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Saturday, March 30, 2013

An incredible Easter Weekend!

What an amazing stretch of weather we are having!  Talk about the month of March, it came in like a lion and it is leaving us like a lamb - a very warm lamb!


I'm going to start this post by talking about something I've been meaning to mention all week and that is the amount of butterflies I am seeing.  I don't ever recall seeing as many as I'm seeing right now and I do mean 'ever' at any time of the year!  I know there are at least 3 species around.  The Mourning Cloak like the guy above, but I've also seen Comma Satyr and Milbert's Tortoishell.  


and for sheer numbers you can't beat the Tree Swallows right now!  This evening when I went for a walk I gave up counting after 100.  I imagine there might have been other species and maybe even some swifts mixed in the swarms of them over the flats.


here were just a very few of them.


the last couple of mornings we've noticed something I don't ever recall seeing here before, there must be something hatching, not only in the shallow water but also out on the 'flats'


Not only have there been large numbers of Northwestern Crows feeding all over the flats....


there has been a flock of gulls that I am having trouble identifying.  They act sort of like Mew Gulls, but not quite, they seem to have a dark tip on the bill but they aren't ring-bills as they have pale pink legs rather than yellow.  At least one that I got a good look at had a light eye.  The black on the wing tips is quite extensive and smudgy looking.  They chatter the whole time, I am guessing California gulls but I really have no idea and if anyone can help I'd appreciate it!


getting back to the more familiar, Song Sparrows are in the mode where they are very visible as they stake out their territories....


but of course nobody stakes out territory quite like a male Red-wing Blackbird!  There is much flashing of red wing patches going on right now.


the females are here and busy checking out nesting sites, and speaking of females not only are the male Rufous hummingbirds here in abundance, but the females have arrived.


and I think I'll finish off with this evening view.  Happy Easter everyone!

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