Howard County Bird Club

Howard County Bird Club

A Chapter of the Maryland Ornithological Society

Alpha Ridge Landfill (restricted access)

Trip leader: Ralph & Cullison & Joe Hanfman Date of trip: February 28, 2027
Location: Alpha Ridge Landfill (restricted access) Number attending: 18
Details: There were 2-4 Lapland Longspurs in near breeding plumage there on February 27, and a field trip was immediately organized for February 28 to carpool to the restricted site. Unfortunately, as you see below, they were not seen.

Canada Goose  85
Ring-necked Duck  10
Bufflehead  15
Hooded Merganser  4
Mourning Dove  2
Killdeer  14
Wilson’s Snipe  16
Great Blue Heron (Great Blue)  1
Black Vulture  6
Turkey Vulture  16
Bald Eagle  2
Red-shouldered Hawk  1
Red-tailed Hawk  3
Great Horned Owl  1     Sitting high in nest.
Red-bellied Woodpecker  1
Pileated Woodpecker  1
Blue Jay  1
American Crow  6

Fish Crow  300 (Estimate, huge flock overhead calling)
Common Raven  1
Tufted Titmouse  2
Horned Lark  8
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
Carolina Wren  3
European Starling  125
Northern Mockingbird  1
Eastern Bluebird  6
American Robin  6
House Sparrow  2
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)  2
White-throated Sparrow  4
Savannah Sparrow (Savannah)  16
Song Sparrow  1
Eastern Meadowlark  25
Red-winged Blackbird  2
Northern Cardinal  5