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Subject:

Ferry Neck, May 19-20

From:

Henry Armistead

Reply-To:

Henry Armistead

Date:

Mon, 21 May 2007 10:37:54 -0400

Rigby's Folly, Armistead property on Ferry Neck, Talbot County, MD, West
Ferry Neck Road near Royal Oak but nearer still to Bellevue. 

back to May 4:  According to Jimmy Olszewski when John Camper was working
the Clover Field (Field 3) he saw a doe acting strangely.  Looking around
he found her newly-born fawn, still damp.  

After 2 frenetic, high-powered weekends, very nice to have one without any
agenda, notable for several unexpected raptors, widespread small and
medium-sized Fowler's Toads:

Friday, May 18.  Arrive at 8 P.M.  Liz hears a Chuck-will's-widow at dusk. 
A Gray Squirrel, 20 feet up in a Loblolly Pine, lets me have it, to the
extent that you'd think I was the Antichrist.  Calme toi, enfant!  I am the
one who brought you bushels of prime Philadelphia acorns, who for decades
has flicked aside walnuts from the lawn so they wouldn't get mowed, who has
celebrated you with LISTSERV postings.  And this, THIS!, is the thanks I
get.  Comme je suis blesse.  

Saturday, May 19.  Clear or fair variously, NW 15+, becoming overcast,
15-20+, strong winds off and on, occasional sprinkles, 58-72 degrees.

41 species.

1 Cooper's Hawk, 1 Broad-winged Hawk & 1 female Northern Harrier (seen by
Liz), these species all scarce in the spring, most unusual to get all 3 in
one day.  11 Surf Scoters, lingering in front of Tranquility, present on
Sunday also.  A couple of late, first-of-the-year yard birds:  a male
Indigo Bunting, 2 Purple Martins.  A Caspian Tern migrating north.  A pair
of Brown Thrashers has apparently set up residence in the Hawthorns along
the drive in front of the house.  Not sure how well they will get along
with the pair of mockingbirds there.  Pair of Red-tailed Hawks around all
weekend.  An adult Bald Eagle being divebombed by a territorial Osprey.

Butterflies:  2 Question Marks, 2 Cabbage Whites, 4 Tiger Swallowtails & 1
Pearlcrescent.  The first fireflies seen in the gloaming, seem early.  

Brushwork.  Cleared overhanging vegetation on the Irish Creek and Beach
trails and on the driveway out front, 2 hours.  Mowed the 2 pullouts in
front of the house on the drive.  Worked on the Olszewski trails an hour
removing cut limbs.  The O trails not yet overgrown so as to require
mowing, but it's dry enough to get in there with a mower.  Found a
long-dead female Box Turtle next to the hay bale.

Daughter Mary arrives with her guests, Ananda Tinio and Janice Cooper.

Sunday, May 20.  Overcast becoming fair, then variable off-and-on the rest
of the day, NW 5-10, 58-77 degrees, some occasional sprinkles in the
morning.  It's getting to be drought conditions.  Very dry.  The ponds and
ditches low.

45 species.

A migrating Sharp-shinned Hawk, very late.  A hummingbird riding herd on a
Blue Jay.  Pugnacious little beast.  1 Snowy Egret.  A migrating
Semipalmated Plover.  2 Least Terns.     

The Mute Swan nest now has 5 eggs, the female brooding on it; there had
been 6 eggs on April 22.  The Barn Swallow nest has 5 eggs, up from 1 egg
on May 11.  Leave the driver's door of my car open when I check the swan
nest, a stretch of 15 minutes; on my return a Carolina Wren flies out of
the car - just a big nesting box as far as it is concerned.  Don't stand on
ceremony; DO feel free to make yourself at home.

While out jogging Mary sees an Eastern Cottontail.  Liz sees a Gray
Squirrel.  4 deer in front of the house in Field 2, 1 of them the small,
leucistic buck.  

Butterflies:  5 Tiger Swallowtails, 1 American Lady, 2 Painted Ladies, 1
Red-spotted Purple, and an unID'd fold-wing skipper.

A good weekend for blue birds:  2 pairs of Indigo Buntings, a pair of Blue
Jays, 2 pairs of Eastern Bluebirds, and one pair of Blue Grosbeaks have all
set up shop.  Getting into the spirit of things, we have started using
Cerulean Seas Sea Salt.  Also 2 pairs of Chipping parrows.

A poor weekend for migrant passerines.

The Choptank River mouth rather vacant.  1 Laughing & 1 Herring gull on
Saturday.  1 Laughing and 5 Herring gulls on Sunday.  No Forster's or
Common terns either day.  A few cormorants both days.

Best to all.-Henry ("Harry") T. Armistead, 523 E. Durham St., Philadelphia,
PA 19119-1225.  215-248-4120.  Please, any off-list replies to: 
harryarmistead at hotmail dot com  (never, please, to 74077.3176 ....)