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Subject:

return of the terns

From:

Jeff Shenot

Reply-To:

Jeff Shenot

Date:

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 19:11:46 -0400

Today I saw many Forster's Terns at Jug Bay.  The first post-breeder I noticed this summer was yesterday eve when I got home from work.  Today I went to see what was around at mid-afternoon; I saw FOTE's on nearly every perch (i.e., channel marker or whatever).  The most I saw at once was 12 in view at Jackson Landing at 2:30 pm.

I watched for about 30 minutes, hoping for a Black, Least, Royal or other exciting fly-by, but saw only Forster's.  I also saw 5 Laughing Gulls fly up the river, right over the water.

Some of the wild rice is starting to bloom, seems early to me.  It's always a treat to see this keystone species in bloom, it has a beautiful florescence.

A sure sign that we have had a shortage of rain - I saw many Blue Crabs being caught by fisherman at the pier (nearly every cast, using shrimp), and although all the crabs were too small to be kept legally, some were put in their bucket along with assorted fish anyway.  I wonder what the salinity is here now?

Cheers-
Jeff Shenot
Croom MD