terns calling

Calling terns from the creek: (1) a rasping call that proved to be a Forster's Tern, flashing its white primaries and working the creek along with Least Terns yesterday afternoon; the call is very distinctive and is quite different from the Common Tern call (but it does take a little practice to learn it); (2) the unmistakeable call of a Royal Tern, the first calling bird of the season (an earlier bird was glimpsed a few days ago; Royals usually come in about this time of year and I expect to hear more of them in the coming weeks).

An adult female Pine Warbler feeding a young bird was the highlight of yesterday morning's feeding flock which was dominated by B-c Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, a male and female Downy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe and White-breasted Nuthatch. This is actually the first proof that I've had for what I've long suspected: Pine Warbler breeding in our area. The Chickadees are also a family group (I saw young being fed by an adult) and probably also the Titmice.

Germander or Wood Sage is in bloom. This is a native wildflower that grows (around here at any rate) near the edges of the marsh. I was worried that it had been wiped out by Sandy but it has reappeared in some numbers in a couple of places. This is in the mint family with a squared-off stem and delicate light pink or lavender flowers blooming all along the stem. First notable fruiting of Lactarius volemus, one of the milky cap mushrooms and one of our best edibles (our other common lactarius is rather bitter).

Eric Salzman