Common Yellowthroat (Geothylpis trichas), Habitat: Parkers Creek, Fields
5 inches long, 76% – heard, sometimes seen
Formerly called the Maryland Yellowthroat, this yellow and black warbler is found in thickets, swamps, and marshes. The male’s bright throat is highlighted by a black bandit’s mask across the eyes. Its repetitive song is described as “witchity witchity witch”, with the third syllable dropping in pitch. Photo by Joe Turner.
Clapper Rail (Rallus longirostris), Habitat: Parkers Creek, Concern
30-43 inches long, summer visitor in the Parker’s Creek watershed; nests in salt and brackish marshes; nest is on the ground, hidden in vegetation; nest is a basket made of grasses and stems; egg dates: 5/14 – 7/20; safe dates: 5/1 – 8/31. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerine), Habitat: Fields
5 inches long, 82% – heard and seen. The voice of the Chipping Sparrow is a long dry trill or rattle on the same pitch which can be mistaken for an insect. This is an inconspicuous bird, but it is not shy and may be seen in trees and in short grass. Its clear breast is noticeable and it has a jaunty orange-brown cap. Photo by Joe Turner.
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus), Habitat: Woods, Parkers Creek, Fields
5-6 inches long, 76% – heard, sometimes seen.
Possibly the most vocally conspicuous of our local birds, its song is hard to miss, a loud repeated “chirpety chirpety”, “teakettle teakettle”, or “cheeseburger cheeseburger” along with much scolding and chattering. Its behavior is equally perky, and it is more likely to be low in brush or gardens. Photo by Joe Turner.
Acadian Flycatcher (Empidonax virescens), Habitat: Woods, Parkers Creek, Concern
6 inches long, 100% – more often heard than seen. A small, drab flycatcher, the Acadian spends its time on low to mid-level horizontal branches deep in the forest. Its two-syllable call is sometimes phoneticized as a quick “pizz-a”, dropping a little in pitch and fairly loud. (Bird of Concern: Heavily wooded bottomlands, tall moist deciduous uplands; nest is suspended from fork at end of small branch; nest heights: 3′ – 30′, mean 10.2′; nest is shallow cup of twigs, grass, etc., with hanging strands; egg dates: 5/23 – 8/3; safe dates: 5/25 – 8/5.) Photo by Bill Hubick.
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla), Habitat: Woods, Concern
Bird of concern. 5 inches long. Deciduous forests with extensive understory; nest is in fork / crotch of small tree; nest height: 4′ – 40′, mean 18′; nest is compact cup of plant fibers, grass, etc.; egg dates: 4/ 25 – 6/17; safe dates: 6/10 – 7/2. Photo by Bill Hubick.
American Woodcock (Scolopax minor), Habitat: Woods, Concern
Bird of Concern. 11 inches long. Early forest succession, thickets near damp areas; nests on ground with little vegetation, bare ground near brush edge; nest height: 0′ (ground); nest is shallow depression lined with leaves; egg dates: 2/25 – 5/25; safe dates: 4/15 – 8/31. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Black-and-White Warbler (Mniotilta varia), Habitat: Woods, Concern
Bird of concern. 5 inches long. Mature deciduous or mixed forests with tall trees, often hillside, nest is usually on ground; against tree, shrub, in roots, crevice; nest height: 0′ (ground); nest is cup of leaves, coarse grass, etc.; egg dates: 5/15 – 6/19; safe dates: 5/15 – 7/25. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Brown Creeper (Certhia americana), Habitat: Woods, Concern
Bird of concern. 5 inches long. Usually coniferous forest, dead trees with loose bark; nest is concealed under loose bark; nest height: 5′ – 23′, mean 10′; nest is loose cup of twigs, wood fibers, moss; egg dates: ?; safe dates: 5/15 – 8/31. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum), Habitat: Fields, Concern
Bird of concern. 11 inches long. Hedgerows, brush, shrubs, forest edge, suburbs; nest in vines, small trees, on ground; nest height: 0′ (ground) – 25′, mean 4′; nest is cup of twigs, leaves, bark, grass, etc.; egg dates: 5/18 – 7/30; safe dates: 5/15 – 8/31. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Northern Parula (Parula americana), Habitat: Woods, Fields, Concern
5 inches long. 100% – more often heard than seen. Pretty but often neck-breakingly high in the canopy, this tiny warbler is heard throughout our woods and wood edges. Its call is a high thin buzz that rises in pitch and ends with an accent. An alternate song has the same ascent and timbre but is broken into short segments. (Bird of concern: Mature, extensive floodplain forests, moist uplands; nest is usually in poison ivy vines (Spanish moss elsewhere); nest height: 1′ – 50′, mean 22′; nest is long (pendant) cup of moss or twigs, grasses; egg dates: 5/15 – 6/14; safe dates: 6/1 – 8/15.) Photo by Bill Hubick.
