Overcast then partly cloudy through late morning. Becoming overcast again in the early afternoon. Temperatures near 50F. Rain later this evening. Gusty winds (at least in Silver Bay).
A text message this morning let me know we wouldn’t be needed until 10:30. This made for a more expansive and relaxed start to my day than I was anticipating.
Given the forecast for plenty of rain, I was surprised to have sun shining and partly cloudy skies over Silver Bay for a good portion of the late morning.
A pair of sea lions were hanging out for the first 30+ minutes I was observing. They came to the surface every 2-3 minutes, generally in the same area. They were well outside the shutdown zone for the vibratory hammer, but once it started, I didn’t see them again until long after the pile driving was finished.
Birds were present, but not as many as I’ve seen some other days. I haven’t seen Red-necked Grebes lately, and that continued during daylight hours today. However, I am pretty sure I saw one after sunset (the lights on the dock were bright enough to illuminate it).
Pile driving observations were done by 1:30, but they were also placing fill in the water (which requires at least one observer per the mitigation plan). I took an hour break while one of the others watched, then I watched until they wrapped up for the day. They’re trying to work with the tides. I imagine as they raise the level, they’ll be able to work on ever higher tides, but for now they are only placing rock around the low tides.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
