Date: 4/20/24 10:07 am From: Harry Armistead <harryarmistead...> Subject: [MDBirding] March 27 - April 12, 2024, Ferry Neck & Poplar Island.
MARCH 27 - APRIL 12, 2024, RIGBY’S FOLLY & environs, POPLAR ISLAND.
Dedicated to the memory of Michael Lytell, neighbor and friend, who left us on April 6.
MARCH 27, WEDNESDAY. A great egret at Middletown, DE. Deer (does), 7 & 6, Royal Oak to Ferry Neck Road plus 4 in Field 1. light rain. trees impacted by the big oak now fallen all the way down and no sign of the eagle nest that had been there. arrive 4:50, 47, calm, overcast, tide high. widespread spring peeper choruses. Mexican dinner at El Dorado. 1st mowing of the year, March 20. 3 gray squirrels.
MARCH 28, THURSDAY. overcast, NW 10-20, 46-50. 4 gray squirrels. pre-dusk drive, 5-6:30. 6 does at Frog Hollow. see “Nest Box Otus” twice in the Frog Hollow wood duck box. Bellevue: close look at an adult bald eagle feeding on a deer spinal cord when a black woman walked up real close to that, got some photos, and when I returned a black vulture is finishing off the grisly remains. At Bellevue: 1 horned grebe, 1 osprey, 7 fish crows, 11 buffleheads, 1 TV, 1 BV, 41 ruddy ducks, 1 mallard, 2 Forster’s terns, and it’s starting to clear off at the end.
MARCH 29, FRIDAY. clear, 50-60, NW 10-20+. 14 spotted turtles. deer (does) 9 Lucy Point, 7 Field 4, 4 Bellevue Road. spring peepers calling at our Varmint Pool all day. At Bellevue: 18 ruddy ducks, 16 buffleheads, 1 male lesser scaup, 1 Forster’s tern, 1 bald eagle, 1 great blue heron. pileated woodpecker 1, 1 great blue heron, 4 sulphurs, 5 cabbage whites. a pair of Canada geese has already appropriated our osprey platform. Trees are out 10-14 days early. eastern screech-owl 1. ground continues to be totally saturated and the swamp continues.
MARCH 30, SATURDAY. 50s, NW 10-15 - near calm. northern gannet 2 adults, ruddy duck 865, bufflehead 32, surf scoter 160, herring gull 1, ring-billed gull 1, fish crow 4, common grackle 55, horned grebe 5, common loon 1, eastern screech-owl 1, wild turkey 2, raccoon 1, bald eagle 1, no deer today, chipping sparrow 1 singing, myrtle warbler 7 (indicative of an influx). An indication of how poorly the lands drain is that there has been current in the Field 4 X driveway ditch for the past 3 days (yes, current but no marmalade, jelly, or preserves). Mary, Lucas & David arrive c. 9 P.M.
MARCH 31, EASTER SUNDAY. variously clear, fair, overcast, then fair again, 50s. NW 10-15 then near calm. bufflehead 40, surf scoter 115, osprey just 1, and these arrivals, 1 each: slate-colored junco, eastern phoebe, ruby-crowned kinglet. also brown thrasher, eastern bluebird 3 (no eggs yet), pine warbler sings in yard, turkey vulture drinks in the Field 1 low area in the center. spotted turtle 11, mud turtle (c. 2” photographed by Mary), flicker, tree swallow 1, eastern screech-owl 1, 9 does in Field 7, 9 gray squirrels. Mary has good eyesight, spotting things I would have missed otherwise. she and her boys leave for Philadelphia.
APRIL 1, MONDAY. cool, low 50s - mid or high 50s, overcast, N or NE 10. many of these birds seen by Liz. 1 ruby-crowned kinglet. 1 golden-crowned kinglet, bald eagle 2 adults, downy woodpecker 1 (much drumming), flicker 1, phoebe 1, cardinal 7, horned grebe 1, thrasher 2, grackle 60, white-throated sparrow 14 (many recent whitethroats, arrive from farther south, have clean white head and throat striping), house finch 1 male. FOX SQUIRREL 1 out by the Derek’s tire swing for a good 0.5 hrs. 6 gray squirrels. a bluebird takes exception to a phoebe near its next box.
