Date: 7/7/25 3:25 pm From: 'Gail Mackiernan' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbirding...> Subject: Re: [MDBirding] 2025 Fireflies
The display in our yard in Silver Spring is usually outstanding but this year was rather blah...
Gail Mackiernan
Sent from my iPad
> On Jul 7, 2025, at 5:43 PM, Wayne Baumgartner <whbaumga...> wrote:
>
> I was in Iowa this past week, and I would say the same thing about the ‘lightning bugs’ there — locals said that it was the most they have seen in a very long time. And, after doing many hours of night driving that week, I can say that there were more insects on the car than I have seen in a very long time, too.
>
> -Wayne Baumgartner
> Washington, DC
>
>
>> On Jul 7, 2025, at 4:46 PM, John McKitterick <john.mckitterick...> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Harry's comment about fireflies "Come dusk a huge turnout of fireflies" is what I have been experiencing in my backyard here in Columbia for the past 10 days or so. I don't remember seeing so many in the recent past, maybe not this millenium. And I have heard from others in various parts of the state that it has been a good year for lightning bugs for them, too.
>>
>> Small beacons of light in these dark times...
>>
>> --John McKitterick
>> Columbia, MD
>>
>>
>>> On Mon, Jul 7, 2025 at 3:07 PM Harry Armistead <harryarmistead...> wrote:
>>> JULY 1-5, 2025, FERRY NECK.
>>>
>>> JULY 1, 2025 TUESDAY. arrive just before the rains begin. Several fireflies, not seen previously this summer. Finally some blooms on the main rose of Sharon bush.
>>>
>>> JULY 2, WEDNESDAY. Rains began with thunder and lightning yesterday evening, totaling 2.25” before halting at noon today. In our main bathroom on the 2d floor a Horace’s duskywing (butterfly) in the wee small hours (12.42 and 1:36 A.M. but not at 3:58 A.M.), blackish, in stark contrast to the cream-colored wall.
>>>
>>> “it’s dark and it’s rainy. and the moon gives no light. my pony can’t hardy travel, Lord, this dark road tonight.” from an old Texas folksong. could describe last night, minus the pony.
>>>
>>> previous years a black rat snake, Cope’s gray tree frog, and chimney swift have been found in this bathroom, testament to how porous our house is, although seemingly it is sealed tight against the outside world. The duskywing is a welcome change from the wasps, flies, and stinkbugs we are used to seeing inside here.
>>>
>>> forgot to write much in notes the last few days, may have mixed it up some.
>>>
>>> JULY 3, THURSDAY. bald eagle 1, killdeer 1, Cope’s gray tree frog 3, bluet 1 (in the past sometimes 100+ of these damsel flies in a day), a 2.5’ northern watersnake, 4 deer (does) in the Big Field, a baby Fowler’s toad the size of a large pea. A finely-marked skink, at least 12” long, on the front porch, nice female.
>>>
>>> clear, sunny in the afternoon, 74-83, not much wind. In spite of the 2+ inch rain, not that much in the ditches or vernal pools. disappointing. late in the day many hundreds of folks at Bellevue waiting to see the Oxford fireworks. Come dusk a huge turnout of fireflies. “All the twinkling starry host” (‘Fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all nature’) refers to the night sky but could just as well describe this evening’s firefly show.
>>>
>>> JULY 4, FRIDAY. Sunny, low humidity, light NW wind, 70-84, dead calm at sunset. As fine an early summer day as one could hope for. 1 tiger swallowtail (overdue), 3 red-spotted purples, a silver-spotted skipper.
>>>
>>> The sort of day when: “If you live, a time will come.
>>> I said if you live, your time will come.
>>> When the sun will shine
>>> And the crops will grow
>>> and you won’t think you’ll gonna have trouble no more,
>>> and if … you live … a time will come.”
>>> -Mose Allison.
>>> The words “time will come” sung with a desultory, dismissive tone.
>>>
>>> At Lucy Pt. an ad. red-headed woodpecker. At Bellevue a gray squirrel. The first tiger swallowtail in a while.
