clay county birds sighted

Friday's final:

Clay 21, Palatka 14

Quinton Battle ran for three touchdowns. Rodney Perry rushed for 120 yards. Quarterback Stephen Hearons completed the only pass he threw.

But the big celebration for the Clay High Blue Devils on Friday night didn't arrive until, in the last minute of the game, senior defensive back Kris Mena picked off a pass to seal a 21-14 victory over Palatka.

How important was this win for the Blue Devils?

Listening to the postgame team gathering offered a clue. "Playoffs!" shouted the Blue Devils. "Playoffs!"

My little retention pond in Pine Lake has become a "birding" paradise in only 4 1/2 years. Throwing left over food, corn and bread into the lake started the whole thing. Minnows appreared, then tadpoles, a heron or two showed up to eat the tadpoles, I rescued a couple of turtles from the road and added them to the mix. Then the hurricanes blew in 2 years ago and storks appeared at the waters edge, and stayed. Last year a pair of mallards appeared and then paraded their new family in front of my townhouse.  A blue bird house went up, and they came, a Purple Martin house went up, and they came. This year 3 pairs of Merganzer Ducks, which I have never seen in this area,showed up, 5 Canadian geese and 25 mallards, Finches, Red Winged Black Birds, Cardinals. Blue Jays, Mocking birds, Great Blue Herons, White Herons, Buzzards, Crows and more. In stead of just a rention pond, I have a a beautiful  habitat for our birds,  turtles,  fish and me too!