Bill Parkin and I went over to Blandy Farm this morning after scanning our home
base, Lake Frederick. Here at the lake there was a single Wood Duck and a lone
Ruddy Duck, both males in breeding plumage. There were 11 Double-crested
Cormorants and about the same number of Canada Geese.
We practiced good social distancing by driving in separate cars. We always
enter Blandy via Berrys Ferry Road from White Post. Just before the back
entrance road we found a few Horned Larks, Eastern Meadowlarks, and 2 Kestrels.
As we approached the paddock area on Blandy Farm Road there was a flock of
sparrows and I was fairly certain that I saw the continuing Lark Sparrow in the
group. We parked at the parking area for Rattlesnake Spring (gazebo area) and
walked back where we indeed found the flock of Chipping Sparrows and the Lark
Sparrow. They were very active and moved around quite a bit. We got a few
identifiable pics. The most productive spot was a recently burned field just
upstream from the spring. We found 2 Wilsons Snipe in that field, 6 American
Pipits (big surprise), 4 Killdeer, and many Red-winged Blackbirds. In the swamp
highlights were a nice group of Swamp Sparrows and a lone Winter Wren that was
photogenic. We are fairly confident that the Marsh Wren that spent the winter
is now gone, as we have not seen it in at least a couple of weeks.
We followed a tip about a Ring-necked Pheasant that has been seen and
photographed on the loop drive at the huge brush pile at the hard turn in the
road. We did manage to hear the bird crow twice but did not get eyes on it. At
that location there was our FOS Brown Thrasher singing.
FYI, due to the Coronavirus, the public restrooms are all closed on Blandy Farm
until further notice.
We returned to Lake Frederick, where we added a Greater Scaup to the day list.
Checklist for Blandy has a few pics. https://ebird.org/checklist/S66165053
Dave Boltz
Lake Frederick
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