Marsh Morning

I'm up and out the door early. I've been watching the weather prediction since yesterday and it has gone during that time from chance of thunderstorms all day, to no thunderstorms and some rain, to mid-day thunderstorms and rain. So, an early start was best. This isn't a big deal for me. I canoe often enough that I have a "canoe" pack that stays packed and ready to go. At this time of the year, it has rain gear, a water bottle, some snack bars and a first aid kit that probably needs first aid at this point. 

I break camp in my usual efficient manner - I feed the myself and the cats, spread a 1/4 cup of bird seed on the back porch - this is kitty cartoons, as soon as they've wolfed their food, they crouch at the glass door watching birds and squirrels. Then, I grab my pack and I'm out the door. I head to the local big slat marsh - this is the end of a Labor Day weekend and driving any distance on the highways will be punished.

The morning sky is a thick overcast. The air is humid but cool enough that it is still pleasant. I set out a half hour after high tide heading down river to the salt marsh.

With the water still high, I take an inner path through the center of the marsh. There are very few birds visible due to the tide level. There is almost no exposed mud to feed from, so most of the birds are hidden away waiting for the dinner bell. When I see birds, it is either because I've flushed them from the spartina, or because they were up and heading someplace. It's a few Night Heron juveniles, a few Sandpipers, a few Ducks, and a couple of Great Egrets, until I get into the lower east corner. There, I flush about a hundred Canada Geese, most of which I did not see until they took flight from behind a small island. I headed over here because I figured that I might find a bunch of Egrets and Night Herons in the trees on the east shore. I spot about a dozen or so, and in the heavy gray light, I figure I just can't see another dozen. They disappear in these overcast conditions.

7 juvenile Night Herons and one Great Egret

I take my shortcut on the way out, and meet a pair of paddleboarders. A quick greeting is that none of us have ever seen anyone else this channel. 

I cross the river and head back upstream doing nothing unusual other than running a lap around the railroad bridge abutments. 

The weather forecast has changed again by the time I get home.