19, 20, 21 January

19 January

 eBird data: https://ebird.org/checklist/S101051121

weather:  9 am 5C wind S2, 12:30 m 8C wind SE 11  increasing cloud

tide:  11 am 4.0m falling

20 January

no data available, clearing weather, dry

21 January

eBird data: https://ebird.org/checklist/S101155670

weather:  9 am 3C wind WNW 2m, 1pm 7C wind NE6, cloudy then clearing to partly cloudy

tide:  11 am 4.1m falling

Three days of variable birding.  

19 January:  mild weather, and a harbinger of spring:


Catkins are showing green.  

The Arrowstone massif seems to be showing a bit of a thaw, although apart from the catkins, the Estuary remains wintry.


Offshore, the tide is high, although not as high as it's been, and the duck population is fairly busy.  The scaups remain, as do the gadwalls.

There was a nice little song sparrow in the bushes on my way home.



20 January

For some reason, I slept in this morning and decided it was a day for a trip north in search of swans and oysters.  

I did better with the oysters, which were even more delicious than usual.

The swans, not so much.  They were there, in the fields of the Comox Valley, but, alas, the only spot where there was a clear view of maybe twenty of them, was along a very busy and narrow stretch of country road.  No way I could stop for photos.  Darn...they are splendid birds.

That said, I had a bit of luck at Deep Bay.  There was a flock of long-tailed ducks, some developing the distinctive long tail of breeding plumage, near the shore.  

I managed some reasonably good photos--better than any of my previous long-tailed duck efforts.




21 January

A chilly day, but clearing.  The tide was much like that on the 19th, as was the duck population.  

I've been less than satisfied with the quality of bird photos lately, but today I think I managed some nice shots.

Starting with a female bufflehead who, for whatever reason, was swimming rapidly along a channel near the path to the trailhead.


She looked quite enthusiastic, whatever was calling to her.  

The Bewick's wrens are out in good numbers, now, and were quite cooperative for photos.


They often look pensive.  This one certainly did.

There was a very cooperative downy woodpecker, who stayed quite still as I circled his tree in search of a nice clear shot.


...and there were several purple finches, all very bright.


I suspect that the somewhat brighter light contributed to clearer photos.  I don't think I was doing anything different from what I've been trying lately.  


It was, in any case, a satisfying morning.  The forecast is for dry, clear days through next Wednesday.  Fingers crossed.


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