2, 5, 7, 8 February

 2 February

eBird data: https://ebird.org/checklist/S127469309

Weather:   9:00 am 6C, SE 16, 1:00 pm 8C SE 11

Tide:  11:00 am 3.8 m turning

5 February

eBird data:   https://ebird.org/checklist/S127702914

Weather:  9:00 am 6C wind calm,  1:00 pm 8C wind N7, cloudy,intermittent light rain

Tide:  11:30 am 3.6m, falling

7  February 

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S127847478

Weather:  1:00 pm 10C WSW 13, 4:00pm 9C WSW 14 gust 30 partly cloudy, occasional light showers 

Tide:  2:30 pm 3.3m, rising

8 February

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S127897657

Weather:  9:00 am 0C wind SSE 2,   1:00 pm 6C wind E12 (increasingly cloudy and cold)

Tide:  11:00 3.7m, falling

2 February

As I continue to blog my time in the Estuary, I sometimes feel as though what I'm seeing is diminishing in interest.  Not that I don't delight in my time wandering the paths, but that there isn't much worth photographing.  But as I look at the past week's photos, I see that I'm probably selling the whole enterprise short.  

I've recently changed the settings on my camera, I think to good effect, and I'm trying a new post-processing software, which seems simply excellent.  (Not cheap, but perhaps worth the expense.  I seem to be having an increase in recognition as a local photographer.  YAY!)

Sitting out on the point, counting ducks and drinking coffee, I found that there was a small flock of golden-crowned kinglets, feeding on something on the fences that mark off the path from the marsh.  This little creature was most obliging.  (Actually, I think he may have been hungry.  He was very busy for quite some time.  In any case, he was a beauty.)  


That was a good day out.  There was a moderate tide, which showed the winter light over the Salish Sea.


There had been snow on the Gulf Islands.  Texada, in the background of this photo, shows the weather.


The river was down, somewhat


As is often the case, as the river subsides, the dippers reappear.


I'm always happy to see them.  They are, without doubt, one of my very favourite birds, in view of their intrepid diving into rapids and utterly wonderful singing year-round.  

Returning from my walk, I spotted  a very diligent pileated woodpecker.


5 February

Not one of the most glorious mornings.  There was intermittent light rain, not really enough to discourage an outing, but...wet.

This raven shows the effects of wet weather.  





One of the things that intrigues me about birds, is that they often seem to have remarkably expressive features.  This seems particularly true among corvids--jays, crows, ravens, magpies--.  It's possible that this is just me anthropomorphising.  But this guy certainly seems to have something to communicate.  He sat for maybe fifteen minutes, crooning a new sound to me.  I'm not at all sure what he had to say, but it certainly sounded as though he was convinced of something.

7 February

A somewhat different experience of the Estuary.  There was heavy rain in the morning, and then it cleared into partly cloudy with occasional light showers. 

As I'd expected, afternoon bird walks aren't as birdy as morning walks, apart from waterfowl, who are dependent on tides.  

There was one surprise--a greater yellowlegs, perhaps the first of the season.


The afternoon light was, to me, an interesting change.


The river was high, I think because the snowpack was melting.


8 February

The morning began gloriously sunny, but gradually darkened.  


The foliage in the fields is starting to show colour as sap moves into the rosebushes.

The river had subsided considerably from yesterday, and a dipper was taking advantage of the lower flow.  I first noticed the little creature swimming along, and then he dove:


and re-appeared shortly with his catch,


which looks to be a small fish, until compared with the size of the dipper.  The dipper then sat on the rocks, singing happily, no doubt pleased with his catch.

Making my way home I met up with this ruby-crowned kinglet.


Not really ready to pose for a photo.  

Home to a nice bowl of soup.  

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