Finally......back home for a little while

Knew it had been a while since I did a report - hadn't realized it had been quite this long!  Here at home we have water....I'll try to get a photo tomorrow....it won't be a flood year, that is for sure, but nice to see the water has risen to where one would hope it would.

Yesterday we did get for a walk over at Harrison Bay.  It was the middle of a warmer than predicted afternoon, so not the best time for seeing birds....

when we left the fields were green and gold with dandelions....

now, the ones that haven't been cut, are gold with Field Buttercups.

and it is definitely 'green'....

before we left the Hawthorne and Crabapple were in flower....now it is the Wild Roses and the Red-Osier Dogwoods.

But what about the birds.....

well most notable was the fact that this years crop of baby European Starlings have now left the nest but are still demanding to be fed by mom and dad.  They are a noisy bunch and were just about everywhere, but very uncooperative for photos!

Perched near....

the Bald Eagle nest was, probably, dad....

and at the nest - well it is obviously occupied but not sure how many.

there continue to be Canada Geese....some, like these, on log booms on the river, others...

others were congregated out in the field where this 'pond' is now much more than a mud puddle.

White-crowned Sparrows weren't quite so visible as most are probably now sitting on nests in the black berry brambles.

by this time of the year, we expect to see Spotted Sandpiper and we weren't disappointed as there was at least one pair at the edge of the river.

We're thrilled to hear a number of Bullock's Oriole but couldn't get a picture as they were high up in the trees, but also found....

a male Western Tanager.  He appears to just be developing his breeding colour as the head should be a much brighter red.

this just hows the level of the water now....nice to see it back up.

here is a female Red-wing Blackbird...obviously feeding youngsters....

and finally, just because we love them...

a closer look at the Nootka Wild Roses.  They have such a beautiful perfume.