July 19, 2008 by OrientSee.

The Ospreys appear to be doing well. This picture gives you an idea of who their neighbors are and how close the planes come to the platform. Several years ago before the nesting began, an adult Osprey was taken out by a plane. It is a very busy place to be raising kids. The thickets were filled with Robins today. Everywhere I looked there were Robins. It looked like a gigantic Robin nursery. The Redwings have become scarce. I only saw two today and their calls are rare now. The Robins have taken over in the noise department.

The flats and pannes were deserted. This photo is not of rain drops but of protein. Those ripples are insects which all the birds feed on and which often feed on me if I forget the bug spray. Grass, bugs and fish are the basis of the marsh food economy.  Things are getting a little dry. No high tides and not a lot of rain recently leads to the inevitable mid-summer parch.

It’s normal for the grasses to look like this. I had been out to the Nashua River Trail ( a really great trail to walk or bike from Ayer to Dunstable) for a long bike ride and haying had started at several farms along the way.  The bane of allergy sufferers is starting to bloom now. It causes a lot of runny noses and headaches but it is actually luminous with color.

I’ll be going out with my scope for a closer look at the Ospreys tomorrow after my 50 mile ride. Today was not the most pleasant walk because of the heat and humidity but I was glad to see the marsh in all its full summer lushness.

Ciao!

-Jorge

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July 16, 2008 by OrientSee.

I had a short walk into the marsh today. These two Snowy Egrets were at the edge of Rosie’s Pond while the Osprey family appears to be in good health at the platform. The usual mix of birds was shook up when a young Cooper’s Hawk appeared out of nowhere and flew into the thicket. Three Crows who had been sunning themselves joined the mob chasing the hawk and then finally left. Over by Leverett Ave.  A Northern Flicker was casually seated upon a telephone pole observing the state of world affairs.

Along the Long Thicket path, I found this superbly camouflaged  Robin’s nest. It was only when the adult bird flew off in alarm at my approach that I even noticed it at all.

It is an amazing work of subtlety.

The skies were blue and a gentle sea breeze was blowing. All of which made for a very pleasant walk.

Ciao!

-Jorge

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July 13, 2008 by OrientSee.

I was up early to count herons. The sun rose over Beachmont and Belle Isle as the Snowy Egrets were drowsy in the Boardwalk pool.

I was able to tally 12 Snowy Egrets, 3 Great Egrets, 15 Glossy Ibis and 1 Black-crowned Night Heron. The quiet morning with low clouds streaming overhead provided an idyllic moment. There were Robins everywhere along with Mockingbirds, Sparrows and Swallows. There was a very active group of Least Terns feeding in the Overlook panne. A Sharp-tailed Sparrow posed in the rising sunlight.

On my way home a pair of Eastern Kingbirds were noisily squabbling.

As you can see it was later and much brighter.

My last shot is actually a mistake but it does look interesting. I was trying to track two Snowies in flight. Moving the camera in time with the subject is called panning and if done well, allows you to see things that ordinarily move too fast. I didn’t get it right but still here it is.

It may not be your cup of tea but getting up at 4 am does provide another point of view. At Belle Isle Marsh it is certainly worth trying.

Ciao!

-Jorge

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July 12, 2008 by OrientSee.

I went to watch the platform today and count Osprey chicks. It would have been no surprise if there were fewer but it turns out that there are still three thriving chicks. It was hard to seem them all at once since the adult bird’s body obscured the view. When a second adult landed on the platform, everyone shifted and then the three chicks were obvious. I moved over to the Winthrop cemetary where I was surprised to find a very active community compost program. Looking down from the high ground, I realized how many birds there really were down in the creek. Ordinarily I cannot see down over the edge of the marsh grass at low tide so it is hard to see what  it is actually down in the bottom of the creek bed. Today there were at least a dozen Egrets, some shorebirds and couple of Cormorants. It was a pleasant surprise. Next, I went over to the Key on the Revere side. The Key is often quiet and that is its lure for me. Today it was a little different. A pack of a dozen Mockingbirds were noisily bickering back and forth. Some Starlings, Robins and Mourning Doves were about. Then as I turned a corner, I surprised a duck family and got this picture.

They were at the bottom of a ditch. As soon as they heard me, they scooted along. They didn’t take to wing so I assume that they are not fledged yet. Ordinarily ducks will explode into flight if I come this close. Mama got behind the kids and herded them along as fast as they could waddle. A Snowy Egret landed in one of the pools for a very typical pose.

Thankfully the bugs weren’t bad today so it was great to be out watching stuff under the big blue tent.

Ciao!

-Jorge

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July 10, 2008 by OrientSee.

My first surprise of the day was finding a crew of kids cleaning up a part of the Thicket by Rosie’s Pond. I was delighted to see some one taking care of this neglected corner of the marsh. The thickets were alive with birds feeding on the mulberries. The Osprey chicks are getting bigger and the Mockingbird is still trying to drive them off.  I wonder when the chicks will first to try fly. In the the Long Thicket there was plenty of activity including this Downy Woodpecker. I realized that I was seeing a lot of immature birds out on their own, especially Mockingbirds.  Although it was low tide and midmorning there was a lot of thrashing around in the thicket. Out by the Overlook, I got a picture of this butterfly.

