf course and had quite a surprise this morning. There was a pond that has a sad, leaning wood duck box for a long time but no wood ducks as there is little vegetation or shrubs around the pond.
This morning I saw a male wood duck flying towards one end of the pond and slowly swimming back. He was following another waterfowl which was definitely not a female wood duck but a purple gallinule complete with red bill tipped with yellow. Interesting combination!
Avenel is not that close to McBeshers where a purple gallinule has been seen for weeks. I wonder if it could be the same bird.
Avenel is a private golf course.
Anna Urciolo
Rockville MD
Sent from my iPad
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Date: 4/30/25 6:29 pm From: 'SUE RICCIARDI' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbirding...> Subject: [MDBirding] Fort Smallwood Park (30 Apr 2025) 99 Raptors
Fort Smallwood Park Pasadena, Maryland, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 30, 2025
Species
Day's Count
Month Total
Season Total
Black Vulture
3
137
271
Turkey Vulture
45
3272
8351
Osprey
0
158
356
Bald Eagle
1
38
89
Northern Harrier
2
92
102
Sharp-shinned Hawk
39
910
1015
Cooper's Hawk
7
222
311
American Goshawk
0
0
0
Red-shouldered Hawk
0
53
258
Broad-winged Hawk
0
294
294
Red-tailed Hawk
1
51
109
Rough-legged Hawk
0
0
0
Golden Eagle
0
0
0
American Kestrel
0
115
142
Merlin
0
42
50
Peregrine Falcon
0
2
2
Unknown Accipitrine
1
6
9
Unknown Buteo
0
6
13
Unknown Falcon
0
7
10
Unknown Eagle
0
0
0
Unknown Raptor
0
11
18
Total:
99
5416
11400
Observation start time:
8:15 am
Observation end time:
2:30 pm Daylight Time
Total observation time:
6.25 hours
Official Counter
Chris Reed
Observers:
Cindy Godwin, Jenny Isaacs, Ralph Geuder, Rich Mason, Sue Ricciardi
Weather: Cloud cover increased early on to mostly cloudy, then decreased to mostly sunny; 70-82 degrees; good to excellent visibility; winds westerly, often with a NW component, 10-15 mph gusting to 26 mph.
Raptor Observations: Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks steady over the day. Go to this eBird checklist to see two (together) of the 30 Northern Harriers observed this past Sunday. https://ebird.org/checklist/S230319409
Non-raptor Observations: 4 Solitary Sandpipers, 1040 Blue Jays, about 50 Chimney Swifts, Black-and-White Warbler, 5 White-tailed Deer
Site Description Fort Smallwood Park is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River, 11 miles south of Baltimore, MD. Best winds are from the southwest.
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Date: 4/30/25 10:17 am From: Harry Armistead <harryarmistead...> Subject: [MDBirding] April 15-21, 2025 + Blackwater N.W.R.2025.
FERRY NECK, APRIL 15 - 21, 2025 & BLACKWATER N.W.R.
Wisteria and dogwoods in bloom. Seems a little early. “candles” starting to appear on loblolly pines. A time of coatings of pine pollen. Lots of common wintercress with its yellow flower clusters, in some areas, what I have for years mistakenly called mustard grass. NO gannets seen this spring; how disappointing.
Guests: Mary & her boys David & Lucas and their friends Mason & Johnny, George & Kristin Klein and her daughter Kayla. Some of the sightings below not seen by me but seen by other family members, as usual, but without attribution.
BLUEBIRDS: CONTENTS of our 3 nestboxes: lawn 3 young, Lucy Point 5 eggs, Field 4 five eggs. Good!
APRIL 15, TUESDAY. Route 481 just south of Ruthsburg a woodchuck, unusual in that its pelage is dark brown, plus a Wilson’s snipe and an American Kestrel. I’ve seen dark woodchucks previously in Massachusetts. A dozen wild turkeys in their favorite field south of Route 33 (across from Town ’n’ Country). Deer (all does), 3 at John Swaine’s, 6 at Camper’s, and 5 in our Big Field.
Clear, sunny, winds 20-30 NW, 61 degrees F., arrive at 6:15. Ground is quite damp and the drive across the Big Field to Lucy Point goes O.K., but with some slithering and increased velocity at 3 areas with standing water.
APRIL 16, WEDNESDAY: bald eagle 4, mockingbird 1, chipping sparrow 1, turkey vulture 2, purple martin 5, tree swallow 1, cormorant 11, bluebird 7, Carolina wren 1, American crow 2, cowbird 3, black vulture 8, ring-billed gull 4, wild turkey 1, barn swallow 2, red-winged blackbird 1, pileated woodpecker 1, fish crow 4, red-tailed hawk 1, osprey only 2 (one doing the full sky dance, screaming away, but w/o a fish), sharp-shinned hawk 1, Canada goose 1 (semi-injured, awkward in flight).
fair, cool, W or NW 20-30, 50-62. Non-avian taxa: spring azure 1, cabbage white 2, red fox 1, deer (does) 13, gray squirrel 2.
Our mockingbird is not nearly as much of a virtuoso as the one at Blackwater. But heard today are its imitations anyway: cardinal, blue jay, Carolina wren, ruby-crowned kinglet (its double note), great crested flycatcher, bluebird, titmouse, and purple martin.
2 exciting fighter jets, loaded for bear, go over, low. The Big Field, not plowed for two years, has countless thousands of young eastern redcedars, 3-6” high.
APRIL 17, THURSDAY. A day of perfect clarity, high 40s to high 50s, cool, NW 10-15 becoming SW 10. 11 deer (does) Field 4. pileated woodpecker 1. One spotted turtle. surf scoter 45. red fox 1.
BELLEVUE: 12:30 P.M. Bonaparte’s gull 1, same waterfowl as yesterday.
At sunset all of us go to Lucy Point, it is dead calm but late clouds obscure the sunset. bald eagle 1 immature, diamondback terrapin 7.
APRIL 18, FRIDAY. clear becoming mostly overcast, 48-68, SW 5 rising through the day to 15 and 20, water clarity excellent. One muskrat. bald eagle 2 immatures. brown-headed nuthatch 1. pileated woodpecker 1 (for the 1st time I think PIWO is resident, possible breeding in our woods). brown thrasher at the feeders. greater yellow legs 1 (thankfully they are so vocal). 11 deer (does) in Field 4. 2 spotted turtles, 1 painted turtle.
