9, 10, 11 February

9 February 

eBird data: https://ebird.org/checklist/S102343583

weather:  9 am 6C wind E5,  1 pm 8C wind E5, cloudy

tide:  11 am 4.2m , peak, falling

10 February

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S102393271

weather:  8:30 am 5C wind SW 5, 1 pm 8C wind NNE 4, initially cloudy, then clearing

tide:  10:30 am 4.1m, peak, then falling

11 February

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S102446953

weather:  8:30 am 6C wind NW 5,  12:30 pm 7C wind WNW 11 Clearing

tide:  10:30 am 4.1m, peak


Three relatively birdy days.  

9 February (mostly)

Wednesday threatened rain, but remained dry.  Somehow these threatening days are often interestingly birdy, but it was VERY dark and ominous.




Despite the gloom, there was an Anna's hummingbird irridescing nicely.



I seem to remember that at about this time of year last year, there was a great blue heron hunting in a small channel in the field by the observation deck, and strange to relate, there he's been the past two days.  He's catching and eating something but I've not managed to see what he's getting.


On Wednesday, there was a peregrine falcon in a tree behind the duck-counting bench.  A bit distant for a good photo, but here he is.


It's what could be called a "photo of record"--definitely a peregrine, but not a good photo.  Still, I'd not seen one for a couple of months, and he sat while I drank my coffee and counted ducks.  I'm told they're not even uncommon or threatened any more, which is great, but they still aren't all that frequent visitors here. 

10 February

The forecast was for "partly cloudy," but the morning began just as dark and ominous as yesterday.  After about an hour, however, it showed signs of clearing and by the end of my walk it was brilliantly sunny.  Most welcome.


It was beginning to clear by the Mills Road trailhead.

The song sparrows seemed pleased by the change in the weather, and sang happily.


Note, please, that there is an emerging leaf bud to the right of the bird.  Blackberries seem to be among the first to leaf out, here.

There was a little flock of bushtits along the path, as well.





The Audubon website discusses the terms colloquially used for little, round, fluffy birds.  These seem to be "borbs," used for round birds, although this little character could also be a "floof," used for very fluffy birds.  Things you learn...

There are a lot of flickers in the Estuary just now.  At a guess, they're starting to breed.  This one has also been doing a flicker thing and digging in the earth, judging by his grubby beak.



It was a good morning's walk.  Tomorrow is forecast to be dry and clear.  Here's luck.

11 February

A morning that started out very dark, but cleared eventually with weather moving in from the northwest.


Strange to related, the heron was still at the puddle, fishing.  It appeared that he was capturing and eating small fish, likely sticklebacks that had been stranded in a recent high tide.

Today's tide was moderately high, and the ducks continue in good numbers.  I chatted briefly with the very knowledgeable and nice ornithologist from Nature Trust, BC, who agrees with me that the flock of greater scaups is a new presence.


The past few days have seen the arrival of Steller's jays--very vocal, and inquisitive.


The hummingbirds have been present throughout the winter, so this photo isn't really of anything new, but I like the composition--the way the beak and the rose thorn line up.  For whatever it's worth.  And I think the tiny feet are kind of cute.


Tomorrow promises to be sunny but chilly.  A new blog.




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