In the panne there were a few ducks and shore birds. The Redwings are quieter now that the big territory wars are over. The females are much more visible so I suspect the young must have hatched. The Boardwalk was very quiet until I noticed further out in the flats a small group of four Ibis. I walked along through the park and got a little closer but they then rose up and flew off.

They are amazing birds to see in flight. The park was quiet and as I left, a Goldfinch capped my walk for the day.

Another nice day at Belle Isle.

Ciao!

-Jorge

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July 6, 2008 by OrientSee.

Today I went over to Winthrop to watch the Ospreys. I could see three chicks. Two were more active and dominant. The third was definitely less aggressive and active. Things seem to be going well. I was suprised to see a Mockingbird make several threatening attacks on the adult Osprey on the platform. I fully expected to see shredded Mockingbird but the adult Osprey just ignored the impetuous smaller bird.

Here you can see the Mockingbird soaring up after diving upon the Osprey. It was amazing to watch.

After this I decided to move along the Winthrop side of the creek where I seldom go. A couple of Great Egrets allowed me to approach closer than I have ever been to one of these huge birds. The secret was that I was in my car. I have been told that a car can make an effective blind to observe and photograph birds. Today I found out how true that is.

They are always impressive but this close is almost overwhelming.  I went over to the Key in Revere (another part of Belle Isle - once a military radio station). It was quiet except for a few Great Egrets who didn’t allow me to come close at all. The Key is a delight just to walk. I saw a RedTail Hawk for the first time in several months. It flew past while being harassed by a cloud of smaller birds who were mobbing it.  A particularly obnoxious boater insisted in driving up all the smaller branches of the creek at top speed. I was silently wishing that they would beach themselves but it didn’t happen. Canoes, rowboats and kayaks don’t bother me in Belle Isle but fast moving motor boats are real annoying. They show little respect to the wildlife and the marsh itself.  Maybe I’m just being cranky. It was a nice afternoon to visit parts of the marsh that I don’t get to very often.

Ciao!

-Jorge

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July 5, 2008 by OrientSee.

Hardly a spotless ceramic tub but a street pool can be a very nice bath tub. One Robin is watching as another is busy bathing.

The thicket behind New England Casket has a few older and therefore taller mulberry trees. This afternoon those trees were actually shaking as all kinds of birds were feeding on the fruit. There were Sparrows, a Baltimore Oriole, Robins, Waxwings, Starlings, and a Woodpecker. It was a show. There were a few Snowy Egrets and a Great Egret in Rosie’s pond. The flats were quiet. Two Osprey chicks were clearly visible. A very public spirited group of three people collected tidal debris into their row boat and carried it off. It is great that there are people out there caring for the marsh.

The park was especially beautiful with all the flowers waving in the breeze. This butterfly was busy and so I got a photo of it.

Along Bennington St. the lonely Catalpa tree is in bloom and is very attractive.

A good day for a walk with plenty to see and admire.

Ciao!

-Jorge

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July 3, 2008 by OrientSee.

Family news. The Osprey chicks seem fine although I could only count two today. Only one of the adults was around. The Mourning Dove is still sitting on the nest and I was marveling at her. She is in a low crotch of a fruit tree in a neighborhood filled with domestic cats who hunt in and at the edges of the marsh. She’s still safe and sound and that is a surprise.

The southeasterly wind has been fierce today. Most everything is hunkered down in the face of the blast. Even in the thickets, the only movement is down inside the thick vegetation out of the wind. There were three Snowy Egrets at Rosie’s Pond and further out in the flats one Great Egret. Over at the Overlook panne, a Snowy and some shorebirds were tucked up against the edge of the water waiting out the wind.

As I crossed over to the Boardwalk, five Glossy Ibis floated down into the Overlook panne. From a distance, the Ibis appear completely black but a closer observation shows a rich red.

These are gorgeous birds to watch and they are very social. Still on the path over to the Bordwalk, a few Saltmarsh Sparrows took their time and let me catch a photo. These small birds are so quick to move that is hard to catch sight of anything but a blur.

As you can see, this guy was on his way to another location and I was lucky to catch sight of him.

The park was quiet except for the roaring of the wind. I heard the distant lure of my A/C and so I came home lathered with bug spray and sweat but happy from another walk into Belle Isle Marsh.

Ciao!

-Jorge

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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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June 29, 2008 by OrientSee.

The fog blanketed marsh looks like a sugar frosted confection. The Osprey platform is in the background and unheard is the sound of fog horns bleating. I was up early hoping to catch a glimpse of the early egret crowd. Just at sunrise you can sometimes find a group of thirty or more egrets and herons. It is one of the joys of Belle Isle Marsh. Today I wasn’t early enough. The birds had already split up. One group of Snowy Egrets was at the Overlook panne along with Yellowlegs and Mallards.

They were all nearly frantic with energy darting here and there eating.  Even the ducks seemed energy charged. By the Boardwalk, there were six Great Egrets.

These two tolerated me the longest. It wasn’t even six yet.  I only wished that I had gotten up even earlier.

Fog transforms the marsh in a way that snow does not. Snow covers things, submerges the landscape and blinds your eyes with bright white. Fog lays a spider web of dew beneath a dim sky. It teases your vision and you look closer because it is harder to see. It’s a different way to see.

Ciao!

-Jorge

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