February 28, 2009 by OrientSee.

So the magic begins. One page of the calendar turned (55 ° high yesterday) and the ice is gone. It is amazing to see the flats opened up unburdened with any stranded ice floes. The geese were back and foraging next to the trainyard.

On the Overlook path, I heard a branch make a boink noise. I turned and saw less than twenty feet away from me, a Cooper’s Hawk perched in the middle of a thorn tangle. He watched and I watched. Neither of us moved. He got bored and then burped up a glob of something (probably bones and fur). I was closer to this bird than any hawk that I have ever seen. Finally when I moved, he took off and it was something to see this gull sized bird fly through the dense trees as if he were a tenth his real size. Of course, I was dazed enough to forget the camera strapped around my neck.

The pannes are unfrozen as well now. The open water means the ducks can come closer in than when there was ice everywhere. The duck watching promises to get better.

The Boardwalk view was of a large flock of gulls asleep in the marsh grass while the crows were busy being crows.

On the walk out of the park, I came across a strange pagan offering. Someone had strung up pretzels on a tree. I’m not sure what this is all about but perhaps there is a fierce dark demon who demands pretzel offerings. There is a little weirdness wherever there are people.

Out on Bennington St., I looked up to watch this RedTail soaring back and forth. He cruised right over my head and the sun lit up his wings.

I had hoped that the strong southwest flow of the last two days would push up some early spring migrants but no such luck. It was a nice day to be out and just as I got close to Suffolk Downs Station (with my camera off and the lens cap on) three majestic swans flew over and sucked the breath right of my chest. I was totally dumbfounded by the sight. The day got even better then. The two hawks and these three swans were total crowd pleasers. A grand day indeed.

Ciao!

-Jorge

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February 26, 2009 by OrientSee.

Lots of good and bad lately. Goodness was an extended sleepover by my granddaughter which led to much spontaneous smiling on my part. Not goodness has been the extended cold windy conditions broken by nasty raw rain. That’s my explanation for not being out in Belle Isle much lately. Today started out grim. Overcast skies and a total lack of any thing moving around. The squirrel circus was entertaining for a while. Six tree beasties hurling themselves from tree to tree can be fun to watch. Otherwise there was just nothing much to notice. Over on the Overlook path, the Redwings were clearly sounding off. I’ll probably be tired of them soon enough but for now there raucous noise was great to hear. The Chickadees seem to have disappeared completely. The underbrush is full of Robins busily looking for food. The Overlook was a disappointment. The Boardwalk gave me something to watch. Two Gulls and a Crow were foraging on the ice covering one of the pannes.

The gulls had been shell busting but for some reason, they let the crow crowd in for a share of the food. It was a strange sight.

Walking along the park path, I nearly stumbled on these Mallards on their morning swim about.

On the way out the park, I found this dove. I only saw it because it had moved. I had never noticed before how well the dove’s plumage allowed it to blend in.  It really has some excellent camouflage.

From the Bennington St. bridge, this goose flotilla calmly paddled by. The tide was coming in and there is still plenty of ice.

By the side of the road, I happened upon this Milkweed.  Even with a very windy stormy winter, this plant is still standing and it’s cargo of fluff seed is still hanging on. I wonder if this late clinging on will give the seeds an advantage when finally the March and April rains scatter them.

It’s been a gray day that was raw to boot. Getting outside was great tonic. That’s helped with the winter blues which start to get oppressive by now. Maybe, I should bottle Belle Isle and sell it as a patent medicine.

Ciao!

-Jorge

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February 17, 2009 by OrientSee.

 I got to watch a circus this morning. There were four squirrels in Rosie’s Thicket and their act was terrific. They jumped and climbed and chattered at each other. Their leaps were spectacular and since the small tree limbs were bare, the branches knocked against each other making a thock thock thunk noise. I almost applauded. Everything else was very still except for a few passing gulls.

Over on Lawn  Ave., I interrupted this pizza crust breakfast. All I could think that this squirrel was surely tempting a visit from one of the gulls. That would have been an interesting tussle to watch.

The Overlook path was quiet except around the feeders which had a crowd of Chickadees while the doves fed on  the leavings on the ground. Everyone was quite chatty.  A little further on, more Redwings up in a tree which means that there will soon be even more and then the racket will start.

The Boardwalk was quiet. A few crows were foraging on the flats. Then suddenly an aerial duel started up. A Merlin whirled around and around with a few of the crows. There must have been some falcon catch which the crows tried to rob. Then quickly it ended and it was quiet again. These mallards were sitting in the mud busily preening and ignored the show.

The park was empty and the Beachmont creek had some ducks, gulls and geese off by the Yacht Club.

I started home along Bennington St. and for no good reason stepped over the fence and looked into the Phragmites. Serendipity gave me a wonderful chance to watch a female Downy Woodpecker feeding on a reed. You can see the little hole that she made and that there is some sort of bug in her bill. I would never have suspected that the hollow reeds harbored any food.

The day started off with a circus act and ended with a meal. What more could you ask for?

Ciao!

-Jorge

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February 15, 2009 by OrientSee.

 It’s a little colder and less like March. A bright clear day. At Rosie’s Pond, the sewer shack had a new addition. Some one has added a perch off one of the vertical posts. A small flock of Canada Geese munched the icy grass nearby.

The tide was low and the flats were empty of any life. Perhaps it was because of this large hawk who was keeping an eye on things. I’m not sure but I think that this is a Goshawk.

The Overlook Path was full of small birds, sparrows and chickadees. They were busy in the low underbrush while Robins were back and forth higher up in the trees. A few Mourning Doves were scuffling on the ground beneath the feeders. In the meantime, I was delighted by this Chickadee who nearly landed on my head. It was totally fearless.

