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July visit to CT

johngregsite Posted on by
image osprey
From Great Marsh landing

On our July visit to CT, we investigated the status of the osprey nest at the Great Marsh landing. There were birds in the nest as Kayla and I walked past the tree where the nest is located, probably at least 30 ft. high. Previous sitings suggested at least two chicks but it was not clear at this siting. After walking the trail around the point and back, adult birds flew off the nest and one of them started circling over the landing area. It made sure that we were a primary subject of their attention, as you can see here!

Yesterday during our current visit to CT, we only had a cursory visit to the Great Marsh nesting site. We did not get to see any birds clearly. We did go over to the nest on Schoolhouse road and it was empty. So we can confirm Tom’s observations that those chicks have fledged. Note, during our visit, a pair of ospreys, probably adults, appeared over the marsh and one flew a sortie near us. I have a picture in process; I suspect it looks similar to the one above: osprey looking at you with evil eyes.

Pandemonium update

johngregsite Posted on by
Image tiger lilies

We have reached into the 130 days of the coronus/retirement phase, whichever came first, and it is not pretty. Actually, it is. Despite the late Spring and the technical drought across southern Maine, the local foliage is green and blooming. The garden is producing cherry tomatos, cucumbers, and even green beans (the original plants were ravaged by leaf-eating bugs, maybe even viruses). Disclosure: the garden has to be watered by hand pretty much every day, container plants for sure. Zucchini or summer squash appear to be maturing.

A New Yorker commentator observed a couple months ago: The world is now just one big waiting room. I now get this: We wait for a vaccine. I wait to get into Sam’s Club. I wait to get to the waiting line at the check out register at the grocery. Even the places where we used to wait seem different. I now wait in the parking lot at the veterinarian’s office. I used to wait in the waiting room. But, the world is now our waiting room. And, with all this waiting, there are no waiters.

One place there is no waiting: my hummingbird feeder is now visited practically every few minutes. I have maintained a regular and thorough cleaning and nectar refreshing program (about every four days). A small contingent of birds are regular visitors (I am guessing 5 or so).