Message:

[

Previous   Next

]

By Topic:

[

Previous   Next

]

Subject:

Misc. storm info

From:

Jim Wilson

Reply-To:

Jim Wilson

Date:

Sun, 28 Aug 2011 14:27:46 -0400

I have a few observations after the storm ...

1.  The wind stripped all of the remaining elderberries from the bushes. 
The resident Catbirds and Baltimore Orioles are going to be most unhappy.
2.  Many, many green crabapples were knocked from the trees that will lead 
to less fall feeding for the Robins and Cedar Waxwings.
3.  Sumacs appear to be very vulnerable to high winds.  Many are uprooted or 
snapped.  I have noticed the seed heads being eaten by Flickers, Starlings, 
and Chickadees in the winter.
4.  Most of the chestnuts are lying on the ground in their spiky coats and 
not ripe.  I haven't had a chestnut in several years since the arrival of 
the hoards of squirrels in the yard.
5.  9 1/2 inches of rain is my final total.  Only Hurricane Floyd was worse 
in my 25 years here.
6.  Only 'storm bird' in the yard so far was a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher ... it 
wasn't here before the storm so I guess you can call it a storm bird.

I drove by the sod farm on John Brown Road outside of Queenstown.  The 
fields held several great looking large puddles and a couple hundred 
Laughing Gulls.  It will be interesting to see if anything shows up in the 
coming days.

During the rain yesterday (which started here around 10:00), the birds kept 
coming to the feeders, even during the heavy downpours of the afternoon. 
Hummers kept coming, too, and the rain did not stop the dominant ones from 
trying to chase off the others.  Every now and then a strong wind gust would 
just blow one off the feeder perch.  During a rain shower earlier in the 
week, I watched a hummer sitting on a branch out in the rain.  It would 
point its bill straight up for 10 to 15 seconds and then shake and ruffle 
its feathers, and then just sit for a little bit and then hold its bill up 
and repeat.  This went on for a couple of minutes.  I assume it was just 
taking a refreshing shower.

The sun is now out.  A Monarch just emerged from its chrysalis.  I only have 
about a gazillion branches to pick up and two trees to cut up and many 
sumacs to clean up.  I guess the grass will need cut soon, too.
That can wait.  Time to go for a walk.

Jim Wilson
Queenstown 

############################

To unsubscribe from the MDOSPREY list:
write to: mailto:[log in to unmask]
or click the following link:
http://home.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/wa.exe?SUBED1=MDOSPREY&A=1