Except for nearly inaudible tapping sounds made by a Hairy Woodpecker almost beneath the Potter Marsh boardwalk I did not hear any bird out there today. Silent sleeping Mallards and Green-winged Teal and a soundless fly-by Black-billed Magpie were the only other birds seen from the boardwalk. I even amused myself by taking a picture of my shadow while I waited and listened and hoped for more birds.
Eventually I gave up and drove the highway along the marsh. I had been wondering if I had missed the fall swan migration while I was out on the islands, so I was delighted to find that there were 14 adult and 2 immature Trumpeter Swans toward the south end of the marsh floating silently, preening and eating.
