17, 19, 21, 22 August

17 August

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S117106061

weather:  8 am 21C wind NW 9, 12m 25C wind WNW 16

tide:  10:30 am 3.8m, peak, falling

19 August

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S117223269

weather:  8:30 am 20C wind NNW 8, 1:00 pm 21C wind NNE 5, cloudy, then clearing, very humid

tide:  11 am 3.3m, rising

22 August

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S117402156

weather:  8 am 18 C wind SW 12,  12:00 21 C wind WNW 15, cloudy, then clearing

tide:  10:30 1.6m rising

A not very birdy patch, with a couple of unpleasantly hot and humid days.  That said, some beauty, and (no photos) a very educational and physically challenging weekend.


17 August

The fields are full of Puget Sound gumweed, an inelegant name for a beautiful flower.


There are many more of them this year--actually almost all vegetation is more abundant.  Growing up in the Sacramento Valley, there was a similar plant we called "tarweed," also sticky as this is, but it smelled different and I think the flowers were more orangey.


17 August

A gloriously beautiful day.  

The wild roses (more accurately, Nootka Roses, I've learned) now are ripening--another harbinger of seasonal change?



The view of the Straits (or Salish Sea) was brilliantly sunny, with a relatively high tide.



As I sat, enjoying the view and drinking my coffee, a young couple walked up.  The young man asked, in a very bored tone of voice, "What are you looking at?  Anything good?"   I lost my cool a bit and asked in return, "How can you even ASK?  It's all good."  The young woman seemed to get it, but the guy was affronted.  Tough beans.

The river is very clear just now, and apparently starting to recover from the "ecological restoration."



19 August

It's some time since I've written this, although of course it's repetitious.  I never tire of the Estuary--it always has something new.

This morning it was a remarkable sky, with the Coast Range silhouetted.



The morning began overcast, then cleared but unfortunately remained very humid.

The Arrowsmith Massif is almost entirely clear of snow.


Even as the sky cleared, it showed fine cloud formations.



20, 21 August

Two days spent on a course on Wetlands, very good, quite difficult, but mentally and physically.  Sunday we spent the entire day in an assortment of marshes, swamps, and a combination of fen and marsh (I now know that these things happen.)  Much of the walking was quite difficult, particularly in the first wetlands which had a lot of fallen trees to navigate and high grasses so it was hard to see the obstacles.  

I had never been to Hamilton Marsh before--a very beautiful and almost pristine spot.  I couldn't take photos in the group--I was already the slowest walker and didn't want to slow us down any further.  I will go back to Hamilton Marsh, though, possibly soon. 


It was a large group, possibly too big for that sort of nature exposure, but a very amiable and very expert lot they were.  

I arrived home thoroughly weary, sweaty, grubby, and ravenous.  I'm go glad I moved here--there are so many interesting things to do.


22 August

A somewhat late beginning to the morning.  I think I overslept as a consequence of yesterday's exertions. (I'm afraid I'm getting old.)

Another very quiet morning bird-wise, although the migration is certainly underway--I've counted over a hundred southbound Canada geese today and last Friday.

Foliage is definitely changing.


A young nuthatch was less shy than his older flock.  (He is still a bit fluffy.)


I'd better post this.  I seem to be procrastinating about blogging of late.  Tomorrow promises to be interesting.  I'll go along with some fisheries folk who are seining the beach to see what's materialising.

As I say, always something here.






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