“Calm before a storm” is a cliché, but it’s also often a true one. Whether it’s the day before a big snowstorm or the hours before a bad thunderstorm or the day before Hurricane Irene arrives, the calm has arrived in my area. For Roundtop Mtn., the forecast about what to expect from this storm has changed about three times a day since Tuesday.

I don’t know what will actually happen here, though some rain and a breezy or even gusty Sunday is likely. If the storm isn’t too bad here, I will likely go looking for “hurricane birds.” When a hurricane rides up the coast the way Irene is doing right now, it’s pretty common for birds who normally are never far from the ocean to come inland to shelter from the storm. For some reason, Caspian terns seem to be the species I see most commonly during these episodes, though I never know what else can or will turn up. Since I don’t often get to go to the ocean, having a few of the ocean or coastal birds come to me is a treat.

For now, the storm isn’t close enough to see even the highest or thinnest cirrus clouds. The morning was as clear as you could want, if a tad misty down along the creek. Tonight I will do what I always do before the calm turns into the storm. I’ll check the cabin an extra time, make sure I have a few extra supplies and then settle down to wait out the storm, just like those hurricane birds.