Here we are, the 4th of August already and there just hasn't been much of anything to post about. Haven't been able to get out on the water for a variety of reasons, seems when it is cool enough (not that it has been extremely hot, but none the less, sunshine on a gravel dike tends to get a bit toasty - especially for little black dogs) to actually go for a walk over at Harrison Bay, it is so windy there isn't much to be seen.
However, yesterday brought something interesting enough to warrant doing a posting. A friend was out in her kayak and spotted this.....
in the water. It was a solid jelly like glob not quite as big as a football, but getting there. Not knowing what it was, they maneuvered it out of the water and brought it home in a bucket of water....figuring I might know what it was. I didn't and neither did any number of neighbours who spend a lot of time 'out there' on the water and had never seen anything like it, but with a bit of searching on line it has been identified (and returned to the estuary). It is a Bryozoa, also commonly known as 'moss animal',
which turns out is an aquatic invertebrate, very tiny (less than .5mm) that lives in a colony, is a filter feeder and completely harmless although apparently they can sometimes clog pipes and things. There are 5000 species world wide, most in salt water, but some, like this one, in fresh. They have been around for 450 million years according to what I read, like shallow, warm water and reach maximum size in late summer/early fall and appear to be a recent addition to our area as one online report was about the first one ever found in Stanley Park and the date was 2017 - just 2 years ago! Guess yet another example of global warming at work.
So after that bit of excitement might as well mention the few things I have noticed the past little while....
there is Harrison Bay....your can't see the white caps out there, but trust me,, they are there....one day there were even rollers....it looked like the ocean! The beach is reappearing. Osprey nest is now vacated and judging from the number of Osprey flying about, seemed to have been successful. Noticed a flock of 12 California Gulls flying down the river the other day too - migration is now underway.
lot's of Cedar Waxwing around like this one enjoying the ripening Himalayan Blackberries. Haven't seen a young one yet but only a matter of time. Can't seem to venture outside without hearing waxwings.
most Swallows have raised their young now although there was a late family of Tree Swallows the other day, these being two of the four youngsters and Barn Swallows are still feeding young in nests.
I think most of the Bullock's Orioles have begun heading south, not hearing them as much as we were, but this youngster was over at Harrison Bay a couple of days ago.
here at the estuary, water levels are dropping rapidly - this photo was taken 3 evenings ago, water is much lower now, in fact given the warm temperatures forecast for this coming week, I expect we will be able to stand on the grasslands at the viewing tent site by mid week.
Birds are enjoying the shallow water and the muck it leaves behind....caught this Swainson's Thrush having a drink the other evening...
Frequently see the Eurasian Collared Doves either bathing or drinking...
and of course American robins seem to love this sort of stuff.
in our yard and pretty much everywhere else, lots of Black-capped Chickadee families. One day this past week we had a Red-breasted Nuthatch in the yard....first one in years....was just here for one afternoon and haven't seen it again.
Since we haven't got out on the water, haven't got a definite update on the Purple Martins but I know there has been a lot of over head activity although it is quieting down so my guess is they had another good year and migration will have begun for them. I have no idea if the new colony off of Kilby beach got used this year.
Hummingbirds, well the male Rufous are long gone, seeing a lot of Hummingbird activity though as the youngsters join the females and the Anna's are taking over again, they seem to lay low while the Rufous are here.
With water levels dropping rapidly and migration underway, who knows, maybe a shorebird will show up one day....it is the time of year when you never know what you might see where or when, so reminder to self - always have your camera with you!
Between trips away and weather that is the exact opposite of what had been predicted for summer....that is cool and wet rather than hot and dry - not that I'm complaining! We finally got for a walk over at Harrison Bay....and to say I was shocked is a understatement.
look what they have done to the habitat along the dike! I can understand when they trim the edges, and even going several feet down the sides, but this! in mid July which is still nesting season. How can this be allowed? It is illegal to disturb bird nests. How many nests and young birds were killed or at least disturbed in this process.
I find this mind boggling!
we know that quite a few White-crowned Sparrows were nesting along the dike. Today we saw several adults like this one in the destruction....didn't see a single young one.
and Song Sparrows....there was a family of young Song Sparrows in another section....looking rather lost and confused.
here are some more of them.
there were a number of these little flycatchers....I'm never sure of the actual Id of these little guys. They seemed to be enjoying the open area.
not affected were the Black-capped Chickadee. Heard quite a few of them.