APRIL 19, Saturday, WESTERN TANAGER 1 (see below). new “yard bird”; reported by Liz. ! George sees a yellow palm warbler in the Big Field, much less likely to be seen in spring than fall.
After a delicious but expensive dinner at Doc’s Sunset Grille in Oxford well after sunset we exit the restaurant and on the left going out only a few feet from the entrance and right next to the path is a female mallard incubating on her nest, discovered by Sully, Kristin & George’s golden retriever, who sniffed her out, but she did not flush. At least 2 purple martin colonies at the restaurant.
BLACKWATER N.W.R. TURTLES: red-bellied cooter 16, painted turtle 14, Tom Miller saw a mud turtle here today and Ron Ketter a snapping turtle. And later today I counted 10 spotted turtles and 22 diamondback terrapin at Rigby’s Folly. Also at R.F. Kayla sees and photographs 2 box turtles on April 20. This totals 7 turtle species seen recently in the general area.
BNWR. George & Harry Armistead, Wildlife Drive & Rt. 365 bridge, 41 species, mid-morning-early afternoon. Selected sightings:
Canada goose 11, green-winged teal 7, American white pelican 14, killdeer 1, lesser yellowlegs 6, greater yellowlegs 6, dunlin 130, least tern 3 (at Sewards “Christmas tree reef”; a little early), Forster’s tern 14, cormorant 2, glossy ibis 7, osprey 6, great egret 8, bald eagle 21, eastern kingbird 1 purple martin 12, barn swallow 13, house wren 1, brown thrasher 1, eastern bluebird 4, chipping sparrow 9, common yellowthroat 6.
A garrulous mockingbird here today gave these imitations: cardinal, orchard oriole, kingbird, blue jay, bluebird, Virginia rail, flicker, catbird, thrasher, red-bellied woodpecker, great crested flycatcher, and purple martin.
An adult male northern harrier (“gray ghost”) at Swaine’s. 6 deer across from Town ’n’ Country.
APRIL 20, SUNDAY. Easter Sunday. 57-71, mostly overcast, SW 15-20, then NW 15-20, warm. greater yellowlegs 4. Our fields get fertilized today. George & Kristin leave, see 2 spotted turtles and a black racer on the way out.
Bellevue: 6:30 P.M.: gray squirrel 2, 2 deer, ring-billed gull 2, common loon 4, lesser scaup 2, ruddy duck 4, osprey 1. See a red fox on the Winsome Farm driveway.
APRIL 21, MONDAY. 63 degrees F., mostly overcast, wind … I forget, leave for PA at 10:15 A.M. Single bald eagles seen at 5 places on the way home.
NAME CHANGES. Several I especially do not like are: for Atlantic (or sometimes Audubon) Naturalist (of the Middle Atlantic States), DC Naturalist, or whatever it has been called, to Nature Forward. Point Reyes Bird Observatory to Point Blue (Conservation Science). Wyncote (PA) Bird Club to Liberty Bird Alliance.
Also, Denali to Mt. McKinley (so then will the automobile model currently called the Denali now be called the McKinley?). Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge to Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge. Then there’s the Gulf of … whatever.
SNOWY OWLS at Boston’s Logan Airport. Philadelphia Inquirer, Sunday, April 27, 2025, page A9 (the full page !) by Andrea Sachs: since 1981 Norman Smith has captured, banded, and released elsewhere more than 900, including 14 in one day and a grand total of 141 that same winter (2013-2014).
Best to all. Harry Armistead, Bellevue and Philadelphia.
WESTERN TANAGER, immature and/or female, RIGBY’S FOLLY, FERRY NECK, TALBOT COUNTY, MARYLAND, SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 2025, by my wife Liz (Mary E.) Armistead.
BACKGROUND: Son, George, and I were on a visit to Blackwater N.W.R. c. 8:45 - c. 2 P.M. On our return wife Liz mentioned she had seen a predominantly yellowish bird with wing bars and didn’t know what it was. In my exhaustion, in the midst of a very busy weekend with family and guests, I said and thought: “Probably ‘just’ a goldfinch” and let it go at that. The next day, after things had quieted down some, Liz started to fill me in more, leading me to consider she had seen something of interest. What follows is a description of the bird I recorded using her own words.
TIME: c. 11:30
OPTICS: Eagle brand, 8 X 35.
DISTANCE: less than 100 feet, had to focus down with the binoculars. less than 15 feet up in a black locust. Seen from the house’s back porch.
WINGS: blackish with white wingbars.
SIZE: 7”-8”
LENGTH OF OBSERVATION: c. 1 minute, then flew away, direct flight. [At such low altitude Orchard Orioles often have a herky jerky flight manner. - HTA] Although a short period of observation, because Liz suspected she might be onto something unusual she was able to double check most of the field marks reported here.
GENERAL PLUMAGE: overall yellowish but less brighter yellow on the back.
BILL: longer, but “fatter” (thicker than those of some other birds present), but not thick like a finch’s bill. [a good field mark to help eliminate any orioles, that have more spiky bills than tanagers.-HTA]
VOCALIZATIONS: none.
WEATHER: fair, bird not backlit, winds moderate. [Observer facing to the northeast long after sunrise. - HTA]
LEGS & FEET: not seen.
TAIL: unremarkable. normal, rather broad and not-very-long tail.
CONSULTED: Nat. Geog. guide soon afterwards.
AFTERWARDS: In that afternoon, all day the next (Sunday), and part of Monday morning: no evidence of the bird. Since the bird apparently flew away and was not subsequently seen I didn’t send out any notice for others who might have wanted to “chase” such a rarity, it being a presumed “one day wonder”.
RECENT STATUS OF WETA IN THE REGION: This is a new yard bird for our property and new for the”yard” proper as well. (In recent years there has been an increase of WETA reports in the region, esp. in winter. 3 of the 7 or so records in the Maryland “Yellow Book”, 3rd ed., 1996, are from late April. Only 5 spring records in the Virginia “Gold Book”, 4th ed. 2007, and I have seen 2 of its reports in winter - HTA).
