flowering of the marsh

Two flowering plants in the marsh: Sea Lavender (coming up and blooming all over the muddy edges) and Salt-marsh Aster. Sea Lavender, also called Marsh Rosemary, is in the genus Limonium; our local species is either L. nashii or L. carolinianum; we're right on the border between the two species and the differences are fairly technical. Again, with Salt-marsh Aster -- just beginning to bloom -- there are two species; the one in our marsh is probably the Large or Perennial Salt-marsh Aster, Aster tennifolius. The flowers are mostly white but some have a noticeable purple tinge (the Sea Lavender flowers are tiny but definitely purple/lavender in color). Like almost everything else, these late summer flowers are a week or two early.

The two Yellow-crowned Night-Herons, old and young, were back this morning along with Green Herons. Strangely enough, the Green Herons were much more skittish, calling loudly and taking off long before I even came near. The Night-Herons were reluctant to move from their favored spot in the pond and, when they did finally move, went no further than the other end of the pond.

Judging by the loud chips, there are more than two Northern Waterthrushes in the area. Someone questioned my statement yesterday that Northern Waterthrushes do not breed on Long Island. The only waterthrush with breeding records for Long Island is the Louisiana (a scarce breeder on the North Shore) but the Northern is a very common migrant and typically appears here in midsummer and apparently hangs out a while before moving on to more tropical climes. Common Yellowthroats are either scattering around the place or new birds have appeared; there were a couple just outside the kitchen window this morning. No sign of any other warblers as yet.

Eric Salzman