by Jim Highsaw and Linda Prentice

We spent the first day at Paynes Prairie Preserve, just south of Gainesville. At the wetlands observation platform on Rt. 441 we got our first birds of the trip, including White Ibis, Tri-colored Heron, Common Moorhens, Coots and Palm Warbler. Then we walked on the trails near the Visitor Center where we heard Barred Owl, White-eyed Vireo and Eastern Towhee and saw a variety of species including Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Red-bellied Woodpecker. After lunch at a nearby barbeque place, we returned to the park and spent the afternoon at Wauberg Lake where we had nice looks at Bald Eagles, a Black-crowned Night Heron, Great Blue Herons, Anhingas, and Palm Warblers,

We spent the second day in the Ocala National Forest, where we birded the Salt Springs Trail in the morning and observed a Sandhill Crane in flight, Pileated Woodpeckers, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and Carolina Wren in the woods, and a Tri-colored Heron, Common Moorhens, Osprey, Belted Kingfisher, and Snowy Egrets on Salt Springs Run. After lunch at a local café, we walked about a mile of the Yearling Trail and enjoyed good looks at Red-headed Woodpeckers and Scrub Jays in the scrub habitat described so well by Marjorie Rawlings. On the third morning we walked on the nature trail at the Alexander Springs area in the Forest, where we saw Common Moorhens and a Belted Kingfisher in the Creek, and a Pileated Woodpecker in the woods. After lunch at a local café, we drove to the Lake Woodruff NWR near DeLand where we walked some of the Dike trails and saw a Sora, Common Moorhens, Little Blue Herons, Osprey and White Ibis.

On the fourth day we visited Favor-Dykes SP and Fort Matanzas Nat. Monument south of St. Augustine. Favor-Dykes has two nice nature trails where we had good looks at a Red-shouldered Hawk, Pileated Woodpeckers and a variety of woodland species, and heard a Pine Warbler and a Barred Owl. At Fort Matanzas we found a roost of Snowy Egrets, Black-crowned Night Herons, and Brown Pelicans, and saw two White Pelicans in flight. After reaching the motel in Yulee in late afternoon we found two Loggerhead Shrikes, a nice way to end the trip. The following morning we headed back to Baltimore, with plans to return in 2007.

By Bryce Butler

In the August 2005 issue of Chip Notes Ajax Eastman wrote a splendid article celebrating a Red-tailed Hawk's nest on the B&O right of way at the corner of North and Mount Royal Avenues. She recalled the battles in New York around the Pale Male's nest, which resulted in the nesting site being restored and the nest being rebuilt. Such battles were not fought around this spot in Baltimore.

The spot was admittedly scruffy, a ravine covered in small trees and vines, save for some large maples on the backside, which is where the Red-tails took up residence. The chain link fence surrounding the area was in disrepair, torn in a few spots along North Avenue where trash spilled down the embankments. There were a few makeshift shelters amidst the debris.

Besides housing the Red-tails' nest, it was an incredible migrant trap. I live in Bolton Hill, just a few blocks away so I regularly visited last spring. I've seen numerous warblers there: Common Yellowthroats, Black-throated Blues, American Redstarts, Yellows, Black-and-whites, and amazingly my first Cerulean Warbler. During migration it wasn't unusual to see half a dozen Ovenbirds wandering the ravine sounding choruses of teacher-teacher-teacher. The spill-over into Bolton Hill has sometimes been disconcerting with Ovenbirds regularly walking down the sidewalk in front of my townhouse.

A maintenance crew showed up in December. They cleared the debris and patched the fence and started logging the small trees in front on the North Avenue side and the Mount Royal side. It seemed to me they were simply cleaning up the site. I watched daily as I drove by but it didn't seem alarming. I went away for the holidays. Two weeks later when I returned the once wooded lot was now an open ditch shorn of all but stumps and tangled roots limned in a light dusting of snow and scoured by new light harsh as a spotlight's glare. I stopped and walked around with a sinking feeling.

Undoubtedly neighbors are relieved the flimsy shelters and mess are gone. I suspect very few will miss that little wood next spring. When I was birding there, peering into the trees through binoculars people passed me warily as though I were a brazen peeping tom or something worse. Oh some will miss the shade and green. But even fewer will miss the high keer of the hawks as they wheeled high overhead and raised their young and battled the crows bombarding them on their way to and from the nest.

