The Hometown Marsh

I put in on the big river, in the usual spot, for a quick circle of the local marsh. The sky appeared overcast although I am pretty sure that much of that appearance was haze of forest fire smoke from Quebec. The temperature was in the 60's with a ESE wind of 10mph or so. The tide was falling with a little over three hours to go until low tide.

Black Crowned Night Heron

Osprey have built a new nest on a dock support at one of the riverside homes. There are a couple chicks in the nest. If it was my dock, I would add build a bit of extra platform after the Osprey migrate this fall. That Osprey pair will return to the location to nest, whether or not their current nest survives the winter.

Oystercatchers

At the top of the marsh, I spot two Yellow-Crowned Night Herons in their full Doctor Seuss outfits. It has been a few weeks since I've been in here, and it is a good reminder of how diverse the bird life is in the marsh.  Add some Great Egrets, a couple of Snowy Egrets, one Black Crowned Night Heron, several more Osprey, four Oystercatchers, Mallards are the Duck of the day, three small flocks of Cormorants - numbering about 15 each, a couple Willets - I hear more, and a couple Marsh Wrens.

I make the big circle and head back up river via Nell's channel. A little blue sky appears through the haze.