Wildlife Sightings Log

Wildlife & Nature Sightings
What Where When Reported by Comments
Yellowlegs Jug Bay, south end just downriver from Riggleman Preserve Sat, 01/14/2012 Danny Bystrak (reported by C. Swarth) This morning I watched a small bunch of yellowlegs from my bucket overlooking southern Jug Bay. There were 3 Greaters and 1 Lesser. I'd seen this same bunch on 6 January as well, but then it was 4 Greaters and 1 Lesser. Today is the latest I've had them linger into the winter. (Danny Bystrak)
Brown Creeper Between the Railroad Bed Trail and Otter Point. Sat, 01/07/2012 John W. Koontz This is a common winter bird in the sanctuary, often in the company of roving flocks of nuthatches and chickadees. Photo by J.W. Koontz.
Rusty Blackbird Railroad Bed Trail Sat, 01/07/2012 John W. Koontz The Rusty Blackbird is one of North America’s most rapidly declining species. The population has plunged an estimated 85-99% over the past forty years and scientists are completely puzzled as to the cause. We spotted a flock of 6-12 while on the bird walk today. Photo by J.W. Koontz.
Red-headed Woodpecker Otter Point Sat, 01/07/2012 John W. Koontz We observed three Red-headed Woodpeckers on the bird walk at the beaver pond on Two Run Branch. Photo by J.W. Koontz.
Marbled Salamander Flooded section of "Wet Forest", just north of the meadow near the Wetlands Center Thu, 12/15/2011 Mike Quinlan This was an early stage larval specimen. This is not the normal time of year to be seeing a recently hatched Marbled salamander. It has been a strange year for them (see the article on the Sanctuary web site home page.
Common Grackles Forest Trail Thu, 12/08/2011 Elaine Friebele A thousand grackles descended upon the treetops. Many were eating beech nuts.
Northern water snake Railraod Bed Trail Sat, 10/22/2011 Mike Quinlan Juvenile, dead in road.
Red Salamander Under log in at edge of floodplain of Two Run Creek, near Wood Frog Pool Fri, 10/21/2011 Mike Quinlan This is an uncommon sighting at the Sanctuary.
Peregrine Falcon Over marsh, as seen from the Observation Deck Mon, 10/17/2011 Chris Swarth & Bud Taylor As we looked over the marsh at about 5:00 pm, an immature Peregrine suddenly appeared at eye level in front of us with a screaming immature Laughing Gull in its talons. The falcon pitched to the mudflat clutching the flailing gull. As they hit the mud (it was low tide), the falcon dropped the gull, flew up, circled three times and then flew off. The gull remained unmoving on the mud and we thought it might be dead. Thirty minutes later, however, the gull flew off. An amazing sight.
Marbled Salamander (female) Wet Forest, about 150 m northeast of the Wetlands Center Thu, 10/13/2011 Mike Quinlan Under a small log, brooding eggs. This is an unusual find.
Female Marbled salamander, with eggs Under log in Wet Forest. Thu, 10/13/2011 Mike Quinlan While we have a healthy population of Marbled Salamanders in the Sanctuary, finding an active nest, with female and eggs, is a very rare occurrence. The area where I found this nest had been under water as little as 10 days ago.
Sora Rail In marsh during Sept 8-9 2011 flood Thu, 09/08/2011 Chris Swarth We observed about 15 Soras that were exposed on tips of marsh plants during the flood. High waters had forced them from the vegetation. They were clinging to stems and trying to remain concealed in the densest leaf clumps they could find. Meanwhile a Peregrine and Cooper's Hawk were seen cruising overhead. Photo by Chris Swarth.
Queen Snake Jug Bay marshes Thu, 09/08/2011 Chris Swarth The flood of Sept 8-9, 2011, forced the aquatic Queen Snakes to leave the water to seek higher ground on the tips of these wild rice stalks. Photo by Chris Swarth
Rice Rat Jug Bay marshes Thu, 09/08/2011 Chris Swarth Rice rats are small permanent denizens of the Jug Bay marshes, yet they are rarely seen. They keep well hidden in the dense vegetation. The flood on 8-9 Sept., 2011 sent dozens of rice rats fleeing for higher ground. Many were seen huddled under leaves on the plant stalks that projected above the murky floodwaters. Photo by Chris Swarth.
Amber Marsh Snails (Oxyloma effusa) Jug Bay marshes Thu, 09/08/2011 Chris Swarth From our kayaks we saw literally thousands of these small brown snails as they clung to plant stalks above the water. Although the Amber Marsh Snail is an aquatic species, it will drown underwater. These snails were exposed like this for over 48 hours. Certainly the many Red-winged Blackbirds, Sora Rails and other birds in the marsh had easy pickings of these small tender invertebrates. Once the floodwaters subside the snails will crawl down and out of sight. Photo by Chris Swarth.
