The weather yesterday, and for most of today, sure wasn't any better - in fact it was worse,
never the less we did venture out this afternoon....
looks charming doesn't it? The wind was really whipping up the water and sending sheets of fine misty rain at us, sometimes mixed with hail.
It seemed that some of the Canada Geese were enjoying splashing at the edge of the water...
while others were out in the fields, along with the Northern Pintails and Mallards...
now, does it look like water levels may have risen a tiny bit? We think maybe...
and as has been usual the last week or so, American Robins everywhere you look!
a Northern Flicker in there....
and a Downy Woodpecker here....
this damp Spotted Towhee was about the only other bird seen.....think everybody was taking shelter.
out on the river the mass of Common Merganser were busy again....
There was this bright spot though....more and more Salmon berry flowers showing up.
What a crazy day!
set out this morning for a walk, hoping the snow squalls would hold off....
so far, so good, the weather stayed almost as dry as the poor log bay is these days!
this trio of Killdeer were poking about in the bay...
a few of the usual were around like this Song Sparrow....
and this Fox Sparrow. Don't recall as many Fox Sparrows in past years as we have had this year, wonder if any will stay around?
After lunch we headed over for a walk at Harrison Bay....
after a damp start, it wasn't too bad - notice how green it is getting....
lots of activity in the fields...well over a hundred Canada Geese, lots of Mallard, Northern Pintail and a few American Wigeon. There had also been one family of Trumpeter Swans still there.
still masses of American Robins too....
Not sure where this came from!!!! We have had some strong winds but this must have blown quite a distance.
As we headed back...
the weather rapidly deteriorated....
wind, rain and hail.....of course by the time we got to the truck - we were soaked - and the weather was clearing. Ahh spring!
One note: apparently a Rufous Hummingbird was seen in Maple Ridge yesterday, so they are on their way - keep eyes open!
According to the calendar it has been spring for 4 days now....still waiting for it to feel like it! However, there are signs,
for example this morning I spotted the first Purple Finch of the season. I'd been wondering where they were as they are usually back before now.
also this morning a pair of Black-capped Chickadees excavating a potential nesting site. I'm not sure what it was doing here. Chickadees seem to spend months trying different spots before actually settling into somewhere to raise their family.
American robins are back to being a fixture now....and so photogenic!
Red-wing Blackbirds are still around....
as are the Killdeer....
Tree Swallows are claiming nesting boxes.....
but so are a few House Sparrows....this cheeky guy has laid claim to one of the new ones.
not just the birds showing signs of spring...the Salmon Berries are just starting to flower and boy are the honeybees happy about that! There were 4 of them crammed in this one, not even completely open flower.
the water levels continue to drop. One of these days they have got to start rising.
this pretty much sums up the weather we've been having. A little bit of sun sometimes but some dark clouds dropping anything from rain to snow at other times.
in preparation for a meeting I have been invited too, thought I'd attempt a walk out onto the estuary....unfortunately the weather did not cooperate so we got very wet and didn't see much of anything. Oh well, soon it will all be under water again.
One last note....we are still waiting for the first Rufous Hummingbird! They are late this year..
Last full day of winter....so time to get out there and see what is what....started this morning with a walk down to the estuary....
and oh my, how low can water levels go?! There was though activity there in the gravel...
has been hearing them the last few days, finally spotted them - Killdeer....there were at least 4. And while we are talking about 'hearing' - I've heard an Osprey, but haven't seen one yet and quite often we are hearing Ruffed Grouse drumming but again, grouse aren't often seen.
After lunch we headed over to Harrison Bay...
still a lot of Trumpeter and Tundra Swans around, even though others have headed north. It is quite possible that these could be ones from further south, just taking a break. By the two adults (white) laying down on the right side are Tundras. You can see there are geese out there too.
the young ones are really molting into their adult plumage now....
and have to add this picture.....don't often get a good shot of them in flight.
So now, over to the dike and it was one of those days I was wishing I'd brought my spare battery because I was scared I'd use the one in the camera up....
there were lots of Red-wing Blackbirds - this would be a young male and I'm not sure what is going on with the hair do! Lots of Starling too but didn't get any photos of them.
Everywhere you looked there were American Robins.....
there had to be at least a hundred - 8 in this little tree alone.
then there were the Woodpeckers. This, a male, is one of 3 Downy Woodpeckers we saw
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and this female, one of 3 Hairy Woodpeckers seen. Also saw a couple of Northern Flicker, but no photos.
Out on the bay...
where water levels continue to drop, a couple of Common Loon, a trio of Common Merganser and a few Bufflehead were about it except for further up on the river....
more Canada Geese....
and more swans.
the Bald Eagle pair have been working on their nest, but they aren't alone in the nest building....
the Northwestern Crows are also in nest building mode.
No sign of the Mountain Bluebirds, they must have moved on already. So, tomorrow is spring...wonder what it will bring!
Beautiful blue skies again today.....
this was the scene over at the log bay this morning...
and after lunch....
over at Harrison bay....and look how low that water is. People who have lived in the area all their lives are saying they have never seen it this low....actually, that is probably a good thing though because the snow pack in the interior is being likened to 1997 which was a flood year - with the water levels this low, it means there will more capacity for spring snow melt before it reaches any 'flood' stage. Of course, as always, it depends on how quickly it melts and what other weather factors happen. Only time will tell.
the Mountain Bluebirds were still there.....3 males and a female in this photo....there were also robins pretty much everywhere you looked....
but as we look forward to seeing these migrants and look forward to other species returning....we have to say good bye to.....
our winter residents....the Trumpeter Swans. The last few mornings flocks have been heard heading north - they always sound so excited and happy as they leave. By the end of the month, they should pretty much all be gone - until next November.
Numbers of Canada Geese are thinning out too. Some, of course will stay here and nest....this one is checking out the pilings already as this is a favorite nesting spot.
saw this male Downy Woodpecker today too....
and finally we can start watching for the native plants....
the Indian plum are coming into flower. This is always the very first of the native shrubs to flower and this bush was absolutely buzzing with honey bees!
One more note.....the male Red-wing Blackbirds have been around all winter....now...
the females are joining them.
