Heavy clouds

Gray and windy, but no rain. The wind is pushing the full moon tide even higher. Finches and chickadees are visiting the feeder between gusts and the squirrel forages below. Occasional patches of sky appear, but no sunshine thus far. Somehow I have managed to get into poison ivy or else I'm having a reaction to gnat bites. Ugh.

The tide and the clouds are finally in retreat after lunch. Wind from the North is pushing the wall of clouds, but of course the sun's in the South. Finches were driven off the feeder by a cardinal. Then he was chased away by another cardinal. A pause, then a pair of cardinals appeared, she on the feeder and he on the ground. They left and a puffed out chickadee took possession. The wind is fierce and the chickadee looks like a perfect egg with black on top and a tail pasted on the bottom. Meanwhile, a white-throated sparrow wandered around the patio briefly.

Later it became clear and sunny but still windy. A titmouse was hammering hard on the feeder perch - usually they take the seed to a branch inistead of staying in the open.