Gray

Finally the squirrel with the white spot reappeared!  She seemed kind of slow and heavy but otherwise OK.  An egret flew downstream and a night heron over the house.  A Carolina wren and a titmouse joined the regulars at the feeder.

Before lunch,thunder began to grumble.  A very gentle rain fell, wetting everything without accumulating in the birdbath.  I glimpsed a brown thrasher in the redwood.  Finches, cardinals and titmice visited the feeder.  The early afternoon was dry but rain started back up as I left for a meeting.  This time more water fell harder. 

When I got home, I heard baby birds crying in the vicinity of the trash cans.  I investigated and I swear the Carolina wren whistled up a wind to shake the water out of the juniper onto me.  Nevertheless I saw four babies that got herded under the shrubbery by their parents.  They did not seem to be flying yet, or maybe the rain was too much for them. 

Across the street, Canada geese promenaded and in the back yard a dove sat on the wet railing.  The rain tapered off as the wind grew gustier. After dark the slugs came out again.  I guess they were attracted to the lights indoors, but it only seems to happen in the rain.