24, 26, 27 29, 30 September, 1 October

24 September

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S119348454

weather:  8am 13C wind W4,  12:30 18C wind N7

tide:  11am 1.5

26 September

eBird data: https://ebird.org/checklist/S119479867

weather:  8:30 am 10C wind calm, 1:00pm 21C wind N9 clear

tide:  11:00 am 2.1m, falling

27 September

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S119530843

weather:  8:00 am 10C wind WNW 2, 1:00 pm 20C wind N6, clear

tide:  11:00 am 2.8m falling

First chinook in river?

1 October

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S119782874

weather:  8:30 am 10C wind W2, 12:30 m 19C wind NNE9

tide:  11:00 am 4.3m, peak tide, falling

An embarrassing spell of least blogging.  Somehow, I managed to shift my photos from my external drive to my laptop and then (oh dear!)  duplicated them.  In view of the fact that I've got a bit over 20, 000 photos, this pretty much choked my laptop, which has run slower and slower and...slower.  I've no idea how I managed to do this, and it's a bit mortifying since I'm rather proud of my computer skills.  I'd like  to know how I did it, so I could avoid repeating whatever stupidity I committed.  Anyhow it effectively stopped me processing photos for the better part of the week while I sorted it all out.

Anyhow, here are some bits and pieces of reports for the past week and photos.  

It's remained for the most part brilliantly clear, and mild.  This is a mixed emotion, and everyone I talk with on my walks agrees.  It's wonderful and beautiful and frighteningly dry.  We all live in horror of some stupid person either dropping a cigarette butt or leaving a campfire (see previous blog).  The general estimate is the whole forest would go up within a half hour.  The stuff of nightmares.

Meanwhile, though, it's very beautiful, and increasingly birdy. 

The autumn colour is increasingly brilliant.








The tide has risen from a low tide to a very high tide, with shifts in bird populations apparent.



There are increasing numbers of ducks in the Estuary.  The ducks with their tailfeathers facing the viewers are mallards, and the rest are wigeons.  There are also northern pintails in small numbers.  



There was also a youngish great blue heron, with what appears to have been an itchy scalp.  (Do birds have scalps--?  Anyhow, he was obviously itchy.)


29 September

This is out of sequence, but:

On the 29th I treated myself to a birthday trip up-Island to Deep Bay, which is becoming very very birdy.

There were abundant Bonaparte's gulls,



an American pipit wandering the shore:


Other birds, that I've posted in previous blogs, and



...a very busy Steller's sea lion.  

I also made my way to the excellent Baynes Sound Oyster shop, bought a small tub and had a fine Birthday feast.  

1 October

Yet another beautiful morning, with abundant birds.  (The ducks in the above part of the blog are from this morning, as is the itchy heron. )

In addition there was a purple finch just shifting into adult plumage and feeding on Pacific crabapples:


A song sparrow posed nicely:


Although I didn't manage photos, the high tide brought in the salmon migration, still small, but promising.  It was joined by a seal making its way upstream in search of a fish supper.  It was fun to watch, but didn't issue in any photos.  Still, the season promises more photos and my laptop is now very speedy, so I'll hope for easier blogging.



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