A FLY IN THE OINTMENT is the close similarity of WETA to Orchard Oriole, immatures or females in either case. The bill seen by Liz was thicker than an OROR’s bill, which is rather spiky. Also the WETA tail was not as proportionately long and skinny as an OROR’s tail. Finally the flight manner of an OROR differs:
“At a distance, the jerky flight of Orchard Oriole will give away its presence … the small size and general colouration may also suggest a female Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) … However, the tanager has a shorter and stouter bill … “. p. 213, New World Blackbirds: the Icterids by Alvaro Jaramillo and Peter Burke (Princeton U. Pr., 1999).
It’s always a little dicey when someone, more experienced, helps report something unusual seen by one’s spouse. In this case I tried not to put words into Liz’s description. There’s also a tendency to, initially, be in denial when you or someone else sees something rare. This was the case with both of us here.
Respectfully submitted. - Henry (“Harry”) T. Armistead, Bellevue, MD and Philadelphia, PA.
date: April 22, 2025.
________________________________
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Date: 4/29/25 8:34 pm From: 'SUE RICCIARDI' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbirding...> Subject: [MDBirding] Fort Smallwood Park (29 Apr 2025) 233 Raptors
Fort Smallwood Park Pasadena, Maryland, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 29, 2025
Species
Day's Count
Month Total
Season Total
Black Vulture
11
134
268
Turkey Vulture
147
3227
8306
Osprey
5
158
356
Bald Eagle
16
37
88
Northern Harrier
2
90
100
Sharp-shinned Hawk
31
871
976
Cooper's Hawk
4
215
304
American Goshawk
0
0
0
Red-shouldered Hawk
5
53
258
Broad-winged Hawk
2
294
294
Red-tailed Hawk
4
50
108
Rough-legged Hawk
0
0
0
Golden Eagle
0
0
0
American Kestrel
0
115
142
Merlin
1
42
50
Peregrine Falcon
1
2
2
Unknown Accipitrine
0
5
8
Unknown Buteo
1
6
13
Unknown Falcon
0
7
10
Unknown Eagle
0
0
0
Unknown Raptor
3
11
18
Total:
233
5317
11301
Observation start time:
9:00 am
Observation end time:
4:00 pm Daylight Time
Total observation time:
7 hours
Official Counter
Sue Ricciardi
Observers:
Alan Young, Chris Reed, Cindy Godwin, Hal Wierenga, Lynn Davidson, Ralph Geuder, Sue Young
Visitors: Roxanne Benzer
Weather: Partly cloudy with the cloud cover increasing over the course of the day; 61-83 degrees; excellent visibility; winds mostly from the southwest, 7-14 mph gusting to 22 mph
Raptor Observations: After a slow start, the flight got busy after 1 pm clock time and persisted until the end of the count for the day. Today, we reached 100 Northern Harriers for the season. The last time we had a season with 100 or more harriers was 2008. Second migrant Peregrine Falcon of the season. Eight local Bald Eagles at one time and 16 migrants for the day.
Site Description Fort Smallwood Park is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River, 11 miles south of Baltimore, MD. Best winds are from the southwest.
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Site Description Fort Smallwood Park is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River, 11 miles south of Baltimore, MD. Best winds are from the southwest.
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Date: 4/28/25 10:52 am From: Harry Armistead <harryarmistead...> Subject: [MDBirding] Ferry Neck April 15-21, 2025 + Blackwater N.W.R.
FERRY NECK, APRIL 15 - 21, 2025 & BLACKWATER N.W.R.
Wisteria and dogwoods in bloom. Seems a little early. “candles” starting to appear on loblolly pines. A time of coatings of pine pollen. Lots of common wintercress with its yellow flower clusters, in some areas, what I have for years mistakenly called mustard grass. NO gannets seen this spring; how disappointing.
Guests: Mary & her boys David & Lucas and their friends Mason & Johnny, George & Kristin Klein. Some of the sightings below not seen by me but seen by other family members, as usual, but without attribution.
BLUEBIRDS: CONTENTS of our 3 nestboxes: lawn 3 young, Lucy Point 5 eggs, Field 4 five eggs. Good!
APRIL 15, TUESDAY. Route 481 just south of Ruthsburg a woodchuck, unusual in that its pelage is dark brown, plus a Wilson’s snipe and an American Kestrel. I’ve seen dark woodchucks previously in Massachusetts. A dozen wild turkeys in their favorite field south of Route 33 (across from Town ’n’ Country). Deer (all does), 3 at John Swaine’s, 6 at Camper’s, and 5 in our Big Field.
Clear, sunny, winds 20-30 NW, 61 degrees F., arrive at 6:15. Ground is quite damp and the drive across the Big Field to Lucy Point goes O.K., but with some slithering and increased velocity at 3 areas with standing water.
APRIL 16, WEDNESDAY: bald eagle 4, mockingbird 1, chipping sparrow 1, turkey vulture 2, purple martin 5, tree swallow 1, cormorant 11, bluebird 7, Carolina wren 1, American crow 2, cowbird 3, black vulture 8, ring-billed gull 4, wild turkey 1, barn swallow 2, red-winged blackbird 1, pileated woodpecker 1, fish crow 4, red-tailed hawk 1, osprey only 2 (one doing the full sky dance, screaming away, but w/o a fish), sharp-shinned hawk 1, Canada goose 1 (semi-injured, awkward in flight).
fair, cool, W or NW 20-30, 50-62. Non-avian taxa: spring azure 1, cabbage white 2, red fox 1, deer (does) 13, gray squirrel 2.
Our mockingbird is not nearly as much of a virtuoso as the one at Blackwater. But heard today are its imitations anyway: cardinal, blue jay, Carolina wren, ruby-crowned kinglet (its double note), great crested flycatcher, bluebird, titmouse, and purple martin.
2 exciting fighter jets, loaded for bear, go over, low. The Big Field, not plowed for two years, has countless thousands of young eastern redcedars, 3-6” high.
APRIL 17, THURSDAY. A day of perfect clarity, high 40s to high 50s, cool, NW 10-15 becoming SW 10. 11 deer (does) Field 4. pileated woodpecker 1. One spotted turtle. surf scoter 45. red fox 1.
BELLEVUE: 12:30 P.M. Bonaparte’s gull 1, same waterfowl as yesterday.
At sunset all of us go to Lucy Point, it is dead calm but late clouds obscure the sunset. bald eagle 1 immature, diamondback terrapin 7.
