21, 23 April


 21 April

eBird data: https://ebird.org/checklist/S134509674

Weather:  9:30 am 7C wind SE 2   1:00 pm 9C wind E 9, partly cloudy

Tide:  11:30 am 1.6 m, falling

23 April

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S134777506

weather:  9:30 am 9C wind SSE 6,  1:30 pm 11C, wind SSW 7,  mostly overcast

Tide:  11:30 2.3m, falling


21 April

A day of wonders:  

Light cloud, mild wind.


The rosebushes and rushes are taking on spring colours.


As must be apparent to anyone who's followed my blog for long, this is one of my favourite views.  The sky was particularly lovely this morning.


This Anna's hummingbird perches on this western crabapple regularly.  Perhaps he's tracking the seasonal growth.

There has been a remarkable number of mountain bluebirds in the fields by the forest this past week.  I counted ten, but people have said they saw forty.  In any case, there are more than anyone can ever recall seeing here.


Most of them have been flitting about in the grasses, but this charming little character came and perched close at hand so I could get a good photo.  

There was a second rarity, hanging out with the bluebirds:


This Townsend's solitaire was one of a pair, more distant than the obliging bluebird, but worth an attempt at a photo.

The nesting pair of eagles are very present these days.


I'm pretty sure this is the male of the pair--it's more evident in other photos I took.  But I can't begin to figure out what he's carrying.  Whatever it is, he got his face dirty taking it.  ...see next photo...


I'm quite sure this is the same bird on his nest.  Still a bit grubby.  There had been a long conversation between him and his mate, which I could hear, but not see.  She had left by the time I arrived to take this photo.  Maybe she was asking what that odd piece of grot was he'd brought.

On my way back home, I watched the flicker at his nest.


23 April

A slightly less spectacular day than yesterday, but still a fine day to be out.

The bluebirds seem to have moved on, but one of the Townsend's solitaires was still present.  It cooperated with photography, sitting conveniently on a nearby branch.  What an agreeable little  bird!


It's some time since I've seen crossbills in the Estuary, but there were two females in the fir trees at the end of the path.


The eagle nest remains occupied, plainly by the same bird who was hauling whatever that was yesterday.  


Not a great photo but it's clear he still hasn't washed his face.  I asked our resident eagle expert about this.  She's been following eagles in their nests for the past thirty years, and is really knowledgeable.  To my surprise, she suggested he may possibly have been digging in a rabbit burrow!    I guess that anonymous grot he was carrying yesterday could have been rabbit remains...?  


The river is quite high just now.  This female merganser seems to have found an unusual perch.

And  the trillia are in bloom, always a welcome arrival in spring.






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