The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge. We amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns.
We invite you to note what you are seeing around you in your own part of the world, and to share your observations in the comments below.
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May 15, 2019
Salish Sea, Pacific Northwest
An afternoon at the beach in mid-May is usually pretty quiet, wildlife-wise, once the ducks and most gulls have decamped for breeding grounds. One day last week I was lucky to be walking by when several critters were doing their individual things. The day was cloudy and cool, a big change from the hot sunny weather of the previous two weeks.
Friendly Seal is far more standoffish now she’s grown up but she still comes into the bay for hunting time to time. This lone hen bufflehead is a straggler. She took flight all of a sudden when FS got too near. Which means she’s able to fly, so I’m not sure why she didn’t leave with the rest of the buffies.
While I was standing by the water watching FS, a river otter paddled toward shore not far from me intending to climb out. Once it saw me it changed its mind about coming ashore right here, swimming out into deeper water and eventually out of sight. Sorry I was standing right here buddy! Probably a male, though this is pup season for otters (March to May) — it’s possible that was a mom although this spot isn’t near the usual denning locations (based on otter trails and otters I’ve seen coming and going, including pups). Beaches by the road get a lot of human and dog traffic, especially at this time of year now we’re moving into summer tourist season. If a mom with a den nearby, she’d have to frequently take a detour, or wait for an empty beach.
The gulls and cormorants have mostly left the beaches and are congregating on the breeding islands offshore, staking out nesting spots and subsequent activities. One pair of Glaucouswinged gulls in bright breeding plumage conversed on the derelict boat.
I did happen on a few other birds, mostly in the field and wetlands behind the beach: the big winter Canada goose flock persists, also newly arrived Barn swallows and Violet-green swallows, plus the residents gearing up spring activity (killdeer, Brown-headed cowbirds, Red-winged blackbirds, starlings, finches and at least one Marsh Wren).
On the beach, three peeps foraged busily. They are migrating through.
The osprey that first showed up a few days ago was hunting here again.
This time it was at the far end of the beach so I can’t be sure, but it looks like the last dive was successful, feet hanging down with something? It flew off out of the bay after that dive rather than perching on a tree. Not much calling yet.
Colors are muted on this overcast day but the blooming Sand Verbena brightens up the beach. A few pollinating insects like bumblebees are starting to appear.
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Grey skies and showers in the Pacific Northwest islands this morning. It rained all day yesterday here in the islands, steadily from midday — so welcome after weeks of unusually dry weather, nicely softening up the ground. More than half an inch, which is a lot for the PNW, and with an atypical pattern statewide: we in the “rainshadow” of the mountains got more than everyone else, system came in from the southeast rather than southwest. Happy to see the soil and catchment tanks replenished.
What’s the nature news in your neighborhood?
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