>>>
>>> Out front are perhaps 100 segments of bark from the sycamore I brought from Philadelphia (Benezet Street) and planted, perhaps in the 1980s, it’s now I’d say 50 feet high. The shedded bark fragments, many of them 3” by 12” or more. I used to climb this tree in March, get up 40 feet or more, above the level of the house, before any trees had leafed out. It provided a splendid view of the surrounding environs. Good photographic opportunities. Andrew Wyeth liked to portray sycamores.
>>>
>>> “I shall return to seek this secret place/that wears the ageless shawl of Queen Anne’s lace.” from the poem ‘Rigby’s Folly’ by Lysbeth Boyd Borie.
>>>
>>> The daylight period is getting shorter, especially in the morning.
>>>
>>> Twice this visit a killdeer goes over, a couple of hundred feet up, in full cry, heading east above the dock, as if to show that, even after what seems to be a failed breeding season, it still has the energy and spirit to carry on. I find that very affecting. Go go, Bird. You go!
>>>
>>> JULY 5, SATURDAY. sunny, 78 degrees F., calm. Leave 10:37 A.M. A red fox as we are going out the driveway.
>>>
>>> Best to all. - Harry Armistead, Bellevue and Philadelphia.
>>>
>>>
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Date: 7/7/25 1:46 pm From: John McKitterick <john.mckitterick...> Subject: Re: [MDBirding] Ferry Neck, July 1-5, 2025.
Harry's comment about fireflies "Come dusk a huge turnout of fireflies" is
what I have been experiencing in my backyard here in Columbia for the past
10 days or so. I don't remember seeing so many in the recent past, maybe
not this millenium. And I have heard from others in various parts of the
state that it has been a good year for lightning bugs for them, too.
Small beacons of light in these dark times...
--John McKitterick
Columbia, MD
On Mon, Jul 7, 2025 at 3:07 PM Harry Armistead <harryarmistead...>
wrote:
> JULY 1-5, 2025, FERRY NECK.
>
> JULY 1, 2025 TUESDAY. arrive just before the rains begin. Several
> fireflies, not seen previously this summer. Finally some blooms on the
> main rose of Sharon bush.
>
> JULY 2, WEDNESDAY. Rains began with thunder and lightning yesterday
> evening, totaling 2.25” before halting at noon today. In our main bathroom
> on the 2d floor a Horace’s duskywing (butterfly) in the wee small hours
> (12.42 and 1:36 A.M. but not at 3:58 A.M.), blackish, in stark contrast to
> the cream-colored wall.
>
> “it’s dark and it’s rainy. and the moon gives no light. my pony can’t
> hardy travel, Lord, this dark road tonight.” from an old Texas folksong.
> could describe last night, minus the pony.
>
> previous years a black rat snake, Cope’s gray tree frog, and chimney swift
> have been found in this bathroom, testament to how porous our house is,
> although seemingly it is sealed tight against the outside world. The
> duskywing is a welcome change from the wasps, flies, and stinkbugs we are
> used to seeing inside here.
>
> forgot to write much in notes the last few days, may have mixed it up some.
>
> JULY 3, THURSDAY. bald eagle 1, killdeer 1, Cope’s gray tree frog 3,
> bluet 1 (in the past sometimes 100+ of these damsel flies in a day), a 2.5’
> northern watersnake, 4 deer (does) in the Big Field, a baby Fowler’s toad
> the size of a large pea. A finely-marked skink, at least 12” long, on the
> front porch, nice female.
>
> clear, sunny in the afternoon, 74-83, not much wind. In spite of the 2+
> inch rain, not that much in the ditches or vernal pools. disappointing.
> late in the day many hundreds of folks at Bellevue waiting to see the
> Oxford fireworks. Come dusk a huge turnout of fireflies. “All the
> twinkling starry host” (‘Fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all nature’) refers
> to the night sky but could just as well describe this evening’s firefly
> show.
>
> JULY 4, FRIDAY. Sunny, low humidity, light NW wind, 70-84, dead calm at
> sunset. As fine an early summer day as one could hope for. 1 tiger
> swallowtail (overdue), 3 red-spotted purples, a silver-spotted skipper.