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), Habitat: Woods
8 1/2 inches long. 93% – seen and heard. We take the cardinal for granted, but it is a strikingly beautiful bird. It is highly visible in many different habitats, but more likely in woods edges than interior. One of the first to sing in the morning and the last in the evening, the Cardinal’s lyrics include “birdy birdy birdy” and a slower descending “cheer”. Photo by Joe Turner.
Kentucky Warbler (Oporornis formosus), Habitat: Woods, Concern
6 inches long. 87% – located by song, but may sometimes be seen. Another bright yellow warbler with black facial markings, this bird shares coloration with the more common Hooded Warbler. Its two-syllable song is similar to that of several other species and may be transcribed as “chur-Ree chur-Ree”, repeated many times. Its loud chip note often helps with location at or near ground level in thick undergrowth. (Bird of concern: Dense damp undergrowth in moist deciduous forest; nests on ground; at base of tree, under ferns, in tangle; nest height: 0′ (ground); nest is loose cup of grass, stems; egg dates: 5/16 – 7/31; safe dates: 5/25 – 7/15.) Photo by George Jett.
Hooded Warbler (Wilsonia citrine), Habitat: Woods, Concern
5 inches long. 100% – more often heard than seen. This bright yellow bird with a black cowl around its face is worth looking for. It spends most of its time less than 15′ above the ground and prospers in ACLT’s healthy understory woods. Its well-projected song is a series of seven or so fast syllables ending emphatically: “weeta weeta WEE TEE OH!” (Bird of concern: Dense underbrush in extensive mature deciduous woods; nest is in small shrub, sapling, or tangle of vines; nest height: 1′ – 10′, mean 3′; nest is small cup of grasses on base of dead leaves; egg dates: 5/21 – 7/30; safe dates: 5/25 – 7/25.) Photo by Bill Hubick.
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens), Habitat: Woods, Parkers Creek, Fields
6 inches long. 93% – more often heard than seen. The Pewee sings its name plaintively in the woods and along wood edges, a long drawn-out “pee-ee weee”. It is similar to the Eastern Phoebe, another flycatcher which sings its name, but the Pewee has wing bars and does not bob its tail like a Phoebe. It may be seen perched on lower branches. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Tufted Titmouse. (Baeolophus bicolor), Habitat: Woods, Parkers Creek, Fields
6 inches long. 93% – often heard without being seen, but not hard to find. A familiar feeder bird, the Titmouse is equally comfortable in woods and yards. A pale gray bird with a prominent crest, it is often in the company of other small birds. Along with “tseets” and other scolding sounds, it sings a flutelike “peter peter peter peter” rapidly and at about the same pitch. Photo by Joe Turner.
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea), Habitat: Woods, Concern
7 inches long. 100% – more often heard than seen. Males are a gorgeous red with black wings, often located by color though high in the canopy. The call is a distinctive buzzy “CHIP burr”, and once learned, can help in identifying its slightly warbly song with the same timbre. (Bird of concern: Extensive tall deciduous forest, esp. oak, sometimes mixed; nest is well out on horizontal branch; nest height: 7′ – 70′, mean 25.7′; nest is shallow loose cup of twigs, grass, stems, etc.; egg dates: 5/12 – 8/1; safe dates: 5/25 – 8/10.) Photo by Bill Hubick.
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus), Habitat: Woods, Parkers Creek, Fields, Concern
6 inches long. 100% – more often heard than seen. This incessant singer calls all day, all summer, even when everyone else is quiet. The soft-toned monotonous song is even- pitched and usually two syllables: “look up – see me – here I am – look up”. A sleek, subtle bird, the Red-eyed Vireo ranges mid to high in the canopy. (Bird of concern: Extensive tall deciduous forests, smaller woods, wooded suburbs; nest is suspended from horizontal fork of small branch; nest height: 2′ – 50′, mean 12′; nest is rounded cup of vine stems, grasses, spider webs; egg dates: 5/9 – 7/31; safe dates: 6/1 – 7/31.) Photo by Bill Hubick.
