Greetings Ospreyers,

I trust everyone had a fine 4th of July weekend.  Here are some
results from today's excursions.

My friend Josh and I set out on kayaks at the crack of dawn (or maybe
it was 10AM?) for the first annual 'Clean Up the Mess on the Bay Day'.
Our prize? We took home SEVEN fully-stuffed black garbage bags filled
with old cans, glass, styrofoam, nets, yards and yards of cloth, Tyvek
house wrap, rusty wire crab traps, and more plastic bits of junk than
one could ever imagine.  I hope everyone enjoys the new, much cleaner
looking Severn River.

BIRDS SEEN:
-TWO PURPLE MARTINS. They have recently moved into one of the two
Martin gourd houses that I installed around Weems Creek in West
Annapolis.  The white gourds are easily visible from the Ridgely
Avenue Bridge just to the North. As for the second martin house, it's
up high on a hill at my friend's home (too difficult to reach today
with our garbage-collecting mission).  I did sent my friend an email
to inquire about his gourds. As of yet, I have no information on that
house and/or it's possible current residents.
-TWO PEREGRINE FALCONS.  After some extended observation, it is highly
likely that these two have a scrape and are in the process of raising
a family.  More soon.
-MANY Osprey and Barn Swallows
Returned home and took a much needed shower to remove that wonderful
marshy-mud smell.  Decided to get back out and do some more birding...
this time with less trash.

Later, joined by Warren and Lisa Strobel (http://www.birdcouple.com/),
we spent a few hours at Waterworks Park and vicinity in Annapolis.
Blue Grosbeaks, Indigo Buntings, Northern-Rough Winged Swallows,
Grasshopper Sparrows, Eastern Meadowlark, Belted Kingfisher and
Orchard Orioles were just some of the highlights. We also found some
really interesting plants and empty eggs that will be fun to ID.  Got
home and took another shower to remove the bug-repellent.

And now... relaxation.

Good Birding,

Dan Haas
West Annapolis, MD

http://wahzoh.blogspot.com/