Yesterday I didn’t get out too much, but did stop by Moller Park and Sage Beach. Today I managed a couple of brief walks through the park, one around noon, the other later this afternoon.
Weather: It started raining yesterday, and periods of rain continued through today. I saw a small patch of blue sky this evening.
Birds: The spring migration is starting to ramp up. Yesterday there were many new songbirds, shorebirds and waterfowl reported.
The Tree Swallows have returned to Swan Lake.
At lower Moller Park yesterday, there were many birds active, including a Wilson’s Snipe, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Pine Siskins, and Ruby-crowned Kinglets. The highlight was several Townsend’s Warblers, a first of season bird for me.
At Sage Beach I saw a mixed flock of Black Turnstones, Surfbirds, and Rock Sandpipers.
This morning at the park there were a pair of geese, some shorebirds (Black Turnstones, and possibly a Dunlin that I could see), Greater Yellowlegs, and some gulls on the beach. There were quite a few ducks offshore, but I couldn’t really see them well enough to tell what they were. Certainly scaups, goldeneyes, and Buffleheads were represented.
This afternoon at the park the geese were still there, as were gulls, and a Marbled Godwit. Somewhat closer to shore than in the morning, there were Northern Pintails, Northern Shovelers, Green-winged Teal, American Wigeons, Mallards, and various other mentioned previously.
Flora: Fern-leaf Goldthread were blooming at lower Moller field.
The huckleberry flowers are getting started, but are not yet fully developed.
The flower buds on the Trailing Currants are out (I did not notice them a couple of days ago when I looked).