The Cold Moon is December's full moon, and calls to me. The rising sun is almost at its southernmost point; after the Solstice it will rise more and more to the north. The sun rises before the moon sets. The sunrises are easy to get up for at 7 am. The sunrise is full of hope no matter what the weather.
Windswept Bog is closed to hiking; it is being restored to a natural wetland, so I hike Milestone Bog. The golden grasses wave and contrast with the burgundy cranberries. My walk is mostly quiet of birdsong , except for the odd Canada goose honk or crow's caw. Flickers jump up at the end of the bog, a red-tailed hawk hunts, a great blue heron huddles in the Lee of Gibbs Pond. Signs of oncoming winter.
Our Sunday morning birding group of 4 saw a tufted duck on Hummock Pond and 6 palm warblers at Bartlett's Compost heap. That is the most I've seen at anyone time! The way we found the tufted duck was a great collaboration.: I spotted a duck that was different from the scaup, thinking perhaps it was a ring-necked duck. Ginger Andrews instructed me to look for the tuft. Spruce and I looked at the bill and found the black nail at the end.
I missed seeing the Northern Lapwing and the tundra swan. I haven't been in a mood to hunt the rarities, although I enjoy them when I see them.
The gannets are moving off the coast. The moonrise winks between the clouds. We miss seeing the actual Cold Moon rise because of the clouds.
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