Easter Sunday 4 April

 eBird data https://ebird.org/checklist/S84783099

Weather:  8 am 4C wind WNW 10, 12m 7C wind NNW 15 gust 28, clearing to brilliant sunshine

Tide:  10:30 3.9m turning to fall

Easter morning and sure enough there were three cottontails along the path ("Hopping down the Bunny Trail"?) ... possibly just finishing the morning's egg delivery?


The light was simply brilliant, and illumined the path ahead and the fields.





I watched a pair of male intergrade flickers debating territorial rights.


Interesting, because there seems to have been a lot of discussion of "intergrade" on the BC Bird discussion list lately, and sure enough, here they were.  These guys seem to have been quite civil about their disagreement.



Although the surf seemed quite loud last night, it was merely choppy today.


The shore was busy with ducks, particularly widgeons, but six gadwall--never seen so many, and eight green-winged teal, also somewhat remarkable.

Both eagle nests were occupied.  I find myself wondering whether I'll be able to monitor and photograph as the trees leaf out.  This eagle seemed to be engaged in re-arranging her nest, making me wonder whether hatching was imminent.  I'll monitor the situation.


Again, the controversial flicker nest seems to be developing.


Mr. Flicker was deeply into his drilling when Madame joined him.  You can't hear it, but she was talking to him.


She moved on, to a tree maybe three metres distant.



Mr. Flicker watched and then went back to his construction project.  

Again, something that will become harder to track as the trees leaf out, but worth monitoring.

A purple finch was quite showy on the walk home.



Finally, I must admit that dinner (BC lamb shank, asparagus and Island grown potatoes) has to be the best meal I've cooked here since my arrival.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

8-10 August

Image
  I find myself wondering if I'm becoming a party poop in my old age.  My home, across from a community park, near the sea and an estuary, is a delightful place to live--most of the time.  August is the exception.  It's not the climate, although we do get a few toasty days, but the annual Beachfest, which attracts hordes of visitors.  The nadir of the event is the Rock the Park weekend, when there's incessant VERY LOUD pop music.  In previous years, I've found it hard to escape and  tiresome.   This year, I decided to spend the weekend at Cluxewe, my favourite campground, up-Island by Port McNeill.  It was a good choice. I left early Friday morning, driving north by the Oceanside Route--there's a faster inland highway, but the slower route is pleasant and has good spots to stop, eat lunch, enjoy the view.  It's consistent with a decision to seek quiet.   I knew Cluxewe would be busy, but it's set up in such a way that it h...
Read more

6 July

Image
  Summer has definitely arrived in the Hamilton Forest and Wetlands.   The distinctively warm light on the vegetation signals the change. The huckleberries are ripening, and are more abundant than I've seen in past years. The very durable foamflower continues to bloom. Although described as common, ghost pipe hasn't been evident in the Forest for the past three years.  This year there is an abundant patch of it near the path. Pojar and MacKinnon file ghostpipes under their heading, "Oddballs," and indeed they are.  As the photos show, the plant has no chlorophyll, gaining its nourishment from mycelium beneath the ground.  It typically appears in a spell of warm weather after a rain--not so in this case--it's been warm and dry.  They seem to be abundant this year; reports and photos are appearing throughout the region. This big trillium is fruiting, its flowering completed.   Two other, smaller, younger, trilliums are visible in the photo abov...
Read more

Two days up-Island

Image
  A somewhat fleeting trip up-Island to explore Alert Bay and attend the T'sasala Cultural Group's final public performance of the season.  There was a lot to see in that brief time. We made our way up, first along the Island Highway, then shifted to the Inland Island Highway to avoid the traffic of Courtenay and Campbell River.  Past Campbell River the highway narrows, and there are many signs warning drivers of elk and other wildlife on the highway.  We didn't see any elk, and the highway was, for the most part, sparsely travelled.  It appeared as though the tourist season is waning. I had misread the ferry schedule from Port McNeill to Alert Bay, but as is often the case, the ferry itself was running late.   We were able to spend time at the dock, where we admired the view across Broughton Strait of Mount Waddington and the Coast Range. We were also impressed by the drinking fountain along the quay, which accommodates both humans and dogs. Arriving ...
Read more