Date: Thu, 16 Mar 2000 08:06:51 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Arlene Ripley Subject: Flag Ponds, Calvert County, 3/15 Comments: To: MD-SMAS-GENERAL@LIST.AUDUBON.ORG Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Yesterday I took an abbreviated hike through Flag Ponds. I was serenaded by Spring Peepers and Pine Warblers almost everywhere I walked. Highlights were 8 Northern Gannets far out in the bay, more Surf Scoters than I have ever seen there (>100), a small flock of Bonaparte's Gulls, and one immature Bald Eagle at the beach. The phoebes and Wood Ducks are back too. The ephemeral wildflowers (Spring Beauty, Cut-leaf Toothwort) and violets are beginning to bloom along upper lower North Ridge trail and . Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) is in full bloom and the beach plum buds are ready to burst. Butterflies observed were Mourning Cloak, Spring Azure, an angle-wing and a female Falcate Orange-tip. It can only get better! The park is closed on weekdays until Memorial Day but is open on weekends from 9-5. A fee is charged. ////// Arlene Ripley | || Calvert County, MD | 0 || aripley@nestbox.com | || http://www.nestbox.com || ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================