A quick tour of Salem and environs

Great Egret and Black Ducks, Old Creek Salt Marsh, Salem, MA

Egrets, both Great and Snowy, right on Salem State campus today (in the Old Creek Salt Marsh between Central Campus and the baseball field).

Great Egret, Old Creek Salt Marsh, Salem, MA

Aigrettes on display.

Red-Breasted Merganser, Salem Harbor, Salem, MA

Meanwhile, out in Salem Harbor, a large flock of diving mergansers and

Surf Scoters, Salem Harbor, Salem, MA

Surf Scoters--so nice to see them relatively close up.

Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Marblehead, MA

Meanwhile out at Marblehead Neck, things are coming alive.

Hermit Thrush, Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Marblehead, MA

This time of year is mostly about Hermit Thrush and (singing) Golden-crowned Kinglets.

Swamp Sparrow, Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Marblehead, MA

But I was happy to see my FOY Swamp Sparrow, sub-singing a melody quite advanced with respect to the typical swampy trill.

Black-crowned Night Heron, Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Marblehead, MA

The birds garnering the most general interest were night herons, perched in trees near the main pond.

Black-crowned Night Heron, Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Marblehead, MA

There were two obscured in the tamarack.

And one more out in the open, unwillingly posing for photos. (Dig the cheeks on this one).