The Birding Lists Digest

Region: | Jump to : | View All Lists | FAQ

Date: 6/10/26 9:49 am From: Harry Armistead <harryarmistead...> Subject: [MDBirding] Dorchester bird count, May 2, 2026.
118th DORCHESTER COUNTY MAY BIRD COUNT, May 2, 2026. 144 species (low). EXPLANATION: see Canada goose: The grand total of 178 includes 6 found by the yardlisters. The total found by the 7 conventional sectors is 172 with CGs seen in 7 (of 7) sectors whose totals ranged from 14 to 33. In this manner the yardlist totals of their 37 species are indicated. WATERFOWL. tundra swan 1. Canada goose 178: 172 (7, 14-33). snow goose 2 (yardlist) wood duck 21 (6, 2-9). American black duck 56 (3, 6-43). mallard 79: 73 (7, 3-27). green-winged teal 72. ruddy duck 1. norther bobwhite 3. wild turkey 23 (7, 1-11). rock pigeon 12. mourning dove 139: 135 (7, 13-30). chuck-will’s-widow 27 (4, 2-10). whip-poor-will 5. chimney swift 44 (4, 1-18). ruby-throated hummingbird 12: 9 (6, 1-3). SANDHILL CRANE 1 (at Hills Point, Neck District, by GR; 1st count record). clapper rail 13 (3, 1-7). Virginia rail 14 (4, 1-8). common gallinule 2 (EIR). SHOREBIRDS: black-bellied plover 4 (2-2). semipalmated plover 28 (5, 2-12). killdeer 20 (6, 1-6). black-necked stilt 5. sanderling 14. dunlin 122 (4, 1-75). least sandpiper 129 (5, 6-62). pectoral sandpiper 2. semipalmated sandpiper 15. short-billed dowitcher 11. Wilson’s snipe 1. spotted sandpiper 4: 3 (2, 1-2). greater yellowlegs 56 (7, 1-21). willet 12 (2, 5-7). lesser yellowlegs 192 (6, 2-34). shorebird unIDd 1. LARIDS: laughing gull 320: 319 (7, 2-155). ring-billed gull 26 (4, 1-10). herring gull 56 (3, 3-48). great black-backed gull 9. least tern 17 (1-7). common or Forster’s tern 1. Forster’s tern 15 (5, 1-6). royal tern 15. the PRIMITIVES. common loon 1. double-crested cormorant 76 (6, 1-37). brown pelican 4. least bittern 2 (2, 1-1). great blue heron 47 (7, 3-15). great egret 25 (4, 1-13). snowy egret 22 (6, 2-7). tricolored heron 4. cattle egret 4. green heron 9 (5, 1-4). glossy ibis 25 (4, 1-16). RAPTORS: black vulture 32 (5, 1-19). turkey vulture 103: 102 (7, 7-28). osprey 109: 106 (8, 3-39). bald eagle 109: 106 (6, 4-58). Cooper’s hawk 1. red-shouldered hawk 1. red-tailed hawk 4 (2, 2-2). American kestrel 2 (2, 1-1). eastern screech-owl 7 (5, 1-3). kingfish + WOODPECKERS: belted kingfisher 1. red-headed woodpecker 36: 34 (6, 1-11). red-bellied woodpecker 34 (7, 2-7). downy woodpecker 12: 11 (7, 1-3). hairy woodpecker 6: 4 (3, 1-2). northern flicker 17 (6, 1-6). pileated woodpecker 23 (7, 1-8). FLYCATCHERS: eastern wood-pewee 2 (2, 1-1). great crested flycatcher 105 (7, 1-30). eastern kingbird 26 (6, 2-9). white-eyed vireo 37 (7, 1-15). yellow-throated vireo 1. blue-headed vireo 1. red-eyed vireo 33 (6, 4-13). CORVIDS: blue jay 44: 43 (7, 4-9). American crow 115: 111 (7, 5-35). fish crow 14 (5, 1-5). unIDd crow 13 (2, 1-12). LI’L SPRITES, if you get my drift … : horned lark 24 (3, 1-14). purple martin 162 (7, 1-57). tree swallow 493: 491 (7, 9-136). bank swallow 10. cliff swallow 4. barn swallow 283 (7, 13-98). Carolina chickadee 82: 78 (7, 22-25). tufted titmouse 71: 68 (6, 4-19). white-breasted nuthatch 6 (5, 1-2). brown-headed nuthatch 40: 38 (7, 2-25). house wren 29 (5, 1-13). marsh wren 49 (2, 1-48). Carolina