/^■Jersey Cape NATURALL

by Farris Swakhammer Mockingbirds occupy a uniqufe niche in the avian kingdom. Several years ago I was watching the comings and goings of an osprey’s nest out on the marsh. All at once a small bird appeared in the field of my binoculars and flew toward the mother osprey who was brooding her chick. As I looked more carefully I realized it was a mockingbird dive bombing the fish hawk. It was like a Volkswagen bug trying to run a Greyhound bus off the road. The mocker kept at it for some time until, when it tried to land on the bigger bird's back, a nip from the hawk's hooked beak ended the tussle. . On another occasion a senior citizen called to ask if I would come move an active mockingbird nest from his backyard to the nearby woods. I declined the offer. Defusing a bomb would be more to my taste. It seemed that he couldn't put the garbage out, move his car, or tend his tomatoes. The mocker dove at him and threatened to slash his scalp, I did tell him what another senior citizen had done to alleviate a similar situation. She wasn’t able to go out in her backyard to put out the garbage either, so she moved her cans to the front yard and ceased using the back door until the baby mockers in the nest in her back hedge were fledged. A police car pulled up to my door one evening. “What was the bird that was singing when I was investigating a prowler report around midnight yesterday?” I told the officer that mockingbirds often sang at night, particularly when there is a full moon. if you whistle a musical phrase over and over, a mocker will echo your tune. There’s one in Stone Harbor that imitates the siren on the police car. _ __ Mockingbirds are great entertainers but beware of their enmlFarris Swakhammer is a North Jersey college professor and noted authority on birds.

NEW Ccmdpiper

Restaurant THE WORD'S OUT IN AVALON! The placs to oat If the New Sandpiper. Fantastic Food. Super Desserts and great service. —That’s what everyone’s talking about.

Featuring the

mid-week special. 17*1 Dune Dr., Avalon • 967-4519

OKI Milt BAM to 10 PM

Fri. 6 Sol 'til 4 AM

, R-WAY llRAVEL & TOUR CASINO EXCURSIONS to ATLANTIC CITY

*10 ■ v# per person Includes: Deluxe AAotorcoach Roundtrip, *S In Quarters

Departs Dally at 6 PM

FROM

CAPE MAY KIWANIS CLUBHOUSE 1011 Beach Drive, Cape May STONE HARBOR RESCUE SQUAD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BLDG.,

96th and 2nd AVES.

OCEAN CITY arts center 4th and Wesley Aves. (ticket purchase) (Departs 6:30 p.m.; No Sundays, from

6th and West, Ocean City)

PurchaM Tlcketi Dally at above stated location^ From 4 PM to 6 PM No Reservations Required

For additional Information Call 4^3-301 1

MARABELLA’S RESTAURANT Highly Praised In TTi# Philo. Inquirer (SuncJoy Inquirer, July 30.1*78)

By John V.R. M v !' :

Inquirer Staff Writer

Good homecooking is hanl to find at Jersey shore restaurants, but if you go to MarabeUa’s. you *ill be offered a welcome change from the fried seafood and cole alaewervvd at

aomanyrestauranti.

This seveh year-oki family dining place 4n Ihe middle of Stone Harbor offers fine southern.Italian cuisine

at moderate prices.

There’s nothing fancy about

Home-*tyle southern cooking — tipo Italiano—-at the shore

second cup. The Ixxiwmade chicken

Marabetla’a, which is opera led by a South Philadelphia family The ptasUc-covered tables have paper placeman, hanging pianta decorate the front windows, and children

receive free bolbnoa.

Bui the fnod.is frenhly homerooked daUy and some of It is excellent. The homemade tomato sauce, for Instance, Is rich and flavorful, obviously fresh, and It

Dining out—

At Marabella’s

95th Street end ThirdAvenue,

Stone Harbor

mushrDomTanTnSiTSpmrST superb white wine sauce. It came on a bed or somewhat soggy risotto, but

otherwise it was superb.

The homemade manicoUl Is two targe, freshly made shells filled with

ricotta and moaarella

topped with lhai rich tomato sauce, Veal parmigtana ta a generous portion of excellent veal, wfih a nx*

crust and a cheesy tomato sauce.

soup Is equally delightful, with Ms of chicken and thin spaghetti that tastes as If it could be homemade. The houae salad is iceberg lettuea lit was wilted I svllh touches of carrot, and with premade drnslBjl - a pahicularly boring course. Desserts are excellent, particularly a strawberry parfait Unit isn’t the Ice cream dish : restaurants offer. Instead, it ta a light, fluffy mousse-Hke confection made of whipped cream and sour cream and laced with fresh, ripe

strawberries Yummy. ’a serves dinner from

CAPE MAX COUNTY MXGAZINf 15