Rain

A very light rain was falling when I got up.  Birds were filling up to wait out the coming storm.   Herons and pelicans were out on the creek with the gulls.  The yellow rumped warbler guarded the suet.  However it was no match for starlings.  White throats poked around the mulch, but also ate seeds and bark butter from the feeders.  And a male red bellied woodpecker took over the suet. 

Around 9am it grew very dark and the rain came harder.   It streaked the North windows and ended photography.  As predicted, the temperature dropped about 20°F with the rain tapering off by lunch. A blue jay argued with a starling over the bark butter, but the camera decided to focus on the raindrops on the window.  Red winged blackbirds came with the starlings.  Then a family of bluebirds arrived.  

A downy woodpecker worked on the suet.  A Carolina wren ate sunflower seeds with a chickadee.  A goldfinch landed by the birdbath, then fled almost immediately.  A pine warbler attempted to get some suet but the butterbutt bully was still on duty.  Another yellow rumped warbler slipped in while the bully was distracted, chasing the pine warbler away.  That didn't work for long.  Then the orange crowned warbler got into the suet pecking order, but the butterbutt bully got the last bite (of suet). 

The wind picked up in the afternoon.  Gulls continued to flock to various spots on the creek.  I also saw female and male buffleheads.