24-29 July

24 July

 eBird data: https://ebird.org/checklist/S115746326

weather:  8 am 20C wind NW8, 12:00m 22C wind NNW 8, sunny

tide:  9:30 am 1.2 m

26 July

eBird data: https://ebird.org/checklist/S115808139

weather:  8 am 23 C wind NNW 4, 12:00m 27C wind WNW 12, sunny

tide:  9:30 am 1.4m falling

27 July

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S115863518

weather: 8 am 27C wind NW 4, 12:00m 28C wind NE9

tide:  9:30 am 1.7m , falling

28 July

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S115918042I 

weather:  8 am 28C wind S 6, 12:00m 28C wind N 9

tide:  9:30 am 2.1 m, falling

29 July

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S115969256

weather:   8 am 23 C, wind  N 8 , 12 noon 28C, wind N 13

tide:  9:30 am 2.5m, falling

A stinkin' hot week (for these parts).  Temperatures made it into the upper 80s, and humid.  It seemed in general as though birds were keeping a low profile.  The eagles were mostly somewhere else.  Dunno what they do in hot weather.  

There was a nice little family of quail, mom, dad and eight chicks.  Chicks were quickly directed into tall grass by mom, dad kept an eye on things.


I find summer grasses beautiful and rather fascinating.  I think I need to study them up further.



There is an exceptionally big growth of yarrow this year.  

27 July

I stupidly forgot to put on my mosquito spray this morning.  This after always cautioning other folks who are brooming, weeding, or counting bugs.  It seems I was right in my cautioning--I really got clobbered.  Not particularly itchy but cosmetically not great.  I hope people don't think I'm coming down with monkey pox.

That said, the morning did have its birdy moments.

There was a female black-headed grosbeak at the entrance to the Estuary paths.  


I didn't hear any song, and suspect she was panting.  Like dogs, birds don't sweat, but often hold their beaks open in hot weather.

There was a young robin feeding on the bitter cherries.



It looked as though he sat studying his breakfast at first, then began to feed.

There has been quite a low tide lately.  


The Gulf Islands are visible, but it's been sufficiently hazy that the Coast Range is obscured.

As I sat drinking my coffee and eating my granola bar, I was joined by a couple of adult white-crowned sparrows and a pair of somewhat mysterious youngsters.


I surmised that this adult was bringing this yummy grasshopper to her kids.

...but I'm puzzled by the kids that I saw.


These two look like they might be unrelated.  In front (rather blurry) is what I'm pretty sure is a song sparrow.  But the bird behind and in the photo below--I don't know.  Scruffy looking little character, anyhow.


Walking homeward through the woods I found myself among a flock of MacGillivray's warblers.  I haven't seen many of those, and spent quite some time trying unsuccessfully for photos.  They looked as though they might be feeding on the even larger flock of mosquitos, who alas, were feeding on me.  Anyhow, nope, no photos, and lots of bites.  Life's lamentable lessons learned.  I now have a post-it note inside my front door, saying in large letters, "MOSQUITO SPRAY!"

28, 29 July

Quiet, hot days, with their own beautiful light, but not very active bird-wise.



A willow flycatcher seems resident just after the rose thickets.  I think I've listed him every day lately.


I'm taking the weekend off, catching up on some work at home.  It's supposed to cool down a bit by Monday.  It seems strange to write that after all of those grey chilly days.






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