Thursday, September 9, 2004.  Partly clear but mostly cloudy, mid-70s to
low 80s, very humid, winds southerly 20 m.p.h.

Blackwater N.W.R.  Passed through briefly in the early A.M.  Very few
birds.  Water levels very high, both tidal and non-tidal.  Great Egrets
spread all around but in small numbers.  A couple of adult eagles on the
Osprey nest cam pole.  There has been a lot of rain in Dorchester but not
much in areas of Talbot County I saw today.

"Rigby's Folly", Armistead property on Ferry Neck, Talbot County, MD, near
Bellevue.  Just here for a couple of non-birding hours at mid-day.  2 Gray
Squirrels, 2 deer (does).  Tide over a foot above normal high tide and also
high elsewhere today.  Our fields are full of (for the first time) no-till
soy beans.  Not planted until early August, they are nevertheless knee high
now.  This in fields that had not been touched since mid-summer 2003.  Some
of the resulting "weeds" are chest high, much of the rest waist high.

Easton Wastewater Treatment Plant.  Visit of less than an hour in the
mid-afternoon on the way home to Philadelphia.  Water levels very high.  1
Black Tern, 3 Horned Larks, 3 Killdeer, 2 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 630
Laughing Gulls (mostly in the air in the direction of the adjacent
landfill).  No waterfowl or other shorebirds.  2 Painted Turtles.  Lots of
Tree plus a few Barn and Bank swallows.

Cloudless Sulphurs were widespread today and on the move.

The main objective today was to trailer the boat down to Gootee's in Golden
Hill, Dorchester County, for a new propeller.  Road to Golden Hill was
closed for half an hour to evacuate two state highway workers.  They had
been working clearing a downed tree when they were struck by a car.  Gave
Jenny Gootee a copy of the Sibley guide.

After building in for 6 weeks or so the Goldenrod is finally starting to
get lush and bright yellow.  In just the past week or so the Baccharis
halimifolia bushes have become gravid.

Best to all.-Harry Armistead, 523 E. Durham St., Philadelphia, PA
19119-1225.  215-248-4120.  Please, any off-list replies to: