Close One

While out birding the other day we hit the marsh on Sara Lib Road. The road has had a lot of work done on it and is now covered with a thick layer of crushed stone. However, the surface still felt kind of questionable....we suggested to the boss that he stay well away from the edges where possible.

Standing right next to those three little maples. Keep a close eye on the middle one

Anyhow, I got out of the car to get some photos of the austere beauty of a late-autumn swamp. I stood next to a few Red Maples in various states of decrepitude while I took those photos.

Then I turned to walk to the car......just as I reached the right rear fender      CRACK    a tree broke.

I didn't take time to look, just ducked up against the car, prepared to crawl under if need be.

The middle tree about three seconds after I moved away 

However, thankfully the wind had pushed the tree the other way and it fell into the water.

Whew!

Vesper Sparrow

It wasn't terribly birdy on that road until we got almost to the end. There we found a Hermit Thrush, not the first of the year by any means, but the first I could photograph. 

Other notables for the day were Black Vultures, a Bufflehead, and lifers for me, some Vesper Sparrows. 

Hermit Thrush

Bufflehead