APRIL 2, TUESDAY. 2 adult bald eagles at Frog Hollow at 8:30 then again at 3:30 perched in their favorite tree.
Most of today taken up with the Talbot Bird Club in honor of Vince DeSanctis trip to Poplar Island: Bettye Maki, Donna Wadsley, Suzette Stitely, Charles Hopkins, Alicia Bachman, Wendy Sundquist, Dale Murphy, Clare Amy Walker, Janet MacDonald, Trish Cope, Becky Forney, and Liz and me.
In 1996 less than 5 acres. Much earlier Poplar I. held a village, forests. In 1847 it was 1,140 acres. With the great replenishment process and huge amounts of dredge spoil it is now 1,715 acres.
Today’s list below is mostly from the official count. In a few instances I have increased this for some species, as indicated, but my estimates not very careful ones:
Canada goose 9. American wigeon 1 (I think I was the only one who saw sees this male). northern shoveler 475 (probably too low?). gadwall 10. mallard 39. American black duck 8. canvasback 17. redhead 2. lesser scaup 14. surf scoter 200. white-winged scoter 3. black scoter 3. bufflehead 200. red-breasted merganser 3. ruddy duck 300 (possibly too low).
horned grebe 12. Virginia rail 3. American coot 2. black-necked stilt 5. American avocet 20. killdeer 7. lesser yellowlegs 1. sanderling 1. dunlin 53. least sandpiper 13. laughing gull 13. ring-billed gull 23. Bonaparte’s gull 10. herring gull 150. great black-backed gull 12 (includes some I saw at Knapps Narrows). Forster’s tern 4.
common loon 2. double-crested cormorant 1,100 (includes 700+ estimated on a distant pound net; it’s a wonder any fish are left over for the watermen). brown pelican 2. black-crowned night heron 1. snowy egret 3. great egret 5. great blue heron 12.
turkey vulture 50. osprey 30 (includes some Knapps Narrows birds). northern harrier 2. bald eagle 6 (includes 2 at an isolated nest in a small deciduous tree one can drive right up to). short-eared owl 1. belted kingfisher 2. fish crow 45. tree swallow 6. purple martin 3. barn swallow 2. marsh wren 3. European starling 10. house sparrow 2. song sparrow 2. swamp sparrow 1. red-winged blackbird 100. common grackle 45.
surprising to miss Savannah sparrow, long-tailed duck, and any teal. Liz and I are the last to board the bus and are surprised to see the 2 front seats open. I thought it was for the leaders. But apparently, after watching Liz and me hobble around, the catbird seats had been reserved for us. !
Of course I did’t see all of these. Some of the boldfaced species are not that unusual here. It’s just that their presence in these 100s of acres of man-made marsh blows my mind. Similar island enhancements made with dredge spoil and miles of rip rap are planned for James and Barren islands in nearby Dorchester County. !!
APRIL 3, WEDNESDAY. overcast, occasional heavy rain, 50-51-62, NE 5, blue skies and some sun in late afternoon. Bellevue 1 P.M.: wood duck 2, 1 female mallard, 5 cormorants, 3 does, 95 ruddy ducks, 8 buffleheads. Frog Hollow, 1 screech-owl, 1 adult bald eagle. subdued spring peeper chorus at dusk. dine on shad roe & bacon.
APRIL 4, THURSDAY. 0.85” rain yesterday. All 3 children feel the earthquake in Philadelphia. 2 periods of light rain. fair, then overcast, then fair, good drying out day, 48-55-46, SW 10-15 then NW 10.
blue-gray gnatcatcher 1, northern gannet 3, eastern phoebe 1, ruby-crowned kinglet sings 3 times, brown headed nuthatch investigates the tire swing (B. F. Goodrich good habitat?), white-throated sparrow 11, spotted turtle 2, screech-owl 1, horned grebe 6, common loon 1. 12 does in Field 4. 4 gray squirrels. Forster’s tern 1.
Bellevue, 3:15 P.M.: ruddy duck 45, bufflehead 20, bald eagle 1 adult, common loon 1.
Lots of current in the Field 4 ditch, all of the water nice and clear. A pair of bald eagles engage in a chase. butterflies: questionmark 1, sulphur sp. 4, cabbage white 1.
