4 Green Herons and a mystery solved

Four Green Herons flew up from the edges of the pond this morning, at least three of which were in juvenile plumage with the odd down-like feathers sticking up from their crests, visible even at a distance. Since the two adults are also in the area, there appear to be at least five of these birds around. The last young 'un to fly -- it flew weakly from one muddy edge to the another -- was probably the young bird that I saw two days ago, the presumed runt of the litter. It sat glumly on the mud, surprisingly well camouflaged by its streaky neck, dull gray back and speckled wing. I hope it survives; it seems to lack the vigor of its nestmates who flew up, perched high in the open and then took off at my approach.

Back at the house later in the morning, I heard a strange buzzing sound, unlike any bird call that I know. The house was surrounded with flocks of birds including chickadees, titmice, woodpeckers and blackbirds. As I managed to pinpoint the source of the sound high up in a dense Red Cedar, a bird flew out and perched on the branch of an oak not far away. But it was just another Common Grackle; clearly, I had the wrong bird. But then I heard the noise again and yet again and it was now coming from the very spot to which the bird had flown. I circled around, trying to get another view; perhaps there was something else on the other side of the tree. But no, it still looked like there was nothing there but a Common Grackle. Then I noticed that the bird was holding something down against the trunk and pecking at it. And there was that sound again -- or at least a broken off version of it. Suddenly the grackle straightened up and I could see that it was holding in its beak a huge cicada, wings and all. What I was hearing was the alarm or distress sound of a doomed Dog Day Cicada about to be eaten by a grackle even as its confreres were and are calmly calling all around right! Dog Day indeed!

To repeat the information about tomorrow morning at Cupsogue: I'll be leading a SoFo walk with Eileen Schwinn. We're meeting at the back (west end) of the Cupsogue Country Park parking lot at 8 am. If you get there before 8 am (we'll be there by 7:30 to have a look at the ocean from the park building deck), entrance is free. After 8, you'll probably be charged (but you can tell the guard at the entrance that you are just there to birdwatch on the bayside for a couple of hours and he/she might let you in without paying). I should say that as in recent weeks Cupsogue had been excellent for such species as Bald Eagle, Hudsonian and Marbled Godwits, Black Skimmer, many species of terns including Forsters, Black and Royal, and various small and medium shore birds. Prepare to get your feet wet if necessary. Weather looks promising and the tide should be good (low tide but starting to come in; the best tide for shore birding).

Eric Salzman