where o where have the swallows gone

Not only are the Purple Martins gone but I didn't see a single Barn Swallow this morning. There was a Green Heron, lots of gulls, a few cormorants, a couple of Common Terns but not a single swallow. I can only assume that they are on the move; it is, after all, the third week of August.

Goldenrod is coming into bloom; I think this is Early Goldenrod or Solidago juncea which has smooth stems and leaves. The most common goldenrods, Rough-stemmed and Seaside, are still a ways down the road. Another plant that is blooming right now is Jasione montana or Sheep's Bit. This is a flower that I had a lot of trouble identifying as it does not appear in the Petersen Wild Flower Guide which was my go-to flower guide for many years. This wildflower is, as might be expected, an invasive and it's name suggests that it should be found in the mountains; here, however, it blooms in the sandy open field in front of the house. (One other thing about Sheep's Bit: try saying the English name very fast a dozen times.)

A few more mushrooms are coming in: some good russelas and the Meadow Mushroom, Agaricus campestris, a close relative of the cultivated variety. Lorna made a delicious Chanterelle Risotto last night and there are still quite a few of these golden beauties left; this may have been the largest single fruiting of this delectable mushroom that I have ever discovered out here! We don't have Morels, we don't have Truffles and Cep or Boletus edulis is a rarity. But we do have Golden Chanterelles!

Eric Salzman