>
> The sort of day when: “If you live, a time will come.
> I said if you live, your time will come.
> When the sun will shine
> And the crops will grow
> and you won’t think you’ll gonna have trouble no more,
> and if … you live … a time will come.”
> -Mose Allison.
> The words “time will come” sung with a desultory, dismissive tone.
>
> At Lucy Pt. an ad. red-headed woodpecker. At Bellevue a gray squirrel.
> The first tiger swallowtail in a while.
>
> Out front are perhaps 100 segments of bark from the sycamore I brought
> from Philadelphia (Benezet Street) and planted, perhaps in the 1980s, it’s
> now I’d say 50 feet high. The shedded bark fragments, many of them 3” by
> 12” or more. I used to climb this tree in March, get up 40 feet or more,
> above the level of the house, before any trees had leafed out. It provided
> a splendid view of the surrounding environs. Good photographic
> opportunities. Andrew Wyeth liked to portray sycamores.
>
> “I shall return to seek this secret place/that wears the ageless shawl of
> Queen Anne’s lace.” from the poem ‘Rigby’s Folly’ by Lysbeth Boyd Borie.
>
> The daylight period is getting shorter, especially in the morning.
>
> Twice this visit a killdeer goes over, a couple of hundred feet up, in
> full cry, heading east above the dock, as if to show that, even after what
> seems to be a failed breeding season, it still has the energy and spirit to
> carry on. I find that very affecting. Go go, Bird. You go!
>
> JULY 5, SATURDAY. sunny, 78 degrees F., calm. Leave 10:37 A.M. A red
> fox as we are going out the driveway.
>
> Best to all. - Harry Armistead, Bellevue and Philadelphia.
>
>
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Date: 7/7/25 12:08 pm From: Harry Armistead <harryarmistead...> Subject: [MDBirding] Ferry Neck, July 1-5, 2025.
JULY 1-5, 2025, FERRY NECK.
JULY 1, 2025 TUESDAY. arrive just before the rains begin. Several fireflies, not seen previously this summer. Finally some blooms on the main rose of Sharon bush.
JULY 2, WEDNESDAY. Rains began with thunder and lightning yesterday evening, totaling 2.25” before halting at noon today. In our main bathroom on the 2d floor a Horace’s duskywing (butterfly) in the wee small hours (12.42 and 1:36 A.M. but not at 3:58 A.M.), blackish, in stark contrast to the cream-colored wall.
“it’s dark and it’s rainy. and the moon gives no light. my pony can’t hardy travel, Lord, this dark road tonight.” from an old Texas folksong. could describe last night, minus the pony.
previous years a black rat snake, Cope’s gray tree frog, and chimney swift have been found in this bathroom, testament to how porous our house is, although seemingly it is sealed tight against the outside world. The duskywing is a welcome change from the wasps, flies, and stinkbugs we are used to seeing inside here.
forgot to write much in notes the last few days, may have mixed it up some.
JULY 3, THURSDAY. bald eagle 1, killdeer 1, Cope’s gray tree frog 3, bluet 1 (in the past sometimes 100+ of these damsel flies in a day), a 2.5’ northern watersnake, 4 deer (does) in the Big Field, a baby Fowler’s toad the size of a large pea. A finely-marked skink, at least 12” long, on the front porch, nice female.
clear, sunny in the afternoon, 74-83, not much wind. In spite of the 2+ inch rain, not that much in the ditches or vernal pools. disappointing. late in the day many hundreds of folks at Bellevue waiting to see the Oxford fireworks. Come dusk a huge turnout of fireflies. “All the twinkling starry host” (‘Fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all nature’) refers to the night sky but could just as well describe this evening’s firefly show.
JULY 4, FRIDAY. Sunny, low humidity, light NW wind, 70-84, dead calm at sunset. As fine an early summer day as one could hope for. 1 tiger swallowtail (overdue), 3 red-spotted purples, a silver-spotted skipper.
The sort of day when: “If you live, a time will come.
I said if you live, your time will come.