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus), Habitat: Woods
9-10 inches long. 100% – heard, may be seen. Sometimes mistaken for a Red-headed Woodpecker, this medium-sized bird has a bright red nape and crown atop a finely striped black and white back. It is conspicuous in our woods all year. Its song is a loud and distinctive rolled “kwirr”, heard singly or in a repeated series. Photo by Joe Turner.
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapillus), Habitat: Woods, Concern
6 inches long. 93% – more often heard than seen. This ground-nesting warbler’s distinctive song carries well throughout deep woods. It sings a rapidly repeated “teacher teacher TEACHER”, usually increasing in volume. The Ovenbird looks a little bit like a thrush, leaf-colored with a spotted breast, and is most often seen near or walking on the ground. (Bird of concern: Open extensive forest, usually flat, needs leaf litter; nests in open in depression on ground, constructs cover; nest height: 0′ (ground); nest is domed cover of leaves, grasses, etc., with opening; egg dates: 5/7 – 7/16; safe dates: 5/20 – 8/5.) Photo by Arlene Ripley.
Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina), Habitat: Woods, Parkers Creek, Concern
8 inches long. 100% – more often heard than seen. The beautiful flute-like song of the Wood Thrush is an auditory delight. Characterized as “ee-oh-lay”, first falling and then rising, it can be heard mornings and evenings. A reclusive bird, it will be in deep woods in low to mid-level branches, and sometimes walks along the ground. (Bird of concern: Floodplains, moist deciduous woods, also more open woodlots; nest is in sapling or small tree, at fork or saddling small branch; nest height: 2.5′ – 42′, usually 5′ – 8′; nest is bulky cup of dead leaves, mud, grass, often paper, cloth; egg dates: 5/7 – 7/29; safe dates: 5/25 – 8/20.) Photo by Bill Hubick.
White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus), Habitat: Woods, Parkers Creek, Fields, Concern
5 inches long. 87% – more often heard than seen. This bird is hard to find, but its percussive call is hard to overlook. “Chuck! Pick up your beer! Chuck!” is said rapidly in a dry voice. The White-eyed Vireo spends most of its time in thick brush not too high off the ground. It is heard as often on walks in the woods as in open areas, though not deep in the woods. (Bird of concern: Thickets, hedgerows, damp thickets; nest suspended in fork of branch in saplings, shrubs; nest height: 1′ – 6′, mean 3′; nest is deep cup of twigs, bark, leaves, grasses; egg dates: 4/25 – 7/26; safe dates: 5/25 – 8/15.) Photo by Bill Hubick.
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), Habitat: Parkers Creek, Concern
30-43 inches long. 80% – more likely seen than heard. Our majestic national bird is a full-time resident of Parker’s Creek. Often several birds are seen at once, both the black mottled juveniles and the white-headed and -tailed adults. They may perch in trees along the bay and creek. The typical call is a surprisingly high-pitched series of rapidly repeated shrieks. (Bird of concern: Confirmed breeding in the Parker’s Creek watershed; nests near water: coasts, rivers, large lakes; nest often in fork of tall tree, 30′ – 60′ high; nest is conspicuous, made of sticks and enlarged in successive years, may reach 12′ in height, 8.5′ across, weigh over a ton; egg dates: 2/5 – 4/29; safe dates: 4/15 – 8/5.) Photo by Bill Hubick.
Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon), Habitat: Woods
13 inches long. 100% – heard and seen. The kingfisher’s dry rattle sounds exactly like a percussionist’s ratchet. It is the best clue for locating the bird, which often calls during its low and direct flight. The Kingfisher may also be seen on a stick or a branch overhanging the water. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), Habitat: Parkers Creek
7-9 inches long. 100% – heard and seen. This common blackbird is distinguished by the red epaulets on the male; females are drab brown and heavily striped. Like all blackbirds, the Red-winged is social and may be found in large noisy flocks. Its signature call is transliterated as ‘conka-REE’ and is accompanied by various chips and squeaks. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis), Habitat: Parkers Creek
5 inches long. 80% – more likely seen than heard. This drab brown bird nests in cavities in the cliffs. Its underside is white, and its buffy throat and upper breast can be seen in flight. The call is a short buzzy syllable, “brrt brrt brrt” repeated many times at a rate of about four per second. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris), Habitat: Parkers Creek, Concern
5 inches long. 80% – more likely heard than seen. Marsh Wrens breed in the middle reaches of Parker’s Creek, and their coconut-shaped basket nests may be easier to spot than the birds themselves. Their song is a cheery, bubbling series of high fast twitters lasting a second or two. A lucky paddler may see this small bird with a short cocked tail perched on a reed near its nest. (Bird of concern: Confirmed breeding in Parker’s Creek; nests in marshes with abundant reeds; nest attached to multiple reeds over or by water, 1′ – 9′ high; nest made of woven grasses is domed, 7 inches tall, 3 inches wide; egg dates: 5/3 – 8/11; safe dates: 5/25 – 8/25.) Photo by Bill Hubick.
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea), Habitat: Parkers Creek, Fields
5 1/2 inches long. 100% – heard calling from shore, may fly over. Males are a very dark blue which can look black in certain light but is vivid in sunshine. This is a noisy bird, with a high dry voice a little like a goldfinch’s, saying everything twice: “tweet-tweet chirp-chirp here-here see it-see it”. Indigo Buntings are abundant in open areas and were the most numerous species in the study. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus), Habitat: Fields, Concern
8 inches long. 88% – more often heard, but can be found. This attractive bird is black (gray in female), white, and orange- brown, similar in color to orioles. It has a distinctive song, “DRINK your TEEEE”, which is rather loud. This song and a single “drink” call attention to the towhee, which may be hopping or scratching on the ground or hidden in low brush. (Bird of Concern: Dense brushy cover, thickets, forest edge; nest mostly on ground, some in brush; nest height: 0′(ground) to 9′, mean 1′; nest is cup of twigs, leaves, grass, etc.; egg dates: 4/22 – 8/16; safe dates: 5/20 – 8/31.) Photo by Bill Hubick.
Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus), Habitat: Fields, Concern
9 3/4 inches long. Bird of concern: Nests in brushy areas, overgrown fields, woodland edges; prefers mix of exposed ground and brush; nest height: 0′ (ground); nest is shallow depression covered by vegetation; egg dates: 4/11 – 10/14; safe dates: 4/15 – 9/30. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Louisiana Waterthrush (Seiurus motacilla), Habitat: Woods, Concern
6 inches long. Bird of concern: Near running streams in deciduous or mixed woods; nest is usually tucked into stream bank under roots, ferns; nest height: 0′ (ground); nest is cup of moss, decayed leaves, grass, etc.; egg dates: 4/18 – 6/11; safe dates: 5/1 – 7/10. Photo by Paul Conover.
Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla), Habitat: Fields, Concern
5-6 inches long. 82% – more likely heard than seen. The Field Sparrow is visually modest and not always easy to find in tall grass, but its delightful song is distinctive. The analogy is the sound of a dropped ping-pong ball: a series of accelerating slurred whistles, usually rising in pitch. It has a clear buffy breast and a pink bill. (Bird of concern: Old/weedy fields, field edges; nest on ground or unattached in stems, branches, vines; nest height: 0′ (ground) – 10′, mean 1.3′; nest is cup of grass, forbs, lined with thin fibers; egg dates: 4/21 – 8/25; safe dates: 5/1 – 8/31.) Photo by Bill Hubick.
Chuck-will’s-Widow (Caprimulgus carolinensus), Habitat: Woods, Concern
12 inches long. Bird of concern: Dry coniferous or mixed woods with little underbrush; nests on ground; nest height: 0′ (ground); eggs on dry leaves; egg dates: 5/9 – 7/8; safe dates: 5/1 – 8/10. Photo by George Jett.
Barred Owl (Strix varia), Habitat: Woods, Concern
20 inches long. Bird of concern: Deciduous and mixed mature forests, wooded swamps; nests in natural cavity of large tree, sometimes old nest; nest height: 8′ – 60′, average 20′ – 30′; no nest, unless using other species’ old nest; egg dates: 3/10 – 5/26; safe dates: 1/15 – 8/31. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis), Habitat: Parkers Creek, Concern
13 inches long. Bird of concern: May breed in Parker’s Creek; nests in fresh, sometimes brackish, marshes; nest made of dead stalks woven among green; nest near or over water, 0′ – 3′ high; egg dates: 5/10 – 8/11; safe dates: 5/20 – 7/31. Photo by George Jett.
Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus), Habitat: Woods, Concern
9 inches long. Bird of concern: Extensive deep woods, mostly deciduous; excavates cavity in dead deciduous trees or dead limbs; nest height: 9.5′ – 85′, most 12′ – 20′; nest cavity 10″ – 15″ deep, 4 1/2″ wide, entrance ca. 2 1/2″ wide; egg dates: 4/16 – 4/29; safe dates: 3/15 – 8/31. Photo by George Jett.
Great Egret (Casmerodius albus), Habitat: Parkers Creek, Concern
40 inches long. Bird of concern: Summer visitor in the Parker’s Creek watershed; nests near water: marshes, swamps, ditches, estuaries; colonial; nest in tree or shrub, 8′ – 40′ high; nest is made of sticks, flimsy; egg dates: 4/9 – 6/29; safe dates: 5/20 – 6/20. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata), Habitat: Fields
12 inches long. 88% – easily heard and seen. Familiar in all habitats, our only jay species is a handsome bird with a bad reputation for eating other species’ eggs and young. Jays are related to crows and share their noisy and gregarious habits. In addition to saying its name it has a “kweedle” call and does an impressive Red-shouldered Hawk imitation. Photo by Joe Turner.
American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis), Habitat: Fields
5 inches long. 88% – heard and seen. Startlingly yellow with black accents in summer, the American Goldfinch is an active and fairly conspicuous bird, often seen at feeders as well as in fields and edges. Its voice is similar to other finches, a series of dry tweety chirps, but its flight call is unique: “potato chip – potato chip” sung as the bird dips and soars. Photo by Joe Turner.
Prairie Warbler (Dendroica discolor), Habitat: Fields, Concern
4 3/4 inches. Bird of concern: Brushy, weedy areas, open stands of young pine, gum; nest in fork or next to trunk, small trees and shrubs; nest height: 1′ – 10′, mean 3.9′; nest is cup of soft plant materials; egg dates: 5/17 – 7/11; safe dates: 5/25 – 7/20. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus), Habitat: Woods, Concern
18 inches long. Bird of concern: Mature forests, swamp forest, some woodland edges; excavates cavity in dead wood; nest height: 12′ – 60′, mean 36′; cavity is 10″ – 24″ deep, 6″ – 8″ wide, entrance 3.5″ wide; egg dates: 4/18 – 6/?; safe dates: 3/15 – 8/31. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Prothonotary Warbler (Prothonotaria citria), Habitat: Woods, Concern
5 1/2 inches long. Bird of concern: Swampy lowland forest with standing water, floodplain forests; nests in natural cavity, woodpecker or chickadee cavity, nest box; nest height: 1′ – 20′, mean 4.7′; cavity is about 2″ by 1 1/2″, nest is cup of twigs, moss, leaves, etc.; egg dates: 5/1 – 6/23; safe dates: 5/10 – 7/20. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps), Habitat: Parkers Creek, Concern
13 inches long. Bird of concern: Confirmed breeding in Parker’s Creek; nests on ponds, slow streams, and marshes; less active water; nest on floating platform of decaying vegetation on or near surface of water, platform is anchored to vegetation; egg dates: 5/17 – 6/20; safe dates: 5/20 – 7/10. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura), Habitat: Fields
12 inches long. 82% – hard to miss when present. The Mourning Dove is our only native dove species. Its soft plaintive “cooah – coo coo coo” is a common but inconspicuous summer sound. Usually found in small groups, this bird can be seen at feeders and on wires as well as in trees. Photo by Joe Turner.
Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola), Habitat: Parkers Creek, Concern
9 inches long. Bird of concern. Possibly breeding in the Parker’s Creek watershed; nests in fresh, sometimes brackish marshes; nest is on the ground hidden in tussock or suspended in vegetation; nest is made of grasses and similar vegetation; egg dates: 5/14 – 8/16; safe dates: 5/20 – 8/15. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra), Habitat: Woods, Concern
7 inches long. Bird of concern. Dry open pine woods, mixed dry uplands, pine-oak woods; nest is well out on lower horizontal branch; nest height: 7′ – 60′, mean 15′; nest is flimsy-looking shallow cup of stems, leaves, grass, etc.; egg dates: 5/24 – 7/13; safe dates: 6/5 – 8/10. Photo by George Jett.
