Pax River Saturday

Jim Brighton, Bill Hubick and I birded Calvert County all day yesterday. From 7AM until 7PM, we scoured the Southern Maryland landscape, blue skies and shining waterways. Beginning with the Patuxent River Waterfowl Survey and ending with the three of us ankle deep in the marsh South of Route 4, our little excursion covered most all of Calvert, with just a sliver of Anne Arundel and Prince George's County, Maryland. My county lists are looking much more robust after yesterday's travels.

There are counts going on at this very moment all across the United States for the Great Backyard Bird Count. Are you counting? I am. Sadly, I've not seen the EASTERN SCREECH in her nest box for a couple weeks. I hope she is okay. As for this character, he made it on to my yard count this morning.Highlights from our day in Southern Maryland were too many to mention.Notice how this brown bump on the tree starts out looking like nothing much. But upon closer inspection, that bump becomes a BROWN CREEPER moving up this tree at Battle Creek Cypress Swamp.For reasons that are obvious, I'm not going to go into great detail about yesterday's adventure. I am however, going to go back to spending time with my son Declan, my wife Emery and yes... even the dogs! Yes, I just got back from taking my Golden Retriever Oiseau to see our local PEREGRINE FALCON. I am happy to announce that he ran the entire time and even snuck in a ten minute swim in the Severn River. He is a nut.I did not see these tell-tale signs of a YELLOW BELLIED SAPSUCKER until after I returned home to look at the day's photos. Notice the many holes this woodpecker has drilled all in a straight line? Perhaps this bird should get a job in construction? It would have to be temp work though, as the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is the ONLY woodpecker in Eastern North America that is COMPLETELY migratory.

Speaking of which... I gotta fly.

Enjoy your weekend. And if you're lucky enough to have off tomorrow, enjoy it EVEN more!

-Dan