We haven't had a lot of luck getting out and about lately.....it has been too windy to take the canoe out. When it is hot the wind makes things bearable and it keeps the mosquitoes at bay, but it can also get annoying when you really want to get out on the water.
Yesterday started out cool but by the time we got for our walk over at Harrison Bay, the sun had come out and it was just too warm.
Today it did stay cooler so we managed a walk along the dike....
the Spotted Knapweed is coming into full flower....
Thanks to the wind, and partly the time of year, there just weren't many birds visible...
I had aimed my camera at this clump of Himalayan Blackberries because there was a family of Common Yellowthroat in there and I hoped I'd catch one, but no such luck! It does show that the blackberries are starting to get ripe. Have noticed some Bear scat on the dike, as the blackberries ripen, no doubt there will be more.
Yesterday when we were attempting our walk...
this young Red-tail Hawk flew into a tree and perched long enough for a few photos.
Today, we made it as far as the area with the....
Bald Eagle nest....and we were shocked to see that the young one is still in the nest! He was hunched over, appeared to be eating something and there was an adult in the area but it just seems so late in the season for him to have not left the nest. Seems to me in other years they are gone in June.
Finally made it back to the dike at Harrison Bay. Between some warm weather, some wet weather, and being away for a few days, today was the first opportunity to see where things were at. Weather was a bit misty but perfect for walking....
water levels are still high although have dropped from where they were.
saw several of these little guys ,Western Wood Pee Wee I think (flycatchers tend to confuse me)
saw a White-crowned Sparrow too. Haven't seen any young ones yet but the grasses and other vegetation are so lush this year that actually seeing birds is difficult. Could hear the Lazuli Bunting singing but couldn't spot it. Really would like to see a young one this year to have absolute proof they are nesting here.
Was really surprised....
to see the young Bald Eagle still at the nest. I would have thought it would have left by now. There was an adult around as well.
the European Starlings have now gathered into their typical large flock. There were also large numbers of all sorts of Swallows and Swifts flying overhead....impossible to capture in a picture.
surprisingly, and thankfully, the sides of the dike haven't been mowed so the mid summer flowers are able to bloom - this being Chicory,
this the invasive Ragwort Tansy
and this, the regular Common Tansy which is just starting to bloom.
Lots, and lots of berries and fruits this year which will be great for migrating and wintering birds....
these are the ripe fruit of the Black Hawthorne....
this Mountain Ash is covered in berries as well.
With some warm weather in the forecast, hopefully we will get out on the water within the next few days to check on things at the estuary.
A better day today, so we headed out on the water....
headed over towards Eagle Point park first....
hmmm won't be using the viewing platform anytime soon.
or the bench!
saw this male Black-headed Grosbeak....
there was still a lot of activity around swallow nesting boxes, including seeing these two Tree Swallow fledglings perched on the edge of one with no roof. For some reason, most of them are without roofs...
there were a few Purple Martin - nothing like the numbers we've had the last few years but at least there are some.
heading out across the water we spotted something in the distance - middle of the picture...
turned out to be a mother and baby seal! We've seen seal before, but never with a baby.
it is worth a second look.
saw a few Bald Eagles including this guy...
very few Canada Geese - these two were in a group of five. The only duck was one spooky Wood Duck. A couple of Common Loon were way out and could hear Pied Bill Grebe.
So much water right now that it is hard to tell what is river!
Gave up and went for a wet walk on the dike today....
Really, does this look like the 3rd of July?
Apart from a few wet swallows and a loon way out on the river, birds were in short supply. Could hear them but they were all sheltering from the weather. Feel so sorry for those trying raise young ones in this weather!
But speaking of young ones....
what we did see were at least 7 different young Rufous Hummingbirds all feeding on the flowers of the Viper's Bugloss which fortunately has not yet been mowed down.
Do I dare hope that they will leave the plants to flower and go to seed this year? Some Mullein, the seeds of which are loved by many birds, are just starting to flower.
the tiny brilliant pink flowers of the Deptford Pink are out as well.
So two things are forecast for the next few days.....sunshine and a surge of flood waters....will be interesting to see if either or both materialize.
