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Saturday, July 16, 2011

Wet canoe ride

Today we attempted taking the canoe out…

Not the best day for a canoe trip

not the best day for a canoe ride…but I guess if you don’t do stuff in the rain this year, you never get it done…besides when husband’s make up their mind they are going to do something, it’s best just to go along with it..

Chehalis River

showery when we set out….lots of Swallow activity, Tree and Violet Green’s primarily…Red-wing Blackbirds in the bushes as well…quite a few Canada Geese, all in their molt and therefore flightless so they were hiding amongst the bushes…and we heard one of those Loons as well.

Yellow Warbler nest

That is a Yellow Warbler nest in there…the bush is a Red Osier Dogwood and look at the leaf colour already…leaves change colour due to stress and although this native shrub is used to being in high water for a while, I don’t know that it is used to being in water this high for this long…

Common Mergansers ahead

as we headed up an arm of the Chehalis I spotted Common Mergansers ahead…

Torpedoing across the river

there is the family…the youngsters pretty much full grown but not yet able to fly – that doesn’t mean they can’t move though!!

The shoreline

there were a pair of Gray Catbirds here but I didn’t manage a picture…we, in fact saw or heard at least 3 pairs of them.  Lots of Swainson’s Thrush calling from the vegetation as well…and Cedar Waxwings zipping back and forth…a few Black Cap Chickadees calling as well.

Mergansers along the shore

There are those Mergansers…hugging the bank – but it looks like fall already, not mid-July, when you look at the colour of the vegetation!

Mergansers

The Mergansers snuck past us again…keeping tight to the shore…by this time it was pouring so we turned around to head for home…

Western Toad

and spotted this guy….

Western Toad

I’m not an ‘amphibian’ expert – but I think it is a Western Toad…it was a pretty good size…I’ve asked a friend for verification of that ID and will let you know.

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