wren 53: 51 (6, 4-14). blue-gray gnatcatcher 68: 67 (5, 2-28). ruby-crowned kinglet 1. THRUSH TYPES + starling: eastern bluebird 43: 41 (7, 2-12). wood thrush 16 (5, 1-6). American robin 130: 126 (7, 3-41). gray catbird 20 (6, 1-9). brown thrasher 23: 19 (7, 1-7). northern mockingbird 57: 53 (6, 3-16). European starling 833 (7, 10-635). cedar waxwing 1. house sparrow 46: 45 (6, 3-20). house finch 24: 18 (5, 1-7). American goldfinch 57: 47 (6, 3-20). WARBLERS: ovenbird 61 (6, 1-20). worm-eating warbler 16 (4, 1-12). Louisiana waterthrush 1. northern waterthrush 1. black-and-white warbler 12 (3, 1-7). prothonotary warbler 5 (3, 1-2). common yellowthroat 186 (7, 4-98). northern parula 4 (3, 1-2). yellow warbler 9 (2, 1-8). black-throated blue warbler 1. pine warbler 81 (7, 3-22). myrtle warbler 33: 32 (5, 1-16). yellow-throated warbler 6 (2, 2-4). prairie warbler 13 (5, 1-7). black-throated green warbler 1. yellow-breasted chat 2 (2, 1-1). eastern towhee 24 (6, 1-9). chipping sparrow 116: 113 (7, 3-31). field sparrow 16 (5, 1-6). vesper sparrow 1. Savannah sparrow 10 (3, 1-7). grasshopper sparrow 2. seaside sparrow 39 (3, 2-33). song sparrow 12 (3, 3-6). swamp sparrow 7 (3, 1-5). white-throated sparrow 22: 18 (6, 1-7). unIDd sparrow 3. the PRETTIES: summer tanager 31 (5, 3-15). scarlet tanager 3. northern cardinal 186: 182 (7, 9-50). rose-breasted grosbeak 4: 2 (2, 1-1). blue grosbeak 44: 43 (7, 1-21). indigo bunting 5 (4, 1-2). BLACKBIRD types: red-winged blackbird 1,309: 1,304 (7, 34-592). eastern meadowlark 17 (4, 1-12). common grackle 403: 399 (7, 19-89). boat-tailed grackle 2. brown-headed cowbird 130: 127 (7, 7-33). orchard oriole 23 (7, 1-9). Baltimore oriole 2 (2, 1-1). EFFORT: 3:30 A.M. - 8 P.M. hours owling 7, miles owling 31. hours by car 32, miles by car 379. hours on foot 18, miles by foot 14. 11 observers in 7 sectors plus 5 doing yardlists. SECTORS COVERED: Neck District, George Radcliffe. North of Route 50. Ryan Belton. Bestpitch, George & Harry Armistead. greater Elliott I. Road, Suzette Stitely, Alicia & Jim Bachman. Route 336, Crocheron, extreme SW county, Peter Smithson. central Blackwater N.W.R., Terry Allen. greater Hooper’s I. area, Jeff Effinger, Elizabeth Thomas. Yardlists: Debbie Robbins, Becky & Eddie Wozny, Kevin & Sara Coulbourn. ANALYSIS: minimal since much of the commentary regarding the May 9 count (q.v.) is also relevant for the May 2 count. However, the difference for some species from the 1st weekend count to the 2nd has been clear for many years. In general some shorebirds increase for the 2nd weekend as do some insectivores, and wintering species get scarcer the 2nd weekend. Here are the numbers for the species where there is the most noticeable difference between those 2 dates, the 1st # is for the 1st weekend: semipalmated plover 28, 37. semipalmated sandpiper 15, 106. least sandpiper 129, 401. dunlin 122, 1,323. spotted sandpiper 3, 13. least tern 17, 26. ring-billed gull 26, 10. yellow-billed cuckoo 0, 1. eastern wood-pewee 2, 28. Acadian flycatcher 0, 8. house wren 29, 47. myrtle warbler 32, 3. yellow-breasted chat 2, 12. Savannah sparrow 10, 6. white-throated sparrow 18, 0. indigo bunting. 5, 44. 