The Overlook and the Boardwalk didn’t have much to offer. A few crows were foraging on the flats while high over the Winthrop side a RedTail Hawk soared. The park was quiet except for the dogs. The Beachmont portion of the creek was free of ice floes and even though it was low tide, ducks and gulls were busy feeding.

A lone Redwing Blackbird was further evidence of the change that is coming even though we are supposed to get some snow and rain Wednesday and Thursday. Of course it could have been warmer and less windy but I’ll gladly accept this mellower version of February winter.  Clean smelling air and clear skies always win a smile from me.

Ciao!

-Jorge

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February 11, 2009 by OrientSee.

 Marchuary. That’s a new month. The calendar says February but the sun and the weather say March. It’s obvious that our traditional month of blizzards has morphed into a new month. At noontime it was 63 so I went on a bike ride. That’s simply not February.

Rosie’s thicket yielded another secret. The other day I thought that I had seen some sort of large woodpecker but the bird was up high in the trees and I just couldn’t get a good luck. Today it was obvious what I had seen, two Blue Jays. As I’ve said before, I’m just not used to seeing jays at Belle Isle.

On the Overlook path, a squirrel stopped and looked me straight in the eye. He wasn’t the slightest bit intimidated by me.

At the Overlook, things were quiet and then I noticed these two birds up in the tall snag. Again it was Marchuary because the birds were male Redwing Blackbirds and here earlier than usual.

The tide was just starting to run in and it was coming in at a very respectable pace. Little ice flows were moving up the creek at quite a clip. So serendipity handed me two images in one photo. First is the beach ball which looks a little strange for this time of year. The real fanciful touch is the little floe in the middle. It’s hard to see in the morning haze but there are two phragmites stalks firmly planted in the ice, fluttering in the breeze like a set of sails. It’s possible that it was just luck but I suspect that some human was at work. It was a kick to see the floe sailing up the  center of Belle Isle creek.

Not far away a small flock of mallards were standing together in the high flats. I think that they were waiting for the astronomical high tide to float them up and over the grass and make it easy to forage.

Finally in one of the ditches close to the park path, a mallard floated without any concern. A few reeds obscured him but it was very close to a well walked path which isn’t very common behavior for these wary birds.

The marsh feels different today. It’s way too soon but it does feel like we turned the corner on winter. It’s not the usual sort of winter interlude. There are more birds around than usual for February and the leaf buds are clearly swelling.  I’m not going to say that word but it does feel like it.

Ciao!

-Jorge

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February 9, 2009 by OrientSee.

Last week was the low point of my winter. For the first time in over two years, my walk into the marsh was a total bore. I have always found something to see that filled my day with a little bit of fun. Then last week the sameness took over and it was just a stroll along the same old stuff. I’m not sure if it was just me or the weather. Today was different. It felt different. No more blasted desolate January. It was still cold but the leaf  buds are swelling and the sun felt stronger. I caught a glimpse of my first dove of the year. They’ve been gone for several months now but today this harbinger of elegant simplicity ended my winter doldrums.

On the Overlook path, the snow looked like pepper had been shaken everywhere. It seems that some plants which held onto their seeds up to now, have let go all at the same time. I wonder if this is some sort of survival trait. Late winter, let the seeds go? I still haven’t heard the raptures of skunk love which usually signal the end of deep winter.

From the Boardwalk, I watched this Mockingbird forage on the ice among the grass stalks.  It seemed especially wary and uncomfortable on the ground.

The tides will be very high these next few days and the ducks are taking advantage to graze on the grass of the higher flats where they usually don’t go.

A frond of marsh grass streams in the tidal current while small ice floes lurk underneath. If the wind and current cooperate, the grass will be sheared off and added to the vegetable soup that the marsh water has become.

Today restored my faith in Belle Isle. I rely on the marsh for refreshment.  Smell, sight and sound, all move deeper here and now in the marsh. It has a zen sort of calm detached from the frizzly, jangly experience of people, streets and the Internet and today, I got that feeling back.

Ciao!

-Jorge

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February 2, 2009 by OrientSee.

 I did not even get to the marsh when I found this attractive home for short term lease. Three House Sparrows were bickering over this cable conduit. One would fly into the largest hole and then one of the others would loudly drive it out. It was all the noise that caught my attention. It’s not spring but when the sparrows are already choosing nesting sites, it can’t  be long before the snow is gone.

Rosie’s Pond was still icy and desolate. There wasn’t anything stirring. When I started walking this morning, it was 44 and by the time I got home, it was 50. Unfortunately, the icy look isn’t going to go away. It’s supposed to snow tomorrow and the rest of the week will be back  to our normal winter cold.

As much as the birds and beasts mystify me, people are the strangest things in the marsh. I noticed the tracks of two or three people crossing the flats. Usually it’s just me and the coyotes who leave tracks.  What made it strange was the red powder. Alongside the tracks every 100 feet or so, someone had dumped a small pile of red powder like paprika on the snow. It had no smell and I certainly wasn’t going to taste it. I can’t imagine what it was. For nearly a third of a mile the tracks stretched back to the corner of Lawn and Leverett Streets and every so often another pile of red powder. The path suggested that they were actually crossing over to the T train yard and then out towards the Osprey Platform. I am totally at a loss to explain what this was all about.

The rest of the morning walk was very solitary. A gull or two. A Robin and a single Starling. A small gang of Crows foraging across the flats. That was it. The most enjoyable part of the walk was the feel of the warm sun on my face. I must have been a turtle in a previous life. The sun felt wonderful.

Ciao!

-Jorge

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