flood tide

This morning's ultra-high tide (a 'spring' tide in the fall!) was augmented by the strong winds from the northeast. It overflowed the banks of the pond and upper edges of the marsh, covering all the trails around the marsh edge of the property. I did not feel like venturing out into the deep water even in boots so I had to retreat back to the woodland paths. But there were birds.

My first observation was in the dark when I went out to get the paper and found myself surrounded by chinking White-throated Sparrows. Although I have heard an occasional early White-throat in the past week or so, this was the first time they showed in numbers and they must have arrived last night. In fact, they did show themselves; for the first time this season, I actually saw birds of this feather -- all juveniles or alternately plumaged birds (i.e. without the striking black-and-white stripes).

A little later in the morning, a mixed feeding flock -- common as the weather turns cold -- came by our kitchen window and I ran outside to have a better look. It consisted of a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, a pair of Downy Woodpeckers, a White-breasted Nuthatch, at least half a dozen (perhaps more; they are almost impossible to see amidst the blowing leaves) Golden-crowned Warblers and a number of B-c Chickadees. Also a Flicker, some Robins, Blue Jays, a few Yellow-rumped Warblers, a couple of Hermit Thrushes (a bird that first appeared here a few days ago), Tufted Titmice (or that Titmouses?) and a lingering Brown Thrasher were in the neighborhood if not actually with the flock.

Some non-avian sighting of recent days include a new pine tree perch for Rocky Raccoon (a pitch pine covered with lots of vines in the woods near the town trail), a dead shrew on the old driveway, and several sluggish (from the cold no doubt) snakes of the local garter or ribbon variety.

Eric Salzman

P.S.: One more bird to add. As I was writing this by the kitchen window, a Winter Wren landed on the doorstep of the cottage (our former barn) and then worked its way along the ground at the edge of the building, investigating various nooks and crannies. Very easy to see right out the window. It then flew around the back of the house and reappeared out the opposite kitchen window on the fence of our outdoor shower where it posed prettily for a bit before diving into the nearby shrubbery where it could be seen poking around for a few minutes, stubby tail in full upright position all the while. We don't have feeders hanging outside the kitchen window but the sheltered area between the house and the cottage, and around the outside shower attracts insects and insect predators on a cold and windy day