Heavy overcast with rain beginning in the afternoon. Light winds and temperatures in the low 40s.
Rowan mentioned there was thunder and lightning late last night. Until she said that, I hadn’t remembered hearing the thunder in a state of semi-sleep. I more clearly remembered hearing heavy precipitation. It sounded like hail, but could have been very heavy rain.
I didn’t get out until mid-afternoon. I had some mild regret about putting it off, as the rain had started shortly before I left home.
I had ideas of going to Indian River to look for Scouleria aquatica, a species I’ve only observed a few times. I saw a recent observation posted by someone else that could have been it (but didn’t show enough detail to be sure). I was surprised to see I had only observed it four times (and probably not at all last year). It’s easy enough to find, but it’s not so common and doesn’t grow in places that I come across very often it without making a specific effort to look.
Most times I stop by Sawmill Cove this winter, I have seen this cormorant
The rain and no conveniently close parking put me off that plan, so I drove out to Sawmill Cove. I saw a few of the normal birds (including white neck patches the Pelagic Cormorant) and a Thick-billed Murre. The murre was not especially close, but I was able to get photos that let me feel reasonably confident in my id.
Although the rain hadn’t let up, I thought I might go down to the rocks at Whale Park. Upon arrival, I saw the near staircase was closed for maitenance.
I finally ended up at Sage Beach. I thought I might revisit a lichen (Tephromela atra) I’ve found here previously.
I didn’t end up finding it today, but did document a couple of other lichens that caught my eye.
A good chunk of my day was spent working through photos and iNaturalist observations from last September. These included observations from a hike up Bear Mountain last September. A made it through all of those, and now just have scattered observations from a few days before I’m done with the July-September period. Hopefully I can wrap that up tomorrow.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
