It was a cold morning, but warmth and sunshine were promised, so I set out for Quiet Waters Park after a much needed trip to the grocery store. I’m trying not to resent these chores that keep me from birding.
The park was not as productive as previously, but I met a guy who steered me toward some possible spots, and told me where to find some Tundra Swans.
Monthly Archives: November 2012
Bald Eagles at Conowingo Dam
A friend posted some images of Bald Eagles from Conowingo on Facebook, so I decided I had to have a look despite the distance (About 75 miles).
I left home around 5:30 and arrived about 7:00, and it’s quite a place. The area has been nicely landscaped, with excellent viewing facilities, and the regulars tell me it was completely re-done after the hurricane of two years ago. Speaking of regulars, there were easily 100 photographers and tourists there to see the eagles.
It was quite cold and cloudy early on, but the Sun came out after a couple of hours and I got a few decent shots.
In truth, this is not my kind of birding, because there’s really only one species involved, and you have to wait for some time to see any action.
Still, I’m glad I went and I might consider another trip sometime.
Bald Eagles at Conowingo Dam
A friend posted some images of Bald Eagles from Conowingo on Facebook, so I decided I had to have a look despite the distance (About 75 miles).
I left home around 5:30 and arrived about 7:00, and it’s quite a place. The area has been nicely landscaped, with excellent viewing facilities, and the regulars tell me it was completely re-done after the hurricane of two years ago. speaking of regulars, there were easily 100 photographers and tourists there to see the eagles.
It was quite cold and cloudy early on, but the Sun came out after a couple of hours and I got a few decent shots.
In truth, this is not my kind of birding, because there’s really only one species involved, and you have to wait for wait some time to see any action.
Still, I’m glad I went and I might consider another trip sometime.
Pileated Woodpecker at Quiet Waters Park
Today began gray and gloomy, but with the promise of sunshine later on in the day. I had decided the day before to give our local Quiet Waters Park a try today, even though it’s been disappointing in the past.
The Sun was beginning to shine by the time I arrived around 9:00, and it turned out to be a good choice.
I went to the Blue Heron Pavilion, as it leads down to the water, and I found a few ducks, one of which turned out to be my first Hooded Merganser. Subsequently, I headed back up the path and ran into a large mass of varied birds, including woodpeckers, finches, Cedar Waxwings and sparrows. A Pileated Woodpecker soon came into view and hung around for a while, which was a thrill for me, as I’ve only seen two others.

This Hooded Merganser was quite distant, and I thought it was a ruddy duck when I first saw it. I’m getting a teleconverter soon, which might allow for closer looks at these far away birds.

You always know when there’s a Red Bellied Woodpecker around, but it’s much easier to get a photo when the leaves have fallen.
MD Birding Title
Sharp Shinned Hawk at Terrapin Nature Park
It was an absolutely gorgeous day for birding, so I headed to Terrapin in hopes of finding hawks and eagles. I did, indeed, see both, but the picture taking opportunities were limited. Three hawks and a Bald Eagle flew off before I could get a picture, but a couple cooperated. A good day.

This Yellow Bellied Sapsucker is one of three different woodpeckersI saw in the same small tree in ten minutes.

I haven’t many images of a Belted Kingfisher with his dinner, so here it is despite the distance and low quality. I had an opportunity to get a closer look, but I spooked him despite my stealthy approach.

I spotted this Great Blue Heron flying over a meadow early in the morning, and I liked the silhouette effect.
Bufflehead at Thomas Point State Park
It was quite cold and windy this morning, so I did some chores, waiting for the Sun to rise a little higher and bring some warmth. I could tell it wasn’t going to be a good day to stay out for long, so I headed for Thomas Point to see what might be there. I saw no songbirds at all, but I could see some ducks a few hundred feet out in the bay, so I climbed down in the rocks to get a little closer.
Pied Billed Grebe at Truxtun Park
Once again, work is interfering with my birding, but I managed to get to Truxtun Park briefly, where I found a few nice, but distant birds.

This is only the second Pied Billed Grebe I’ve seen, and I had to get some help with the ID.
From Cornell:
“A small diving bird with a chicken-lke bill, the Pied-billed Grebe is common on lakes and ponds across North America. It is rarely seen flying and prefers to sink out of sight when danger threatens.”
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I get a $10.00 discount for posting this, and you may want to create your own.
Brown Thrasher at Terrapin Nature Park
Perfect weather doesn’t seem to be the answer to a scarcity of birds. I explored Terrapin for a good three hours without seeing anything new, and little worth photographing. Still, it was a good walk and a Brown Thrasher posed nicely.