7, 8, 10, 11 June

7 June

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S112396426

weather:  7:30 am 10C wind calm,  1:00pm 17C wind E 11, sunny

tide:  11 am  3.2m

8 June

eBird data: https://ebird.org/checklist/S112483752

weather:  6:30 am 13.8C,   10:30 am 18C partly cloudy

tide:  9 am 2.6m

10 June

eBird data: https://ebird.org/checklist/S112612569

weather:  8 am 15C wind ESE 3 12 m 18C wind E 12, partly cloudy

tide:  10:30 am 1.8m

11 June

eBird data: https://ebird.org/checklist/S112704792

weather:  7:30 am 13C wind S 6,  12:00m 16C wind ENE 6  initially partly cloudy, then occasional showers, 

tide:  10:30 am 1.2 m, ebb, turning


A week of changes.  After a week away, foliage has definitely turned more towards summer.  Birds who have been busily nesting are now out and about, gathering bugs for their offspring.  There is still nesting in progress--late, it seems, perhaps because of the late arrival of spring.

The wild roses are in full bloom and abundant throughout the Estuary. 




I wish there were some way to record the fragrance--it's quite wonderful.

There are now more flycatchers visible.


This willow flycatcher has been very cooperative for photos, and produces the classic "fitz-bew" call, making its identity unambiguous.  (Flycatchers are often easier to identify by their calls than by their appearances.)

The tides have been quite low, which has made viewing of offshore birds difficult.  There are Caspian terns offshore, not possible to photograph, but unmistakable by their vocalising.


8 June

I went out on another bird count with the phenomenal ear-birder, Curtis.  (He's also good at spotting birds.)  Again, the Estuary was splendid at the early hour.  Once again, rain was forecast for later in the morning, and the early rain produced a rainbow.




It seemed as though there were fewer birds actually visible this morning, but it gave me a chance to develop my ear-birding.  There was a variety of bird song and calls--good practice.

9 June saw the arrival of yet another "atmospheric river," seemingly unlikely in June, but certainly heavy rainfall and high winds that precluded visits to the Estuary.

By the 10th the weather had settled to partly cloudy.   The rain had left all of the rose bushes and other shrubbery soaking and heavy, so that passage through the growth was still a soggy process.  I stupidly neglected to wear a rain jacket, and wound up quite soaked...


...as did this towhee.  I've commented before that towhees tend to look ill-tempered.  This rather soggy bird is certainly a case in point.

  The combination of snowmelt and rain has brought the river up.



11 June

Mixed weather.  Even though I always respond to "Did you see anything interesting?" with, "I think it's all pretty interesting."  The first half of today's walk was indeed interesting.  The shrubbery was less wet, making the walk easier, although today I did wear a rain jacket, and put a raincoat on my camera.  (Even when it doesn't rain, this time of year, there's a lot of pollen that can't be good for the camera.)

I just now checked  and last year, the chickadee was working on this nest cavity on April 13.  I've been watching the nest, and no sign of chickadee until today, when it was quite busy.


Same tree, same nest cavity, nearly two months later than last year.  Everything seems late this year.  Curious.  But the owls are fledging late, too.  And the eagles...?  more anon about the eagles.

Warblers have a reputation for being hard to photograph.  They are--er--flighty.  This pretty little character, a yellow warbler, was remarkably cooperative.


He was in a tree with several chickadees and an Anna's hummingbird.  


Dunno if that influenced his behaviour.  

There was a hatch of young ravens, very noisy and raucous, in the fir trees near the observation mound.   


Raven vocabulary continues to amaze me by its variety.

It was at about this point in my walk that it began to pitch down rain.

It was one of those brief but intense spring squalls, and I wouldn't have really minded--I had the right clothes for myself and my camera, BUT:

After a month of not seeing the eagle on her nest, there she was, working away at something.  I saw her last on the 29th of April, when she looked to be feeding young.   It was raining so hard at that point that I couldn't take photos, but I'm puzzled.  This just doesn't seem to add up with the gestation and fledging timescales for an eagle.  After seeing her feeding (if that's what I saw) at the end of April, the kids should be fledged and quite visible by now.  Then again, the owl hatch is late, and the chickadee is very late, so maybe the woods are just out of whack this year.  Dunno.

Anyhow, it cleared eventually and was beautiful.


I had moved on, and I'd seen the eagle fly away from the nest.  I shall monitor the situation.  




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