When the sun will shine
And the crops will grow
and you won’t think you’ll gonna have trouble no more,
and if … you live … a time will come.”
-Mose Allison.
The words “time will come” sung with a desultory, dismissive tone.
At Lucy Pt. an ad. red-headed woodpecker. At Bellevue a gray squirrel. The first tiger swallowtail in a while.
Out front are perhaps 100 segments of bark from the sycamore I brought from Philadelphia (Benezet Street) and planted, perhaps in the 1980s, it’s now I’d say 50 feet high. The shedded bark fragments, many of them 3” by 12” or more. I used to climb this tree in March, get up 40 feet or more, above the level of the house, before any trees had leafed out. It provided a splendid view of the surrounding environs. Good photographic opportunities. Andrew Wyeth liked to portray sycamores.
“I shall return to seek this secret place/that wears the ageless shawl of Queen Anne’s lace.” from the poem ‘Rigby’s Folly’ by Lysbeth Boyd Borie.
The daylight period is getting shorter, especially in the morning.
Twice this visit a killdeer goes over, a couple of hundred feet up, in full cry, heading east above the dock, as if to show that, even after what seems to be a failed breeding season, it still has the energy and spirit to carry on. I find that very affecting. Go go, Bird. You go!
JULY 5, SATURDAY. sunny, 78 degrees F., calm. Leave 10:37 A.M. A red fox as we are going out the driveway.
Best to all. - Harry Armistead, Bellevue and Philadelphia.
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Date: 7/7/25 5:47 am From: Joe Corcoran <corcoran2921...> Subject: Re: [MDBirding] Charles County Roseate Spoonbills, Sunday, July 6
Hi Tyler, I was at the site last evening and saw one bird before it flew
behind marsh plants. Pretty cool,
Questions:
Kelly from St. Mary’s asked about the age of all the ROSP, how long they
might stay, have they nested and this is a dispersal, Will the group hang
together?
I didn’t have many answers, what do you think?
I’ll text her the answers,
Joe
On Sun, Jul 6, 2025 at 9:49 AM 'James Tyler Bell' via Maryland & DC Birding
<mdbirding...> wrote:
> I haven't been paying attention to whether people have posted here but the
> 6 Roseate Spoonbills continue at Allen's Fresh in Charles County as of this
> morning, 7/6. They are often roosting in some large pines that are visible
> either from the first or second bridge east of 301 on 234. If you're lucky,
> you'll pull up and another birder will have them in sight! First Charles
> County record. If you have a kayak, there have been a number of truly
> excellent photos of the birds either foraging on the mudflats or sitting in
> the pines.
>
> Tyler Bell
> <jtylerbell...>
> California, Maryland
>
> [image: Inline image]
>
>
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>
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Date: 6/29/25 5:50 pm From: Harry Armistead <harryarmistead...> Subject: [MDBirding] Ferry Neck, June 18-23, 2025.
FERRY NECK, JUNE 18-23, 2025. Oh, not much really.
JUNE 18, WEDNESDAY. Stimulating to drive through a storm on the way down, especially along Route 481, at times torrential rain with abundant lightning and thunder, often close, but, as happens often, by the time we get to Rigby’s Folly it is evident there hasn’t been much rain here.
Almost run over a killdeer at the Easton Acme, perhaps breeding on one of the area rooftops, esp. if it is a gravel one, as least terns sometimes have.
Arrive 6:15, fair or clear, 78 degrees F. (down from near 90 earlier thanks to the storm), light westerly winds. 2 gray squirrels. 3 deer (does).
JULY 19, THURSDAY. up to 92, fair, but rip snortin’ rain, lightning and thunder 5:30-dark causing the temperature to fall 20 degrees in less than an hour. c 1’ diameter dead tree across Ferry Neck Road prevented us from returning home from Easton so we beat it back to Royal Oak and had a light supper at ‘The General Store’, good food, but the place is too loud. Mrs. Weisman was there. Left a gift dopy of Our flag was still there at the Easton Library. gray squirrel at Easton. 2 ospreys. 2 robins.