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula), Habitat: Parkers Creek, Concern
24 inches long. Bird of concern: Summer visitor in the Parker’s Creek watershed; nests near water: marshes, lakes, ponds, shallow coastal waters; colonial; nest in tree or shrub, 5′ – 10′ high; nest is made of sticks, flimsy; egg dates: 4/18 – 8/7; safe dates: 5/20 – 6/30. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus), Habitat: Woods, Concern
15-19 inches long. Bird of concern: Bottomland forests along streams; nest is at crotch or fork of large branch in deciduous trees; nest height: 20′ – 90′, average 52′; nest is platform of sticks, twigs, lined w/leaves, pine needles; egg dates: 3/4 – 5/31; safe dates: 5/10 – 8/20. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons), Habitat: Woods, Concern
5 1/2 inches long. Bird of concern. Near clearing or water in moist deciduous or mixed forests; nest is at end of high horizontal forked branch; nest height: 10′ – 50′, mean 27.4′; nest is cup suspended from fork, of plant fiber, lichen, webs; egg dates: 5/9 – 7/21; safe dates: 5/25 – 8/15. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens), Habitat: Fields, Concern
7 1/2 inches long. Bird of concern: Thickets, old pastures, woodland edges, boggy areas; nest in brambles, bushes, small trees; nest height: 1.5′ – 7′, mean 3.2′; nest is cup of coarse grasses, weed stems, dead leaves; egg dates: 5/22 – 7/19; safe dates: 5/25 – 8/5. Photo by Bill Hubick.
Worm-eating Warbler (Helmitheros vermivorus), Habitat: Woods, Concern
5 1/4 inches long. Bird of concern: Hillsides and ravines in extensive deciduous forests; nests on ground in dead leaves, usually at base of tree or shrub; nest height: 0′ (ground); nest is cup of skeletonized, decayed leaves, lining hair moss stems; egg dates: 5/29 – 6/7; safe dates: 5/20 – 7/20. Photo by Arlene Ripley.
Whip-poor-will (Caprimulgus vociferous), Habitat: Woods, Concern
9 1/2 inches. Bird of concern: Dry deciduous woods with little or underbrush; nests on ground in area with fragmented light; nest height: 0′ (ground); lays eggs on dry leaves; egg dates: 4/24 – 7/13; safe dates: 5/10 – 7/15. Photo by Jeffrey A. Spendelow.
Wood Duck (Aix Sponsa), Habitat:
18 inches long. 100% – usually heard first, sometimes seen. Wood Ducks are successful breeders in the watershed and may often be flushed in groups of six or more from more remote sections of Parker’s Creek. They usually call during their splashy takeoff, a nervous-sounding “ooweek ooweek” which rises in pitch as they fly rapidly away. Photo by Joe Turner.
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias), Habitat: Parkers Creek, Concern
4 feet long. 100% – easily seen, may be heard. This iconic symbol of the Chesapeake Bay is unmistakable due to its large size and blue-gray coloration. It may be seen on the beach, in flight over the bay, and lifting off from Parker’s Creek. When startled, it issues a loud raspy croak, as if disgusted at the interruption. (Bird of concern: Summer visitor in the Parker’s Creek watershed; nests near water: marshes, swamps, ditches, estuaries; colonial; nest in tree or shrub, 8′ – 40′ high; nest is made of sticks, flimsy; egg dates: 4/9 – 6/29; safe dates: 5/20 – 6/20.) Photo by Joe Turner.
Purple Martin (Progne subis), Habitat: Parkers Creek
7-8 inches long. 80% – more likely seen than heard. The Purple Martin is the largest swallow and is often found in mixed swallow flocks gleaning insects over Parker’s Creek, especially in the evening. The male is dark all over, while females and young have a lighter underside. It has a gurgling chirpy voice, lower in pitch than other swallows. Photo by Joe Turner.
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), Habitat: Parkers Creek
24 inches long. 100% – seen, sometimes heard. This black and white raptor may be mistaken for an eagle, especially from the back, but it is much smaller and its underside is mostly white. Its common call is a series of high-pitched short whistles, often twenty or more lasting for several seconds. Osprey are often seen flying with fish in their talons. Photo by Joe Turner.
