Damp

I woke up to a gray sky that signaled the freeze was over. White throats were prospecting for fallen seeds.  And one had a brief shower in the birdbath.  The red breasted nuthatches were more cooperative than usual.  The yellow streaked myrtle warbler continued its bullying.  But the downy woodpeckers took over the suet. 

The creek was liquid glass with nothing interesting to reflect.   A crow visited and objected to my orange peel dish full of jelly atop the bark butter feeder.  It removed the whole thing and set it in the grass.  A light rain began about 11am and continued off and on through the day. 

At lunch, a titmouse joined the feeder crowd.  A pine warbler tried to eat but the myrtle warbler was on the case.  Then a female oriole showed up and the warbler gave up.  Then a blue jay scared off the oriole.  Meanwhile, a Carolina wren eluded me. 

At the far end of the pool a squirrel was turning somersaults.  Later another peeled bark off the redwood for nesting material.  I wonder if it repels insects like cedar? 

A northern shoveler was feeding on the lake.  And a crow was crabbing along the water's edge below the redwood.  The tide dropped quite low although we are past the new moon.