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From: jay@umcp-cs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.rec.birds
Subject: Re: Birds I Saw This Weekend
Message-ID: <7087@umcp-cs.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 18-May-84 09:36:37 EDT
Article-I.D.: umcp-cs.7087
Posted: Fri May 18 09:36:37 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 19-May-84 01:41:57 EDT
References: <178@iwu1a.UUCP>
Organization: Univ. of Maryland, Computer Science Dept.
Lines: 22

I'm never sure just what to get excited about when I peer through my
binoculars at the activity overhead.  I've called the Audubon Society on
several occasions, whenever I see something listed in Peterson's Field
Guide as being rare to the area but the people I talk to are never
impressed.  (I suppose if these birds deign to visit my backyard, some of
their relatives must be flocking elsewhere close by as well).  Nevertheless,
I am delighted to say that I saw for the first time (in my backyard - I've
seen them elsewhere) an Indigo Bunting couple pecking away at my new mown
lawn.  They were there for about a half hour until a loose dog scared them 
away (see arguments in net.pets for more on why animals should/should not be
tethered).  A couple of other birds of note: an American Redstart darting about
on my half-dead honey locust, a Swainson's Thrush (or two) hopping around on
the ground (they'll be gone soon), a Wood Thrush (for its song, my personal
favorite), and some Yellow-Rumped Warblers.  All of these are season and will
soon leave my neighborhood.  Then, all there'll be left are the crows, grackles,
starlings, and house sparrows, none of whom get the courtesy of capitalzation.
Fortunately, there are still the Robins, Mockingbirds, Catbirds, Cowbirds,
Chickadees, Titmice, House Finches and other summer residents of my niche
in Silver Spring, Maryland.

-- 
Jay Elvove       ..!seismo!umcp-cs!jay