14 January

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S100736816

weather:  9 am 3C wind SSE 2,   2pm 8C, wind E5

tide:  12 m  4m


A remarkable morning which didn't yield many good photos.  I'd expected the paths and fields to be flooded still, from the atmospheric river that had come through on Wednesday, but only the path to the Meganser Pond was deeply submerged.  

Early on the walk, there were a pair of hummingbirds who were acting a great deal like spring.  The male displayed his irridescent red head, and the female watched with an interested attitude that I'd translate as "Ooo. This is one hottie hummer!"  And then they flew off together.  Kinda cute, but spaced so widely I couldn't get photos.

Made my way through the barriers of fallen willow trunks, and flooded marsh and slippery log bridge, to find a young couple of birders staring intently into the shrubbery at the Mills Road trailhead.  The young man pointed and said quietly, "redpolls."  Sure enough.  I've been hearing they were around but not managed to spot them. There were three.  I managed one not good photo.  The red on top of his head is just barely visible if the picture is enlarged.  


Two more birders appeared, nice folks, not as patronising as some.  We'd hoped to see a pine grosbeak that had been reported recently but no such luck.

I'd seen redpolls before, once, in the Yukon, but they're uncommon hereabouts.  A treat.

Eventually I made my way to the road that runs along the river to the shore.  The river is indeed high, and swift.



 A high tide, not on par with last week's but high.  There weren't many ducks offshore.  I sat, drinking coffee and enjoying the view, then made my way to a point overlooking  the channel that runs along the RV resort.  Wow.  There was a flock of some thirty greater scaup.  


I've only seen them once before here, last spring.  

Cutting back through the forest, there was a very industrious female pileated woodpecker.  


I'm sure they've been here--they don't actually migrate, but it's some months since I've seen one.

The woods were full of evasive little pacific wrens.  One day I'll manage a photo but it was very dark today, and they're very evasive.

Making my way back, there were still birders watching the redpolls and looking unsuccessfully for the grosbeak.  I'm starting to get to know the local birders, some of whom are quite pleasant and knowledgeable.  Some of whom are quite pretentious and ignorant.   

Ah well.

What with visiting and photography, when I got home I realised it was 2:45 in the afternoon.  I was hungry!

A good morning.  

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