July 30

July 30, 2008 by OrientSee.

The kids are still on the couch. The two adult Ospreys are off the platform sitting on poles in the flats nearby. They are paying attention. One gave a warning cry when I popped out of the bushes. They are not tending the three chicks who are now quite large. I think that this is how they’ll get them off the nest and onto their own wings.  I hope to see them take off shaky and wobbly as they first fly.

The thickets are alive this morning. Birds everywhere making noise and none of them Redwings. All the usual friends, Mourning Doves, Robins, Catbirds, Mockingbirds, Kingbirds, Sparrows, etc. A few warblers briefly exposed themselves with yellow breasts flashing and then off into the leaves. I couldn’t tell what I saw. The South flats looked empty at first and then at closer exam, it was an Egret convention. There was close to 24 Snowy Egrets and 4 or more Great Egrets. They were all partially concealed by the high grass as they were feeding along the bottoms of the ditches. There could have been even more and even a small submarine. Those ditches are much wider and deeper if you walk out to them and look closely. A Great Blue Heron popped up and then flew by. I haven’t seen very many of the Blues lately.

The Overlook panne was full of shorebirds, ducks, egrets, terns and swallows. The rising bubbles indicate a lot of insects and fish to feed on. It was a real show of the food chain at work. I looked down from the platform and caught a dragonfly with its wing flashing gold.

It was a moment’s serendipity and delight.

Over by the Boardwalk, other things were happening. Geoff, the DCR Ranger, led a group of kids canoeing through the grass.

It did really look like they were paddling through grass. They all seemed to be having a great time as the high tide let them up ditches that are usually mud flats. I kind of wish that I had my own canoe or kayak. Another small group was out in the creek itself in a rowboat with traditional oars.

The next few nights are going to bring astronomical tides and that means all kinds of change and new discoveries in the marsh. Even if it just means that the same old stuff gets rearranged, there will be changes to appreciate as old things are uncovered. The pannes will get more fish and the feeding will go into high gear for all.  I’m looking forward to it.

Ciao!

-Jorge

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