APRIL 18, FRIDAY. clear becoming mostly overcast, 48-68, SW 5 rising through the day to 15 and 20, water clarity excellent. One muskrat. bald eagle 2 immatures. brown-headed nuthatch 1. pileated woodpecker 1 (for the 1st time I think PIWO is resident, possible breeding in our woods). brown thrasher at the feeders. greater yellow legs 1 (thankfully they are so vocal). 11 deer (does) in Field 4. 2 spotted turtles, 1 painted turtle.
APRIL 19, Saturday, WESTERN TANAGER 1 (see separate message for details. new “yard bird”; reported by Liz). ! George sees a yellow palm warbler in the Big Field, much less likely to be seen in spring than fall.
After a delicious but expensive dinner at Doc’s Sunset Grille in Oxford well after sunset we exit the restaurant and on the left going out only a few feet from the entrance and right next to the path is a female mallard is incubating on her nest, discovered by Sully, Kristin & George’s golden retriever, who sniffed her out, but she did not flush. At least 2 purple martin colonies at the restaurant.
BLACKWATER N.W.R. TURTLES: red-bellied cooter 16, painted turtle 14, Tom Miller saw a mud turtle here today and Ron Ketter a snapping turtle. And later today I counted 10 spotted turtles and 22 diamondback terrapin at Rigby’s Folly. Also at R.F. Kayla Walker saw and photographed 2 box turtles on April 20. This totals 7 turtle species seen recently in the general area.
BNWR. George & Harry Armistead, Wildlife Drive & Rt. 365 bridge, 41 species, mid-morning-early afternoon. Selected sightings:
Canada goose 11, green-winged teal 7, American white pelican 14, killdeer 1, lesser yellowlegs 6, greater yellowlegs 6, dunlin 130, least tern 3 (at Sewards “Christmas tree reef”; a little early), Forster’s tern 14, cormorant 2, glossy ibis 7, osprey 6, great egret 8, bald eagle 21, eastern kingbird 1 purple martin 12, barn swallow 13, house wren 1, brown thrasher 1, eastern bluebird 4, chipping sparrow 9, common yellowthroat 6.
A garrulous mockingbird here today gave these imitations: cardinal, orchard oriole, kingbird, blue jay, bluebird, Virginia rail, flicker, catbird, thrasher, red-bellied woodpecker, great crested flycatcher, and purple martin.
An adult male northern harrier (“gray ghost”) at Swaine’s. 6 deer across from Town ’n’ Country.
APRIL 20, SUNDAY. Easter Sunday. 57-71, mostly overcast, SW 15-20, then NW 15-20, warm. greater yellowlegs 4. Our fields get fertilized today. George & Kristin leave, see 2 spotted turtles and a black racer on the way out.
Bellevue: 6:30 P.M.: gray squirrel 2, 2 deer, ring-billed gull 2, common loon 4, lesser scaup 2, ruddy duck 4, osprey 1. See a red fox on the Winsome Farm driveway.
APRIL 21, MONDAY. 63 degrees F., mostly overcast, wind … I forget, leave for PA at 10:15 A.M. Single bald eagles seen at 5 places on the way home.
NAME CHANGES. Several I especially do not like are: for Atlantic (or sometimes Audubon) Naturalist (of the Middle Atlantic States), DC Naturalist, or whatever it has been called, to Nature Forward. Point Reyes Bird Observatory to Point Blue (Conservation Science). Wyncote (PA) Bird Club to Liberty Bird Alliance.
Also, Denali to Mt. McKinley (so then will the automobile model currently called the Denali now be called the McKinley?). Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge to Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge. Then there’s the Gulf of … whatever.
SNOWY OWLS at Boston’s Logan Airport. Philadelphia Inquirer, Sunday, April 27, 2025, page A9 (the full page !) by Andrea Sachs: since 1981 Norman Smith has captured, banded, and released elsewhere more than 900, including 14 in one day and a grand total of 141 that same winter (2013-2014).
Best to all. Harry Armistead, Bellevue and Philadelphia.
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Date: 4/28/25 10:33 am From: Harry Armistead <harryarmistead...> Subject: [MDBirding] Western Tanager in Talbot County
WESTERN TANAGER, immature and/or female, RIGBY’S FOLLY, FERRY NECK, TALBOT COUNTY, MARYLAND, SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 2025, by my wife Liz (Mary E.) Armistead.
BACKGROUND: Son, George, and I were on a visit to Blackwater N.W.R. c. 8:45 - c. 2 P.M. On our return wife Liz mentioned she had seen a predominantly yellowish bird with wing bars and didn’t know what it was. In my exhaustion, in the midst of a very busy weekend with family and guests, I said and thought: “Probably ‘just’ a goldfinch” and let it go at that. The next day, after things had quieted down some, Liz started to fill me in more, leading me to consider she had seen something of interest. What follows is a description of the bird I recorded using her own words.
TIME: c. 11:30
OPTICS: Eagle brand, 8 X 35.
DISTANCE: less than 100 feet, had to focus down with the binoculars. less than 15 feet up in a black locust. Seen from the house’s back porch.
WINGS: blackish with white wingbars.
SIZE: 7”-8”
LENGTH OF OBSERVATION: c. 1 minute, then flew away, direct flight. [At such low altitude Orchard Orioles often have a herky jerky flight manner. - HTA] Although a short period of observation, because Liz suspected she might be onto something unusual she was able to double check most of the field marks reported here.
GENERAL PLUMAGE: overall yellowish but less brighter yellow on the back.
BILL: longer, but “fatter” (thicker than those of some other birds present), but not thick like a finch’s bill. [a good field mark to help eliminate any orioles, that have more spiky bills than tanagers.-HTA]
VOCALIZATIONS: none.
WEATHER: fair, bird not backlit, winds moderate. [Observer facing to the northeast long after sunrise. - HTA]
LEGS & FEET: not seen.
TAIL: unremarkable. normal, rather broad and not-very-long tail.
CONSULTED: Nat. Geog. guide soon afterwards.
AFTERWARDS: In that afternoon, all day the next (Sunday), and part of Monday morning: no evidence of the bird. Since the bird apparently flew away and was not subsequently seen I didn’t send out any notice for others who might have wanted to “chase” such a rarity, it being a presumed “one day wonder”.
