Runners

Yesterday was humid, the feeling of walking into a wet cotton ball came to mind when I took my first step outside. By mid-day, it was blowing 25-30 mph with gusts in the 40's, and it stayed like that into the night. So, today's mostly blue sky, low humidity and calm air was quite the contrast. 

I put-in under the bridge on the big river and headed downstream to the Wheeler Marsh. The tide was just hitting low when I started and so there was no hugging the shoreline looking for eddies, no plotting out the most efficient less than obvious meander, I could just paddle.

I was a little lost in thought, but the 40-some Common Terns hunting for little fish at the top of the marsh brought me back to the surface. 25 years ago, I made a couple long bike tours of Iceland and when you travel through the extensive Tern nesting grounds, one is constantly harassed and dive bombed by the birds. Terns have been a favorite of mine ever since... such personality. While I am photographing a few Terns, I spot a runner. It's been at least a year, maybe more since I've seen a runner, although I hear them from time to time calling from the grasses. It disappears into the spartina. Then a second one runs across the mud. This one poses for a photo, just so I can double check the bird book when I get home. It is a Clapper Rail. It's roughly the size of a Willet, except that it has a truncated butt - as if it might be designed a little more favorable for running than flying. I think of them as being bulb-shaped. With that sighting, I can go home right now and call it a good canoe trip.

Clapper Rail

Clapper Rail

I head over towards Cat Island. At this tide level, all of my "secret" side channels are no more than mud with a little bead of water running through. Of the wading birds, Egrets outnumber everything. It's mostly Great Egrets, with a couple Snowy's and only two Yellow Crowned Night Herons. Of course, the bird count is well off due to my view being restricted by the low tide.

At low tide, one can't get much past Cat Island, which is, in part, why no one else is in the marsh. The favored (no river current) put-in for most people requires a 10 yard shin-deep mud wade to get to water.
I turn around and head over to Nell's Channel, which I will have to myself as the shallow entrance puts off the motorboat drivers.

I find four sick Mallards grouped together at the water's edge. They don't evade me as I approach, and their heads are down. This is typical of lead poisoning, but it could be other ailments or toxins. I am surprised to find so many in one spot. I find another sick Mallard farther down the channel on the same side (all on the Nell's Island side).  

As I near the end of the channel, I spot another Clapper Rail running back into the spartina. And then, a second one dashing between clumps. That makes 4 Clapper Rails in one day.

The last thing of particular note is the number of turtles. They are diamondback terrapins. They are the only turtle that lives in brackish water in Connecticut, and they are quite numerous in the Wheeler, if the number of turtle heads poking up out of the water is accurate.

Northern Diamondback Terrapin

I paddle back upriver in the main channel, surprised that there are more members of the Mai Tai Navy abusing the privileges. My timing was impeccable and I find a herd of them bumper car driving at the boat launch. I avert my eyes and skedaddle.