Mostly sunny, frosty overnight official temperatures in the 30s (though not in Starrigavan valley).
I considered heading up Verstovia during my morning calls, but didn’t make it out.
I went out this afternoon.
I had noticed ice on Cascade Creek and Granite Creek as I drove by.
When I got to Starrigavan, I was curious if there was ice on Starrigavan Creek. Plenty of ice covered the estuary away from the creek, but I did not see any in the river. Driving up Nelson Road, I could not see ice on main body of the river anywhere it was visible from the road.
Temperatures around town were in the upper 30s, but in the valley it was still in the mid 20s. When I first put ibuttons out, I had them in Starrigavan valley. I only kept them there for a year, as I removed them when they started a thinning project and never replaced them.
I did look at the data and saw that the valley bottom had temperatures significantly colder than town during that winter.
Maybe it would be worth placing an ibutton or two out there again.
The tide was low while I was out, and I stopped by Sandy Beach to make my observations.
I didn’t see any birds on the beach, but saw lots of tracks. People with dogs had left as I was arriving, so presumably they had discouraged the birds from sticking around.
I was interested to see the crows had pulled off parts of a sponge. I suspect the sponge was incidental damage, and they were after the barnacles snails and limpets growing among them.
Enough clouds were out over the water that I did not expect there to be much of a sunset. I did sit in my car listening to an audiobook and waiting to see.
I saw some alpenglow on the high peaks, but no real color in the sunset.
I published the last of the December 2024 photojournals today.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
