Dog-days of early July

For the past few days, the creek has been full of Great Egrets on the ground or perched in the dead trees; today they all seem to have vanished with only a single Great Blue Heron and a Green Heron (flying out of the woods in full calling mode) to represent the long-legged tribe. The Osprey pair are still perched on the Chesterfield crane and barge but there is no evidence that they have begun work on their crane nest (wonder how long Chesterfield intends to keep the crane and its barge parked here).

Away from the water, the White-breasted Nuthatch is still working the many dead and dying tree trunks around the perimeter (but no sign of a nuthatch family yet). I heard what I am quite sure was a young Baltimore Oriole calling with the sound of an adult call not long after, and there is a big flock of Tufted Titmice working their way around the property in company with one or two Downy Woodpeckers.

In recent years, there has been some notable spring and early summer movements of migrant butterflies (Vanessa, Monarchs) and dragonflies (Darners) but nothing at all this year. The Seaside Dragonlets, which breed in the marsh, are out and there is a larger black dragonfly about which I have not yet identified. Dragonflies Through Binoculars is still a challenge!

Again a single cicada call rising and falling in mid morning: a different spot, a somewhat different sound and possibly a different kind of cicada than yesterday. Which one is the Dog-day Cicada?

Eric Salzman