Boring bipartisanship, political musings, more duck talk

Return Day weather in Georgetown this year was better than it has been for many years. Mid-November is always iffy. Many years the ceremonies have been drenched in rain, helping to speed up the process of yellowing leaves dropping from trees. Combine the wetness with chilly fall temperatures - a recipe for misery.

No one would have been surprised to see rain this year. As of Nov. 11, our rainfall for the year - measured in Georgetown at 48.42 inches - is running more than eight inches above normal. Soggy.

But that wasn’t the case for Return Day 2018. After an evening of music and fun the night before on The Circle, bright sunshine greeted those who filled the county-seat streets for the 1 p.m. parade and the election return announcements that followed. Then came free sandwiches featuring white bread and roast beef that had been cooking overnight. Return Day Committee members in charge of the sandwiches were on their game. The sandwich line was long but it moved quickly.

Despite the fine weather, a number of people commented that crowds at this year’s Return Day festivities appeared lighter than in previous years. Could it be that the bipartisan spirit that infuses Sussex County’s unique bury-the-hatchet holiday has grown boring? Would we rather see politicians from the different parties yelling and screaming at each other in carriages and convertibles - maybe even boxing rings on hay wagons - than see them riding together amicably, putting election acrimony behind them and turning to doing the public work of the people constructively?

Lord knows I hope not, and I really don’t believe that. There are still more reasons to work together than apart. I think the lighter crowds were mostly because it was a mid-term, not a presidential election year when there is generally more excitement.

In the Return Day Parade, the best classic parade that Sussex County hosts every other year, a dozen different marching bands energized Georgetown’s streets with snappy drum cadences and marching music. Sen. Brian Pettyjohn of Georgetown was happy that efforts to convince the University of Delaware’s marching band to participate were successful. “They’ve never marched in the Return Day Parade before, and we want them to keep coming back with even larger numbers.”

Most heartening to me was the diversity I saw in the ranks of the high school and college bands participating in the parade. Among the musicians and marching units were students of all different origins displaying the multiculturalism that makes this nation great and provides such promise for the future.

Political musings

Sen. Gerald Hocker of Ocean View received the support of his Delaware Senate colleagues on Wednesday between Election Day and Return Day to be minority leader of the Republicans in the Senate. Hocker said he plans to again introduce legislation this year that would require schools in Delaware to stay closed until after Labor Day.

Cape Henlopen and Indian River district schools already follow a schedule like that, which gives local businesses a steadier supply of employees through the entire summer - especially toward the end of the summer when seasonal employees are most needed - and another couple of weeks for families to come to the beach.

Hocker pointed to Maryland, where Gov. Larry Hogan made sure schools didn’t open until after Labor Day this year. “I think it was good for business all the way around, even in Delaware, and I think we should do the same here.”

Sussex County has three out of four of the leadership positions in the House and Senate.

In addition to Hocker’s Senate Minority Leader position for the Republicans, Pete Schwartzkopf of Rehoboth Beach has once again been elected as Speaker of the House by his Democratic House of Representatives colleagues.

Dan Short of Seaford has also been re-elected by his Republican colleagues in the House of Representatives to be Minority Leader.

With that kind of legislative clout, Sussex can increase its pressure on Delaware’s Department of Transportation to continue putting more resources into improving our congested highways and roads.

Silver Lake ducks

I received an email from Rob Blye, vice president of the Sussex Bird Club, after last week’s column which mentioned a Fulvous Whistling Tree Duck. I’ve included his note here which indicates that what Chico saw may, or may not, have been a Fulvous Tree Duck. But it reaffirms what a unique birding location Silver Lake is and why it usually pays to stop on its banks occasionally and scan the ducks and geese resting there. You never know what you may see.

Rob wrote: “Your column in yesterday’s paper reports on a Fulvous Whistling Duck observed by Chico. While Chico may have seen a Fulvous Whistling Duck on Silver Lake several weeks ago, it was not observed by other people in the birding and wildlife-watching community.

“Others, including a party of three birders including me, did observe a Ruddy Shelduck on Silver Lake together with three or four snow geese and many Canada geese, among other birds.

“The Ruddy Shelduck was seen by many locals and some out-of-towners for about a 10-day period before and after Oct. 4, 2018. It is assumed that the bird was an escapee, as its range is India and southern Asia.

“Ruddy Shelduck looks somewhat like a Fulvous Tree Duck in that it is mostly the same ruddy/fulvous color with white and black markings. I did find one record for southern Delaware of a Fulvous Tree Duck Dec. 28, 1993 on Silver Lake.”

See photos of the Ruddy Shelduck that Rob provided for me in the Barefootin’ column posted on capegazette.com.

Thanks to Rob and everyone who sends me notes on interesting wildlife sightings in our area.