Greetings,
First post in the new forum... Thank you Jared et al. -I hope Norm is at
least lurking here :( -if so, Thank you so much Norm for serving us with
MDOsprey -You rock!!! You are and will always be a true gentleman, in my
opinion. Hope to see you in the field again soon -more so, i hope to see
you posting here some day!
I had a louder than usual morning course today in the yard when I was
leaving for work. It would seem that a family of Great-crested Flycatchers
fledged as they were really making a ruckus in the tall (old) Chestnut Oaks
and Tulip Poplars that stand sentry over the little piece of Gaia that our
micro-sangha calls home.
Also present were "our" nesting Barn Swallows, Chipping Sparrows, Mourning
Doves, Eastern Bluebirds, Robins, Northern Parula, Brown-headed Cowbirds
(if you can call what they do "nesting" [?]), and Eastern Phoebe which I
believe are on their third brood(!). Notably absent this year are Red-eyed
Vireo (really really odd!!!) and Wood Thrush (not so surprising,
unfortunately). Perhaps, the vireos are out there but not vocal now that
their nests are full -hopefully...
From the cove and marsh -which connects with the North East River, I hear
and/or see Common Yellowthroat, Red-winged Blackbirds, Great Blue Heron,
Least Tern, Mallard, and House Wren from across the marsh. As well, I flush
three Wood Ducks (male & female pair with only one first year male bird).
The young duck is able to fly. -Makes me wonder what happened to his
siblings -the marsh is loaded with duck-eating reptiles and some big bass
as well as carp during their spawn. Over the years, we have seen large near
adult sea turtle-sized snapping turtles rolling out there at low tide early
in the spring before the arrow arum comes in fully. Anyway, the Wood Ducks
which were preening along the nearer bank (where my hammock was for years)
confirms that they are holding on as near annual, if not in fact annual,
breeders here.
Last night, I was happy to first hear one, then see two Black-crowned
Night-herons circling the cove. This bird is likely annual, but there are
years that I miss them.
A note on Yellow-billed Cuckoos -since they have been recently discussed
here: I am hearing them periodically from the yard, so they (one maybe two)
are around as they seem to be every year here...
Lastly, we spent this past weekend in Canton, Baltimore City, for the
festivities (tall ships, fast planes, and other fun stuff). We were berthed
at the Baltimore Marine Center's Lighthouse Marina. In the evening as the
docks got quiet, I found at least four Black-crowned Night-herons fishing
the docks along with the couple of their larger great blue cousins. It was
fun to watch both heron types stand under the lights on the dock and dart
into the water for fish -often lighting for a few moments on the water like
a duck. I've seen this many times, but it's always fun...
Good Birding,
Chris Starling
North East, MD
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