the heat wave breaks

Yesterday evening's rain arrived with a front that broke the heat wave. Last night was was enlivened by the season's first katydid and the loud, persistent calls of tree crickets. And the night was succeeded by one of those crisp, cloudless, brilliant mornings that stir the soul. There was also a breeze and the attack of the mosquito hordes of the past few days abated. Even the birds seemed quieter perhaps because there were fewer insects to hunt. There were a few Martins and Swallows about and several Saltmarsh Sparrows were darting around the Spartina on the marsh. Belted Kingfisher came rattling by and our local Spotted Sandpiper (I assume it was the same one that has been present for the past week) came a-piping. As the tide moved in and I moved down, two Green Herons jumped up, squawking and landed on treetops on the near side of the pond. Can anyone explain why these are called GREEN Herons? As they land in the full sunlight with their thick necks outstretched, their bristly crest raised up, they show some striking colors: a purple mantle; deep chestnut neck; yellow eye, eye-ring and lores; two-tone bill (dark above, yellow below); startlingly bright yellow legs; black cap/crest; white moustache and front-of-the-neck streak. Nice show but where's the green?

Eric Salzman

P.S.: As some readers noticed, I typed Brooklyn National Laboratory instead of Brookhaven National Laboratory in yesterday's post! Brooklyn may have, as its name suggests, a 'little brook' or two but there are no national labs there as far as I know. Brookhaven is (or was) a port at the outflow of a brook; the name was originally applied to a south shore estuary but was eventually extended to apply to a huge county that covers the whole width of Long Island in its mid-section and now definitely includes a national laboratory.