Re: Lake Fairfax & Riverbend park
Harry Fisher (fish8553@dpnet.net)
Mon, 16 Nov 1998 13:48:38 -0500
ctaylor@seamail.nos.noaa.gov wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> On Saturday morning there was a single ruddy duck and a single bufflehead on
> Lake Fairfax. The Osprey was still there as of Friday. They have stocked the
> lake with trout for the local fishermen, so I wonder if that is why the osprey
> has chosen to stick around. It is successful at catching fish each time I see
> it. I've never seen a bufflehead at the lake before.
>
> Sunday (4:30PM)Riverbend Park - At least 5 pileated woodpeckers - very vocal. 3
> wild turkeys on the Maryland side of the river, viewed from the Virginia side on
> the park trail. This was wierd, because I had just mentioned to my husband that
> for some odd reason I had never come across any wild turkeys, ever, and that I
> would really like to see one, since I've been birding for a good 5 or 6 years
> now. He's seen them a few times when I did not go hiking with him. He replied,
> "they'll just be there some day when you don't expect it". So I'm scanning the
> other side for herons or ducks, not ten minutes after I mentioned wanting to see
> wild turkeys, and bang - 3 turkeys on the other side, just where I happened to
> look! This happens to me a lot. I'll fix my sights on something, and suddenly
> I'll see it. For instance, least bittern was the last of the herons to elude my
> searches. I really looked for this bird for a while, but I wasn't overly
> determined. Finally I just said to myself, I'm taking the cannoe to Dike Marsh
> and I'm going to find me a Least Bittern. Well my husband and I drove to the
> park and paddled to the most likely spot, waited 10 minutes, and one flies right
> in front of us. Anyone have experiences like this
Chris, last spring Marcia Whitmyre and myself were birding some of our favourite
Cecil County spots. I remember being at Courthouse Point, and remarking, " A Blue
Grosbeak would be nice any time now, since we don`t have one for the year yet ". No
sooner uttered than what do you think was heard singing, then sighted, on the trail
in front of us? You guessed it!! BTW, I still need wild turkey for the year, maybe
I should try this trick soon!!
Leslie Fisher
Cecil Bird Club
North East MD