Sex at high tide

The female Baccharis halmifolia or Groundsel or High Tide Bush, one of the two common shrubs at the edge of the marsh, are in bloom right now. Yes, I did write 'female'; Baccharis is one of those plants that has males and females and the female pistillate flowers are small whiteish blossoms that cover the bush. They may not constitute a dramatic floral display but they are attractive to the Monarch butterflies that have been coming in at an increasing rate. If I scan the Groundsel Bushes in bloom, I'll see Monarchs.

When I first came down to the pond and marsh this morning, it appeared that there was a whole flock of Eastern Phoebes hunting from elevated perches at the edge of the marsh but it turned out to be only two or three very active birds plus an Eastern Wood-Pewee. There were warblers -- Yellows and Prairies --but, surprisingly, no Yellowthroats (even if I don't see 'em, I can usually hear 'em). Once again there were a number of Red-eyed Vireos and I saw another Ruby-crowned Kinglet, proving (at least to me) that yesterday's sighting was not an illusion.

Eric Salzman