Date: Fri, 25 Apr 2003 19:43:43 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Les Roslund Subject: Rose-breasted Grosbeak stops in MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Yesterday, 4/24, a beautiful male Rose-breasted Grosbeak made a 15 minute visit to a large pear tree in our yard which happens to be in full bloom right now. This bird was low enough for me to enjoy it as a 'naked-eye bird'. I watched it for a full fifteen minutes - afraid to go to the house 30 yards away and get the binocs - afraid the bird would leave. Finally, I went after the binocs - and when I returned -- the bird was gone. Beautiful bird and much of the time it was singing its gentle and delicate phrases of song. Only an occasional inclusion of the distinctive chip, but it was that chip that originally caught my attention. Otherwise, things over here have been pretty quiet. A pair of Brown Thrashers act like they may be going to nest along my driveway. Lots of White-throats still around, and one lingering Junco. House Wrens are in vocal competition at several sites in the yard. A Carolina Wren held forth from 5:30 until 8:l5 this morning with barely any interruption. Lots of Great-horned Owl calling through the night. Lots of Red-shouldered Hawk calling this afternoon - perhaps there is a nest near by. One fly-by Great Egret over Leeds Creek this week, and Forster's Terns have been regular visitors. The Red-necked Grebe was still around ner the Tunis Mills bridge on Monday, but I have not noticed it since then. And the Bald Eagles have driven away the Female Osprey from my platform - leaving the male alone - he perches on the platform occasionally, calling plaintively - and there is no response. Meanwhile the Eagles are nearly always around, often perching in the walnut trees of our yard - and they seem to by not the least bit bothered when the wife and I come and go from the house passing right beneath them. Don't Eagles have anything useful to do this time of year - besides harassing poor old Osprey? Les Roslund lroslund@bluecrab.org Talbot County Easton, MD ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================