I spent the afternoon monitoring the bluebird boxes on the Golf Course
area of the Point.  The results were a bit mixed.  That said, it was a
fun day for birding close-up. I don't know if it was my walk, my new
pish I've been working on, or the way I took notes about the boxes,
but birds were buzzing me all day.  They were following me around as I
checked the boxes.  They were perching nearby in clear view for me
throughout my walk.

Of note, there were three (sometimes 4) Cedar Waxwings that followed
me for about four boxes.  I was quite impressed.

The Waxwings moved on soon after a Northern Flicker started to pound
very loudly on a plastic electrical box (literally ten feet behind me
/ nearly scaring the wits out of me).  I don't think it had much luck,
unless the Flicker's goal was to watch me jump.

I had a Blue Gray Gnatcatcher perching a few feet away while I peered
into an empty box.

But the best scene for me was seeing two pairs of Purple Martins who
just very recently moved into the 2 of the 3 houses on the little
lake.  They were on the first floor of both houses, with the holes
facing each other.  Upstairs, you ask?  The dreaded House Sparrows.  I
would have done something about them, but I have seen too much carnage
already from angry HOSP who's nests I politely removed throughout the
spring.  I figured that the Martins and HOSP are coexisting fine for
now, so I left well enough alone.  If anyone disagrees or thinks I
should have done otherwise, please feel free to let me know.

The rest of the course was riddled with Goldfinches, Robins, Barn
Swallows and two more Northern Flickers.

After such a birdy trip through the course, I decided to check out the
Point and the trail behind the Nature Center.  There is a box with
some Tree Swallows that are about to fledge.  I asked my girlfriend to
marry me there a few weeks ago, so these about-to-fly chicks have
sentimental value for me.  (Oh, she said yes by the way.) Anyway, I'm
proud to report that Mother and Father TRES were hard at work feeding
the chicks.  Since they must be just about to fledge, I just watched
them go in and out from a safe distance.

While I was on the point, a Yellow Breasted Chat was going to town
right behind me as the sun set.  And, there were tens of Tree
Swallows, Barn Swallows, two Northern Rough Winged Swallows and yet
another Purple Martin hard at work ridding the point of flying
insects.

Finally, as I left I saw a Purple Finch with two young perched at the
entrance to the trail.  I had to do a double take, but I feel nearly
100% certain judging by the coloration and the call (which I played
for review in my car a few feet away).

On this day in 1993, my older brother Jim died in a plane crash when
his banner-towing Cessna lost power over a field in Selbyville,
Delaware. We both shared an interest in flight, although we expressed
it in slightly different ways.  Even still, there could have been no
better way to have spent the evening.

Go birding.  And stay cool tomorrow... it's supposed to be a hot one!

Dan Haas
West Annapolis