RECENT STATUS OF WETA IN THE REGION: This is a new yard bird for our property and new for the”yard” proper as well. In recent years there has been an increase of WETA reports in the region, esp. in winter. 3 of the 7 or so records in the Maryland “Yellow Book”, 3rd ed., 1996, are from late April. Only 5 spring records in the Virginia “Gold Book”, 4th ed. 2007, and I have seen 2 of the reports in winter - HTA).
A FLY IN THE OINTMENT is the close similarity of WETA to Orchard Oriole, immatures or females in either case. The bill seen by Liz was thicker than an OROR’s bill, which is rather spiky. Also the WETA tail was not as proportionately long and skinny as an OROR’s tail. Finally the flight manner of an OROR differs:
“At a distance, the jerky flight of Orchard Oriole will give away its presence … the small size and general colouration may also suggest a female Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) … However, the tanager has a shorter and stouter bill … “. p. 213, New World Blackbirds: the Icterids by Alvaro Jaramillo and Peter Burke (Princeton U. Pr., 1999).
It’s always a little dicey when someone, more experienced, helps report something unusual seen by one’s spouse. In this case I tried not to put words into Liz’s description. There’s also a tendency to, initially, be in denial when you or someone else sees something rare. This was the case with both of us here.
Respectfully submitted. - Henry (“Harry”) T. Armistead, Bellevue, MD and Philadelphia, PA.
date: April 22, 2025.
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Date: 4/27/25 8:13 pm From: 'SUE RICCIARDI' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbirding...> Subject: [MDBirding] Fort Smallwood Park (27 Apr 2025) 358 Raptors
Fort Smallwood Park Pasadena, Maryland, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 27, 2025
Species
Day's Count
Month Total
Season Total
Black Vulture
3
119
253
Turkey Vulture
150
3052
8131
Osprey
2
152
350
Bald Eagle
0
20
71
Northern Harrier
30
88
98
Sharp-shinned Hawk
143
837
942
Cooper's Hawk
17
210
299
American Goshawk
0
0
0
Red-shouldered Hawk
0
48
253
Broad-winged Hawk
3
292
292
Red-tailed Hawk
7
46
104
Rough-legged Hawk
0
0
0
Golden Eagle
0
0
0
American Kestrel
1
115
142
Merlin
1
41
49
Peregrine Falcon
0
1
1
Unknown Accipitrine
0
5
8
Unknown Buteo
0
5
12
Unknown Falcon
1
7
10
Unknown Eagle
0
0
0
Unknown Raptor
0
8
15
Total:
358
5046
11030
Observation start time:
8:15 am
Observation end time:
4:00 pm Daylight Time
Total observation time:
7.75 hours
Official Counter
Chris Reed, Sue Ricciardi
Observers:
Chris Reed, Cristians Rivas, Dave Mozurkewich, Hal Wierenga, Hugh Hoffman, Lynn Davidson, Sue Ricciardi
Visitors: Bill and Melissa, Sarah Olilla, Clare Rowland
Weather: Sunny, 51-68 degrees, excellent visibility; very strong winds, mostly from the WNW, 17-23 mph gusting to 43 mph
Raptor Observations: A busy and delightful day. The strong WNW winds kept the flight low, which was fortunate on a sunny day. The highlight was 30 Northern Harriers! All "brownies" except for two immature males. On two separate occasions, three harriers were in view at once. Sharp-shinned Hawks also flew by in good numbers.
Non-raptor Observations: 2 Great Crested Flycatchers, Red-eyed Vireo, Orchard Oriole
Site Description Fort Smallwood Park is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River, 11 miles south of Baltimore, MD. Best winds are from the southwest.
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Site Description Fort Smallwood Park is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River, 11 miles south of Baltimore, MD. Best winds are from the southwest.
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Date: 4/24/25 9:28 pm From: 'SUE RICCIARDI' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbirding...> Subject: [MDBirding] Fort Smallwood Park (24 Apr 2025) 74 Raptors
Fort Smallwood Park Pasadena, Maryland, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 24, 2025
Species
Day's Count
Month Total
Season Total
Black Vulture
6
103
237
Turkey Vulture
55
2889
7968
Osprey
0
150
348
Bald Eagle
0
19
70
Northern Harrier
0
58
68
Sharp-shinned Hawk
6
693
798
Cooper's Hawk
0
191
280
American Goshawk
0
0
0
Red-shouldered Hawk
0
48
253
Broad-winged Hawk
4
288
288
Red-tailed Hawk
1
38
96
Rough-legged Hawk
0
0
0
Golden Eagle
0
0
0
American Kestrel
1
114
141
Merlin
0
39
47
Peregrine Falcon
0
1
1
Unknown Accipitrine
0
5
8
Unknown Buteo
0
5
12
Unknown Falcon
0
6
9
Unknown Eagle
0
0
0
Unknown Raptor
1
8
15
Total:
74
4655
10639
Observation start time:
8:30 am
Observation end time:
3:00 pm Daylight Time
Total observation time:
6.5 hours
Official Counter
Chris Reed
Observers:
Cindy Godwin, Jenny Isaacs, Steve Steimel, Sue Ricciardi
Visitors: Michele Cookson
Weather: Mostly cloudy with high thin clouds; 56-79 degrees; fair visibility; winds light and southerly the first three hours, then increasing in velocity to 7-9 mph and coming from the SSE for the last two hours
Raptor Observations: Mostly Turkey Vultures today and a light flight overall
Non-raptor Observations: One Yellow Warbler and 2 Yellow-rumped Warblers. Seaside Sparrow. 1028 Blue Jays.
Site Description Fort Smallwood Park is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River, 11 miles south of Baltimore, MD. Best winds are from the southwest.
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Raptor Observations: Good diversity but few of each species.
Non-raptor Observations: Great Crested Flycatcher. Yesterday we had our first Green Heron of the season. Blue Jays have averaged over 800 individuals per day the past five days.
Site Description Fort Smallwood Park is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River, 11 miles south of Baltimore, MD. Best winds are from the southwest.