JUNE 20, FRIDAY. low humidity, NW10, up to 82 only, clear, pleasant. brown thrasher 1, snowy egret 1, wild turkey 1, osprey 2, pileated woodpecker 1, Carolina wren 5. mostly stayed inside, did email. All fields have been planted with the emerging sorghum just barely visible, but didn’t inspect the clover field. 2 gray squirrels, 5 deer plus 3 at Swaine’s, 2 at Camper’s. The fields all driveable in spite of yesterday evening’s sometimes heavy rains. For once did not install the feeders.
Bellevue, 7:30 P.M., 1 gray squirrel, 1 herring gull, 5 deer on the outskirts.
JUNE 21, SATURDAY. fair, 74-88, SW 10. a killdeer going over high twice and in good voice. Tide is just right to see oysters next to the submerged tire squirt a few times. a bald eagle. Liz sees 8 Canada geese.
JUNE 22, SUNDAY. fair, SW 15, 76-90. with apologies to John O’Hara “from the terrace” (front porch actually). Ohara’s son, Patrick, and I were friendly. Patrick was a publisher’s rep who used to visit Jefferson on occasion. From our front porch:
Liz sees a fox squirrel only c. 25 feet away. A small buck distant in the Big Field. Skinks: 2 well-marked females and a fat but tailless male. A pileated woodpecker, a chipping sparrow, a yellow-billed cuckoo, a pair of eastern bluebirds at the lawn nest box, a killdeer, an osprey. Flutterbys: 2 red-spotted purples, the remainder all singletons: Horace’s dusky wing at the coreopsis, cabbage white, hackberry emperor, an unIDd sulphur, pearl crescent.
“Just sittin’ here a thousand miles from nowhere/In this one room country little shack/My only worldly possession/Is the raggedly old eleven foot cotton sack./ I wake up every night about midnight/people I just can’t sleep no more./… only crickets and frogs to keep me company/and the wind howlin’ round my door./Gonna leave here early in the mornin/I’m about to go out of my mind./Gonna find me some kind of companion/even if she’s dumb, deaf, crippled, and blind. - Mose Allison.
“One of these days I‘m gonna go back home/sit on the front porch and compose a poem.” likewise also Mose Allison. These from his Cotton Sack Period.
JUNE 23, MONDAY. head back to PA. Nothing to report this day.
Best wishes to all. - Harry Armistead, Bellevue and Philadelphia.
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Date: 6/23/25 4:54 pm From: Denise Ryan <screechowl...> Subject: [MDBirding] Re: Henslow's Sparrow(s) in Frostburg area
I thought I'd write a follow up report on the trip to search for a
Henslow's sparrow over the weekend.
First, I drove by the Frostburg site to look at the "access road" which is
clearly gated, so you can't drive up it, so people must be walking in.
I didn't go there, but tried the many other sites in the county over two
days. Also looking for Vesper sparrows, and ruffed grouse.
I went to the Rock Lodge Trust site, which is also gated, so I didn't
attempt there. I tried Aaron Run Road, with no luck. Finally around 2:40 pm
I rolled out to Pea Ridge Road and pulled up and immediately heard a
Henslow's near the intersection with Avilton Lonaconning Road. No Vesper
sparrows were singing, but the Bobolinks and others were still singing.
I was also thrilled to relocate the female ruffed grouse located by Amelia
Starliper reported crossing the road with her polts on New Germany Road, at
the exact same place she saw them. Just dumb luck driving past the site to
pull off down the road near a trail head, I saw her and at least one chick
around 10:30 am on Sunday. In that same area the mountain laurel is in full
bloom and is absolutely gorgeous. That little stretch of road has what
looks like an informal ORV trail that was great with warblers, vireos, and
thrushes at dawn.
In all, a great trip to the area, and if you aren't trying to do a county
tick, you can also try Pea Ridge Road for your state bird.
