field_report from "Little Bennett" on 06/01/2008 - 7:00am

On Sunday, June 1, 2008 Ted Vawter led a group of 16 birders on the annual foray to Little Bennett Regional Park near Clarksburg, Maryland.  The day was warm but clear with a steady wind.   The group observed some of the expected birds in the brushy environs of the parking lot which included Chipping and Field Sparrows, goldfinch, eastern bluebird, indigo bunting, cedar waxwings and common yellowthroat.  A pine warbler calling from the evergreen grove was not seen.  A low flying Broadwing Hawk bearing carrion flew directly overhead.

The group came across red-eyed vireo, and singing ovenbird and wormeating warbler in the dense woods but none of these were seen.   Later on the trail an eastern peewee was found on the nest it had built right over the trail and later an Acadian Flycatcher also obligingly came into view.  A sharp-shinned hawk flew across the path.  Northern Parula, great crested flycatcher, singing Veery, tufted titmouse were among birds seen along the next stretch of trail with the highlight being a scarlet tanager that presented stunning looks.  We were fortunate enough to have several nice looks at the cedar waxwings.   At the Kingsley Schoolhouse grounds a Pileated Woodpecker flew into view, yellow throated vireo and Baltimore orioles sang in distant trees.  Behind the schoolhouse a Louisiana Waterthrush and an Ovenbird were coaxed into view.

The group ascended the hill towards the upper campground where a large group of happy and noisy children roosted with their adults.  We speculated what the origin was of the “purdem” on Purdem family road and it turns out it likely was a family name not a word of Indian origin.   Prarie warbler, indigo bunting and goldfinch were among the birds here.  The group returned down the Kingsley Trail again finding Ruby-Throated Hummingbird and a high-flying Red-shouldered hawk.   We hoped to see the Olive-sided Flycatcher reported here days earlier but a bird we hoped to make into one turned out to be upon closer inspection an Eastern Peewee.  We crossed to the other side of the road from the parking hoping to come across more birds and walked until the clearing where blue-winged warblers have often nested in recent years.  White-eyed vireo, prarie warbler and chat sang without coming into view, just another reminder that birders must rely more on their ears for bird identification as summer comes on.  Paul Deanna wrapped up the trip alone but came up with close look at Kentucky Warbler and a Barred Owl.    While certain birds proved resilient to being found for visual observation, other expected birds (Yellow-billed Cuckoo, N. Flicker, Eastern Kingbird, Phoebe, red-bellied woodpecker among others) were not observed and the day grew increasingly humid there were enough good birds and good comraderie to make this another entirely successful venture into Little Bennett.