19, 22 March

19 March 

eBird data: https://ebird.org/checklist/S105164921

weather:  8:30 am 5C wind NW 5, 1:00 pm 8C wind NNW 8, cloudy, then clearing, wind variable to NW 19

tide:  11 am 3m, falling

22 March

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S105378839

weather:  8:30 am 8C wind SE 8, 12:30 m 9C wind E 14

tide:  10:30 am 4m, falling


An unusually fine morning.  Initially cloudy and threatening over the Gulf Islands, with some striking lighting effects.


There was an handsome great blue heron at the far end of the Merganser Pond.


I opted for the loop into the forest in hope of finding the great horned owls nesting, to no avail.  There was a black merlin who took flight before I could manage a photo.

I'd heard the surf on the Salish Sea during the night, and it persisted this morning.  Despite the Canada Weather Office, there was a chilly and strong wind.


The eagles on their nest pose me a question:  What am I seeing?


Both of them flew into their nest as I approached, then settled in.



The male looked to be watching as the female fed on something at the bottom of the nest.  







But in the above photo, the male appears to be looking on as the female is feeding young with a scrap of something. I hadn't thought that the eagles would have hatched yet, but this certainly looks as though they may have.  I'll monitor the situation.

In addition, curious to note, when I get to the point when I can watch the nest, three out of four times I've heard a great horned owl behind me.  I've had no luck finding the owl, but it's back there, possibly in a big cedar tree. 

Continuing along the river, there was a little group of common mergansers working on their suntans.



Still chilly, but there is beginning to be stuff happening.  

22 March

The flora in the Estuary are beginning to show signs of spring.  


I love to see the first salmon berry blooms, and here they are.

The bird songs are changing, and they, too are marking the advent of spring.

The weather, not so much.  It's still been rainy and windy.

There was a high tide today, and the duck population was close to shore.


Gradually, we'll see the change to spring.


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