Rainy morning

Dramatic clouds picked up the dawn light.  Buffleheads were out on the creek, mallards flew downstream, and cormorants in every direction. At 8am the patio was full of birds. Chickadees came first, then a nuthatch, titmice, cardinals, a wren and beneath them sparrows, juncos, and a female towhee.  In the sweet gum tree, a lot of birds were hopping around, but even with binoculars I couldn't identify them.  White spot squirrel showed up, and several others raced through the trees.

Then, a sheet of cloud moved in from the West, they all left, and the rain started at 8:30. And was over by 9:15. The rest of the morning has been brief sun and longer cloud, but no more rain.  It is very warm.  A great blackback gull and a herring or ringbill have been paddling on the creek.

After lunch it is sunny and two egrets have taken up stations on the two tallest pilings while the buffleheads swim below.  A flock of robins pass overhead and a flock of juncos kick mulch.  The nuthatches, titmice, finches, chickadees, and cardinals jockey for space on the feeder.