On Sandy Shores and Salty Marsh

Canada Geese winging past historic Sandy Point Shoal Lighthouse; circa 1883

Today my Nephew Kirk drove us over the Chesapeake Bridge over to Sandy Point State Park. There was a guard at the entrance... of a sort.

Loiterer by the Entrance Station

The first thing we noticed entering the park was it is full of light structures, used in the park's annual Holiday season light display. Many of the displays I guess use animation, such as a lit froggie that leaps up and over to a lily pad - a 5 foot long froggie. I know Kirk will be back with wife and kids to see the show.

I was rather surprised by the sand at Sandy Point - it was sandy, yes, but it was quite yellow in color and not at all like west coast sand. I guess it'd be too expensive to take it all up and replace it with San Francisco grade white sand.

View of the Chesapeake & Bridge, From the Sandy Point beach

Certainly, I was the only one fussy about the sand. There were loads of others at Sandy Point who were busy, albeit on a November day, soaking up some rays.

Sandy Point is good for a little sunning

Others prefer a game of volley ball

Birdwise, I strolled along a berm by the shore, and watched Bluebirds and Tufted Titmouses fluttering busily about. My primary target was - it being a bay - was shorebirds. My shorebird count for the day was three; these lovely little Sanderlings that probed a floating pine tree off shore. The birds were pretty far from shore, but I'm reasonably sure they were Sandies.

Sanderlings afloat on a fallen log

The most numerous bird on the shore - ignoring the Ring-billed Gulls, and a tiny number of Lesser and Greater Black-backed Gulls - were hunting Eastern Bluebirds. They were everywhere, sallying after what must have been a meager amount of insects and landing in the grasses. Why haven't these lazy migrants headed south yet? Apparently the Bluebirds were not impressed by last weekend's snow storm.

Bayside Eastern Bluebird

Near the beach there were a few White-tailed Deer and we were tickled to sit in the picnic area and watch the deer goofing off, playing reindeer games and such.

Flick, flick, flick, this buck's tail was a traffic signal for the others

The Mama doe flicked her tail quite a bit too

I was a bit surprised the White-tails were out in broad daylight, meandering about like they owned the place, which, if you ignore we silly humans, they do.

What... and where are you going young fawn?

Keep your hooves on Ma, I'm checking out these light thingies

The deer floor, or rather, lawn show was great entertainment. We wended our way back to the car which took us past a beautiful historic mansion with a long sweeping driveway, a little under the weeds, but still impressive. Later I read the house is under reconstruction, returning it to its 1700s roots when it was HQ for a farm. Currently it's a private residence - for someone immune to drafts I reckon.

Grand Sandy Point Mansion

Having time for one more stop, Kirk headed for the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center, which is a large conservation reserve. There were was trail you could drive or walk - guess which one I went for?

Boardwalk at the end of the trail - must have great rail watching

There were, as expected lots of wet, loads of marshland and a surprisingly modest number of Canada Geese and a Great Blue Heron and Great Egret or two.

Lovely Loblolly Pine Hammock in the Marsh

Kirk headed in to check out the Visitor Center

The Environmental Center was modest but well equipped with a spotting scope and many pairs of binoculars and more importantly, loads of turtles and birds to stare at.

Uh... not one of the turtles I mentioned - this one regulates wayward refuge visitors

This girlie Northern Cardinal liked under the feeder more than being on the feeder

For me a trip to the east coast isn't complete without seeing some Blue Jays, which I always say are bird # 1 on my ABA area life list. The jays are one of the prettiest birds anywhere in my opinion.

Hyper Blue Jay

To shell a seed, place it between your toes and POUND it!

Totally enjoyed being royally shuttled about for some choice birdie watching with my nephew Kirk. I almost wish I lived in Baltimore, if not for the humid summers. Curse my very nearly Innuit blood!

Happy Hallow-daze!

Never let it be said that I'm never available for the big holidays! After spending most the day with my sister, I joined Nephew Kirk for some Trick or Treating with my nephew/niecelette and their even tiny buddy Patrick. Here they are at the start of the festivities.

Left to Right, Patrick is Batman, James is a Ninja
Knight and Sidney is Minny Mouse
There were loads of Halloween characters out. I was amused to see Winnie the Pooh, who apparently had nothing to do with a tiny honey bee that was working the other side of the street with Daddy.

Character assault on the candy bag; Sydney's on the far right
Yumm... someone left out a bag of candy
on the honor system
And on to the next conquest
A kindly Hot Dog dishes out the treats

I had fun Trick or Treating with the niece/nephew tonight! I also enjoyed seeing all the costumes, as always an intriguing mix of store-bought & home made costumes. My favorite for the night? This costume below:

This guy said he is a 'Classic Nerd'
He is the classic Nerd all right; I particularly like his pen/pencil jammed pocket, complete with plastic ruler because we all know how difficult it is to drum up a slide rule these days.

Bwah ha ha ha! Nice haul o' Treats for one night's work

Birdin' Baltimore

Time out for some birding this week, hosted by my Nephew Kirk. He did his birding homework and found some hopeful places to take me around the Baltimore area. We started out at North Point State Park. Although the shoreline was depressingly bereft of birds. The autumn color filled woods were full of hyper Hermit Thrushes, flashy Northern Cardinals, and loads of Dark-eyed (Slaty) Juncos and still-exotic-to-me White-throated Sparrows.

I thought I was done for the morning when surprise, an adult Bald Eagle hoovered over the trees, as I stared from the parking lot. By the time I called Kirk over to see it, the bird had floated out of view. Happily, a short walk toward the eagle's position revealed a juvenile eagle. Kirk got a nice look at the Baldie baby, probably hatched out earlier this year. Kirk told me he chose the park because he'd heard a pair of eagles nested at North Point.


I managed a few shots of the soaring adult Baldie
There was a remaining treat in store for me though. As we walked back from the baby Baldie viewing I spotted something skulking along in low lying shrubbery. At first, lost glance I assumed it might be a House Wren - then the bird popped into view - a WINTER WREN! I got my lifer Winter Wren! I'd hoped for one when I visited Baltimore last year but gave up on the idea. Figures - when you quit fretting, things happen. I'm at 3 lifers for 2011.


Winter Wren photo by Christian Artuso
Our second stop was a year overdue. Last year we couldn't find the park entrance but this year it just popped up: Robert E. Lee Park. As it turns out, even had we found the park last year it was closed. Recently it reopened, and as we drove in, the first thing we saw was a waterfall.


Jones Falls, your first sight in Robert E. Lee Park  
Lovely birding spot. Birds were everywhere; Tufted Titmouse, Eastern Bluebirds, Chipping Sparrows, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red-bellied Woodpecker that disappeared into a hole in a huge snag and a Red-tailed Hawk, overseeing everyone else's activities.

We had fun following the peregrinations of this little guy. You find the bird in this photo I took with my mini-digital?


It's just to the left of center... see it?

He's here but he's tiny.
It was fun watching this chuffy little Golden-crowned Kinglet.
One fun little sighting at Robert E. Lee was what I at first quick glimpse in flight, thought was a chickadee. The bird landed quite close and was an as yet undetermined species of Sparrow with a snowy white head, and pale-ish belly; a partial albino. Kirk and I were agog at the weird little flutterby. I was chagrined that what ought to have been a great shot of the bird was thrown by the reflectiveness of its white head. The bird managed to hold on to most of the coloring of its crown. What species? I'm guessing a White-throated Sparrow, but here's its photo, you tell me!
Partially albino sparrow
Hum... maybe the Leyba family has been infected with the birding bug?