September 8

September 8, 2009 by OrientSee.

 I’ve been gone a while and the old paths have started to overgrow. I had made my own game path following my usual footsteps. Rosie’s pond was lush with the late summer growth of grass and reed. This dark seed head on a phragmites will soon be turning silver and white. The foxtails will soon be flashing in the sun.

Along Lawn and Palermo, I frightened this predator who was very wary of me.

The sumacs as usual are the first to loudly announce the season’s change.

Surprisingly this year, the peach tree has not been raided. The richly colored fruit are a sort of Christmas ornament for September.

The long thicket was overgrown in places with drooping reeds. I startled a large hawk. Actually it startled me enormously. I lost sight of it until I got to the Overlook. It was a juvenile Harrier with a long tail and that bright white patch on its lower back.  It was fun to watch it fly over the reeds and in and out of the thicket.

From the Boardwalk, several Great Egrets were feeding across the flats and way off there was a prominent Great Blue Heron. A few Brown Ducks were hopping from one puddle to the next. I was surprised to see a few Tree Swallows still chasing mosquitoes overhead. Up in the meadow, there were lots of butterflies including this small version of a Monarch.

From the Bennington St. bridge, a pair of Semipalmated Sandpipers were feeding in the mud.

Back along Bennington St, a pair of Cedar Waxwings were hopping from tree to tree gorging on the last of the wild cherries.

It was an enjoyable walk with plenty to see.  It was terrific to spend a few hours back out in the marsh.

Ciao!

-Jorge

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