waiting for the storm

There was moonlight last night but by this morning the sky was covered and the wind had come up from the northeast (although it was possible to hear the surf from the southeast). Was this because the storm was partly a nor'easter? Or was it because of the clockwise motion of the hurricane?

The early morning tide was extremely high; the pond overflowed and most of my usual paths around the pond and marsh were well under water. Most notably, there were a few hawks in the air: a medium-sized accipiter (probably a female Sharp-shinned judging by the cut of the wings), a Red-tailed Hawk over the creek being harassed by gulls, and the last of the Osprey -- presumably the same young bird that has been hanging around and overnighting on local dead trees.

Eric Salzman