The buffleheads have returned to the marsh from their breeding grounds farther north. (I call them clowns because of their playful antics.) A few have been here for a couple of weeks, but were mainly on the sewage lagoon. I caught these two this morning on the marsh proper. Its difficult to tell if these two are adult females or first winter males, as the young ones of both sexes resemble adult females. They'll be seen bobbing around the marsh until it freezes over, at which time some may move to the river and remain through the winter while the remainder may move farther down the coast.
The geese are remaining on the marsh longer in the day now. I have only seen one of the white geese with the large flock these last few days. Doing some research on the presence of white geese with Canadas, and given the large size of the bird, I'm inclined to believe that it is a cross between a domestic goose and a Canada goose. Snow geese are generally smaller birds than the Canadas. This shot was taken on Tuesday of this week.
I got to the marsh Friday morning before the Canada geese had left for the river. I was surprised at the explosion of numbers - I counted 105 birds (a week ago there were between 50 & 60). What I was also surprised by was the presence of two white geese among the pack (one shown here). Since they were far out on the water, I couldn't get a clear shot, but it looks like the white birds may be snow geese.
When I saw these birds flying over the marsh last Friday, I assumed they were the Canada geese that spend nights on the marsh and fly out to the river come morning. However, I thought it rather odd that they weren't making any noise. When I zoomed in, I discovered they were cormorants. What I may have witnessed was a migratory flight, as apparently October and November are the peak migration times for northern cormorants.
I didn't know until today that the American black duck population is declining, due to pressure from the ubiquitous mallard - through interbreeding and displacement from preferred breeding habitat. The black duck population at the marsh appears to my eyes to be relatively consistent, but there does seem to be a growing number of mallards present. This shot shows some of the mallards I saw this morning.
Until yesterday, I hadn't seen any of the wood ducks for a couple of weeks. I even checked the sewage lagoon where a pair remained into November last year. But yesterday I got a glimpse of at least one drake, and this morning I spied several of the ducks, including these two males. They are now in their full breeding plumage, and present the sleek appearance that we associate with these birds.
This northern shoveler drake was feeding by himself at the marsh this morning. He still hasn't achieved his full breeding plumage. I expect he will be leaving for his wintering grounds any day now.
I got to the marsh this morning just as the night's fog was lifting and the sun was breaking through. Fog makes the marsh a magical place.
Last year about this time, there was a good-sized group of green-winged teal that had moved from the marsh proper into the small pond alongside the railbed. This morning I found these three, one male, two female, feeding there, along with another group resting on a clump of cattails. They are one of the last ducks to leave the marsh in the fall - and one of the earliest to return in the spring.
The yellow-rumped warblers are still here, as evidenced by this one seen at the marsh this morning. Its now in its non-breeding plumage, which isn't as colorful. It could be here for another couple of weeks yet.
This swamp sparrow was feeding on a gone-to-seed goldenrod plant at the marsh this morning. The gray 'collar' and the rufous flanks of the bird helped to distinguish it from similar sparrows. Most swamp sparrows leave the area by the middle of October, so chances are this one won't be here much longer.
There have been several greater yellowlegs around the marsh lately, especially on the edges of the tidal creek, since they are shore birds. This one, however, was fast asleep, standing on one of its long yellow legs on a floating log in the cove at the sailing school the other day. They breed farther north as well as in Cape Breton and northern Nova Scotia, but some always spend time here in the fall on their migration route.
I know, this isn't a very good quality shot, but as I couldn't get a better one it will have to do. I include it because it is of a duck that I've never seen before at the marsh (although that doesn't mean they haven't been here before). The duck was some distance away, and looked very similar to a female mallard, but I noticed its neck was very long. After checking my field guides, I'm pretty sure it was a female Northern Pintail (the males have much more elaborate markings, plus longer tails). Apparently they nest in salt and freshwater marshes in the province, but I don't believe we've had any nesting here as yet. I'll keep my eyes open for more of these birds.
Bumble bees are still quite active, as evidenced by this one collecting nectar from a late-blooming knapweed blossom yesterday at the marsh. Apparently bumble bees are often the first bees out in the spring and the last in the fall. If this is a queen, with the first frosts she will find a safe place to hibernate. The queens are the only ones to survive the winter.
There were a few black ducks at one of their usual spots in the tidal creek at the marsh this morning, along with a yellowlegs (probably a greater, difficult to tell from a distance) - and a double crested cormorant, which seemed to have engendered some interest from the group . . .
It has been very quiet at the marsh since the rain and wind of last weekend and into the beginning of the week. Ducks seem to be scarce, as are the song birds. No sign of the yellow garden spider or her web, but her egg sac remains. This group of ducks - four male mallards all spruced up in their breeding plumage, one female mallard and an American wigeon (left rear) - were feeding far out on the water yesterday morning and again today.
The rainy weather kept me from the marsh for a few days, although I did take part in a Scott Kelby Photo Walk in town on Saturday, October 1st. This is the fourth year for these photo walks that occur all over the world on the first weekend in October. We were fortunate to have one of only three that occurred in Nova Scotia. Our route began with the Farmers' Market, then along the boardwalk to Fort Anne and the Garrison Cemetery, and back down the main street to Ye Olde Towne Pub where participants met for lunch. You may recall that it was a rainy day, which made for some innovative picture taking, believe me. I bailed out after the Farmers' Market, but here is one of the shots I managed to get - and which I submitted to the Annapolis Royal Photo Walk group on Flickr.
