PEACHFRONT SPEAKS

Recent entries july 4, 2018 - 2018-07-04 the triangle continues of courtney, boobear, & nyota - 2018-07-03 Cookie so cute telling, "Hello" to sparrows - 2018-07-01 lovebirb in love - 2018-06-30 wren with fluffffff - 2018-06-24 Read my new book, The 10 Best Things You Can Do For Your Bird at Amazon or at many other fine distributors like Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo, and more. By public demand, and after a delay of an embarrassing number of years, I've finally put my notorious essay, Ender and Hitler: Sympathy for the Superman, free on the fabulous internets. A bibliography of my published books and stories. Here's a simple card-counting FAQ to get you up to speed on the basics. Here's the true story of the notorious DD' blackjack team, told for the first time on the fabulous internets. No other team went from a starting investor's bankroll of zero to winning millions of dollars. A Sadean take on Asimov's classic Three Laws of Robotics can be found in Roger Williams' NOW REVIEWED ON SLASHDOT!!! The Metamorphosis of Prime Intellect. Adult readers only please -- explicit sex and violence. For updates on the "Dead Tree Project" and other topics, you may visit the official fan site, Passages in the Void.. My Bird Lists -- My Louisiana State Life List, My Yard List and, tah dah, My World Life List. HEY! What happened to the Peachfront Conure Files? The world's only OFFICIAL Peachfront Conure site now features free peachfront conure coverage, including a magazine length Intro to Conures previously published in American Cage-Bird Magazine, now free on the web. I offer the best free Peachfront Conure information on the internet. If you have great Peachfront Conure info, stories, or photos to share, contact me so I can publicize your pet, your breeding success, your great photograph, etc. on my site. Thanks.

part two: atlantic city and cape may, new jersey 2004-09-06 - 10:20 a.m. All photos � 2004 by Elaine Radford Note: This is part two of my trip report to Atlantic City and Cape May, New Jersey. To start with part one, click right here. To visit the bird check list, click right here. August 31 The day started with a bang when I observed a large distant bird over the city from our penthouse window. I pointed it out to D. and we watched as the Osprey sailed forward and then clutched out with its claws to attempt to grab another Osprey. Wow. A third bird flew in briefly and then vanished again. A family unit? We rented a car for an extortionate price at the only rental car service in town and then headed for the Brigantine Unit of the Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. No fewer than three people, two of them working at two different visitor's centers, gave us the directions to Brigantine beach instead. Argh. We did stop there briefly to check for dolphins. No marine mammals on parade, but we did enjoy some Ruddy Turnstones strolling on the beach. When we finally reached the refuge, we checked the log of birds seen earlier in the day and quickly encountered the Whimbrel, Cooper's Hawk, and the first of the Cattle Egrets. There was no sign of the promised White Pelicans though! Notables include: A posing, very large male Fiddler Crab Several gulls taking live crabs and being chased by other gulls Two Monarch butterflies copulating in flight A part albino Willet that revealed its species when it flew to show the normal underwings Dinner at the steakhouse, where we actually did have steak this time. Alas, both steaks were cooked a degree more than we'd ordered; next time, to get medium rare, I'll ask for rare. September 1 On weekdays, our butler didn't come on duty until 10, and we didn't feel like waiting around, so I went to the Convention Center to UPS D's new DVD player back to New Orleans. As I exited the building, I saw a Laughing Gull with a whole Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher in its mouth. I don't know if the BGGN was stunned or exhausted from migration or already dead, but it looked perfect -- just very still. The Laughing Gull calmly tossed it in its beak to get it arranged and swallowed it whole. Today we took the drive to Cape May to join a whale-watching tour. A highlight was an Osprey circling low overhead, the sun shining through its glorious feathers. Lots of dolphins played in the wake of the boat but the only humpback whale that the captain located refused to surface. Next time! Dinner at Evo's on the boardwalk, where we enjoyed the sea breeze. My chocolate "decadence" martini had a chocolate smile drizzled over the whipped cream. September 2 We strolled along Stone Harbor beach and found a rare uncrowded spot where we could feed the gulls without causing them to fly over anyone. Then we took the Salt Marsh Safari on the Skimmer, which sailed out of the Wetlands Institute. Although some of the breeding Ospreys had already departed, we saw a family of 4 and another family of 3, as well as a confused older youngster still hanging around after his parents had already migrated. Notables: A spectacular tornado of Tree Swallows Many beautiful American Oystercatchers The unimpressive eclipse plumage of the many Red Knots A small mud flat which seemed to serve as a fiddler crab "fight club" Dinner at the Italian restaurant, where I had a spicy pasta with whole lobster which was out of this world. We had a great table overlooking the water, and I wore the silvery-black leather dress. September 3 It was one of those days. An early and confused start. Either we lost the valet ticket to the rental car, or they never gave it to us the day before. Then we lost our way to Higbees Beach, and even a police officer managed to give us the wrong directions. Fortunately, when we finally arrived, the group had not vanished too deeply into the woods, and we were able to join up to enjoy the huge migration of Red-Eyed Vireos, with at least two that I saw (and probably more) Philadelphia Vireos thrown in for good measure. Notables: A scuffle between Blue-Winged Warblers A Magnolia Warbler chasing off a young Redstart that infringed on its personal space A baby turtle on the path An impressive knock-your-socks-off-shade-of-orange Baltimore Oriole, either a very old female or a first year male, according to the locals On the way back, we stopped to watch dozens of Canada Goose fly into the Cape May County park. Oops. Dinner at the Chinese restaurant, where we again enjoyed the Peking Duck, this time with a fried soft shell crab appetizer. I ate too much but it was worth it. Wore the green North Beach Leather dress. September 4 A last walk on the beach, a last feeding of the 4 species of gulls. A glass of wine and a bowl of mussels on the boardwalk at Evo's. A limo to the Philadelphia airport, this time with an exceptionally helpful driver who toted the bags with remarkable energy and enthusiasm. First class seats all the way back to New Orleans. Whew. I think I could be officially considered spoiled. Osprey, family of 4 on nest platform Wetlands Institute, Stone Harbor back - next All Rights Reserved, Copyright 2002-2017 by Elaine Radford