And in the bigger scheme it was just a small change: the hawks will nest elsewhere, the warblers rest elsewhere, and I will bird elsewhere. I wish I had stopped and talked with that crew rather than making assumptions. I don't know if it would have changed anything, but that's the price of complacency.

by Carol Schreter, Recording Secretary

Our Treasurer has been burdened with other tasks and not been able to keep up with her duties since September. President Peter Webb will ask her for the BBC checkbook, as we search for a new Treasurer. BBC also seeks someone who will audit the books.

BBC still needs a new Lecture Program chair for 2006-2007. After 15+ years in this role, Debbie Terry needs a break. She wishes to focus her energies on coordinating the final year of the five-year Breeding Bird Survey.

At the January meeting, Joy Wheeler happily reported that the Cylburn Arboretum Association allocated $5,000 for buses to bring Baltimore City school children to Cylburn. Joy took the Board to visit the partly emptied Bird Museum and the partly filled Exploration Station, located in the renovated Cylburn Carriage House. The stunning Exploration Station exhibit, to be completed in the spring, includes mounted birds and eggs, butterflies, moths and fossils. Bravo, declared Vice-President Peter Lev!

Patsy Perlman and Joy seek volunteers to help organize books and mounted birds not moved to the Exploration Station. Our space in the Mansion House is now more limited. Long range plans for the BBC collections and materials are not yet determined. Some items may be salable.

As of February 14, according to Membership Secretary Catherine Bishop, 42 members did not renew. BBC membership has dropped to 219 paid memberships, a total of 259 members.

In February, the Conservation Committee invited Board members and those attending the BBC lecture to sign an on-line "Petition to Stop the Blackwater Resort Development." The Chesapeake Bay Foundation is leading this effort to halt a major development of 3,200 houses, plus golf course, along Egypt Road - just outside of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. (To sign this petition, go to www.cbf.org/blackwater )

At the February meeting President Peter Webb presented a developing budget for 2006-2007, showing budget requests received thus far. The Board will discuss these requests at the March Board meeting. We will vote on the 2006-2007 budget in April.

By Jeanne Bowman

Checking for reasonable motel rates, I was encouraged east first for several days at Bombay Hook Refuse in Delaware. Monday, Feb. 20th was a little on the brisk side as I arrived at of my favorite places for observation of many species of birds and other wildlife along with ample time to relax. This Refuse is made up of tidal pools, which were on the high tide side and most of the water held a skim of ice. The remaining open water seemed to be chucked full of Northern Pintail and American Black ducks also about forty Tundra Swans. The surrounding fields were white with Snow Geese while the next fields were filled with Canadian Geese. All winter I meant to buy a new scope, sure wish I had, oh well.

The next day, with warmer weather, I returned back to Bombay Hook in early morning finding the water level very low with no ice in sight. Many American Black ducks were working the mud flats as a beautiful Northern Harrier flew over hovering along the marsh. Several Bald Eagles overlooked the pools while sitting in the tall trees. Great Blue Herons dotted the shoreline and the sight of upside down Pintails dunking for goodies brought a smile. There were plenty of Northern Shovelers, Common Merganser and Buffleheads too. The Swamp Sparrow made a showing in the grasses along the drive, as did the Goldfinch and Red Wing Blackbirds at the feeders in front of the visitor's center.

Heading south, making a stop at Port Mahon, the beach area seemed to be deserted with sand over five inches deep in some areas of the road. Traveling Rt. # 9, carefully watching the speed limits of all the small towns, to Rt. #1, I headed for Ocean City Md. and Assateaque Island made for a pleasant ride. Ocean City was overrun by rude Gulls; acting very aggressive toward anyone that may have had food.

At Assateaque Island, the many little Sanderlings ran alongside the retreating waves to snatch tiny tidbits of food before the sand Myrtle covered them up. Several Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warblers, hopped along in the Bay shrubs near the ponies as they both looked for food.

