More showery weather with minor sun breaks. Snow level down to around 3500 feet.
This morning I did a walk and talk up Verstovia Trail for the first time since the end of July. The last time I did much uphill was mid-August, and I definitely felt the decline in conditioning today. I made it to the first viewpoint in just under 24 minutes. This was 2 minutes slower than the last time, and I think I felt more strained doing it today. Observing work likely to take up much of my daylight time between now and December. It could be pretty grim getting started again in January unless I figure out a way to get some uphill efforts in (maybe Herring Cove during breaks?).
After the walk I checked for birds a few places, but didn’t notice anything that stood out to me.
This afternoon between showers I spent some time out with hummingbirds that were visiting the feeder.
They’ve been emptying the feeder quite regularly this fall, and today I got a better sense of why. There were definitely at least 4 birds visiting the feeder, and possibly more.
At one time I saw three birds that were not adult males, and there was also an adult male that visited.
Two of the young/female birds were involved in a chase that took them around the house repeatedly. I’m not sure if it was the same one doing the chasing all the time, or if they took turns. They also seemed to be doing some tail displays at times as part of the activity, but they were too quick for me to manage a photo of.
The timing of the more direct light and hummingbirds didn’t work out the best, but I got some practice getting photos. At 15 frames per second, photos accumulated quickly and I had over 400 photos to look at. Fortunately it was quick work to do an initial culling and get them down to around 100. Upon first review, the best of them seem like fine documentary shorts, but I’m not seeing anything I expect to print.
I’m not sure if it was just a successful nesting year, or if more have moved in, but I’ve been seeing more Eurasian Collared-Doves around town lately. At least four are regularly around my house, and I’ve seen similar groups elsewhere.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