Denise Ryan
Cheverly, MD
On Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at 2:48:09 PM UTC-4 Mike Bowen wrote:
> Denise: In fact there have been quite a few reports of Henslow's
> Sparrow(s) just West of Frostburg over the past month of so:
>
> [image: Inline image]
>
> The red "balloons" represent different reports, entered into eBird by 5
> different people at places fairly close to one another but not at the exact
> same location, but all shown as just to the West of a local road, Winners
> View Terrace. I suspect, as you do, that this area has in the past been
> the site of surface coal ("strip") mining by a local company called
> Beechwood Coal, but I am not 100% of this. Interestingly, the
> "traditional" place to find breeding Henslow's Sparrow in the Frostburg
> area was along Old Legislative Rd. a few miles south of I-68 and only about
> 4 miles from these more recent sightings north of I-68. The OL Rd. site no
> longer features Henslow's habitat -- it is now the site of a massive solar
> cell array.
>
> Mike Bowen
> Bethesda, Montgomery County
>
>
> D. H. Michael Bowen
> 8609 Ewing Drive
> Bethesda, Maryland 20817
> Phone: (202) 236-0510
> Ambassador for American Bird Conservancy, helping ABC help the birds
> eBird volunteer Hotspot Reviewer/Editor for Maryland, Delaware, the
> District of Columbia, and the Republic of Ghana
>
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Date: 6/23/25 4:05 pm From: 'Jim Rapp' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbirding...> Subject: [MDBirding] Registration is open for the 77th Annual MOS Convention in Frederick, MD
Register today https://mosconvention.org/registration-2025/ for the 77th Annual Maryland Ornithological Society Convention, September 26-28, 2025, in scenic Frederick, Maryland. The cost is $60 for MOS members and $80 for non-members. Expect fantastic fall birding and friendly faces!
We will not have a host hotel for the 2025 convention. We encourage you to choose the hotel that best suits your budget and preferences in the Frederick area. Since Frederick is centrally located for many MOS members, participants living nearby have the option to return home each night.
Scroll down for more information about the annual pin design contest, field trips and engaging social events. Visit www.MOSconvention.org https://mosconvention.org/ for more information.
Calling all artists! Submit your artwork for the Pin Design Contest
For each MOS convention, a pin is selected and given to each participant. Convention pins illustrate the time of year and a bird species appropriate to the location. Pin designs are selected by competition and are highly treasured convention souvenirs. Convention attendees proudly display their colorful collection of pins going back many years. The pin design contest is open to MOS members. The deadline for pin contest submissions is Monday, July 21.
Field Trips
Late September offers an exciting time for birding in Frederick, Maryland, and its surrounding areas, as it marks the protracted peak of fall migration. Field trips will be offered on Friday (including Friday morning), Saturday and Sunday in Downtown Frederick and Frederick County, and at locations up to an hour or so outside of the city. The field trip roster includes a Birding the Battlefields series, visits to local Audubon sanctuaries and a future MOS Sanctuary, and accessible trips for participants using mobility aids. Field trips will begin in the mornings on Friday, Saturday and SundayFor more information, please click here https://mosconvention.org/field-trips-2025-2/.
We will be updating the field trip pages on the convention website over the next few weeks. If you are interested in leading a field trip, please contact Jim Rapp at <jim.rapp...>
Evening Events
After a day of exciting field trips and incredible birding at the MOS Convention, why not socialze and compare notes with your fellow birders? Join us for our evening socials and dinners – the perfect opportunity to swap stories about your most exciting finds, marvel at each other’s photos, and maybe even learn about a bird you missed! It’s a fantastic chance to connect, relax, and keep the good times (and great conversations) going.
On Friday, Sept. 26, from 4:00 - 9:00 pm, we're hosting a social and pizza picnic in the pavilion at Monocacy Village Park. The cost is $12/person, and the event is BYOB. For more information, click here https://mosconvention.org/friday-sept-26-monocacy-village-park-2025/.
On Saturday, Sept. 27, from 4:00 - 8:30 pm, we're hosting a social with poster presentations and vendors, a buffet dinner and a Frederick bird conservation panel presentation at the Arc at Market Street. The cost is $40/person, and a cash bar will be available. For more information, click here https://mosconvention.org/saturday-sept-27-the-arc-at-market-street/.
