10, 11 January

 10 January

eBird data: https://ebird.org/checklist/S125888766

weather:  10:00 am 7.1C, wind ESE 14 kph, 2:00pm 8.6C wind calm, cloudy

tide:  12:00 3.9m falling

11 January

eBird data: https://ebird.org/checklist/S125951259

weather:  9:00 am 6C wind SE 9,  1:00pm 8C wind SE 15, intermittent light showers, intermittent sun

tide:  11:30 am 4.2m, falling

Back to the Estuary after a week and a bit away.  There has been heavy rain recently and Arrowsmith now has a substantial snow pack.


I'll hope that it lasts;  we're facing the arrival of the Pineapple Express that has been flooding California, which will raise the snow level.

The Estuary fields are now flooded to quite an extent, as they seem to be in winter months, although the tides have abated from the king tides of last month.


The Merganser Pond had nearly doubled from its usual size.  


11 January

An exceptionally beautiful morning.  The light was often what I think Peter Mathiessen called "storm light."  




There were occasional light showers mixed with the sunlight.





I find myself wondering whether the weather to the south of us is shifting the bird populations.  


This isn't a good photo, but if it's enlarged it shows part of a flock of red-winged blackbirds, who were in full voice.  Red-wings show up here in the spring, but are regarded as unusual in mid-winter.

There was also a flock of goldfinches, again, uncommon this time of year.

And a big flock of purple finches, not unusual, but perhaps unusual in their numbers.



The river is high and swift.  It looks as though a good ten feet of the eastern bank has washed away in places, and several big trees have been taken down and are washing downstream.


I've agreed to take part in a survey of eagle nests for this region.  One of the questions is "occupied nest?"...


...well, yes, occupied, in a manner of speaking, but not exactly what the survey is trying to determine.  This nest has been vacant for the past couple of years, but now seems to have a pileated woodpecker as its occupant.

Meanwhile, downstream, Momma and Papa eagle are working away at their nest.  As I drew near the bank opposite their project, Papa flew away, but Momma was busily arranging the nest.  I watched for maybe fifteen minutes.  


 Papa sat at the top of a fir tree about fifty yards downstream, eventually joined by Momma.  We surmised that she was reminding him that he was supposed to be gathering branches.  

Somehow, there seem to be a pair of varied thrush resident in the bushes where I watch the eagles.  


The light was good for bird photos.  This golden-crowned sparrow isn't unusual, but photogenic.



The forecast is for the storms that have hit California to make their way up here, now.  


This may have been the last sunshine that we'll see for some days.



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