Sunday:
I did not spend too much time outside except for playing a game of ultimate frisbee in two feet of snow. That it was a lot of fun, though running in deep snow is a bit strenuous.
Weather: It warmed up late yesterday and through the night. Today there was light rain with temperatures in the mid-30s.
Birds: Varied Thrushes and juncos around the house.
Monday:
Weather: Rainy, quite sloppy. Breezy late in the evening. Highs were in the upper 30s through afternoon but warmed in the evening to near 40 by midnight.
Birds: Varied thrushes, Juncos, and Song Sparrow at home. Dark-eyed Juncos and lots of Pine Siskins around Park Street and Biorka Street. I noticed that eagles seem to be perched in a reasonably well dispersed pattern around town, which may have something to do with how many of them quickly converge on a food opportunity.
Tuesday:
Weather: Rain, breezy on the bridge this afternoon. Highs in the mid/upper-30s,
Birds: At Swan Lake I counted 47 mallards and a Cackling Goose. At the Park Street feeder there were lots of Dark-eyed Juncos, Pine Siskins, two American Tree Sparrows, and a White-crowned Sparrow. In Crescent Harbor I saw a Common Merganser. On the Crescent Bay side of the bridge, there Mew Gulls, Glaucous-winged Gulls, and Harlequin Ducks. The workfloat cove had Barrow’s Goldeneyes, Common Mergansers, and a male Red-breasted Merganser. There were Long-tailed Ducks and Scaups in channel.
Wednesday:
I ttayed home all day.
Weather: Rain and temperatures in the upper 30s.
Thursday:
Weather: Temperatures were in the upper 30s, winds were calm.
Birds: At Swan Lake I saw 50+ Mallards and a Cackling Goose.
Other Notes: There was a River Otter on the ice at the lower end of Swan Lake.
Friday:
Today was the first day of the Great Backyard Bird Count. I spent some time downtown this morning and then this afternoon I took a walk around Totem Park to look for birds.
Weather: It was cooler, with temps in the lower 30s, some snow, a bit breezy, with wind out of the west when I was at Totem Park.
Birds: I saw 39 different species today. Highlights included Rock Sandpipers at the base of the bridge, and Common and Thick-billed Murres from Totem Park beach.
Other Notes: I saw both a Harbor Seal and a Steller’s Sea Lion near the beach at Totem Park.
Saturday:
I walked through Totem Park with Connor and Rowan today.
Weather: Overcast, some snow overnight, temperatures in the lower-mid 30s. It was pretty breezy, blowing out of the southeast.
Birds: Saw quite a few birds down at the park, including lots of Common Redpolls. I also saw a Western Grebe in Crescent Bay, my first.
Other Notes: We had the chance to watch a mink on the rocks between the trail and the river in the estuary.