26 February

 eBird Data: https://ebird.org/checklist/S82387866

Weather:  8 am 4C wind WNW 11, 1pm 9C wind NW 24, gusts 35

Tide:  11 am 3.2 m, turning

Another fine day.  A strong wind out of the north, clearing the air to alpine quality.  

 


My knee behaving much better.

The wind keeps the little birds down in the shrubbery much of the time, so less to see and report than yesterday, particularly early in the morning.

Eagles, however, seem to ride the wind with aplomb.  I’d always felt they were somewhat over-rated.  (Me and Benjamin Franklin, I guess, but as I spend more time around them, they start to—um—grow on me?  They are quite magnificent in their way.)



I’m told the BC Ferry service shut down this morning due to the wind. I’d heard the surf in the night, louder than I can recall, and when I reached the shore, the Straits were decidedly “gnarly,” to use a term that one of my fellow Estuary walkers uses for wild weather.





My coffee and duck-counting bench was sheltered from the wind, and therefore quite nice and warm.  I found it hard to pull myself away, and wondered how my knee would deal with the added distance.  (It did just fine!  Joy.)

But I HAD to check the eagle nests.  And sure enough, although I haven’t managed any good photos—there were two eagles at the upstream nest, one on the nest, one roosting nearby, presumably keeping an eye on things.  Two walkers came by with the inevitable, “Anything interesting?” To which  I could reply, “One of the eagles just flew, but the other is still on the nest.”  And then I had to show them where the nest is—not a concern, it’s across the river and then maybe another 100 yards away.  I don’t think the eagles are going to be too bothered by us studying them...



And that is pretty much my walk, today.  

The forecast is for eventual cloudiness tomorrow afternoon, but I should manage another walk tomorrow.  






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