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Date: 4/22/25 8:13 pm From: 'SUE RICCIARDI' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbirding...> Subject: [MDBirding] Fort Smallwood Park (22 Apr 2025) 469 Raptors
Fort Smallwood Park Pasadena, Maryland, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 22, 2025
Species
Day's Count
Month Total
Season Total
Black Vulture
8
96
230
Turkey Vulture
347
2796
7875
Osprey
4
149
347
Bald Eagle
2
19
70
Northern Harrier
2
58
68
Sharp-shinned Hawk
58
683
788
Cooper's Hawk
30
186
275
American Goshawk
0
0
0
Red-shouldered Hawk
0
47
252
Broad-winged Hawk
6
284
284
Red-tailed Hawk
3
36
94
Rough-legged Hawk
0
0
0
Golden Eagle
0
0
0
American Kestrel
5
112
139
Merlin
1
38
46
Peregrine Falcon
0
1
1
Unknown Accipitrine
2
4
7
Unknown Buteo
1
5
12
Unknown Falcon
0
6
9
Unknown Eagle
0
0
0
Unknown Raptor
0
7
14
Total:
469
4527
10511
Observation start time:
8:30 am
Observation end time:
4:00 pm Daylight Time
Total observation time:
7.5 hours
Official Counter
Chris Reed
Observers:
Hal Wierenga, Ralph Geuder, Rich Mason, Steve Steimel, Sue Ricciardi
Weather: Variable cloudiness; 60-80 degrees; fair to good visibility; winds light at first, then increasing in velocity, from the west, sometimes with a NW component, 0-18 mph, gusting to 25 mph.
Raptor Observations: Turkey Vultures dominated today, but there were also good numbers of accipiters.
Non-raptor Observations: Solitary Sandpiper, 11 Spotted Sandpipers, 10 Swamp Sparrows. Dragonflies and butterflies in good numbers today. Calling Cricket Frogs.
Site Description Fort Smallwood Park is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River, 11 miles south of Baltimore, MD. Best winds are from the southwest.
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Site Description Fort Smallwood Park is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River, 11 miles south of Baltimore, MD. Best winds are from the southwest.
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Date: 4/20/25 7:52 pm From: 'SUE RICCIARDI' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbirding...> Subject: [MDBirding] Fort Smallwood Park (20 Apr 2025) 208 Raptors
Fort Smallwood Park Pasadena, Maryland, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 20, 2025
Species
Day's Count
Month Total
Season Total
Black Vulture
2
88
222
Turkey Vulture
154
2446
7525
Osprey
3
145
343
Bald Eagle
1
17
68
Northern Harrier
1
56
66
Sharp-shinned Hawk
31
625
730
Cooper's Hawk
12
155
244
American Goshawk
0
0
0
Red-shouldered Hawk
0
47
252
Broad-winged Hawk
0
278
278
Red-tailed Hawk
0
33
91
Rough-legged Hawk
0
0
0
Golden Eagle
0
0
0
American Kestrel
2
107
134
Merlin
1
36
44
Peregrine Falcon
0
1
1
Unknown Accipitrine
0
2
5
Unknown Buteo
0
4
11
Unknown Falcon
1
6
9
Unknown Eagle
0
0
0
Unknown Raptor
0
7
14
Total:
208
4053
10037
Observation start time:
8:30 am
Observation end time:
2:00 pm Daylight Time
Total observation time:
6.5 hours
Official Counter
Chris Reed, Sue Ricciardi
Observers:
Chris Reed, Cristians Rivas, Hal Wierenga, Lynn Davidson, Sue Ricciardi
Visitors: Laurie B and Rob P.
Weather: Cloudy and close to being overcast; 71-74 degrees; excellent visibility; winds northwesterly 8-12 mph
Raptor Observations: Accipiters and Turkey Vultures predominated today. No migrant buteos. We reached the 10,000 migrants milestone today.
Non-raptor Observations: 5 Wood Ducks; first spring arrivals of Laughing Gull, Least Tern, Common Tern and Eastern Kingbird, Northern Waterthrush. Butterflies: Pearl Crescent, Tiger Swallowtail, Cabbage White, Orange Sulphur, Eastern tailed-blue. Two Red-bellied Cooters exiting the pond to lay eggs.
Site Description Fort Smallwood Park is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River, 11 miles south of Baltimore, MD. Best winds are from the southwest.
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Date: 4/19/25 7:40 pm From: 'SUE RICCIARDI' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbirding...> Subject: [MDBirding] Fort Smallwood Park (19 Apr 2025) 466 Raptors
Fort Smallwood Park Pasadena, Maryland, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 19, 2025
Species
Day's Count
Month Total
Season Total
Black Vulture
0
86
220
Turkey Vulture
244
2292
7371
Osprey
4
142
340
Bald Eagle
1
16
67
Northern Harrier
2
55
65
Sharp-shinned Hawk
123
594
699
Cooper's Hawk
25
143
232
American Goshawk
0
0
0
Red-shouldered Hawk
2
47
252
Broad-winged Hawk
46
278
278
Red-tailed Hawk
7
33
91
Rough-legged Hawk
0
0
0
Golden Eagle
0
0
0
American Kestrel
5
105
132
Merlin
4
35
43
Peregrine Falcon
0
1
1
Unknown Accipitrine
0
2
5
Unknown Buteo
0
4
11
Unknown Falcon
2
5
8
Unknown Eagle
0
0
0
Unknown Raptor
1
7
14
Total:
466
3845
9829
Observation start time:
8:45 am
Observation end time:
4:15 pm Daylight Timr
Total observation time:
7.5 hours
Official Counter
Chris Reed
Observers:
Hal Wierenga, Hugh Hoffman, Lynn Davidson, Sue Ricciardi
Visitors: Mike Woronowicz, John Michael, Kelly, Claire Wolfe, John Taylor
Weather: Cloudy; 69-79 degrees; fair to poor visibility; winds from the SW 9-13 mph gusting to 23 mph
Raptor Observations: Despite the near overcast skies, the raptors took advantage of advantageous SW winds, resulting in a very productive flight featuring Turkey Vultures, accipiters and Broad-winged Hawks. Local Peregrine Falcon and exciting skirmishes between Bald Eagles and Ospreys.
Non-raptor Observations: Blue Jays starting their migration with 546 counted today, two Wood Ducks, an estimated 800 swallow species. Several butterflies and a calling Gray Tree Frog.
Site Description Fort Smallwood Park is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River, 11 miles south of Baltimore, MD. Best winds are from the southwest.
