26 November

 eBird data: https://ebird.org/checklist/S98102702k

weather:  8:30 am 4C wind WSE 2,  12:30 m 8C wind NNW 8 Initially clear, then clouding over.

tide:  10:30 4.5m


After a couple of rainy days, a semi-clear morning.  


To my considerable delight, the path to the Merganser Pond was passable.  I found a song sparrow wading in the remaining water, but it was only up to his knees (I guess those were his knees) 


so I knew I could make my way in my gumboots without misadventure.

And indeed, the mergansers were on the pond.

There was a very high tide, and many ducks.



There were two ornithologists (real ones!) from the Nature Trust doing a count when I reached the duck counting benches.  One was a young man with whom I've often crossed paths, and who is a mine of real information, without being patronising or snooty at all.  He obviously loves his work and enjoys sharing it.  I've learned a lot from him.  

The other one, his boss, I think, spent almost all the time in long, complex phone conversations.  This was unfortunate because I wanted to take him to task about the fallen willows, which still impede the path into the Estuary.  Not a chance.  Alas.  

Curtis, the younger, friendlier one, told me they'd lost a good 30 metres of path on the east side of the river, which had been washed away.  There's already quite a bit gone on the west side as well, and there's more rain and snowmelt forecast, so the paths are at risk.

They've barricaded parts of the paths.


The river is very high and very muddy.



Time will tell what the coming week will bring.


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