Last day of 2011

I'll have to change the header tomorrow. More come-and-go sunshine, early pelican and egrets. It's warm and breezy. The feeder needed a refill.

The honeybees are still at work. According to Wikipedia, we are probably within two miles of the hive. It says bees have ranged as far as six miles, but I don't think that would happen on short December days when it is barely above their minimum flying temperature. Of course, there may not be all that much else flowering as they don't seem attracted to camellias. I also saw a hover fly on, actually over, the rosemary.

Busy birds

Including eagles! Two swooped through just after 8am. Then one dive-bombed some egrets downstream, hoping, I think, that they might drop a fish. Also circling the creek were a great many gulls. They all seem to think that something should be there to fish for, but I don't see them catch anything. And I can't find any indication of a fish species that would be spawning or schooling in the estuaries today. Of course, the purveyors of "solunar tables" weren't even agreed on whether today was good or merely fair for fishing. Flocks of mallards and geese headed upstream, but they wouldn't have cared about the fish.

In the pines across the creek crows were hassling a hawk of some sort - I couldn't get a good look at it, but it was tan under the wings. Meanwhile, on the feeder a sassy wren contended with chickadees and titmice. A female cardinal and juncos hunted on the ground and a brown thrasher tossed mulch under the red cedar. I tossed out a peanut I found on the floor and a white-throated sparrow took it under the rosemary to peck apart. Then the sparrow posed under the pink camellia where it looks quite pink by reflection.

Obviously yesterday's cloud cover was gone at dawn, but by 11am clouds had moved in from the West. The creek was flowing strongly to the East, but there was only a light breeze. And by 2pm the clouds were gone again. There are still bees on the rosemary! Lazy squirrels are finally out playing chase. A lone pelican checked out the creek. Just before sunset, a bufflehead paddled by.

Commuter birds

Most mornings, flocks of water birds move past from their roosts to wherever they feed. Today a squadron of Canada geese flew upstream. Gulls headed in every direction. The sky is blue and the cold air is slowly warming.

At lunchtime, three turkey vultures swooped through the yard and landed on the dock. When I photographed them they moved, one by one,. to the boathouse roof across the creek and then further upstream. I only could get two in a photo. Meanwhile the crows carried on as though the vultures were predators.

On my way back, I noticed that the beauty berries are all shriveled and black. Titmice and chickadees were flitting around the bushes.

Clouds moved in through the afternoon and made for a dark and streaky sunset. The white camellia is blooming.

Come and go sun

At dawn, the sun performed its usual magic on the tops of the pines across the creek. Then it disappeared, but now it's back.

Squirrels were out early. Last night's wind blew the patio furniture around. But the sky had cleared enough by bedtime to reveal Jupiter. Venus would have set already according to this guide.

Now it's all blue. Juncos are on the feeder as well as the patio. Pelicans were cruising the creek earlier.

Tonight I saw Venus chasing the sunset, with the crescent moon behind and Jupiter not quite yet overhead.

Heavy gray clouds hanging

It must be getting warmer. And mid-morning, the rain begins. There is some kind of brown scum on the creek. It isn't gas or oil because I do see drops of that too. It's sudsy - when a bird takes off from the water it makes bubbles. Disgusting.

And there haven't been many birds either. Some cormorants, a female merganser, and a kingfisher that flew upstream. Gulls and crows overhead. Chickadees and titmice at the feeder. Funny how a titmouse is twice the size of the chickadee but much more timid. I heard jays. A pair of doves were cuddling up in the gum tree. Some kind of woodpecker was silhouetted against the sky.

Miserable rain all afternoon with gusty wind. Gulls are undeterred.

Cold wind, bright sun

I love watching the sunlight slowly move its highlighter from the tops of the pines down to the surface of the water.

At mid-morning, the creek surface has gone smooth. House finches, chickadees and titmice are busy on the feeder and a nuthatch is checking out the neighbor's pine trunk. It was mostly detectable as it moved from the shady side to the sunny.

At noon I saw a hawk fly upstream. Shortly afterward, a cardinal pair showed up. She poked a male house finch of the feeder while he (the cardinal) watched from the dogwood. After a while he flew over and announced it was his turn. Meanwhile, pelicans cruised up the creek and a buzzard circled high up.

Sunset was brilliant with intense red cloud puffs and the thinnest sliver of new moon, all reflected in the glassy creek. Hundreds of cormorants were flying to roost in every direction along with a few gulls and egrets.

Blue sky and quiet water

At dawn the cormorants flew out. Then mergansers flew upstream. Their white markings and wing beats interact and make them appear to vibrate.

The sky has clouded over. Chickadees and finches are visiting the feeder again after disappearing yesterday. Gulls, egrets, and pelicans are watching the water. And there is a big hawk hanging around. It looks osprey-size so I'm guessing red-tail, but there is not enough light to be sure.

A flock of about five male and three female mallards is circling off the end of the dock. We used to have a lot more mallards. I think a neighbor was feeding them. Now we are down to a reasonable number and it has been some years since I found a nest in the yard. Anyway, there are enough mallards around to name this blog.