Two adult river otters On RR Bed Trail (under floodwater) 20 yards from Otter Pt. Tr. Thu, 09/08/2011 Peggy Brosnan 5 p.m., both chirping. Interesting flood pictures below & on JBWS Facebook page, Chris!! Check out how much spatterdock was ripped out of the lower "spit" adjacent to the main Pax. R. channel, N. end of Jug Bay. WIll that come back in a few years?? Locals say that the big storm(s) (nor'easters) of the early '60's & the biggest of all (Agnes June 22, '72) did the same to veg. on the same spit but further south (middle of Jug Bay) which has never come back.
Black Swallowtail Butterfly caterpillars & Monarch Butterfly caterpillars Plummer House Butterfly Garden on Bronze Fennel & Swamp Milkweed plants respectively. Wed, 08/31/2011 Dave Perry The Black Swallowtail caterpillars appeared to be in their final stage. The 3 Monarch caterpillars on the lone Swamp Milkweed that had not been deer browsed appeared to each be in a different stage.
Dragonhunter (Hagenius brevistylus) Galloway Creek Fri, 07/22/2011 Ken Shallop & Lindsay Hollister This clubtail dragonfly was observed along Galloway Creek while we were conducting water chemistry research. A very large streamside dragonfly, the Dragonhunter is a "bold aggressive predator that often preys on other dragonflies, occasionally those nearly its own size, as well as butterflies and other large insects". Males often fly with the tip of the abdomen curled under, look for the distinctive sideways "J" shape. Females deposit eggs over the water's surface while in flight. (Source: Stokes Beginner's Guide to Dragonflies)
Spotted Turtle (female) Two-Run Creek Thu, 07/07/2011 Holly Fallica This is a rare turtle species in Maryland. They are difficult to find because they are not abundant. They are recognized by their yellowish spots and petite size.
Skipper Butterfly Plummer House Butterfly Garden Wed, 06/29/2011 John Koontz
Red-shouldered Hawk Foraging on the infield at Windsor's Ballfield on Wrighton Rd. Tue, 06/28/2011 Chris Swarth This immature hawk caught my eye because it was walking on the barren infield of the ball field. I stopped my car and through my binoculars I watched it pull earthworms from the damp soil - like a robin. Interesting behavior for a top carnivore!
Cooper's Hawk (adult) Plummer Lane near Plummer House Fri, 06/24/2011 Chris Swarth The hawk was perched on an electrical wire crossing the field. Cooper's Hawks are rare breeders in our area and are not often seen in the summer.
Bumblebee Moth Butterfly Garden at Plummer House Wed, 06/15/2011 John W. Koontz Photo by John W. Koontz
Female Cabbage White Butterfly Butterfly Garden Wed, 06/15/2011 John W. Koontz Photo by John W. Koontz
Eastern Bluebird At the edge of the field near Wetlands Center Wed, 06/15/2011 John W. Koontz This Eastern Bluebird was working the field for dinner at the end of the day. Photo by John W. Koontz.
Tree Swallow Marsh edge at Observation Blind Wed, 06/15/2011 John W. Koontz Tree Swallow at nest box at Observation Blind off Railroad Bed Trail. Little ones were looking out the opening in the nest box as this parent kept watch.
Common Yellowthroat North end of Marsh Boardwalk. Wed, 06/15/2011 John W. Koontz Just as I walked onto the Marsh Boardwalk this beautiful Yellowthroat was there to greet me. Photo by John W. Koontz.
Red-Bellied Turtle Observation Deck Fri, 06/10/2011 Holly Fallica These turtles usually only come on land to nest. This female got a little lost after she had nested, trying to get back to the marsh below.
Lincoln's Sparrow River Pier area of Railroad Bed Trail Sun, 05/22/2011 Dotty Mumford These small, secretive sparrows are rare migrants through our area.
Eastern Painted Turtles Wetlands Center Wed, 04/20/2011 John Hutchinson Four painted turtle hatchlings were at the Wetlands Center, moving in the direction of the Marsh Boardwalk Trail. All very small, just a bit larger than a quarter. Photo by John Hutchinson.
Luna moth Within 100 yds of the Wetlands Center building Wed, 04/20/2011 John Hutchinson This Actias luna moth was about 4' off the ground near the picnic area at the Wetlands Center. Spotted at 1pm. Photo by John Hutchinson
Spotted salamander Cliff trail Mon, 04/18/2011 John Hutchinson This spotted salamander was 200 yards from the stream near the beginning of the Cliff Trail on the south side. Photo by John Hutchinson.
American Bittern Cattail marsh adjacent to the RR Bed Trail on the north side. Thu, 04/14/2011 Chris Swarth I spooked this bird as I was driving slowly along the RR Bed Trail. It flew over open water for about 100 feet and quickly dropped into a dense stand of cattails. I never saw it again after it entered the cattails. The American Bittern is rare and populations across their range in north america are declining. This is only the second American Bittern I've seen at Jug Bay since 1989. Photo of bittern wing taken by C. Swarth (Cape Hatteras, NC)
Red-tailed Hawk (Juvenile) Two Run Trail just past the RR Bed Trail Sun, 04/10/2011 Dan Potter
American Woodcock Railroad Bed Trail toward the river Sun, 04/10/2011 Dan Potter
Spring migrants (Yellowlegs and swallows) Over the wetlands at low tide Mon, 03/14/2011 Chris Swarth Five Greater Yellowlegs foraged and called loudly this afternoon from the mudflats, while overhead 20+ Tree Swallows swept back and forth heading in a northerly direction. More signs that spring has arrived.
