Mary Key was a very special lady. Always a lady.
Always a friend. Always interested in what others were doing and
how they were. I have calculated that I first met her in 1971
"over an Evening Grosbeak". Our friendship grew over
the years and I always valued her as a sweet, knowledgeable birder.
I doubt that I shall see her kind again.
Mary Yegella was known to me as "Butter-butt,"
owing to the name that she gave to Yellow-rumped Warblers. A favorite
memory of her was at Redden State Forest in Delaware where I met
the Waterman Club to show them the place where I had found Summer
Tanagers a few years before. Having heard and found the Tanagers,
we were all looking for other birds when Mary spotted a lovely
King Snake and she took the time to use a long stick to move it
out of a woodpile so that we could all enjoy it.
The very last time that I saw Mary Yegella was
when the Snowy Owl visited the shopping center in Arlington and
I remember showing the bird to her through my scope. We chatted
about the Tanagers and that snake and she laughed. Curiously,
at the banquet this month, I had asked Mary Key about her and
she told me that she was in Dover and that Mary had not seen her
in some time. Mary Key, when I asked if Marion Van Wagner was
alive, related that she had passed away and finished it with "there
aren't many of US left any more". Little did either of us
know how soon there would be even fewer left.
May God bless them both and grant them an eternity
of walking in gardens filled with the sights and sounds of beautiful
birds.
Ken McDermott
Wings Over Dutchess, January
2006
In
Memory of Mary Yegella 
2/20/06
Mary Yegella – Birder, Photographer, Mycologist,
Tree Hugger, A Perfectionist. Mary, although petite in stature,
a giant in her knowledge and willingness to share her knowledge.
She was eager to instruct neophytes in the realm of nature.
As a photographer – sharp edge, clear and precise photos.
A Belly Photographer, using mirrors to light micro species.
She was a winner of photography awards.
As a Birder – listening to bird songs, learning
and relearning those spring Warblers. Some once heard not
forgotten the shrike, found the Glossy Ibis in Amenia, a records
find I believe. Mary loved birding, traveling all over the
country including all of Alaska, Texas, Florida, nearby Connecticut,
Massachusetts., New Hampshire, and Maine. She chased rare
sightings. Yes, Mary loved birding. She always said,
”I’m storing in my minds eye.” Mary had
many great memories stored.
I will miss her but I know she is up there greeting
all and having them hug a tree.
Dot Fleury
Wings Over Dutchess, February
2006
An
Appreciation of Mary Yegella
"This goes in my memory bank" was Mary's
response to a delightful experience in nature. The experience
might have been a great look at a favorite bird as it sang, or
the discovery of a nest with young birds. One memory bank entry
was the Hooded Warbler nest along Berkshire Road, which she carefully
monitored, recording all the key events. Another was the Ross's
Goose found with Dot Fleury at Round Pond. Others were hikes she
took with Helen Manson to Seven Wells, Dover Stone Church, and
the hills around Sharparoon, as well as birding trips to far away
places with Marion Van Wagner and others.
Mary was a friendly, enthusiastic birder who welcomed
new birders by having them hug a tree with her. She covered the
"eastern provinces" of Dover, Amenia, and Millerton.
Health issues made too much sun a problem, so Mary took up the
study of mushrooms and became the club's expert on them. She wore
a floppy, broad-brimmed hat in the field along with a long-sleeved
shirt embroidered with flowers and mushrooms. Thanks to Mary,
I have many treasures in my memory bank. Among them are May Censuses
at Sharparoon and all the back roads of Dover, enjoying wood bettony
and polygala in addition to the birds. We now hear, and sometimes
see, more Hooded Warblers, perhaps descendents of Mary's nestlings.
Barbara Butler
Wings Over Dutchess, January
2006
A
Memoriam to the Keys
As Mary was being laid to rest, a strong gust of
wind nudged her floral blanket. It was really a "thermal"
sent by Jim bringing her up to join him. We shall cherish their
memory.
