Thank you so much for your posts, especially your wonderful pictures.
Dolores Keeler
On March 24, 2020 at 4:39 PM David Boltz <david.boltz4@xxxxxxxxx
mailto:david.boltz4@xxxxxxxxx ;> wrote:
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 Berryâs 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 Wilsonâs 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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