V21 N20

Bird Droppings
Dispatches from the nation’s birdwatching capital… by Seymore Thanu
One advantage to being attuned to the
natural world is that you are never
bored. There is always something
happening to engage the attentive
mind — miracles at every turn.
This afternoon Ma Nature was serving up
Osprey and Otter. The riverside park near our
home offers front-row seating to the universe
and a constant parade of birds crossing the
river. I make a game out of pinning names
to them before mid-span, then following
them in to see if I’m right. Grackles have a
level flight. Red-winged Blackbirds bounce.
Cardinals seem to struggle in flight. Too much
tail, I suspect. Eastern Kingbirds have fluttering
wings. Purple Martins glide a lot. Barn
Swallows swoop and wheel.
The Osprey in the Alpha nest appears
to have young. The adults fuss about and no
longer settle to incubate. Arrival to chicks
about eight weeks. Three weeks till they fledge
and then things really get boisterous. Hungry
chicks filling the air with their strident “feed
me” whistles. It seems like only yesterday I
was waiting for the first Osprey to return to
our river. Now the next generation is at hand.
I share the park with assorted fishermen
and casual viewers, one of whom got to see
the otter after I pointed it out. Typically, the
aquatic weasels hug the far bank but this large
male was hugging the near bank and utterly
nonplussed by my presence. Swimming with
the tide, the animal took a left hand turn just
before the bridge and headed for the slough
that crosses the road into town. It is a favorite
crossing point and sadly one that has claimed
the life of more than one animal. I’m pretty
injured to road-killed wildlife but a roadkilled
otter seems particularly tragic.
River Otter are found in fresh and saltwater,
their presence is most often heralded
by the silvery slicks of otter scatt deposited at
prime crossing points. In Cape May, the South
Cape May Meadows is particularly patrolled
by otters, a tribute to the health of the aquatic
environment. Fish and crabs are the animal’s
primary prey, hence the silvery cast to the
scatt. I’ve seen them swimming in Bunker
Pond, Lake Lilly, Jakes Landing and Scotch
Bonnet Creek near Stone Harbor.
Yes, I know this is supposed to be a bird column,
but I’m an equal-opportunity observer.
Furred, scaled or feathered, if it crosses my
path, it becomes fodder for my nature-calibrated
eyes. For a really mind-bending experience,
train your close-focusing binoculars
on a flower blossom. It’s like stepping into a
Georgia O’Keefe painting.
June 22, 2023 EXIT ZERO Page 31