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Subject:

Sunday at Blackwater

From:

Melanie Lynch

Reply-To:

Melanie Lynch

Date:

Mon, 8 Sep 2008 13:23:24 -0400

After battling a nearly 3 mile backup on 50 to cross the Bay bridge 
so an out of town guest could visit Blackwater, yesterday's count led 
off with a pleasant surprise. Coming out of the the Visitors Center I 
recognized a familiar plate from PA and lo and behold, there was 
Harry Armistead and family, so there was a pleasant hour spent on and 
off with him. Between sharing his birding expertise and the ever 
changing nature dynamics at Blackwater, he regaled us with passages 
from the Jabberwocky and Woody Guthrie. The unexpected company was a 
treat because the birding did not live up to my post-Hannah hopes.

Seen:
1 Harry Armistead
2 Merlin on Egypt Road
5 adult bald eagles
4 ruby throated hummers at the Visitor's Center
1 Broadwing hawk
5 Caspian Terns
5 Forsters Terns
10 great egrets
5 great blue herons
small flocks of semi-palmated Sandpipers and
Least Sandpipers (maybe in groups of 15)
20 blue wing teals
15 greater yellow-legs who were were tattling our every move on Wildlife Drive.
One little old painted turtle that hesitated in the middle of the 
road. A  car was approaching and not realizing it was Harry so we got 
it to the shoulder where upon he hauled turtle tail down the bank. We 
got points for helping the "turkle" cross the road.
2 eastern watersnakes (one in the impoundment and the other trying to 
get across 335 who quickly became became roadkill)
Numerous Turkey Vultures
And finally, on the way to Hoopers Island (where there was nothing 
much going on) there were three black vultures who were huddled on 
the stoop, peering into someone's front porch. No matter how you 
parse it, there's something really wrong about that visual.
-- 
Melanie Lynch
Annapolis