23, 24, 25 June

 23 June:  

eBird data: https://ebird.org/checklist/S113644265

weather:  6:30 am 11.4C 10:00 am 14C, clear

tide:  9 am 1.4m, at ebb, turning

24 June

eBird data: https://ebird.org/checklist/S113685675

weather:  7:30 am 14C wind WNW 7, 12m 19C, wind NNW 11, clear

tide:  10 am 1.4m, turning 

25 June

eBird data: https://ebird.org/checklist/S113761064

weather:  7:30 am 15C wind NW 14, 12:00m 19C wind NNW 11, clear to partly cloudy

tide:  9:30 am 1.2m, falling

Three days of fine weather and some nice birdy encounters.

23 June

Out with Curtis for an early bird count.  Somehow although he always invites all of the Arrowsmith Naturalists, they seem to find 6:30 am way too early.  This is somewhat odd, as my experience is that birders will often take themselves out very early of summer mornings, more often 5:30 than 6:30.  And I have to say that the Estuary is very lovely of a summer morning.



..It does leave me inclined to nap when I return home.  Why not?

I don't bring my camera on these outings.  It's just too unwieldy for the amount of wandering in fields and boggy bits.  It was unfortunate this morning--there was a doe and two really new fawns, just incredibly cute, and many newly fledged birds.  

I do think it's benefitting my ear-birding.

24 June

Today was definitely a day for "ear-birding."  I took the first path into the woods in hopes of finding the great horned owls.  I didn't see them but listened to a good twenty minute exchange between one owl and what turned out to be three ravens.  The ravens started it, with an assortment of raucous shrieks, croaks, and rattles.  The owl responded calmly with it's usual "hoo hoo hoo-hoo hoo."  More abusive language from the ravens, on and on.  I recorded it but I've yet to figure out how to transfer recordings to this blog.  Most frustrating. 

I never did see the owl(s?) but as I left the woods, three ravens flew out, still croaking at one another.  I'd take it as saying, "I guess we told that owl!"  

Then it got even noisier as six eagles flew in and began telling off the ravens.  Here's a pair of them--plainly male and female.  Female had heftier beak.


She does most of the construction work on nests.

The snowpack on the Massif is starting to melt, and the river is rising.




I don't remember ever seeing the river so clear.  

25 June

Another glorious morning, birdy and with an abundance of young critters.

There was a young buck--didn't get a photo, but he promises to be a splendid creature.

And then there's this little character--a very young bunny, feeding on the grass out at the point.  Not timid at all.  Hope he makes it to adulthood.


Again, a very low tide.



It's hard to see the birds at the distant shore, but there are still noisy Caspian terns.

Chipping sparrows are cute, and abundant.


I often hear Swainson's thrushes in the woods, but don't often see them.  This one was somewhat obliging.


It appears to be in process of some late nest-building.

...Off to camp up-Island for a few days as I have my home re-plumbed, and will have no water.  I'll stop at Kin Beach again and try for some young eagle shots.




 

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