Gail Mackiernan:Nice morning at Blue Mash


Well, there is actually an area where I think the trail is not that far from
a reasonable look into the pond (looking at the geese coming in and landing
yesterday).

Gail and all,
    I paid my first visit to this much talked about place this morning. I
could have sworn the weather idiots said it wouldn't rain until this
evening. I was there from about 9 to 10 AM, so I must have missed you.
    I did not find the other pond, you are referring to. Either I didn't
take that part of the trail or was just being oblivious, which ain't
unusual. The only pond I saw was near the front and had an old beaver lodge
in it. I didn't find Tom's fallen aspen either.
    I can't say I was real impressed, but then I tend to dislike civilized
places. A trail around a landfill is just a tad too civilized for me.
    Nonetheless, I do see the birdy potential. Plenty of sparrows -Field,
Song and White throated mostly, but as I crossed a ditch with some cattails
in it, I heard a raspy beeping to my left. All I could see were SONG and
FIELD. So I went through my Thayer's when I got home and the closest thing
to what I heard was the CLAY-COLORED. The beeping I heard was not in that
pattern. It was more like call notes. More random. Now I really wish I had
been able to find the beeper.
    I also had a nice look at a perched SHARPIE (the hawk, not the pen) and
in the top of a tree near the big pond was an EASTERN MEADOWLARK. There were
also a few rumpies and ruby-crowned kinglets around. Nothing else exciting.
    Jerry