On a Lifelong Journey to Learn my Place
Animals
A few days ago I noticed some crows perched in a crabapple (Malus fusca) loaded with fruit. They seemed fairly unconcerned with me, so I was able to watch and photograph as they pulled off the small fruits to eat. The native pacific crabapple fruits are small -about the size of the end of my … Read more
Yesterday I received a call from Stan about a different looking bird that had visited his driveway on Lakeview Drive late that morning (before being chased off by Steller’s Jays) as well as around the same time the day before. He thought it might be a Rusty Blackbird, but wasn’t absolutely sure. Rusty Blackbirds are … Read more
Today’s highlight was seeing a Rusty Blackbird after getting a report that it had been around a local neighborhood yesterday and today. It’s only the third one I’ve seen here (that I can recall), and the first since November 2008. There are still lots of Ring-necked Ducks on Swan Lake, but I didn’t see the … Read more
Yesterday as the sun was dropping low in the sky, I noticed a flock of geese flying south. I often try to guess how many are in a flock and then actually count to see. Sometimes, especially with distant birds like these were, it’s easier to take a picture and count when I get home. … Read more
Rowan and I spent some time looking at birds at Swan Lake. I hoped to see the Canvasback Connor had reported yesterday. I was able to find it (mixed in with ~60 Ring-necked Ducks), but it was too far off for me to get good pictures of it. While I was doing that, Rowan spent … Read more
With my parents in town for a short visit and Alaska Day festivities (namely, the parade), it was a pretty full day. My dad wanted to check out a patch of cranberries he had noted this summer along Beaver Lake trail. The only time really had for that was this morning before the parade, so … Read more