"Rigby's Folly", Armistead property on Ferry Neck, Talbot County, MD, near
Bellevue.  Monday, October 24, 2005.  3-5 P.M. only.  Overcast, 54 degrees
F., winds NE 20-30, rain after 4 P.M.  After driving home last night I got
wind of the very jumpy weather forecast and decided I'd better drive back
down on Monday and secure the boat, suspended on 2 straps above the water. 
I was afraid it might slip off as the entire rig heaved back and forth in
the wind.  Birded only from 4-5 P.M.  Tide a normal low.  I experienced the
expected strange mix of excitement and dread over "the gathering storm," to
use Churchill's phrase.

Adult male Merlin on the pole next to the drive in front of the house.  He
allowed me to approach to within less than 100 feet, then slid off, slowly
gained momentum low across the bean field, then looked as if he was going
to jet through the vegetation bordering the field, but of course didn't and
instead rose up over it with breathtaking speed, then disappeared over the
top.  I'm sorry I flushed him but was elated at the good views and the
speedy getaway.  I'm supposing the term "blue jack", applied with
admiration by hawkheads to adult male Merlins, alludes to the appearance
that they have a sort of blue jacket on.  In any case, they're a most
beautiful bird.  Got to be one of the most dramatic falcons.

Also:  10 Common Loons.  2 Horned Grebes.  8 Ruddy Ducks (diving actively
in the cove; I think they like to eat marine worms).  1 Royal and 2
Forster's terns.  71 Mute Swans.  9 Tree Swallows.  7 cormorants.  Also:  2
deer. 

Tue., Oct. 25.  Heavy rain and winds, tide 1 foot above normal.  Temps in
low 50s.  Impossible birding conditions but overnight 102 Mute Swans have
taken shelter in the cove.  Basically I just got up and commuted 146 miles
to work.  I DO look forward to retirement.

On Sunday, Oct. 23, I found Tim Rulon's tiny Wattage Microflyer, a
diminutive, battery-powered plane that had become lodged c. 30 feet up in
the yard sycamore sometime in July.  Between Sun. late on Oct. 16, and Oct.
23 it had finally blown down, largely undamaged.  When the sycamore was a
seedling c. 10 inches high I had transplanted it from our Philadelphia yard
on Benezet Street some 30+ years ago. Now it is the highest tree in the
yard.  For several years in a row I'd climb it, up above the level of our
highest chimney, to take panoramic photographs in March before the buds and
leaves came out.      
Best to all.-Harry Armistead, 523 E. Durham St., Philadelphia, PA
19119-1225.  215-248-4120.  Please, any off-list replies to: 
harryarmistead at hotmail dot com