July 1

July 1, 2008 by OrientSee.

Today started off like usual. I got back from my bike ride and then suited up for a walk in the marsh. With all my stuff hanging off my neck and a thick coat of bug spray, I walked over to Rosie’s Pond and watched a Snowy Egret puttering around. The thicket didn’t yield much and so I continued on to Palermo and Lawn to see the Ospreys. One was perched on a pole and the other was up on the platform with three chicks. I almost fell over in surprise. They hatched at last. They weren’t there on Sunday but today was a bright new world. It was Christmas in July. I didn’t get this picture until later in the day when I walked over to the Winthrop bridge.

You can clearly see the three heads to the left of the adult bird. I had my scope with me in the afternoon and was able to see much closer. I was nearly giddy with delight. last year was the first time and now a year later once again more Osprey chicks.

The rest of my walk was less dramatic but nonetheless interesting. The Long Thicket was astir with Redwings, Grackles and Catbirds. The Overlook panne had a few Snowy Egrets, some ducks and three Willets. The Boardwalk was terrific. The closest panne was empty but further out there was a Great Blue Heron, two Glossy Ibis and seven Snowy Egrets. There were Crows, Terns and gulls as well. At one point an Ibis got too close to the heron and it reacted.

He displayed his full wing span and threated the Ibis who promptly flew off. It was a spectacular  display of territoriality. The park and the creek were quiet. A few Goldfinches were in an out of the sumac along Bennington St.

Today was another example of why I walk out in the marsh so often. Days go by without much happening and then Osprey chicks. It is a major victory to see these wonderful birds returning to an urban wilderness like Belle Isle. It’s especially rewarding to see them where we hauled out so much trash on the recent clean up.

Ciao!

-Jorge

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