3 February

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S80377948

Weather:  8am 4C wind W4,  1pm 7C wind N8, mostly sunny, scattered clouds increasing as morning passed

Tide:  10:30 4.7m, falling

A glorious morning.  The fields even more flooded than yesterday, although the paths were paths rather than torrents.


Abundant mallards and geese, a few wigeons.

It starts to (just) point towards spring.  Even the wild rose bushes are showing growth buds.

   The fields are full of rosebushes.  They look unimpressive at this season, but I can only imagine what we will see and scent when they come into bloom.


I don't understand how the flooding in the fields arranges itself.  It seems to look different regardless of the tide or weather.  Today it was very widespread.


The light on the Arrowsmith massif was very striking.  It's always a source of wonder to me how mountain appearances can change from one day to another.




Although it was past peak tide, the Straits seemed to be at the fullest I've seen them.



After my coffee break, I headed back along the river.  It was full to its banks, and looked very muddy.  I checked the nests for eagles, but they must have been elsewhere this morning.  

There were many songbirds.  This golden-crowned sparrow was very obliging for a photo.


He looks pensive, I think.  Funny how these little critters can have such expressive features.  Or maybe I just read too much into them, dunno.

Rain forecast for tomorrow.  A day to catch up on domestic stuff and maybe sort out my income tax...The weekend looks promising. 

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