Short and wet

After a couple of weeks of quite pleasant weather it is a bit of a shock to be back to rain!

at least it had let up considerably by the time we got out for our walk today, …the area we walk is not private and although I try to go at a time when I am most likely to have it to myself, that is not always the case…today, as we approached the log bay we encountered a leashed dog that lacked a bit in socialization.   Having had more years experience handling dogs than I care to mention, I know I can cope with my own dogs’ ‘bring it on’ attitude, but the young person with this dog didn’t seem to have the same skills, so felt the only prudent thing to do was a quick about face, cutting our usual walk short.

Notice how green everything is getting though…this rain will really speed up that process.  Of course the greener it gets the harder it gets to spot (and photograph) the birds ~ all those leaves get in the way!

The one thing I did see today was a Ruby Crowned Kinglet…

This file photo of a Ruby Crowned Kinglet was taken in the area on April 7, 2006…

and this one the same year but on the 23rd of April…as you can see, unlike the Gold Crowned Kinglet where the ‘gold crown’ is always visible…the ‘ruby’ crown is only shown when a bird is extremely agitated or defending it’s territory…

this picture taken in Manning Park a few years ago shows the ‘ruby’ crown.  Another difference is that Gold Crowned Kinglets are always found in flocks, sometimes  mixed with other species.  Ruby Crowned tend to be seen more as individuals.