Typical Fall Day

If yesterday was a ‘perfect’ fall day – today was a ‘typical’ fall day with some rain, some sun, a bit of a breeze and lots of clouds..

it was also ‘typical’ in respect to what you can expect to see this time of the year…here a Song Sparrow seen in the bushes as we approached the estuary..

I could see there were a lot of ducks out there…

Mainly American Wigeon like these, all in fresh plumage – difficult to say exactly how many, as there was a lot of restless activity today amongst all species…every time an Eagle flew over, and they were flying over constantly – ducks would take off and land elsewhere, but certainly there was well in excess of 130 American Wigeon..

This young Glaucous-wing Gull stayed put long enough for a picture

and the Great Blue Heron that has staked out this particular fishing area, was belly deep in the water – I can tell it is the same one as it seems to have more white on it than is typical.

Out on the flats there were a few less Eagles, perhaps 75, but that was only because there were a lot more flying around, including several sets of ‘bickering’ ones…attempts at getting pictures weren’t worth posting.  Speaking of ‘bickering’ there was also a pair of Raven having a set to with some sort of light coloured Hawk…I couldn’t make out the exact species…perhaps a Northern Harrier.

Bird wise, the log bay held quite an assortment of ducks…

  4 Mallard in the lower part of the picture, 3 Gadwall in the middle far left, and more American Wigeon.

The bay itself was quite full of spawning salmon.

On the way home I first spotted a little Merlin flying through the complex, which explained why all the Dark Eyed Junco that had been there when we went, were no where to be seen, and then, in my neighbours yard, I spotted this Gold Crowned Sparrow – the first of the season.

And finally I should mention that another neighbour called me yesterday to say they had just had a female Anna’s Hummingbird at their fuchsia basket.