30, 31 Oct

30 October 

eBird data: https://ebird.org/checklist/S96893494

weather:  8 am 2C wind WSW 5, 12:00 m 7C wind NNW9, clear

tide:  10:30 2.8 m, rising

31 October

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S96950664

9 am 0C,  wind WSW2, 1pm 8C, wind NE7, clear

tide:  10:30 2.4m

After being pinned down by nasty weather for most of the week, the past three days have been spectacular, both in their beauty and in their birding.  

30 October,

It's becoming chilly.  Somehow I didn't manage much in the way of good photos today, despite some very nice sightings.  There were five raptor species--Cooper's hawk, merlin, northern harrier, kestrel and bald eagles.  The kestrel, chased by a crow (maybe three times its size), flew and vocalised something that really did sound like the kestrel version of "nyah nyah nyah nyah boo-boos," and then dove into a dense fir tree.  The crow gave up.

The hooded mergansers were on their pond.  I'm not sure what they're discussing, here.  Madam looks as though she's coaxing her partner.


The eagle construction project continued, with one of the eagles roosting on the nest.


31 October

An amazing morning:   brilliant sun, a hard frost, and some uncommon species.  

The frost painted the fields and bushes.  



Even the pond showed a skin of ice, unusual for this season.   



This great blue heron was keeping watch at the far end of the pond.  I couldn't see what he was hunting, although I stood observing for about fifteen minutes.

The snowpack on Arrowsmith and to the north along the Island looks to be building.


 The tide was quite low when I arrived at the shore, and the Gulf Islands were shrouded in mist.


The duck population was quite distant, but very audible--a chorus of quacks from the mallards, squeaks from the widgeons, and honks from the Canada geese.  

The salmon run must be underway--there was at least one spawned out salmon along the bank of the river, with four herring gulls, not common here,  fighting over it.


The eagle construction project was very busy this morning, with the pair of eagles working diligently.  I think the nest had grown since yesterday.





The eagle population is increasing here--likely drawn by the salmon run, although eagles don't hesitate to take a duck now and then.

I'm not sure what this youngster had in his talons, but he seemed pleased with it.  I suspect it's a fragment of duck...


The kestrel was still present, although I guess the crow had given up.  They're beautiful little birds, but too distant for a good photo.  Another day, perhaps.

Heading home, a truly remarkable sight:



a northern shrike, surveying a neighbour's garden.  He sat for some time and then was dive-bombed by an Anna's hummingbird--maybe a quarter of the shrike's size, but speedy and aggressive.  The shrike left, in some haste.

And now it looks as though the weather is going to go back to rain and wind.  Ick.  Still, three good days.





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