12, 13 March and a PS


12 March

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S83258553

Weather:  8am 4C wind calm  12m 8C wind N6

Tide:  10 am 3m, falling

13 March

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S83334508

Weather:  8am 4C wind S3, 12m 12C wind ENE 8

Tide:  10 am 3.l m, turning upward


12 March

What an amazing morning!  It looked soooo ominous but never did rain.  I'm not complaining.  And it was quite birdy.  



To tell the truth, there aren't that many new species showing up yet, although as the season changes, the birdsong starts to change.  There are brant and scoter but they're well offshore and I can't really manage photos.  As the brant migration increases I expect more brant shots.  

That said, it appears that the ducks are returning to the merganser pond.  (As yet, no mergansers.)


And the place is simply teeming with robins.



Making my way along the river, the eagles were keeping their eagle-eyes on the nest.


And!  the first salmonberry blossom!


I've been watching as the salmonberry vines leafed out, but now they'll bloom.  A true marker of spring, in my book.

Moreover, outside my home:


...the daffs are coming into bloom!  Glory!!!

13 March

(I'm writing this on the 14th and will add a little post-scriptum re today.)  Meanwhile...

Yesterday was much more springlike than the 12th.  It warmed up substantially by the time I ended my walk.  (California readers--I apologise; 12C is hardly what you'd consider warm, but it seems balmy these days.)  And it looked springlike...trees are showing leaf buds and catkins, and the light just looked warmer.


The hummingbirds are iridescing like crazy:


(My spellcheck doesn't like rendering iridescent a verb.  Tough beans.)

Someone is becoming whimsical along the snake fence:



They are kinda cute, I think.

Yesterday, the herring spawn was warming up.  You could smell herring from the shore (they smell of cucumber, strange to tell), and the trawlers were busy.



The water is cloudy with herring milt, and, although it's not evident in this photo, the gulls are quite busy.  So are the sea lions. I'm hearing them every night, partying it up.  They're noisy creatures.

Post Scriptum 14 March

I had thought to drive up-island to see what was happening with the herring fishery and check out the bird life at Deep Bay.  After the manner of March, however, the weather went very pear-shaped today.  By noon it had rained torrents, snowed a bit, and a really strong wind had arisen.  It wasn't really a day to go out and take photos.  

I spent quite a bit of time corralling garbage cans that had blown all over the park.  They're now secure in my garden shed.

Anyhow, I drove up-island a bit, and got this photo from the shore at Qualicum Beach.


The shore is showing the aquamarine of herring spawn.  The rainbow is a bonus.






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