20 -22 May

20 May

 eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S88596180

Weather:  7 am 9C wind W7


21 May

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S88664350

Weather:  7 am 8C wind calm

22 May

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S88743945

Weather:  7 am 9C wind SSE 2


Three mornings--two relatively short walks, and one mid-range.

It's really starting to look like summer mornings at their most glorious.  Lush vegetation, tall grasses, wonderful floral scents.


Wild roses, and thimbleberries.  (And, alas, broom, which does have a fine spicy scent.)


Thimbleberries haven't got much flavour, and they're really seedy, but I'm told they're a good source of vitamin C, and the blossoms are quite lovely, I think.



Broom and wild roses do seem to complement one another.

There are multitudes of cottontail bunnies--this one is about half grown, and posed nicely for a "cute animal" photo.


The highlight of the past two mornings has been the arrival of blackheaded grosbeaks (possibly three).  Spectacular vocalists, who Roger Tory Peterson described as "resembling a robin's song, but more fluent and mellow."  The ones I've been hearing are pretty loud for mellow, but definitely fluent.  

So far no really good photo, but here's a start:

They seem to like to sit somewhere prominent and hold forth at great length.

Today I made my way to the path beside the great horned owl's nest, wondering how the hoolets had grown.  Apparently they've fledged and are out seeking adventures--I didn't see any, but I'll continue to check.  The woods are transfigured since I last visited them--



--Such lush vegetation and so very green, especially, I'd guess early in the morning.  There are now lots of warblers--I've seen yellow, both kinds of yellow-rumped, and orange crowned, but they're VERY flighty and so far I've not managed much in the way of photos.  

There is a tree that I can't identify--obviously a foreigner but pretty in a yard on the path back to my home--from the abundant purple blooms I'd thought jacaranda, but the leaves are wrong.  Today a female hairy woodpecker was working at it.


I'd be grateful for any suggestions from readers as to the tree's identity.  

The band-tailed pigeons seem to have settled in here.  I'd thought they were relatively uncommon, and I've had a pair of birders ask me whether I'd seen them (I had), but they seem to be resident.  I think they're a rather odd-looking bird...


...and these two make a strange duo.  

So here I am, back at the Estuary, and as delighted by it as ever.  I hope to extend my walks gradually, but even a short time here is time well spent.  Tomorrow is my domestic day, house cleaning and planting veggie seedling in boxes on my deck.  

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