Ridiculously warm

It is supposed to reach 80 today then plunge 40 degrees. The lawn weeds are blooming - dandelion, birdseye, henbit. Mahonia, rosemary, forsythia, and the first daffodil are also in bloom on this last day of February.

A heron was stalking the dock in the early morning. A pelican patrolled the water. I checked the newspaper's "solunar" table which gave 8:15am as the "major" feeding time but didn't see any sign that it mattered to fishing birds.

Cloudy morning

Warmer. A pelican flapped wearily upstream. Geese and cormorants on the creek and a kingfisher on the dock bench struggling with breakfast. It was a yellowish blob and I hope it was food, not plastic!

Peek-a-boo sunshine is bring out more birds. The usual feeder crowd, pelicans and herons patrolling the creek, and more kingfisher sightings.

And the temperature drops again

The morning began with gold cloud streaks and a great blue heron standing on the dock. The heron waited till I was in position with the camera and then flew off. Sometimes I think there's a radiation cameras give off that birds can sense. The chickadees were too wary to land while I stood outside.

A pair of crows were courting as were squirrels. Two titmice on the feeder were definitely not courting each other. Gulls and a pelican patrolled the creek.

At lunch the feeder got busy. It seems the order of precedence is cardinal, finch, junco, titmouse, chickadee, but the chickadees will challenge anyone and the finches are the least territorial. A jay landed in the camellia and a cormorant on the creek. By late afternoon, clouds rolled in from the South.

Wet and warm

Gray sky with gulls. Squirrels. Then more rain.

At lunch, the wind has blown the overcast into lumps that are streaming by, making waves of sun and shadow. Juncos are scurrying around one brave bird landed on the feeder and rode it through a gust that should have made it seasick.

Warmth coming

It is sunny and calm but still cold. Duck on the creek, chickadee on the feeder, gull in the sky.

Fade to overcast. A cormorant makes a hyphenated line of splashes taking off. Finches, a male cardinal and a titmouse join the chickadees at the feeder. A junco prowls below with the squirrels.

Cold, bright and calm

The early sunlight is golden and the water like a mirror. Egrets are sunning below the dam and a heron further along. Wood ducks are hanging out on a boat across the creek. Mergansers are busy diving.

I can hear a lot of birdsong in the trees. Chickadees are working on the feeder. And the most heartening sign, the maple trees are starting to bud! The twigs are turning red.

Chill wind

So much for warmth. It continues overcast but now the temperature is dropping. A pelican flew high going upstream and returned low to the water. Squirrels are out and about. A cormorant is sitting on the end of the dock.

Later a mallard pair occupy the dock and a small flock of geese feed on the far bank. Even later the sun crept out and highlighted diving ducks.