The following day with rain on its way, I headed for Blackwater Refuse, just south of Cambridge. As I drove over the first dike, a pair of Horned Grebe greeted me on the left. Later, in a the wooded area with just a scatter of rain, not a bird was to be seen. Three American White Pelicans csme in for a landing on the first pool. To watch them land was a highlight of the day. As I progressed around the drive there were many Great Blue Herons that looked very content as if the morning fishing had been good. There were up to six Bald eagles of assorted sizes and age, a Harrier and another lone White Pelican. Along the way I was amazed to again see so many Northern Pintails bobbing for goodies. There were many groups of Mallards that seems to be busy pairing off as couples. Rain continued to get heavier and signaled to me, time to head back home with many fine memories.

by Paul Kreiss

CURRENT ATLAS RESULTS FOR OWLS
All species of owls are reported from fewer blocks than the first atlas project, from 20 years ago. This decrease could of course reflect lower numbers, but it is more likely that it reflects less looking for them. Great Horned Owls have been found in only 522 blocks; the first atlas had them in 666. Barred Owls have been found in 497 blocks; the first atlas had them in 593. Eastern Screech Owls have been found in 364 blocks; the first atlas had them in 665. Barn Owls have been found in 35 blocks; the first atlas had them in 182. And not only are owls not being found, confirmations of nesting are low.

Baltimore is a bit better than the rest of the state: Great Horned Owls have been found in 29 blocks, compared to 31 for the first atlas. It is interesting to note the distribution of the current records, compared to the first atlas. 15 blocks had Great Horned Owls in both atlases, including both rural ones like Phoenix SW and city ones like Baltimore West NE. 14 of the blocks where owls were found in this atlas are new; Great Horned Owls weren't found there in the last atlas. This includes both rural blocks: New Freedom CW and city ones like Baltimore West NW. And 16 of the blocks which had owls in the first atlas don't have them now. Some of these missing records may be due to loss of habitat. They were found 20 years ago in Reisterstown and Cockeysville blocks, where enough of the habitat has now been destroyed that they are probably really not here. But other blocks in the New Freedom and Hampstead areas may have them. This implies that atlasers in the both atlas projects missed finding owls. Barred Owls have similar results. They have been found in 30 blocks in the current atlas, compared to 32 in the previous atlas, and they are found in blocks were they weren't found before, and are not found in blocks where they were found before.

WHAT TO DO
This is now a good time for finding Great Horned Owls and Barred Owls; both are setting up territories; the nesting season for Great Horned Owls is from late January to late May with a peak between February through late April. Young are in nests from late February on. The nesting season for Barred Owls is from late February through late April. Great Horned Owls seem to prefer fairly large woodlots, with nearby fields for hunting; barred owls seem to prefer woods with clear understories and trees large enough for cavities for nests. If any birders want to get out in the cold, either in the evenings or early mornings, please report any owls who are calling (this counts as "possible"), calling repeatedly over at least a week, or calling back and forth (both count as "probable"), or any owls seen (a single individual counts as "possible"; a pair as "probable") or nests, or young in nests, or dependent young. Using tapes or CD's to elicit calls is a good way to detect them first of all, and since trees don't have leaves yet, it is worthwhile walking through woods looking for big nests and Great Horned Owls in them.

April 4 "Sparrows: Identifying Little Brown Birds" Walter Ellison, director of Maryland's Breeding Bird Atlas Project.

May 2 "Hart-Miller Island Restoration" Gene Scarpulla-Progress report on turning dredged material into wildlife habitat in the South Cell of the Island.

April 6-11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cylburn Nature Walk-First in a series of 4 walks each Thursday in April. Watch spring progress with a delightful variety of flowers, trees and bushes along Cylburn's nature trails. Dwight Johnson, a member of the Cylburn Arboretum Association and the Baltimore Bird Club, will be your leader. If you have questions, contact Dwight at 366-7239.

April 8-8:00 a.m. Cromwell Valley Park. Expect to see a variety of resident and migrant birds. Leader Kevin Graff 557-2456 or .

April 9-8:30 a.m. Every Sunday in April and May (including Easter), Cylburn Self-guided Walk. Meet at the Mansion's front porch on Sunday mornings for easy birding in Cylburn's gardens and urban forest. Beginning Birders Welcome. No designated leader. Coordinator Joe Lewandowski, 358-7834 or email:

APR 15 (Sat) (Also May 13) 8:00am to 12:00 noon Saturday Monitoring Walks at Fort McHenry. Cancelled in bad weather (high winds, fog, rain, snow). Leader: Jim Peters, 410-429-0966

APR 22 (Sat) 7:30 am Hughes Hollow and Blue Mash Trail. Bring lunch. Leader: Pete Webb 410-486-1217 or

APR 23 (Sun) 7:30 am Patapsco Valley State Park - Granite Area. . Leader, Keith Eric Costley, 443-985-6489 or