Cedar Waxwings wouldn't be affected either. Heard quite a few, they would be right in the middle of nesting now as they are one of the late nesters, as are American Goldfinch which unfortunately would have been nesting in the destroyed areas....we didn't see a single one.
Was concerned about how the ....
Spotted Sandpiper that we knew were nesting somewhere close made out. Saw this adult and from the sounds we suspect the babies must have survived.
Speaking of babies....
how about some baby Barn Swallows...seemed to be quite a few of them which is very good.
It isn't often, especially lately, that there isn't a breeze blowing, but yesterday evening was one of those rare exceptions....
so we headed out in the canoe....
a Seal swam by....there were a pair of Common Loon out there as well, but too far off for a photo.
headed straight across to the log jam at the edge of the Harrison River, you can see how shallow the water is, already.
found these Common Mergansers, only saw one adult female and a total of 17 young.
doesn't get much calmer than this!
A Muskrat swam beside us for a while, could hear more 'nibbling' in the reeds.
on the other side, lot's of baby Swallows
most of them appeared to be Northern Rough-wing Swallows.
then just ahead of us, a family of Hooded Merganser...
an Eastern Kingbird perched on a stump at the side of the river...
and then there were the Beaver....
sometimes those encounters ended in an almighty splash - much to the amusement of our little dog...
and sometimes they just happily swam alongside.
Oh, and the Purple Martins....they were there...we didn't actually check them out but could hear them feeding overhead.
Just a perfect, almost last day of June evening....
First day of summer and we managed a quick canoe trip....
conditions weren't ideal, but better than they have been....
and the main reason for going out was to get an indication of how the Purple Martin colony was doing....and pleased to report it seems to be doing well!
there was activity at all 3 sets of boxes and from the sounds, there must be quite a few still sitting, while there are a number of youngsters visible as well.
Youngsters like these ones. Quite a few Tree Swallows making use of the boxes as well. Saw one young Tree Swallow sitting on one of the boxes but it looked like most are still inside being fed. There were swallows of all descriptions, Tree, Violet Green, Barn and Northern Rough Wing flying about.
a lot of young Canada Geese as well. Hard to count but think there were about 40 of them of varying ages, none really young.
Only other item of note was an Eastern Kingbird. Unfortunately couldn't get a photo. Total of 4 Osprey seen too.....and unfortunately a number of Bullfrogs were heard.
We braved the heavy black clouds and took a walk over to the park today....
always amazed at how 'lush' the place is as the water levels start to drop.
The log bay is still a 'bay'
There were a number of Canada Geese taking a rest there, obviously several families as there were varying ages of the youngsters.
I was concerned about the lack of activity around any of the martin boxes although a kayaking friend assures me they have been around. Perhaps it was the Bald Eagle eating something on top that had everybody hiding.
this male Black-headed Grosbeak was spotted in the blackberry bushes
there were a number of Red-wing Blackbirds, including his youngster.
But the biggest surprise was the number of....
Bullock's Oriole! They were everywhere and very vocal. Obviously a lot of young. Orioles don't mature for 2 years. The previous years kids help raise the current crop and that is exactly what is happening here as this is a one year old male. Also, unlike most birds, they don't all hatch at once so dad and older siblings feed the fledglings as they hatch while mom remains on the nest.
and speaking of fledglings....here is one of them
Where's food?
Back home and made it over to Harrison Bay this afternoon.
water levels pretty much identical to when we left 3 weeks or so ago. It was very windy, in fact it has been windy since we arrived home on Sunday. Hope it dies one of these days because I really want to get out on the water.
Because of the wind I didn't expect to see much in the way of birds...
I see there is still an Osprey on a nest out there....
and speaking of nests, was thrilled to see this young Bald Eagle peeking out of the eagle nest. Looks like just the one.
There must also be at least one....
Spotted Sandpiper nest as this fellow was really agitated as we walked by.
The fields are looking very green but the sides of the dike looked a little crisp...as did the Viper's Bugloss.
about the only birds that seemed to be enjoying the wind were the swallows, mainly Tree Swallows, like this fellow.
Should mention that yesterday morning, when I hadn't got into the routine of taking my camera with me, 6 adult Canada Geese, swam by with at least 30 partially grown young!
I've heard the Purple Martin but really need to get out on the water to see what is what. Hopefully soon.
