12, 13, 14 September

12 September

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S118577610

weather:  8 am 12C wind WSW 3,   12:00 m 19C, wind N 9, partly cloudy, smoky

tide:  10:30 am 9.5 feet, falling

13 September

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S118669537

weather:  8 am 15C wind W3,  12:00 m 17C, wind WNW 7, cloudy

tide:  10 am 3.9 m , falling

14 September

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S118744042

weather:  8 am 11C calm wind,  12:00m 20C, wind N 6

tide:  9:30  am 4.1m, peak tide, falling, partly cloudy, some smoke haze


12 September

A smoky morning.  The winds are moving the smoke from fires in the Interior to the Coast and Island.  Yesterday was worse.  I decided to take my asthma inhaler and make my way out this morning.  It doesn't seem to have been too bad, but the visibility was plainly impeded.

Looking inland (on the Island) it was plain that the smoke was hiding the Arrowsmith massif and the other mountains.



And to the southeast the visibility was even worse.  It was a very still morning, so the Strait and Gulf Islands were almost indistinguishable.

There are starting to be more flocks of birds showing in the Estuary.


The above is a view of one tree full of waxwings.  There were several, so lots of waxwings.


Along the shore there was a flock of bushtits.  I'm not sure what this little creature was doing.  Never saw quite this pose before.

There are also many Savannah sparrows. hopping about on the logs offshore. 


13 September

Friday the 13th done come on a Tuesday, this month (for readers of Pogo).  Seems to have been a more or less fortunate day.  It was certainly birdy.  Somehow I've always expected that dull, cloudy days would have fewer birds in evidence, but in fact, as I seem to recall (haven't checked the lists) there have been quite a few very birdy cloudy days.  Today was certainly an instance.  Not quite the species count that I expect to see, but good numbers of birds, and some I've not seen for some time.

There were three pileated woodpeckers in the fir trees at the back of the mobile home park.  Here's one:


For the first time in several weeks, there were bald eagles.  None were cooperative with photos, but there they were.  I'd missed them, somehow.

There were several Anna's hummingbirds, hardly exotic, but cooperative with photos.


The bitter cherry trees were full of waxwings, again. (See above.)

...

And then there was a bit of a mystery.  I think there were two juvenile peregrine falcons.  I'm pretty sure that's what I was seeing--I spent a couple of hours studying juvenile peregrines on the Cornell site.  It's a remote possibility that these were kestrels, but they looked pretty big, and not entirely like your usual kestrel, either.  

Whatever they were, I think this is a pretty good bird photo.


After extensive study, I'm pretty sure it's a tundra subspecies of the peregrines.  I haven't seen peregrines for some months (or kestrels, for that matter) so I was pleased to see them.  I hope they'll hang around for a bit...

On the shore there were lots of Savannah sparrows, 



and one Lincoln's sparrow that I could spot but not photograph. 

There were also the first golden-crowned sparrows I've see this season.



It was a relatively high tide, and a calm sea this morning, and less smoky than yesterday.


The river is down a bit--the snow is gone from the mountains--but running clear and calm.  I keep checking for dippers, but as of yet, none have appeared.


14 September

Gradually less smoky, although the light had a reddish tinge.  The Arrowsmith massif was more clearly visible as were the Gulf Islands.





The reddish tinge to the light was barely visible over the fields.



It was more apparent over the dry areas.  I often wonder how it is that deer will stand so still, seemingly watching me.  


The bitter cherry trees were full of robins this morning.  This one posed nicely.


Out at the point overlooking the Straits, there were a very nice young man and his little boy, maybe 4 years old.  The dad seemed to be showing the little guy nature, of which I obviously approved.  We chatted briefly, and then I noticed a kingfisher on a log behind them--"Oh, look!  A kingfisher."  And for once the bird actually stayed still for photos.


Kingfishers, like many birds of prey (owls, hawks, herons) regurgitate the indigestible bits of their prey.  This one had rather disgusting timing and brought up her fish bones vigorously as the little boy watched.  He seemed a bit goggle-eyed.  The dad did a pretty good job of explaining--"some birds eat little fish whole  and they have to get the bones out like this..."  

Once again, there were savannah sparrows.  I've never seen so many, here.  


I think they're quite photogenic.

There was a fairly high tide, but few shorebirds were visible.  I heard mallards but didn't see them.  The view of the Straits was even more lovely than usual, and the sky had cleared of smoke when I took this photo.


Tomorrow is a broom-pulling morning.  Hard work but a good social event.




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