Blog of the Plague Year(s)

9 November   eBird data:   https://ebird.org/checklist/S154088732 Weather:   9:30 am. 9C wind ESE 14;  1:00 pm 8 C wind ESE 14  cloudy, then rain Tide:   11:00 am  10:47 m, rising 10 November EBird data:   https://ebird.org/ebird/edit/checklist?subID=S154158408 Weather   10:00 am  7C wind W 9,  1:00 pm 10C wind SE 14 cloudy Tide:   11:00 am 3m rising 14 November  eBird data:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S154467084 Weather:  11:30 am 6 C, wind E8,  2:00 pm 8C wind E7  partly cloudy Tide:  1:00 pm 3.6m, rising 9 November Definitely November:  grey, chilly, sometimes wet.   The autumn foliage is starting to make its exit. My favourite bitter cherry is now showing its very distinguished profile. My botanist wizard friend Lynne suggests that it should be Grandma Maple--I see her point, there are indeed at least a couple of generations of progeny. The river is high and swift, th...

eBird data   https://ebird.org/checklist/S153974954  Weather:  9:30 am 8C,  2:00 pm 10C  clear to partly cloudy Tide:  11:00 am 3.7m rising If we are to believe weather forecasts, this was the last dry day for the entire week.  In any case, it was a gloriously beautiful day--possibly windier than I should have been out in the forest, but I took a chance, and was rewarded.   The river was very high--after heavy rain in past days, and a high freezing level, much of Mount Arrowsmith's snowpack had melted and was coming down the river.   There were two dippers, in what again looked like a territorial dispute. foliage along the river is spectacular. I took a detour from my usual route along the river, to check on Momma Maple--a truly splendid bigleaf maple with numerous progeny within the forest.  She, and her her offspring, all seemed late in turning golden this past month.  She is now quite magnificent. Back along the r...

26 October eBird data:   https://ebird.org/checklist/S153118088  weather:  10:00 am, 2C wind calm,  2:00 pm 7C wind N6 initially frosty and scattered clouds, then clear tide:  12:30 pm 2.2m, rising 28 October eBird data:   https://ebird.org/checklist/S153271311 weather:  9:30 am 1C, wind calm,  1:00 pm 7C wind NNW8,  partly cloudy, patchy frost tide:  11:30 am 2.4m, low tide, turning 30 October  eBird data:   https://ebird.org/checklist/S153425219  weather:  10:00 am 6.5C,  2:00 pm 9.6C tide:  11:00 am 3.7m falling 31 October eBird data:   https://ebird.org/checklist/S153484921 weather:  9:30 am  1C wind calm, 12:30 am 9C wind E3 tide:  10:30 am 4.5m falling Although the mornings have been chilly, the Estuary has been at a peak of glory these past days.  The river is high after last week's heavy rains, the maples and cottonwoods are in golden splendor, and the win...