Save the Date for the 2026 MOS Convention
The 78th Annual MOS Convention will be hosted at the Solomons Inn Resort + Marina https://www.solomonsresort.com/ in Solomons, MD during May 15-17, 2026.
We look forward to seeing you in Frederick this September!
Jim Rapp
MOS Convention Chair
<jim.rapp...>
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Date: 6/18/25 12:03 pm From: Mike Milligan <mike.milligan...> Subject: Re: [MDBirding] Henslow's Sparrow(s) in Frostburg area
I graduated from Frostburg State over 40 years ago and I can confirm (with
100% certainty) that this is the site of the old strip mine. It was still
active when I was a student.
Mike Milligan
On Wed, Jun 18, 2025 at 2:48 PM 'Mike Bowen' via Maryland & DC Birding <
<mdbirding...> wrote:
> Denise: In fact there have been quite a few reports of Henslow's
> Sparrow(s) just West of Frostburg over the past month of so:
>
> [image: Inline image]
>
> The red "balloons" represent different reports, entered into eBird by 5
> different people at places fairly close to one another but not at the exact
> same location, but all shown as just to the West of a local road, Winners
> View Terrace. I suspect, as you do, that this area has in the past been
> the site of surface coal ("strip") mining by a local company called
> Beechwood Coal, but I am not 100% of this. Interestingly, the
> "traditional" place to find breeding Henslow's Sparrow in the Frostburg
> area was along Old Legislative Rd. a few miles south of I-68 and only about
> 4 miles from these more recent sightings north of I-68. The OL Rd. site no
> longer features Henslow's habitat -- it is now the site of a massive solar
> cell array.
>
> Mike Bowen
> Bethesda, Montgomery County
>
>
> D. H. Michael Bowen
> 8609 Ewing Drive
> Bethesda, Maryland 20817
> Phone: (202) 236-0510
> Ambassador for American Bird Conservancy, helping ABC help the birds
> eBird volunteer Hotspot Reviewer/Editor for Maryland, Delaware, the
> District of Columbia, and the Republic of Ghana
>
> --
> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
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> the web at http://www.mdbirding.com > Unfamiliar with a hotspot mentioned on this list? Quickly locate it here -
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> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdbirding/<950607704.28169.1750272480171...> > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdbirding/<950607704.28169.1750272480171...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > .
>
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Date: 6/18/25 11:48 am From: 'Mike Bowen' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbirding...> Subject: [MDBirding] Henslow's Sparrow(s) in Frostburg area
Denise: In fact there have been quite a few reports of Henslow's Sparrow(s) just West of Frostburg over the past month of so:
The red "balloons" represent different reports, entered into eBird by 5 different people at places fairly close to one another but not at the exact same location, but all shown as just to the West of a local road, Winners View Terrace. I suspect, as you do, that this area has in the past been the site of surface coal ("strip") mining by a local company called Beechwood Coal, but I am not 100% of this. Interestingly, the "traditional" place to find breeding Henslow's Sparrow in the Frostburg area was along Old Legislative Rd. a few miles south of I-68 and only about 4 miles from these more recent sightings north of I-68. The OL Rd. site no longer features Henslow's habitat -- it is now the site of a massive solar cell array.
Mike BowenBethesda, Montgomery County
D. H. Michael Bowen
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda, Maryland 20817Phone: (202) 236-0510Ambassador for American Bird Conservancy, helping ABC help the birdseBird volunteer Hotspot Reviewer/Editor for Maryland, Delaware, the District of Columbia, and the Republic of Ghana
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Date: 6/18/25 6:27 am From: Denise Ryan <screechowl...> Subject: [MDBirding] RFI - Allegany County Henslow eBird site - Frostberg
Hello birders, I've noticed a recent eBird site in Frostberg for Henslow's Sparrow. Doing a little virtual recon via Google maps it looks like an active or defunct coal site. Maybe this is on reclaimed land. Maybe the sightings come from an individual trespassing.
I'd love to visit this weekend to enjoy the birding delights of Allegany Co. Any additional information about the site or suggestions would be most appreciated. Thank you and enjoy your birding.
Denise Ryan screechowl at gmail.com Cheverly, MD
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