Iceland Gulls on Both Sides of the Bay Bridge

Saturday morning I made a trip out to the site of the old Hemingway's Restaurant to see if a recently-reported ICELAND GULL was still mixed in with the rather sizable flock hanging out on the East side of the Bay Bridge. Lucky for me, it was...The bird was a ways out in the water, but a great bird never the less.

Later in the day, I decided to check out Sandy Point State Park to see if that bird (or another) was on the Anne Arundel County side of the Bay. Again, as luck would have it, no sooner did I set up my scope did I find an ICELAND GULL bobbing out from the main point.It was kind enough to land very near the shore, as well as fly around the point a few times. I couldn't stay long, but I certainly enjoy my visit.From Cornell's website, ALL ABOUT BIRDS, they have this to say about ICELAND GULLS: "A pale gull of the north Atlantic, the Iceland Gull breeds in the high Arctic and winters south of the Maritime Provinces only in small numbers. The American race known as "Kumlien's Gull" is one of the most variable of all gulls in plumage characters, and no two seem to have the same amount of dark on the wingtips."
Good Birding,

Dan

Keeping Things Clean

It always amazes me how some people are just trashy. Take Greenbury Point for example. Go to any spot with a good view of the bay and you'll find empty beer cans and other crap lying all over the place. That's just super. Think about it this way: who would want to go to a spot that littered with garbage, right? Right. Now, obviously, someone does... because it gets worse every time I visit. So, there are some people out there who would prefer to make 'a place' that they enjoy spending time look like crap.

"I love to go down there and fish, enjoy a few brews and just take in nature," said the redneck. "But someone needs to come out here and clean up these damn beer cans that I leave on the ground, in the trees, on the rocks, basically everywhere... because it's starting to look like a dump." Anyone who leaves garbage for someone else to clean is an ass.

Speaking of asses... on to my next tirade: lazy dog walkers who let their adorable dogs shit all over Greenbury Point and refuse to clean it up. Why? I have no idea. Do they think nature will simply take care of their dog's crap before their next visit. Do they think the Navy has a professional dog doo scooper on their staff? Do they think the animals that live there enjoy all this extra excrement? Lazy AND disrespectful.

Don't even get me started on the dogs not being on a leash.

From huge hunks of dog crap (probably from a lab), down to those little cute morsels of pooh... it's everywhere.

And I have a solution.

This week, I am going down to Greenbury with a pooper scooper and a few trash bags. To illustrate a point, I am going to pick up all of the empty beer cans and garbage that lie on the ground in those scenic bay overlooks.

Then I am going to scoop up the hundreds of piles of dog dung all over the trails around the point.

I will put all of the pooh in all of the locations where I found beer cans.

I will put all of the beer cans all over the trails on the point where I scooped the pooh.

That way, the lazy dog walkers wont want to come to a place where they have to navigate around litter while their dogs continue to crap their un-picked-up excrement. And the fishermen and other folks who loiter around the scenic overlooks wont enjoy chuggin' brews and throwing empties on the ground when they are surrounded by large mounds of pooh.

And soon Greenbury Point will be returned to those who respect nature, those who respect others and those who still feel an obligation to leave a place better than the way they found it.And seriously, I will be participating in this event... a legitimate river cleaning. Might you care to join in the fun?

-Dan

February 21st: Must Be Avian Valentine's Day

It was a beautiful, albeit cold, day today in Annapolis. February 21st... and love must have been in the air. Declan and I spent the morning at Thomas Point State Park, while his mother (my wife) took a knitting class. Maybe she could knit Declan a super-thick, wooly sweater? It's been a cold winter. I digress...The Buffleheads were in full swing out on the Bay. As far as the eye could see, the buffle-drakes were head-bobbing, posturing and showing-off. From the Bay Bridge all the way to Mayo Beach, the male Buffleheads were all about impressing the ladies today. Nothing fowl about it, right ladies? Right.The best 'move' of the day however, wasn't observed until later in the afternoon.I was on my way to Whole Foods to pick up something 'organic', when I decided to make a quick detour. Why not check on the local PEREGRINES before visiting the food store that the Haas Family affectionately calls 'Whole Paycheck'? BIRD COUPLE described it as such some time ago, and the name stuck.So I pull up to my viewing spot and put my bins on the bridge. Not a falcon in sight. But just before I was about to walk back to my car, I hear a scream coming from behind me in the trees. Not just any scream... no no no. This was the scream of a PEREGRINE looking for love. He was perched mere feet from where I was standing.QUICK!! Get the camera. DANG. It's back at the house. Why? Well, I really wasn't planning on being this close to a Falcon today. For the next half hour, I admire the male situated on substantial limb in this still-leafless tree. Just stunning.I manage to pull myself away from the falcons, go to the grocery store and get my shopping done. Not really rushing, I mosey back home to drop off the groceries. Noticing that there is still 'some' light left, I grab Declan, Emery and oh yes... a camera and we head back to see the falcons.You've been looking at the results. It was late now, about 4:30PM. The sun was set low and the thin clouds were blocking any direct afternoon light from the tree tops. But the moment was still spectacular.On this second visit, I immediately notice the male perched on the bridge. Thinking that I missed my opportunity, I walk back up the car. Em was in the car knitting and Declan was busy sleeping in his car seat. Just then... zip... the much larger, dusky-colored female sails right in front of the Volvo. Literally, a few feet from the windshield!!! I run up to the car and ask Emery, "Did you see that???" Unfortunately, she was captivated in her knits.I watch her (the falcon, not my wife) perch. This time, she is doing the screaming. The male darts from the bridge, lands on her and copulates. Immediately after their embrace, he perches beside her to what I imagine is 'avian-cuddling'. How adorable.I take as many photos as possible through the canopy of limbs. She soon flies off, showing off her 'bands', also known as Falcon bling.Both birds then take turns flying from the tree, back to the bridge, back to the tree, etc. Both appear to keep opposite perches for the remainder of our visit. I wonder if this is something like 'sleeping in separate beds'? Nah.With the sun nearly set, it was time for the Haas family to go home and consume some of those organic groceries. Maybe before bed tonight I'll try that 'screaming-from-the-tree-tops' thing? Just kidding folks. The truth is...EMERY AND I ARE EXPECTING ANOTHER BABY IN SEPTEMBER!!

Have a Great Sunday.

Dan