Day 21: Earth Day and Aliens

We had a bonanza planned for Earth Day. Around 100 volunteers were to show up. There'd be an platoon of rake-wielding waders battling the debris, there'd be overflowing dumpsters, there'd be a glorious erecting of the osprey platform a la flag over Iwo Jima. There'd be press. But by Thursday the forecast promised 100% chance of precipitation. Everyone rescheduled for next week. Except ten of us.

The rain was the extra-wet variety. It made my Gore-tex jacket feel like a Brawny towel. But the people worked through the storm without speaking, without stopping, and without complaining.

Everyone seemed to have their own curious mode of keeping dry...

Don Riepe wrangled a dumpster which we filled in little more than an hour.

No less than two minutes after we'd finished the rain stopped falling. So we took the opportunity to scout our osprey platform site. Here it is.

Afterward, Steve Finn of the US Fish and Wildlife Service took me on a little invasive species tour of the marsh. He reeled off so many aliens I couldn't keep up. I think we'll have to take an inventory sometime in the near future. For now, here's a serene portrait of an English garden snail (Europe) climbing a cherry tree (Asia).

Weather permitting, Earth Day II will be celebrated next week at the marsh.

Thanks again to Lisa, Lorraine, Francois, Steve, Brian, Miguel, Miguel's niece, Tony and Don for braving the downpour.

High of 61, average wind SW @ 18 MPH, 6.0 high tide @ 07:40 AM. Moon @ 97%.

Water level recorded at 8 inch mark.

Birds seen in marsh: mallard, robin, starling, crow, greater yellowlegs

Birds seen in bay: black brant, red breasted merganser, gannet

Birds seen on tip: kestrel, piping plover, flicker