10 SPECIES WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBERS REPORTED: red-winged blackbird 1,304. European starling 833. tree swallow 491. common grackle 399. laughing gull 319. barn swallow 283. common yellowthroat 186. purple martin 162. northern cardinal 182. Canada goose 172. SPECIES REPORTED IN 7 or 6 SECTORS, the 7th representing all the sectors active today. This gives us some idea of how widespread some birds are in this county. Seen in all 7 sectors (34 species): Canada goose, mallard, wild turkey, mourning dove, greater yellowlegs, laughing gull, great blue heron, turkey vulture, osprey, red-bellied woodpecker, downy woodpecker, pileated woodpecker, great crested flycatcher, white-eyed vireo, blue jay, American crow, purple martin, tree swallow, barn swallow, Carolina chickadee, brown-headed nuthatch, eastern bluebird, American robin, brown thrasher, European starling, common yellowthroat, pine warbler, chipping sparrow, northern cardinal, blue grosbeak, red-winged blackbird, common grackle, brown-headed nuthatch, orchard oriole. Seen in 6 sectors (15 species): wood duck, lesser yellowlegs, double-crested cormorant, bald eagle, eastern kingbird, red-eyed vireo, tufted titmouse, Carolina wren, gray catbird, northern mockingbird, house sparrow, American goldfinch, ovenbird, eastern towhee, white-throated sparrow. That = 49 species seen in 6 or 7 sectors. I think that is impressive since the sectors vary so much in so many ways. SPECIES REPRESENTATION FOR FAMILY GROUPINGS: waterfowl 8. shorebirds 15. larids 7. heron types 8. raptors 8. owls 1 (poor). woodpeckers 6 (meh). flycatchers 3 (poor). vireos 4 (good). swallows 5. warblers 15 (poor). sparrows 10. blackbird types 7. WEATHER: 63-67 (55-60 early in the day) mostly overcast, some blue sky starting at 3:30, winds 10 - 20 S or SW. diffuse, wan sun showing through the clouds c. 10 A.M. visibility excellent. NON-AVIAN ANIMATE TAXA (critters). eastern cottontail 5. raccoon 1. woodchuck 1. red fox 2. white-tailed deer 5, muskrat 5. gray squirrel 10. fox squirrel 2. sika deer 17. green frog 1. red-bellied slider 11. painted turtle 2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Many thanks to the Birchmeiers letting us count birds from their marvelous dock and yard at Swan Harbor. Big thanks to Matt Whitbeck and others at Blackwater NWR for permitting access to restricted areas. Peter Smithson was very successful in rounding up the 3 yard list participants and their results. Best of all, my thanks to all the participants and the, as usual, prompt receipt of their lists that are neat and complete. Viva Dorchester! MISTAKES. I know there must be some. Please let me know of any. Thank you. Best wishes to all, Harry Armistead, Bellevue & Philadelphia. 6.9.26. 1,612 words. -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Group 'Maryland & DC Birding'. To view group guidelines or change email preferences, visit this group on the web at http://www.mdbirding.com Unfamiliar with a hotspot mentioned on this list? Quickly locate it here - http://www.mdbirding.com/hotspot.html --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Maryland & DC Birding" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to mdbirding+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdbirding/<LV8PR84MB388077A51287332A1EC48E07CF1A2...>

Join us on Facebook!