[SBB] Monte Bello today 9/1/2005

["Garth Harwood" <[[email protected]]>]

An hour spent at the little pond behind Monte Bello's gate 5 this morning 9/1/2005 revealed that the 2 drab Lazuli Buntings are still there in the willows, as was an adult Chipping Sparrow still in mostly alternate plumage. A Savannah Sparrow present in the coyote brush today was one of several which have appeared there this week after an absence of several months. Two Vaux's Swifts joined a group of about 30 Violet-green Swallows which were drinking from the pond by dipping their lower bills in while in flight, skimmer-style. The VASW swept down with the VGSWs, but I never saw them take any water. The one Barn Swallow among the flock did dip in the same style.

On 8/29/2005 I had an adult male Black-throated Gray Warbler in the pondside willows, for the third time in August. Have to assume it's the same bird hanging on. On the same date a walk along the sag pond turned up 2 more BTYWs, one of them an adult male, the other a first-winter female bird with a slightly buffy belly.

Chigger Alert: on some of my visits to this pond recently I have accumulated some nasty little bites from an unseen pest. They matched the chigger bites I got in Texas this spring in size, location, intensity and perseverance, but I grew up around here believing that there was no such thing in the region. I called SC County Vector Control about it and was told that, although rare, chiggers have indeed been known to occur here. I did not get any at the pond last year so I assume this is one result of this year's unusually moist early-season conditions. At any rate, I have been using an herbal insect repellent on my lower legs and feet since with excellent results; I am told that repellents are generally effective on this pest.

At Hidden Villa, Josh Bennett walked up the Creek Trail an hour after I first saw the Pileated Woodpecker here on 8/24, and re-found it easily at the same location. However, there has been no sign of it since. A juvenile Brown-headed Cowbird was a Hidden Villa first yesterday 8/31, and it found our 3 cows in short order. Maisie the cow was grazing and the cowbird matched her every move, standing a few inches from her muzzle and snapping up insects as they fled.

--Garth Harwood
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