26, 27 March

26 March 

eBird data: https://ebird.org/checklist/S84137944

Weather:  8 am 2C wind W6, 12m 10C wind  NW 10 mostly clear, patchy frost

Tide:  10 am 3.1m, falling

27 March

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S84211477

Weather:  8am 2C wind SSE 2, 12m 8C wind ESE 13.  Cloudy

Tide:  10:30 am 2.8m low, falling


Two similar days.  Clearer yesterday, but both days windy and chill.  Bird populations a bit on the low side, especially the offshore ducks and gulls, possibly because of the low tides.



There are big flocks of robins and flickers just now.  In the morning light, the robins are very showy.



Yesterday's news was the fall of the big Douglas fir that has hung over the river since the winter's high water.  I'm not sure when it fell, but it took down a cedar with it, and there was a strong smell of cedar when I came on it.  Perhaps it had been a recent fall.


It will require a re-routing of the riverside path.


There is now a bridge across the river, for those daring enough to try the crossing.

This morning the songbirds along the pathway into the Estuary were quite active, and there was a beautiful red-winged blackbird, in full voice.


There is something about the song of red-winged blackbirds that just says "Springtime," to me.  

It was one of those skies that seem especially splendid around the coast here.  It was partial cloud that highlighted Arrowsmith.




The eagles are on their nests--when I looked up incubation periods for bald eagles it's something like 35 days, with the female doing most of the brooding, although the male helps out.  I met a mother and daughter today who told me that the downstream nest has been occupied for about thirty years!  (I checked my Cornell Birds of the World website and yes, this does happen.)  It's a pretty big nest, and both birds seem to keep close by.  This may be the case because there are a lot of ravens around that area and they will destroy eggs and kill chicks.  Anyhow, the igs have their work cut out for them.


There is an increasing amount of bloom throughout the woods...  


wild plum...

...currant...


...and the first trillium I've seen this year.

Rain forecast for tomorrow, so a good day for housecleaning etc.




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