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Date: 4/18/25 8:03 pm From: 'SUE RICCIARDI' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbirding...> Subject: [MDBirding] Fort Smallwood Park (18 Apr 2025) 379 Raptors
Fort Smallwood Park Pasadena, Maryland, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 18, 2025
Species
Day's Count
Month Total
Season Total
Black Vulture
8
86
220
Turkey Vulture
102
2048
7127
Osprey
8
138
336
Bald Eagle
1
15
66
Northern Harrier
2
53
63
Sharp-shinned Hawk
170
471
576
Cooper's Hawk
19
118
207
American Goshawk
0
0
0
Red-shouldered Hawk
7
45
250
Broad-winged Hawk
28
232
232
Red-tailed Hawk
7
26
84
Rough-legged Hawk
0
0
0
Golden Eagle
0
0
0
American Kestrel
21
100
127
Merlin
4
31
39
Peregrine Falcon
1
1
1
Unknown Accipitrine
0
2
5
Unknown Buteo
0
4
11
Unknown Falcon
1
3
6
Unknown Eagle
0
0
0
Unknown Raptor
0
6
13
Total:
379
3379
9363
Observation start time:
8:15 am
Observation end time:
4:15 pm Daylight Time
Total observation time:
8 hours
Official Counter
Chris Reed
Observers:
Andy Smith, Cindy Godwin, Dave Mozurkewich, Fred Shaffer, Hal Wierenga, John Hoffman, Lynn Davidson, Sue Ricciardi, Wayne Klockner
Visitors: Brad and Samantha Weiss
Weather: Variable cloudiness; 49-75 degrees; excellent visibility; winds calm at first, then from the south for four hours, then southeasterly for the duration and increasing in strength, 0-15 mpg gusting to 25 mph
Raptor Observations: Great day to be hawkwatching. Thirteen species with an impressive 170 Sharp-shinned Hawks. First time this season that Turkey Vulture did not win the daily total for a species. Three migrant falcons in three minutes! (Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine). Peregrine was an immature.
Non-raptor Observations: 119 migrating Double-crested Cormorants; Common Yellowthroat, Palm, Pine and Prairie Warblers
Site Description Fort Smallwood Park is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River, 11 miles south of Baltimore, MD. Best winds are from the southwest.
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Site Description Fort Smallwood Park is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River, 11 miles south of Baltimore, MD. Best winds are from the southwest.
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Date: 4/17/25 2:27 pm From: 'Marcia Watson' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbirding...> Subject: [MDBirding] Temporary Closure - Greenbrier State Park, Washington County
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Date: 4/16/25 7:38 pm From: 'SUE RICCIARDI' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbirding...> Subject: [MDBirding] Fort Smallwood Park (16 Apr 2025) 422 Raptors
Fort Smallwood Park Pasadena, Maryland, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 16, 2025
Species
Day's Count
Month Total
Season Total
Black Vulture
7
77
211
Turkey Vulture
170
1670
6749
Osprey
0
124
322
Bald Eagle
1
13
64
Northern Harrier
8
51
61
Sharp-shinned Hawk
69
211
316
Cooper's Hawk
10
74
163
American Goshawk
0
0
0
Red-shouldered Hawk
4
32
237
Broad-winged Hawk
135
147
147
Red-tailed Hawk
6
14
72
Rough-legged Hawk
0
0
0
Golden Eagle
0
0
0
American Kestrel
8
74
101
Merlin
3
26
34
Peregrine Falcon
0
0
0
Unknown Accipitrine
0
0
3
Unknown Buteo
1
3
10
Unknown Falcon
0
2
5
Unknown Eagle
0
0
0
Unknown Raptor
0
4
11
Total:
422
2522
8506
Observation start
8:00 am
Observation end time:
4:00 pm Daylight Time
Total observation time:
8 hours
Official Counter
Chris Reed
Observers:
Fred Shaffer, Hal Wierenga, Lynn Davidson, Ralph Geuder, Rich Mason, Sue Ricciardi
Visitors: Rangers Jack and Chris brought 15 visitors
Weather: Partly cloudy with nice cumulus clouds; 48-60 degrees; excellent visibility; winds again strong, from the WNW 12-24 mph gusting to 35 mph
Raptor Observations: Another great day for raptor migration. Today Broad-winged Hawks and Sharp-shinned Hawks (and Turkey Vultures) were most numerous. Both species were constantly in view, but the strong winds prevented any large kettles of broadwings from forming.
Site Description Fort Smallwood Park is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River, 11 miles south of Baltimore, MD. Best winds are from the southwest.
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Date: 4/15/25 8:42 pm From: 'SUE RICCIARDI' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbirding...> Subject: [MDBirding] Fort Smallwood Park (15 Apr 2025) 252 Raptors
Fort Smallwood Park Pasadena, Maryland, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 15, 2025
Species
Day's Count
Month Total
Season Total
Black Vulture
2
70
204
Turkey Vulture
88
1500
6579
Osprey
2
124
322
Bald Eagle
0
12
63
Northern Harrier
23
43
53
Sharp-shinned Hawk
67
142
247
Cooper's Hawk
8
64
153
American Goshawk
0
0
0
Red-shouldered Hawk
2
28
233
Broad-winged Hawk
4
12
12
Red-tailed Hawk
1
8
66
Rough-legged Hawk
0
0
0
Golden Eagle
0
0
0
American Kestrel
38
66
93
Merlin
12
23
31
Peregrine Falcon
0
0
0
Unknown Accipitrine
0
0
3
Unknown Buteo
0
2
9
Unknown Falcon
2
2
5
Unknown Eagle
0
0
0
Unknown Raptor
3
4
11
Total:
252
2100
8084
Observation start time:
9:00 am
Observation end time:
6:00 pm Daylight Time
Total observation time:
9 hours
Official Counter
Chris Reed, Sue Ricciardi
Observers:
Cindy Godwin, Dan Walker, Hal Wierenga, Jenny Isaacs, Lynn Davidson, Ralph Geuder, Steve Steimel, Sue Ricciardi
Visitors: Ron and Susie; Andrew and Mimi
Weather: Cloudy becoming partly cloudy in the aftermath of the front moving through with dark clouds passing by from time to time; 63-69 degrees; fair to good visibility; winds very strong from the west, becoming stronger over the course of the day, reaching 24 mph gusting to 41 mph
Raptor Observations: A wonderful day for raptors moving on the strong winds. Northern Harrier count nearly doubled, and counted in every hour except one. 38 American Kestrels and 12 Merlins. Highest daily count so far for Sharp-shinned Hawks.
