how high the water levels are. I don't recall them ever being at this level at this time of the year...
we've often had water levels rise in late October or early November, from fall rains, but this year, thanks to a wet September, they've never dropped. The good news is that we won't need to worry if there is enough water for the salmon to make their way up....how or if it effects anything else, only time will tell.
another thing I've noticed, which I find a bit alarming, is that the native trees and shrubs, like this Black Hawthorne, as well as the Pacific Crabapples and even the Red-Osier Dogwoods have already been stripped of all their fruits or berries! That doesn't bode well as the fruits of these trees often last as a food supply well into winter. There must have been an amazing number of birds moving through in the past month to have cleaned out the supply. The bird, of course, is an American Robin.
the farm fields adjacent to the dike have just been cut which probably explains this young Red-tail Hawk.....keeping an eye out for any mice that might have been misplaced. The fields themselves were full of crows foraging for what ever they could find.
Out on the river....
we spotted this Western Grebe! Not the first time we've seen one here, but certainly not a species we can expect to see on a regular basis.
Eagles are in short supply at the moment, with only a couple being seen. Nothing in the way of ducks yet, swans are probably a month away .....
There are Canada Geese hanging about up in the estuary area.
In the riparian habitat the usual species, Black Capped Chickadees, Song Sparrows, Dark eyed Junco, Spotted Towhee etc. are being seen. Steller's Jay, Northern Flicker as well.
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