Message:

[

Previous   Next

]

By Topic:

[

Previous   Next

]

Subject:

Turkey Point today

From:

Patricia Valdata

Reply-To:

Patricia Valdata

Date:

Fri, 26 Aug 2005 13:43:48 -0400

Anne Demott and I went out to Turkey Point today, accompanied by
a park naturalist named Nicole (sorry I don't know her last name). We
were delighted to see lots of "confusing fall warblers" that none of us
could identify, although one of them was a Chestnut -sided Warbler,
and the Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers were easy. We also saw a flock
of young Orioles, mostly Baltimore, at least one Orchard, in the
trees along the cliff. A Blue Grosbeak was a very pleasant sight,
and we heard a Yellow-billed Cuckoo. We also saw Red-eyed Vireo,
and I am pretty sure I heard a White-eyed Vireo. I suspect quite
a few of the warblers were Yellow-Rumps, but there were others
in your basic fall warbler green that never came out in the open long enough
for us to get a good look at them.

Other birds included Carolina Wren and Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch,
TV, Downy Woodpecker, Cardinals, Robins, Mockingbird, Cowbird,
Chimney Swifts, Tree Swallows, Purple Martins.

(FYI, Nicole works at Tri-State Bird Rescue and they are looking for a flock
of Purple Martins in which they can release three young ones. If you have
a flock that's still hanging around, please let Tri-State know.)

An immature Bald Eagle flew past the cliff at eye level, but that was 
the only raptor
we saw. However, on the way home on Route 272 just south of Cara Cove Road,
I saw a Broad-winged Hawk thermaling!

Some notes about Turkey Point: the Coast Guard has just finished removing
lead-contaminated soil from the base of the lighthouse. There's still a large
roll-off box there, but that should be gone shortly. Mile-a-minute vine is
much worse than last year, IMO. Places that used to be shrubby and birdy
are now covered with it. The Hawk Watch meadow was mowed today.

--Pat

Pat Valdata, Elkton, MD | 
"The natural function of the wing is to soar upwards
and carry that which is heavy up to the place where dwells the race of gods.
More than any other thing that pertains to the body
it partakes of the nature of the divine." --Plato