APRIL 5, FRIDAY. variously fair or overcast, NW 10+, cold, forties, windy. dine on shad roe and bacon yet again. 1 spring azure. ruby-crowned kinglet sings again. Scott Cronshaw’s crew installs new window in the NE living room.
wood duck 2, screech-owl 1, spotted turtle 8. Bellevue: common loon 3, bufflehead 70, ruddy duck 45, horned grebe 1. 12 does in John Swaine’s fields. 8 wild turkeys at Frog Hollow. trouble swallowing for the 1st time ever last night.
APRIL 6, SATURDAY. cold, 38 - 50s, variously clear, fair, or overcast, NW 20+. Anne and Alexis arrive. Liz sees a Cooper’s hawk. 7 does at Frog Hollow. spotted turtle 7. 1 box turtle in Field 4 ditch. a bald eagle at Bellevue 12:45. Anne and Alexis see 9 deer in Field 1. 4 does at Frog Hollow.
Huge, immobile bullfrog in the Field 4 ditch, almost black. Males have a tympanum larger than their eye. Just sits there undisturbed by the car engine running right next to it. “don’t just do something, sit there.” An eastern cottontail on the driveway X Field 4 refuses to move after I honk twice (low SAT scores). 39 grackles at the feed, 115 nearby on the lawn. 4 gray squirrels. eastern phoebe 1.
APRIL 7, SUNDAY. clear, NW 15 - near calm, 47-62. Anne and Alexis leave for Philadelphia. Kristin and George arrive. 15 deer in Field 4 and F1. spotted turtle 6. muskrat 1 (I hold still and it swims right under the dock where I am). Ruby-crowned kinglet sings again. ruddy duck 75, bufflehead 12,
bald eagle 1 adult, turkey vulture drinks from the low area in the middle of Field 1 where an American crow also drinks, brown-headed nuthatch 1, pine warbler singing in yard, myrtle warbler 2, c, Forster’s tern 4,
tree swallow 5 (sometimes make a pass at the yard nesting box with bluebirds but the blues hold steady), common grackle 65, eastern cottontail 1, gray squirrel 4, fox squirrel 1 (out front again). George hears, frequently, a screech-owl in the yard. 2 chipping sparrows 1 singing in the yard.
butterflies: spring azure 1, sulphur unIDd 8, cabbage white 1.
APRIL 8, MONDAY. clear and variously clear, fair, overcast, then fair again, calm or SW 5-10, 40s - 62. Bottlenose Dolphin 5, George sees from Lucy Point, including a calf, “frolicking out in the Choptank”. This is long-overdue for our “yardlist”.
ECLIPSE, 86% of totality. c. 2:25 - 3:06 P.M. Temperature dropped 3 degrees F. robin sang evening song 1X. cardinals sang more. darkened slightly. gannets still flying around. EABL house-lawn 4 eggs. KK provided safety glasses. good view, no cloud obstruction. birds silent for a while. moon moved from SE, up, then NE.
The eclipse is a new “yard phenomenon”, joining aurora borealis, satellites, hurricanes, extreme droughts, floods, the lowest tide on record, a small waterspout, southern pine bark beetle infestation, a comet, a double rainbow, etc. that have already been experiences here.
complete list, 59 species, mostly from GLA’s 3 eBird lists:, esp. his early morning one when he is stationed at Lucy Point with a scope:
eastern screech-owl 1, mourning dove 4, belted kingfisher 1, downy woodpecker 1, northern flicker 1, pileated woodpecker 1, blue jay 3, fish crow 6, American crow 1, Carolina chickadee 7, tufted titmouse 4, tree swallow 7, ruby-crowned kinglet 4, brown-headed nuthatch 4, blue-gray gnatcatcher 2,
Carolina wren 4, brown thrasher 1, northern mockingbird 4, eastern bluebird 3, American robin 4, chipping sparrow 2, white-throated sparrow 13, Savannah sparrow 3, red-winged blackbird 40, brown-headed cowbird 5, common grackle 65, pine warbler 2, myrtle warbler 5, northern cardinal 4, house finch 1, American goldfinch 3.
drive at 4:45: EABL house Lucy Pt. 1 egg, F4 2 eggs. bullfrog in F4 ditch, almost black, 2 spotted turtles. A couple of times this visit there are 3 bullfrogs in this ditch, 2 c. 1/2 the size of the big adult.
APRIL 9, TUESDAY. drive to Bellevue with GLA, spotted turtle 14, bullfrog 1, common yellowthroat 1, screech-owl 0, at Bellevue 7 cormorants, 2 Forster’s terns & 1 common loon. Big loblolly pine next to driveway just west of Waterthrush Pond with circumference of 9’9” (= c. 37.25” diameter), largest on our property. KK finds d.o.r. box turtle by Frog Hollow. ruby-crowned kinglet sings in yard, so does house finch.
mostly overcast, calm, low 60s, 71. 14 spotted turtles in Woods 4 plus another in the Field 4 ditch (= 15, a new property high with a bullfrog)9”. pileated woodpecker (KK). sharp-shinned hawk 1. 10 species at the feed. 1 fox squirrel (KK,GLA). A single diamondback terrapin in the cove (GLA).
Lucy Point, 5-6:30. dead calm, glassy. visibility good but not excellent. 1 river otter, 3 diamondback terrapin, 4 common loons (1 with a hogchoker), 1 osprey, 2 laughing gulls, 1 Forster’s tern, 12 horned grebes, 105 surf scoters, 70 buffleheads, 1 great blue heron, only 1 boat in sight.
Estimates previously at about this time of year: surf scoter 3,310, April 8, 2001; bufflehead 450, March 28, 1986; long-tailed duck 6,700, April 1, 1988. The times they are a-changin’, have already changed, big time.
APRIL 10, WEDNESDAY. George rises early again and finds, mostly from Lucy Point, surf scoter 220, black scoter 10, horned grebe 15 common loon 13, Bonaparte’s gull 6, gannet 12, and brown-headed nuthatch 4. The latter have been investigating a dead tulip tree limb and may nest in the yard. 1 pileated woodpecker. 1 red-breasted merganser.
At our crude boat ramp a 2’ northern water snake and a red-headed woodpecker heard nearby in Woods 1 (GLA,KK). 7 diamondback terrapin in the cove (Poplar Cove).
A drive/garbage run 4:40-5:40 P.M. 3 bullfrogs, 1 Cope’s gray tree frog calling, 4 spotted turtles, 1 eastern screech-owl, 2 deer in the big Plaindealing Farm field, an adult bald eagle at Frog Hollow, a large doe lying down on the Warbler Trail. butterflies: George spots 2 snouts.
At dusk, 68 degrees F., a small chorus of spring peepers in the Varmint Pool, a smaller one of Fowler’s toads in the Field 1 wetland area (NJ chorus frogs and S. leopard frogs had the day off).
APRIL 11, THURSDAY. overcast, 65-69, East 5-10-20, 67 at 8:30 P.M. Opposite Town & County, Route 33, 23 wild turkeys, only 2 of them pompous toms.
Our mockingbird must have had extra coffee, is in fine voice for the 1st time this visit, doing imitations of: greater yellowlegs, killdeer, chuck-will’s-widow, cardinal, Carolina wren, purple martin, phoebe, blue jay, robin, and titmouse.
The edges of the cove, where there is still sodbank, have been greening up this visit with Spartina alterniflora. black vulture 6, diamondback terrapin 3. common loon 1. have seen no winter jellyfish this time. In the yard: 4 gray and 1 fox squirrel.
I partially fill a deep and growing hole on the drive near the Waterthrush Pond. Big, for the 1st time this year, Fowler’s toad chorus at dusk.
Dinner with Thuy Tran and Bob Anderson at Osteria Alfredo, where most of us are usually partial to their spaghetti with mussels, calamari, and shrimp. Bob is exhibiting his and others’ carvings at the St. Michaels decoy confab.
APRIL 12, FRIDAY. leave at 9:10. overcast, heavy rain, 62-56, east 10-15. A box turtle on the road near the Ferry Neck Chapel. Our usual get away breakfast is at Denny’s, now kaput, but the Easton Diner does fine, and their hashbrowns are almost as good as those of Denny’s.
Best to all. - Harry Armistead, Bellevue & Philadelphia.
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