28, 31 October

 Glorious days in the Estuary.

The River is high and swift,  and bordered by gold.





Chum and coho salmon are making their way upstream, attracting eagles, mergansers, gulls, and the occasional seal at high tide. 


The merganser in the foreground of the photo below is a male.  In transitional plumage, his wings are now black  and his head is starting to show the beginnings of the glossy black of the male birds.  The female behind him looks a bit bemused at the change.



A beaked hazelnut tree along the path highlights the forest.


Granny Maple (so-called because there are at least three generations of maples growing around her and because she is the Alpha Maple of the Forest) has retained leaves at her crown.  


 Downstream on the River, the eagles continue their autumn renovation.  

Dad brings sticks to the nest.  Careful observation (and enlargement of the photo) shows Mom's back between the two big branches at the front of the nest.


There seemed to be several other adults flying about along the River--presumably in search of salmon.  But caution prevailed among the watchful eagle pair.


Here's a curious thing--on both days, there was a rainbow in the same location over the Straits.



And on the subject of weather, there's finally snow on Mount Arrowsmith and on the lower levels of the inland range.






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