Hughes Hollow about noon today. A group of 9 wood ducks, all in eclipse
plumage, settled in the center of the still watered area in the center of the
east impoundment where they slurped surface weed or algae. On the now dry
flats on the north side of the same impoundment a Sempalmated plover and a
Solitary Sandpiper, not far from the dividing road. On the east side flats near
the islands the peeps that have been there for a while are very far away, over
60 meters. I’ve been looking at them for several days with a high power scope
and I think that there are more than one kind, that is, Semipalmated as well as
the more expected Least. I can’t see the leg color, they all look dark to me
but I do see slightly larger birds with heavier and longer bills and in addition a
number of Killdeer. Everywhere there are Green Herons, many juveniles. I saw
one stalking and eating small fish in the weeds, possibly bullheads, about beak
side. They are also on the defoliated trees on the east side of the road and
scattered on the trees on the south side of the cross dike and remain there if
you are quiet. A beaver walked out of the growth on the east side –near some
boxes-then thought better of it and strolled back. A number of humming birds
on the defoliated shrubs on the roadside. Perhaps they a feeding on the many
mallow blooms but I didn’t see that. Last week I saw two very large snapping
turtles, feeding, again. in the east impoundment. As usual there are a number
of Great Blue Herons.
Phil Brody |