APR 23 (Sun) (Also 4/25) 7:30 - 8:30 pm Chimney Swifts at Dusk in Hampden. See migrating Chimney Swifts as they pour into chimneys at the Bookbindery and/or the Mill Center. Come a bit earlier if the weather is cloudy or gray. Cancelled if raining. Co-leaders: Carol Schreter, 410-664-5151 and Joan Cwi,

APR 29 (Sat) 8:00 am Breakfast with the Birds. Co-hosted by Cylburn Arboretum Association. Breakfast at 8:00 am, fee $5.00. Birding starts at 8:30 am, no charge. For reservations call 410-367-2217,

APR 29 (Sat) 8:00 am Marriotsville Warblers. Leader: Paul Noell, 410-243-2652 or

MAY 6 (Sat) 7:30 am Soldiers Delight. Leader: Keith Eric Costley, 443-985-6489 or email .

MAY 6 (Sat) 8:00 am Patterson Park, at the White House (27 South Patterson Park Ave.). Leader: Dave Curson, 410-675-4963

MAY 7 (Sun) 7:30 am Patuxent North Tract (Research Refuge). Leader: Steve Sanford, 410-922-5103 or

MAY 7 (Sun) 1:00-3:00 pm Spring Butterflies at Soldiers Delight. Butterfly expert Dick Smith will lead us through this globally rare ecosystem. In addition to spring butterflies such as the Orange Falcate and the Eastern Pine Elfin, we'll see many native grasses and flowers. Cancelled if raining. CALL OR EMAIL TO CONFIRM DATE. Coordinator: Gail Frantz, 410-833-7135 or

MAY 12 (Fri) 6:30 am. Poplar Island. Facilities are available. Bring snacks if desired. Lunch will be at a local restaurant. Reservations required. Leader: Chrissy Albanese. Coordinator: Gail Frantz, 410-833-7135 or

MAY 13 (Sat) May Count. (International Migratory Bird Day). All-day count of birds in Baltimore City and County. For area assignments call compiler Joel Martin, 410-744-9211 or email

MAY 14 (Sun) 7:30 am Milford Mill Park. . Leader: Bryce Butler, 410-728-0646 or capitano.

MAY 18 (Thu) 8:00 am North Central Railroad Trail We will visit a spot north of Monkton where migrants and nesters are (usually) easy to find. Minimal walking. Trip limited to 12. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED, because parking is limited. Contact the leader by May 16 for reservations and information. Leader: Debbie Terry, 410-252-8771 or .

MAY 20 (Sat) 7:30 am Halethorpe Ponds. Leader: Joel Martin, 410-744-9211 or

MAY 21 (Sun) 7:30 am Owings Mills Mall Leader: Keith Eric Costley, 443-985-6489 or

MAY 27 (Sat) Delaware Bay. All-day trip (bring lunch) Leader: Pete Webb, 410-486-1217 or

JUNE 4 (Sun) 7:30 am Soldiers Delight: Nesting Birds. Leader Keith Eric Costley: 443-985-6489 or

JUNE 10 (Sat) 7:30 am Carroll County Field Birds. All-day trip (bring lunch). Leader: Pete Webb, 410-486-1217, or email

JUNE 17 (Sat) 7:30 am Patapsco Valley State Park, Granite area. Leader: Keith Eric Costley, 443-985-6489 or e-mail

JULY 8 (Sat) 9:00 am Family Birding at Banneker Park. Join Keith Costley for an easy hike around the trails of this historic site. Bring your grandchildren, sons, or daughters ages 5 years and up to enjoy watching nesting Bluebirds, The park also has a museum which you will visit. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Leader: Keith Eric Costley, 443-985-6489 or e-mail

AUG 26 (Sat) Delaware Bay. Leader: Pete Webb, 410-486-1217, or

The Baltimore Bird Club offers merchandise for sale through its mail order section. The following items are available. All prices include shipping costs.

Please make your check or money order payable to "The Baltimore Bird Club" and send your order to: Joseph Lewandowski, 3021 Temple Gate, Baltimore, Maryland 21209.

"CafePress" Web Page:

Shireen Gonzaga has arranged a new web page on CafePress for the Baltimore Bird Club. The web page sells everything from T-shirts & sweat shirts to mugs, caps, notebooks and tote bags. There are baby clothes, stickers, license plate frames and even underwear! All come with the BBC logo designed by Don Culbertson. The club receives $3 for each item sold.