high tide and High Tide Bush

A morning high tide made the marsh inaccessible but it was still possible to work one's way up the side which is covered with a dense growth of the two similar-looking plants, both commonly called High Tide Bush: Baccharis (or Groundsel) and Marsh Elder. There were half a dozen male American Goldfinches still in their resplendent breeding plumage and all working the Marsh Elder (Iva frutescens) which is in seed right now. A few Barn Swallows were feeding over the marsh but, along with the Purple Martins, most of them seem to have started their journey southward. Groups of Red-winged Blackbirds -- all or mostly young birds -- have reoccupied the marsh where many of them were probably born.

The usual herons and gulls were in evidence on the creek but no terns.

The rains yesterday and last night produced more mushrooms -- Chanterelles, at least two varieties of Russula and several Meadow Mushrooms (Agaricus campestris), all edible. There were other mushrooms as well but all rather suspicious looking and difficult to ID; I let them be.

Eric Salzman