Osprey!

An osprey landed in the pines across the creek right after breakfast. A flurry of gulls was followed by a great blue heron. 

The yellow rumped warbler proved it could eat suet from the bottom.  It didn't like it and would flick one wing like a person on unsure footing. Eventually it turned to the mealworm dish. A white throated sparrow called my attention to the birdbath water that had turned to ice overnight. 


A downy woodpecker enjoyed an undisturbed lunch under the suet.  It found time to hammer on the dogwood where the buds were distinctly swelling.  Carolina wrens visited all three feeders plus everywhere food had fallen.  A starling took over the mealworm dish whenever my back was turned.  I could see it watching me from the redwood. 


The red breasted merganseers seemed to be well settled in on the creek.  Turtles came out on their log in the afternoon sun.  A wood duck paddled past.  I wonder if the people who live above the lake are aware of all the life on its shore.  The slope curves and may block the view from their windows. 

 Later in the afternoon a flock of gulls, two pelicans, and a scattering of mergansers had a fishing frenzy off our dock.  One of the pelicans got its fish jammed crosswise but with the other one hanging around it couldn't disgorge and try again.  It took the bird quite a while to swallow that meal.  I saw shovelers feeding on the lake again.