Jean Beck
Wings Over Dutchess, January
2006
Missing
Mary Key
Who am I going to call several times a week to say
“hello”?
Who am I going to have join me for the John Burrough’s banquet
each September?
With whom shall I share stories of our younger years – the
wisdom of our parents, and how things have
changed since the “good old days”?
Who can I visit in order to glean all that “past generation”
knowledge and insight?
Who will help me eat my wholesome, home-made soups throughout
the winter?
I will miss her sense of humor and hearty laugh, along with her
conservative views, which so strongly matched my own.
I will miss hearing her good-natured gripes about the difficulties
and challenges of growing older, marveling at how much she
could still do for herself in her advanced
years.
I will miss the stories of her, and her beloved Jim’s, travels
and their encounters with the wildlife they so loved.
I will miss sharing with Mary the sight of her lovely “forget-me-nots”
which she helped me transplant, and which will now
flourish in my own garden this Spring.
One of life’s most difficult challenges is losing loved
ones.
So, yes, I’ll miss Mary Key. I’ll miss her very much.
Peggy Fasciani
Wings Over Dutchess, January
2006
Remembering
Mary Key
I have a nice quote about Mary Key from my brother,
Albert Pooth, who belonged to the club when he was a teenager
and did a CBC with Mary in 1968. He now lives in Oregon. I think
it is a nice tribute to Mary and the way she inspired so many
people, especially those younger than herself:.
"I was so sorry to hear about Mary Key. I'll
never forget a Christmas count I was on where Mary and I covered
Vassar in the morning, just the two of us. It was great, especially
the crossbills. And of course, Fish Crows, which back then was
a fairly big deal. I checked my old records and Mary and I saw
six White-winged Crossbills at Vassar on December 29, 1968. I
even have a checklist from Mary listing the Christmas count birds
we saw! She was a wonderful person."
At the time of the CBC he mentions, Bert was only
16. Thirty-seven years and many moves later, he still has that
treasured checklist.
Carena (and Bert) Pooth
Wings Over Dutchess, January
2006
A
Memorial to Mary Key
Mary Key was a strong willed woman I admired greatly.
She was my mentor, teacher and my friend. I first met Mary and
Jim at the Bird ID Classes at Arlington Junior High in 1978 with
Carol Jack and Sally Barnes. Carol and I started going to the
Wednesday walks. Mary was so friendly and helpful at finding each
bird during our field trips, as were Marion Van Wagner, Helen
Manson-Andrews and Mary Yegella.
I have many fond memories of birding with Mary
and Jim. I will never forget my first Rare Bird Alert from Mary.
She and Jim took Stan & Joan DeOrsey and I to see the Gyrfalcon
in Pine Plains on a cold winter day in January 1989. We had wonderful
views of this rare bird to our area. Another memory was when I
drove Mary over to the K-Mart, Rt. 44 shopping plaza to see the
Snowy Owl, who was our winter resident in 1997. First we thought
a white bag blowing in the wind was the owl, but no, that was
not the owl. Soon we did find the Snowy Owl and laughed at the
bag we thought was the owl. Mary was always so much fun to bird
with.
Over the years I enjoyed the times we helped put
the newsletter together for mailing, the stories of her past as
a young girl, her life with Jim and their travels that she spoke
of often.
My last memory, as well as Allan’s, will
be our trip to Vermont to look for the Black-tailed Gull. It was
a beautiful, sunny day with views of farms and fields, the Green
Mts. to our right and the Adirondack Mts. to our left. Mary talked
of the old days birding and how Dutchess County looked like the
farms and fields we were driving by, years ago. She spoke of many
bird club members I knew only by name that she birded with when
the club first started. What a wonderful time she and Kay Sisson
had with us.
As Peggy Fasciani said, “Who will I stop
by to visit on my way home from Poughkeepsie”? Mary Key
was a great and special lady. I will miss her very much.
Barbara Michelin
Wings Over Dutchess, January
2006
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