Our Magnificent Marsh

I drive through the Great Meadows Marsh everyday. To and from work, to and from just about everything! Lordship, my home, occupies a peninsula with only 2 roads in and out. One passes through the most beautiful stretch of marshland, the other circles around the small airport that separates our section of town from the "mainland". Wildlife abounds in the marsh but it is dangerous to stop and photograph this beauty on the long, thin two lane winding road.

 I was able to pull over in one safe section and capture the Great Egret! They are such an elegant bird and I look forward to seeing them every year. Thanks to my Peterson Field Guide, I was able to distinguish the Great Egret from the smaller Snowy Egret...bills are a different color! Size is a hard to compare unless they are standing near each other. Aren't they fabulous?

From the Town of Stratford web site....The Great Meadows is an extensive tidal marsh ecosystem behind and protected by Long Beach.  Though it once occupied a much larger area, the Great Meadows still provides critical habitat for a diversity of fish and wildlife species.  Approximately 270 species of birds can be seen at different times of the year.  The area was once described by Roger Tory Peterson as one of the best coastal bird habitats in the United States.

A Long Walk on Sunday

Today was overcast with a slight chill in the air...at least when I began my hour and a half walk! There was some stormy weather in the last couple of days and I couldn't wait to get out there and search the beach. Sand was shifted, tides had been quite high and it was a perfect opportunity to really release myself for a spell. The "catch" was OK.....and I spent some time trying to decide which shell family upon which to focus my attention this summer.

The disk shaped shells that look almost like earrings are the backside of the Jingle Shells. Cousin Kate found these interesting and I agree...but I think I will leave these for her shell walks this summer. My Wampum finds were great along with a few nice pieces of aqua and small blues.

Not sure if you can spot the Ferry here....but it is always a bright spot on the horizon, traveling from Bridgeport to Port Jefferson and back daily. I will catch it again and get a better shot!

Here....now you can see it returning, I guess I spent more time out on the beach than I realized!

The Great Salt Meadow Marsh. Beautiful, peaceful and so important to the health of Long Island Sound. This is a path down from the beach to the shoreline of the marsh. The flora and fauna that thrive here are spectacular!