29 May, 3 June

29 May

eBird data: https://ebird.org/checklist/S139800478

Weather:  8:30 am 15C, 1:00 pm 15C clear

Tide:  10:00 am,  2.4 m  turning

3 June

eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S140358221

weather:  10:00 am 18 C, 12:00 m 18C, clear

tide:  11:00 am 0.7m, falling

29 May

A clear morning and a very low tide.


The first willow flycatcher of the season showed up on the same spot as it spent much of last summer.

The black-headed grosbeak was in fine voice.


As the snowpack vanishes from Mt. Arrowsmith, the river is beginning to fall.


On my homebound path, I watched a very busy downy woodpecker.


The fact that downies are much smaller than the otherwise similar hairies ("Downies are dinky;  hairies are huge.")  is often described as making it difficult to distinguish between them.  (Hairies aren't really huge, just a lot bigger than downies.)  This picture shows two of the other markers of a downy--a relatively short beak in proportion to its head, and the black spots on the white sides of the tailfeathers.  It's not always easy to see these, but this was one obliging little bird.

3 June

A late start to a lovely morning.  

Trees are definitely showing the advance of summer.  My sentinel trees, the stand of bitter cherries, no longer has blossoms, and the leaves are now a rich green.



 It was a very low tide.



An ocean spray bush is starting to bud.


A pair of goldfinches look to have been building their nest.



This female has a beakful of alder fluff.

The river is alarmingly low for this time of year.


Compare this photo to the same spot, taken on May 29.  

It starts to look as though we face a thirsty summer.


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