April 7

April 7, 2009 by OrientSee.

 Today was heavy with instability clouds and passing showers. The cold grey skies were broken by patches of brighter than bright clear blue. As I started to cross Bennington St. towards Rosie’s, I noticed these industrial strength thorns on a Honey Locust tree. It made me shutter to see the size and sharpness of these barbs. I can only wonder at what the tree is protecting.

I walked to the near end of the thicket and climbed atop a granite block. I turned towards the sewer shack and a Great Egret flew into my lens. It’s opening day for the Red Sox but this is opening day for me. I literally gasped in surprise. Four Great Egrets landed nearby and began to feed in Rosie’s Pond.  It was a terrific start after those cruel locust thorns.

I started back along the thicket and there was was too much to see. This thrush perched on a dead limb and basked in a stray beam of light. A Downy Woodpecker was in a branch directly above  and a Phoebe was just beyond.

It wasn’t long ago when the only thing to watch was the squirrel circus. I noticed this curly stem in the middle of some wild chive. Is this normal chive behavior or just an intruder?

Past the thicket on Palermo St. right at the edge of the marsh boundary, this beautiful bouquet sprouted by some daffodils. Some one had planted a gift for all of us to enjoy.Thank you.

Out on the flats, two Osprey were sitting on the grass not on the poles or up on the platform. I’ve never seen them on the ground except when they had a big fish that they were feeding on. These two just sat there as if they were nesting. Weird behavior.

Geoff’s path to the Overlook was swampy and wet and even the Redwings were quiet. The Overlook was full of great surprises today. There were three Great Blue Herons (the first that I have seen in a long while). Three Northern Shoveler ducks were feeding nearly at the feet of these herons.

To the right of the Overlook, two chilly Snowy Egrets were hunched up enduring the wind. They looked miserable.

The best sight of the day was this Great Egret in full breeding plumage preening while the wind ruffled his feathers.  There are two Shovelers in front of him.

The flats over to the Boardwalk were very wet and very full of Mallard pairs sitting together in the grass. The Boardwalk panne had a few ducks including this male Green Winged Teal whom I inadvertently woke up from his siesta.

The park was empty except for the dogs and walkers. Out by the park entrance, I watched a Harrier being harassed by a pair of crows. Then by the pumping station, a male Grackle put on a display for a female who wasn’t interested in him at all. It was fun to watch. Then just across the train tracks a pair of RedTail hawks cruised past and then rested for a short while in a tree by the racetrack.

It was a great day. I didn’t see an eagle or a unicorn but I enjoyed this walk enormously and I was never a mile away from my house.

Ciao!

-Jorge

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