new bird?

Flushed a small pale Marsh-Wren type bird out of the marsh edge vegetation this morning and then, moving quickly to the spot where it dropped back in, flushed it again. Could not flush it a third time. Although I saw it twice but only briefly in flight, it seemed quite distinctive: small, fluttery, pale. There's a good chance that it was a Sedge Wren, a bird that turns up here in fall migration in October and is always rare and difficult. It would be a new bird for the property if I could confirm it.

A huge flock of Common Grackles (with a few Starlings mixed in) descended on the place in late morning, feeding on the ground all around the house and bathing in one of the cottage gutters which was still filled with water. It was very amusing to watch these birds line up for their turn in the tub -- a good splash and then out onto the roof and into the sun to dry out a bit while another one took its place in the bath.

Strong winds suggested that this might be a good raptor day but I didn't last long at my hawk-watch spot at the edge of the pond, being driven back by the strong gusts after only a single Red-tailed Hawk.

Here is a dramatic shot of Sunday night's moon eclipse -- taken just after full eclipse by John Heidecker ; I'm glad I got his permission to use it as I didn't manage to take any photos myself.

Eric Salzman