Weather: I headed down to class under overcast skies and noticed that it was one of those days where Mt. Edgecumbe seems to glow against the dark gray backdrop of clouds. It did not look like the sun was shining on Mt. Edgecumbe, but it is possible the overcast was thin enough to let a lot of the light through. During the day it was mostly cloudy, but the clouds were thin, so the sky was bright. The wind was out of the Southeast this morning and seemed to be from the West or Southwest this afternoon.
Birds: I saw my first Hermit Thrush of the year as I walked along the narrow trail by the Indian River Estuary. There were a number of Dunlin and Western Sandpipers along with a pair of Golden Plovers near the Battleground. One of the Golden Plovers was in breeding plumage.
Later in the afternoon I saw what I think was a Marbled Godwit do a fly by but decide not to land at the beach.
There have been Tree Swallows reported at Swan Lake, but I haven’t been out that way for awhile and have not seen them.
Flora: I have noticed fireweed growing for the last couple of days.