Night to Day

There's a whole natural sequence that starts in the evening and goes through the next morning and, at this time of the year at least, it's pretty dependable. The Katydids start in at dusk making a fearful racket but this fades in the early morning hours, leaving only the steady buzz of the night cicadas (species?). Screech Owl has been calling the past few nights; it's very dependable at this time of year but I'm not sure if these are wandering birds or if they begin their amours this early (Great Horned Owls definitely do their courting and mating in the fall and early winter). Pre-dawn is the best time to see and hear rails in the marsh; didn't see one this morning but there was a chicken-like call from the dense Spartina alterniflora that might have come from the Sora seen yesterday. The young Ospreys are off and flying in the pre-dawn light, calling loudly and circling over the marsh, creek and out into the bay. Crows are up early too and making noise as they congregate. As the sun comes up, the herons and egrets start moving around and a few song birds -- Common Yellowthroat, Carolina Wren, Song Sparrow -- provide us with a little morning music (most of the other birds have quit). Now the Black-capped Chickadees start moving on their rounds and the American Goldfinches are all over the place (also still singing a little). Early morning is also when the Royal Terns first appear on the creek usually followed by other terns. There are a few raptors around; yesterday morning a big Coopers Hawk came sailing across the marsh and pond -- scattering or shutting up all the other birds -- and there have also been individual Red-tailed Hawks and Turkey Vultures looking around. Other birds seen this morning: Ruby-throated Hummingbird and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher as well as many Tree Swallows, the last-named a harbinger or an offshoot of their spectacular barrier beach migration.

Eric Salzman