Eastern mud turtle Glendening Nature Preserve, at edge of bluff above marsh along the new northward trail off the Cliff Trail. Fri, 03/11/2011 Mike Quinlan Three separate individuals, all males. Carapaces were covered in moist, sandy soil indicating they had just emerged from hibernacula and were heading toward marsh. Quite early to see this many moving.
Barn owl Glendening Nature Preserve, at edge of bluff above marsh, along new trail extending north from Cliff Trail. Thu, 03/10/2011 Mike Quinlan Owl was roosting in a tree covered in dense Greenbriar. When startled, owl had great difficulty in exiting the Greenbriar before flying away to north. An unusual sighting, probably a migrant.
Green-winged Teal On the marsh at high tide Thu, 03/03/2011 Chris Swarth I counted 240 teal at 3 pm today. During the cold spell in January and February, green-winged teal were absent from the Jug Bay marshes. Presumably they move south to warmer areas. Now that it has warmed, they have returned. Listen for their cricket-like calls, which carry far across the wetlands.
River Otters (6 at once!) Two run Branch beaver pond Sun, 02/27/2011 Peggy Brosnan & Dave Linthicum Much apparent playing, chasing, chirping. 5:30 to 6 pm. All six jumped out of the water twice into one big furry pile. At 6 pm (sunset)they all crossed the beaver dam and headed downstream towards the Patuxent River.
Northern Pintail Off the Marsh Boardwalk in the marsh Sat, 02/26/2011 John W. Koontz Spotted more Pintail Ducks at one time than I have ever seen before.
Red-tailed Hawk Northern edge of Sanctuary near Route 4 Sat, 02/26/2011 John W. Koontz A cropped image; a little fuzzy because of the distance. Photo by John Koontz.
Osprey Jug Bay, over the river Thu, 02/24/2011 Bill Miles, Dotty Mumford, Harry Coulombe Today birders at the Sanctuary observed the first returning Osprey for 2011. Ospreys spend the winter well to our south. The first ones to return to our area are usually seen in early March. The Jug Bay area supports the densest number of nesting ospreys on the Chesapeake Bay.
Pine Warbler Wetlands Center at the picnic table area Fri, 02/18/2011 Lindsay Hollister The pine warbler is one of our earliest spring migrants. This individual was sitting on the ground on a twig just outside the conference room door. Its reluctance to fly while I stood just three feet away could indicate exhaustion from migration. They are easily identified by two white wing bars, extensive yellow on head and breast, and gray back.
Bald Eagles on edge of the mostly frozen Patuxent River Mon, 01/24/2011 Chris Swarth Today I saw 6 bald eagles at the same time. For the past month up to 5-6 eagles have been seen daily along the edge of the river. Often several will perch together on trees next to the Wetlands Center. Most of the eagles are immatures, but I have seen 4 adults at one time. A careful count of eagles in the Jug Bay area might reveal 10 or more, since they frequent the entire area from Hill's Bridge south to Lyons Creek.
River Otter Under and near the Observation Blind, off the Railroad Bed trail. Fri, 12/31/2010 Peggy Brosnan and Dave Linthicum We saw it at 4 p.m. Within 5 ft. No camera.
Rusty Blackbirds, Killdeer and a Palm Warbler Jug Bay area Thu, 12/09/2010 Chris Swarth Our local flock of Rusty Blackbirds is growing. I counted 90 on Dec. 7. On Dec. 9, 50+ Killdeer foraged on the frozen farm field along Plummer Lane at Route 4. In the Glendening Preserve area of the Sanctuary, on Dec. 9 Adam Smith and I had a good look at Palm Warbler (eastern race) that foraged close by. The temperature was 20 degrees F at the time!
Rusty Blackbirds Under the big red oak at the Wetlands Center. Wed, 11/17/2010 John W. Koontz With all the recent reports of Rusty Blackbirds at Jug Bay I thought folks might like to see some. Flock of 30-40 at the Wetlands Center. Spotted an American Kestrel at Otter Point, but moving too fast for a photo.
Rusty Blackbirds (about 30 males and females) By the Wetlands Center Sun, 11/07/2010 Anna Urciolo A nice flock of male and female Rusty Blackbirds was near the bird feeders by the Wetlands Center.
Pine Siskins (eight) At bird feeders at Wetlands Center Sun, 11/07/2010 Anna Urciolo At least 8 Pine Siskins visited the bird feeders by the Wetlands Center today at 1:00 p.m. They were flitting in and out of the nearby bushes, but I counted 8 at one time hanging on the feeders.