6, 7, 9 May

6 May

 eBird data: https://ebird.org/checklist/S109136107

weather:  8:30 am 8C wind W9,  1:00pm 10C wind NNW 11,  partly cloudy

tide:  10:30 am 3.3m, falling

7 May

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S109239062

weather:  8 am 8C  wind WNW 11, 12:00 m 11C wind ENE 8 cloudy

tide:  10:30 3.4m, falling

9 May

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S109484113

Weather:  8:30 am, 8C, wind  calm,  1:00 pm 13 C, wind NE 8,  sunny, then clouding over

Tide:  10:30 am 3.2m, falling

6, 7 May

Two dry days.  Friday was abundantly birdy--the woods were full of warblers--orange-crowned, myrtle and audubon's, and my favourite--Wilson's.  Unfortunately, after the manner of warblers, they were very flighty and the woods were dark.  No doubt before the warbler season ends, I'll manage some photos, but nothing to offer just yet.

The resident deer population has presented a worrisome mystery:


I don't know what is going on with this young deer, whose hair seems to have gone shaggy and white--can it be mange?  I didn't know deer got that.  Anybody who can explain this, I'd be grateful.  She looks lively enough, but this can't be healthy.

In addition, it seems that the restriction in our mobile home park on dogs bigger than 45 pounds is being ignored and two mornings I've seen two dogs--known to me--one a poodle-collie mix, one a great dane, chasing the deer in the fields.  A dilemma, as this is a wildlife refuge.  I think I'll need to comment to their owners, but I'm fully expecting a hostile response.  And since my camper is also in violation of park regulations, this could turn into something quite stupid.  

Meanwhile, the spring is very beautiful.  The light these past mornings has been quite wonderful.



The windfall in the forest path has increased, after the manner of windfalls.  I'm glad to have missed the event.


It looks as though I missed most of the wildflower blooms during my time away, although the bleeding hearts are still -- um--bleeding?


9 May

A gloriously sunny morning, gradually clouding over.  The forecast was for rain by noon, but it didn't materialise until mid-afternoon.  

I'm now in violation of the "path closed" sign at the beginning of the path from Nerbus Lane to the Miller Road trailhead.  I'd guess that it will become so overgrown as to be impassible before long, but meanwhile, the birding along that stretch is so good that I simply can't resist it.  

The deer were posing nicely in the fields this morning, undisturbed by dogs at least while I watched them.

I googled "mange" and "deer" and decided that whatever is going on with this creature is not likely to be mange.  She's definitely not losing hair.  But something isn't as it should be with her.  

The song sparrows are in good voice, and looking lovely in the new greenery.


Siskins, which haven't been much in evidence, showed up this morning.

I've developed a route that takes me through more of the forested area.  It was low on warblers today.  There were a pair of nice pacific slope flycatchers, but they didn't cooperate with photos.  Oh well.

Still, the forest is very lovely in its new foliage and in sunshine.



As I drank my coffee, I watched a great blue heron fishing in the channel that runs between the river and the Salish Sea--the place where the Simon Fraser team told me there were lots of salmon fry.  The heron seemed to agree.



The fry are still quite tiny, but evidently worth the bother for the GBH.

For some reason, although there are many eagles in the area just now, I'm not seeing anyone on the nest.  I shall continue to monitor.

The river is quite high, between the recent rain fall and snowmelt.


As noted, it did rain this afternoon.  It was one of those rather curious spring rains, that was juxtaposed with sunny patches.  There was a splendid rainbow, arching over the Estuary.  Who needs a pot of gold, when there are such riches here?







Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

8-10 August

Image
  I find myself wondering if I'm becoming a party poop in my old age.  My home, across from a community park, near the sea and an estuary, is a delightful place to live--most of the time.  August is the exception.  It's not the climate, although we do get a few toasty days, but the annual Beachfest, which attracts hordes of visitors.  The nadir of the event is the Rock the Park weekend, when there's incessant VERY LOUD pop music.  In previous years, I've found it hard to escape and  tiresome.   This year, I decided to spend the weekend at Cluxewe, my favourite campground, up-Island by Port McNeill.  It was a good choice. I left early Friday morning, driving north by the Oceanside Route--there's a faster inland highway, but the slower route is pleasant and has good spots to stop, eat lunch, enjoy the view.  It's consistent with a decision to seek quiet.   I knew Cluxewe would be busy, but it's set up in such a way that it h...
Read more

6 July

Image
  Summer has definitely arrived in the Hamilton Forest and Wetlands.   The distinctively warm light on the vegetation signals the change. The huckleberries are ripening, and are more abundant than I've seen in past years. The very durable foamflower continues to bloom. Although described as common, ghost pipe hasn't been evident in the Forest for the past three years.  This year there is an abundant patch of it near the path. Pojar and MacKinnon file ghostpipes under their heading, "Oddballs," and indeed they are.  As the photos show, the plant has no chlorophyll, gaining its nourishment from mycelium beneath the ground.  It typically appears in a spell of warm weather after a rain--not so in this case--it's been warm and dry.  They seem to be abundant this year; reports and photos are appearing throughout the region. This big trillium is fruiting, its flowering completed.   Two other, smaller, younger, trilliums are visible in the photo abov...
Read more

Two days up-Island

Image
  A somewhat fleeting trip up-Island to explore Alert Bay and attend the T'sasala Cultural Group's final public performance of the season.  There was a lot to see in that brief time. We made our way up, first along the Island Highway, then shifted to the Inland Island Highway to avoid the traffic of Courtenay and Campbell River.  Past Campbell River the highway narrows, and there are many signs warning drivers of elk and other wildlife on the highway.  We didn't see any elk, and the highway was, for the most part, sparsely travelled.  It appeared as though the tourist season is waning. I had misread the ferry schedule from Port McNeill to Alert Bay, but as is often the case, the ferry itself was running late.   We were able to spend time at the dock, where we admired the view across Broughton Strait of Mount Waddington and the Coast Range. We were also impressed by the drinking fountain along the quay, which accommodates both humans and dogs. Arriving ...
Read more