frost is on the pumpkin

Looks like there'll be frost on the pumpkin after all. Although Saturday night's nor'easter did not produce ice or snow hereabouts, Jack Frost made his appearance last night and there was an icy slick or edge or sheen on everything from the deck right through to the Baccharis and Iva bushes and Spartina marsh grass.

I didn't get into the marsh until a bit after sunrise and as soon as I got there, I flushed a Virginia Rail. It flew over to the open area where, as the tide was out, I was able to watch it run across the mud As soon as it vanished into the grass, it called -- something like the infamous 'kicker call' now attributed to the Virginia Rail -- and almost immediately another Virginia Rail came dashing across! And then a third!

It was, in fact, a rather birdy morning with, among other things, an American Woodcock springing up from hurricane debris area near the head of the marsh, half a dozen juvenile Cedar Waxwings sunning themselves in the big bare Tupelo in the same area, Hermit Thrushes in a wooded area on the other side of the property, and Royal Terns calling on the creek.

Eric Salzman