Non-raptor Observations: First Chimney Swifts (2) of the season, 30+ Caspian Terns, 4 Savannah Sparrows, over 350 swallows
Site Description Fort Smallwood Park is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River, 11 miles south of Baltimore, MD. Best winds are from the southwest.
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Date: 4/14/25 7:39 pm From: 'SUE RICCIARDI' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbirding...> Subject: [MDBirding] Fort Smallwood Park (14 Apr 2025) 53 Raptors
Fort Smallwood Park Pasadena, Maryland, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 14, 2025
Species
Day's Count
Month Total
Season Total
Black Vulture
0
68
202
Turkey Vulture
32
1412
6491
Osprey
5
122
320
Bald Eagle
1
12
63
Northern Harrier
3
20
30
Sharp-shinned Hawk
2
75
180
Cooper's Hawk
5
56
145
American Goshawk
0
0
0
Red-shouldered Hawk
2
26
231
Broad-winged Hawk
2
8
8
Red-tailed Hawk
0
7
65
Rough-legged Hawk
0
0
0
Golden Eagle
0
0
0
American Kestrel
0
28
55
Merlin
1
11
19
Peregrine Falcon
0
0
0
Unknown Accipitrine
0
0
3
Unknown Buteo
0
2
9
Unknown Falcon
0
0
3
Unknown Eagle
0
0
0
Unknown Raptor
0
1
8
Total:
53
1848
7832
Observation start time:
9:00 am
Observation end time:
2:45 pm Daylight Time
Total observation time:
5.75 hours
Official Counter
Chris Reed
Observers:
Cindy Godwin, Rich Mason, Steve Steimel, Sue Ricciardi
Weather: Mostly cloudy becoming partly cloudy; 53-70 degrees; good to excellent visibility; winds light and variable, often with a SE component, 5-10 mph.
Raptor Observations: A light flight but a local Peregrine Falcon cruising the skies was a treat.
Non-raptor Observations: 12 Bonaparte's Gulls, Snowy Egret, 7 Caspian Terns at one time on the pond capturing sunfish.
Site Description Fort Smallwood Park is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River, 11 miles south of Baltimore, MD. Best winds are from the southwest.
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Site Description Fort Smallwood Park is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River, 11 miles south of Baltimore, MD. Best winds are from the southwest.
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Date: 4/10/25 9:29 pm From: 'SUE RICCIARDI' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbirding...> Subject: [MDBirding] Fort Smallwood Park (10 Apr 2025) 117 Raptors
Fort Smallwood Park Pasadena, Maryland, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 10, 2025
Species
Day's Count
Month Total
Season Total
Black Vulture
7
68
202
Turkey Vulture
93
1305
6384
Osprey
4
105
303
Bald Eagle
1
7
58
Northern Harrier
2
17
27
Sharp-shinned Hawk
2
57
162
Cooper's Hawk
2
44
133
American Goshawk
0
0
0
Red-shouldered Hawk
3
21
226
Broad-winged Hawk
0
6
6
Red-tailed Hawk
1
6
64
Rough-legged Hawk
0
0
0
Golden Eagle
0
0
0
American Kestrel
1
22
49
Merlin
1
7
15
Peregrine Falcon
0
0
0
Unknown Accipitrine
0
0
3
Unknown Buteo
0
2
9
Unknown Falcon
0
0
3
Unknown Eagle
0
0
0
Unknown Raptor
0
1
8
Total:
117
1668
7652
Observation start time:
9:00 am
Observation end time:
1:00 pm Daylight Time
Total observation time:
4 hours
Official Counter
Chris Reed
Observers:
Cristians Rivas, Dan Walker, Sue Ricciardi
Weather: Cloudy with a few intervals of some sun peeking through; 48-53 degrees; good to excellent visibility; winds from the SE, becoming stronger over the course of the day, 3-14 mph.
Raptor Observations: A decent flight of 11 species under adverse weather conditions. Local Peregrine Falcon giving a nice aerial display. Yesterday's report yesterday of a goshawk was, unfortunately, a data entry error.
Site Description Fort Smallwood Park is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River, 11 miles south of Baltimore, MD. Best winds are from the southwest.
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Date: 4/9/25 8:42 pm From: 'SUE RICCIARDI' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbirding...> Subject: [MDBirding] Fort Smallwood Park (09 Apr 2025) 94 Raptors
Fort Smallwood Park Pasadena, Maryland, USA
Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 09, 2025
Species
Day's Count
Month Total
Season Total
Black Vulture
3
61
195
Turkey Vulture
64
1212
6291
Osprey
8
101
299
Bald Eagle
0
6
57
Northern Harrier
0
15
25
Sharp-shinned Hawk
5
55
160
Cooper's Hawk
8
42
131
American Goshawk
1
1
1
Red-shouldered Hawk
2
17
222
Broad-winged Hawk
2
6
6
Red-tailed Hawk
1
5
63
Rough-legged Hawk
0
0
0
Golden Eagle
0
0
0
American Kestrel
0
21
48
Merlin
0
6
14
Peregrine Falcon
0
0
0
Unknown Accipitrine
0
0
3
Unknown Buteo
0
2
9
Unknown Falcon
0
0
3
Unknown Eagle
0
0
0
Unknown Raptor
0
1
8
Total:
94
1551
7535
Observation start time:
8:45 am
Observation end time:
2:30 pm Daylight Time
Total observation time:
5.75 hours
Official Counter
Chris Reed
Observers:
Fred Shaffer, Jenny Isaacs, Rich Mason, Steve Steimel, Sue Ricciardi
Visitors: Linda Vitchock, Jim and Christine Thompson, Alan and Sue Young, Mary Lou Clark
Weather: Sunny; 35-51 degrees; good visibility; winds light and variable, 5-9 mph
Raptor Observations: Blue skies making for difficult spotting and light winds led to a much lighter flight than yesterday's 900+ total. Two more Broad-winged Hawks.
Non-raptor Observations: Red-throated Loon seen by one of our observers
Site Description Fort Smallwood Park is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River, 11 miles south of Baltimore, MD. Best winds are from the southwest.
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