Columbus Day Weekend 2015

Squam Swamp

 Very quiet in Squam swamp this weekend; most of the birds have gone south.  Crows squabbling over territory near Post 40;  flocks of robins.  

No mushrooms....

While the goldrenrod was still lighting up the landscape last weekend,  most of the blooms of goldenrod on the east end of the island are now gone.

Headed over to hike the Ram Pasture on Sunday

To See the Swall-nado

At the Sunday morning birding club,  the top spots were a whimbrel and a summer tanager.  Nice to see black bellied plovers, greater yellow legs,  yellow-rumps and cedar waxwings along with harrier.


Birds off the bluff :  white winged scoters flying,  black-backed and herring gulls,  sanderlings, semi-palmated sandpipers.   Seven seals-a-swimming.

Fall Weekend: October 1-3, 2015

A beautiful stormy weekend,  with most of the ferries cancelled because of high winds in the 30 plus mph range. Great color starting on the moors,  goldenrod and asters brightening the landscape.  

 

Pout Ponds

Pout Ponds

Stormy Sea from the Bluff

Last roses on the bluff walk

Pout Ponds Hike

Chipwich

Pout Ponds,  willow-herb beginning to bloom

Lilium Philadelphicum

bOn Sunday, Sam, Mari and I took Chipwich for a hike to Pout Ponds. We were happy to find some late Wood lilies...and to smell the Sweet Pepper.

Wood Lily

Sweet Pepper,  Clethra Alnifolia

The dragonflies were the prime attraction at the Pout Ponds.  Green Darners,  White Tails,  Twelve Spotted Skimmers all flew and darted about too quickly for me to get a photo.   The Bluets and Red skimmers were also there.

Red Skimmer

Red Skimmer



The Biggest  event was hearing a merlin calling and, while hiking through a pine copse,  seeing a merlin and its mate.  There must have been a nest in the pine trees ;  the bird circled around and around without flying away,

Mid-Summer Weekend

On Saturday,  the first blossoms of Sweet Pepper, Clethra alnifolia,  burst open to bathe the isle in their fragrance.  The aroma is even better than privet!  The look of August is wild grapes ripening,  sweet pepper blooming and grasses waving.

We celebrated 2 full moons in July

We headed out early to Coskata Pond on Saturday morning,  at dead low tide.  Shore birds and hermit crabs abounded!

1 of the 4 oystercatchers

Sam and Mari

We saw roseate terns, egrets and cormorants on the boat out.  On the flats,  a dozen whimbrels and more willets,  a piping plover and 4 oystercatchers were feeding.

Visceral July

Swamp Azalea at Stump Pond on July 4th

Getting off the boat on Friday,  it was immediately clear that it is Privet Time in Nantucket. Nantucket's smells define the progession of the seasons.  Over the 4th of July,  it was Swamp Azalea time,  with its deep and rich scent in the wet places.  The advantage of Privet aroma is that it is all over the isle!

Colicroot at Windswept Cranberry Bog on July 4

Colicroot

Some late daisies in Squam  Swamp

St. Johnswort

The great crested flycatcher,  eastern wood pee-wee,  and red-eyed vireos were out in force in Squam Swamp.  Also some towhees,  a cardinal and some chickadees.   They were eating the skeeters that bit me.

Josh and I went hunting for Wood Lilies in the Middle Moors today.  But no such luck...maybe later in the month.  High bush blueberries also not ripe at Mirror Pond.    But a wonderful nothern Harrier some False Indigo and early Sickle Leaves Asters.

Gratiola Aureus

Sickle Leaved Asters

Windswept Cranberry Bog, Wild Iris and Blue Eyed Grass

Windswept Cranberry Bog

And Wild Iris

A Great Crested Flycatcher, near Stump Pond

Wild Geraniums

Squam Ferns all grown up