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Subject:

Turkey Point today

From:

Patricia Valdata

Reply-To:

Patricia Valdata

Date:

Thu, 28 Sep 2006 16:27:25 -0400

With southeast winds I wasn't expecting many migrants today, but I 
had a good variety
and several very close passes by Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks. The trip in
was not as birdy as the past few weeks have been--the only warblers I 
saw were Black and White and
Prairie. However, the really interesting birds today were Red-bellied 
Woodpeckers.
They were in the dogwood trees behaving like chickadees: hanging 
upside down from twigs
as they ate. Do Red-bellies eat dogwood berries, or were they just 
gleaning bugs? I've
never seen them behave this way before. Also in the dogwood was a bird that
looked lime green with black wings--a fall Scarlet Tanager? It was an 
amazing color.
I thought I saw a suggestion of an eye ring, which makes me wonder if 
my ID is correct.
Flickers were also entertaining as they postured in the snag behind 
the picnic tables.
As many as 8 would be hanging there at one time.

The Bald Eagles put on a good show for the tourists as the adult pair 
flew right overhead and
an immature pair played talon games. I had 6 in sight at one time. 
Sharpies were the only
birds in numbers --31-- aside from the hundreds of Blue Jays. I had 
one Broadwing, one Redtail,
5 ospreys, one Harrier, and in one half-hour stretch had one each 
Peregrine, Merlin, and Kestrel.
Other birds of note were a couple of late Tree Swallows, a nice Brown 
Thrasher, and a Phoebe
that sat on one of the signposts for about a half hour. Strangely 
absent: Bluebirds and Robins.

I also counted 70 monarchs in the 4 hours I was there.

The deer were most unwary today. They might as well wear signs that 
say "shoot me" if
they keep it up come November.


--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