Merry New Year!

It dawned with hazy clouds and a weak sun trying hard.  The start of something new, a decent sunny day!

My first bird of the New Year was Canada Goose.  There are large flocks who spend the night in the pumpkin fields just east of me.  They migrate in and out of the field every day in large noisy flocks.  Every once in a while I hear different sounds and have seen Trumpter Swan and Snow Geese fly over my place as well.

This morning I have time to kill.  Because the sun was out I wanted to be someplace open so I visited Juanita Bay Park to enjoy the lakeside marshes.

I also have my new Monthly Scavenger Hunt list for January and my color of the month for my 365 Project; both on Flickr.  I enjoy these projects as they really awaken my mind and eye to possibilities.

Juanita Bay, in sunlight is alive with color.  Red rose hips are a backdrop for yellow willow.

brown reeds and mud always hold promise of fun birds.  I had a good binocular view of a Ruby-crowned Kinglet with his crown up.  I got my camera ready for him to come closer but he had a different opinion and skittered away.

But Trumpeter Swans used a little gravel bar where Forbes Creek enters the lake to preen.

Wood Ducks are almost guaranteed at the north beach.  This fellow and his mate were eating huge tubers they grabbed from the bottom.

There are Ring-necked Ducks.  Most people insist they should have been called Ring-billed for obvious reasons.  It was not until I got home and viewed the photo in the computer that I saw that I captured the little brown ring that you can barely see in real time.

There were tons of people out.  Whenever the sun made a strong appearance you almost felt it was balmy.

The long walk was particularly nice, set up on a nice north to south axis, you could bask the whole way.

Look at this bit of sweetness!

I met a couple and noted the gentleman's walking stick.  This was Daniel Trythall and he is an artist specializing in hand carved sticks and canes.  http://www.crowprints.com/index.htm

I covet

I made my way back to the Kirkland waterfront for a special event.  The weak sunshine had brought folks out, but there would soon be more.  Not quite " A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" but certainly called it to mind

I was there for one reason.

Get a coffee and listen to Stuart McLean

Waaaait a minute.  What are those people outside the car window.  Party hats and cheers??  Going over to the beach again

ELVIS!

MUSCLE MEN

POLAR BEARS!!!!  A mad dash into 45 degree water.  In order to do it right you must go all the way under.  I keep my camera hand above the surface.

Their expression was priceless

You come prepared with warm refreshment.

Or perhaps something warm and fuzzy to hug

For me the chill sets in about 20 minutes after the fact.  You actually feel quite warm when you first get out.  I was actually colder after my shower as my body tried to make sense to all these changes of temperature.

Cheers to all for a great 2012!  I hope you have many adventures and discoveries.

I GOT A NEW CAMERA !!!

This one has a lot more zoom, a lot more pixels and good glass.


I took it out to Juanita Bay Park for a little spin. I played with focus and zoom, letting the camera call the shots.


It will take some getting use to, but I like some of the shots I got today

Spring Sky

Pacific Willow buds

Crocus in my planter box




Juvenile Bald Eagle, it was a long way up

Pond Turtle

Leaf skeleton

Old dried tree trunk, no bark

Coopers Hawk, I think a male

Indian Plum the first blooming native plant

Nice Weather for Ducks

When presented with the options of where to wander this weekend, I have to look to Professor Mass and his wonderful weather blog. It shows that one has the option of rain, or rain and wind. I have a desire to explore Washington Park, up in Anacortes, but the thought of dealing with both wind and rain kept me close to home. Here there is only rain and it is a bit easier to be in it for over an hour.

Jay is doing well in his first week of work. I knew it was too good to be true that all would continue fine. Yesterday I found he had lost a shoe and of course it would be from the front hoof. He let me know that precious, delicate ponies should not have to work in soft footing with one shoe missing. It causes "Oh So Horrible Pain" in tender toes. Personally I think he knew I did not write a check this week to pay someone who sees to his every needs and I was getting off easy. Poor rusty put upon steed. No matter, it is tempting to rush a rehab when it is going well. A day off will not make a great impact and might just benefit.

I chose to stick close to home and visit Juanita Bay Park. This little park , just north of downtown Kirkland, can yield some pretty good bird sightings. I figured on a day like this there would be fewer folks out. This allows sneaking up on those good birds that are hard to find most days.

Thing is, those birds figured no one is dumb enough to be out in the rain. They might as well stay in bed.

It is a pretty little lake edge wetlands. Forbes Creek, which drains much of North Kirkland has overspilled its banks and the marsh was nicely full of water. Even though there were plenty of cars driving up Juanita Drive, the rush of the creek almost drown out the car sounds.

There is a very nice set of signs telling of the local native peoples and their community names. I learned that I was born and raised in the community of Skahtelbshab(u)sh near the place called Suhteecheeb. Now I live in the community of the s'Tsahpahbsh , meandering river = Sammamish River.

Here at Juanita Bay there were varied resources. Fishing and duck hunting plus edible plants and roots to harvest. Cattails were not only used for their rushes to make fiber objects but the roots were eaten. The information kiosk said women dug up the cattail reeds by working their feet down into the roots and pulling them up. I suspect those women did not have big brothers who filled them with stories of fish that would eat their toes off or dragonflies who suck blood.

This Kingfisher didn't trust me to come close and only returned to her perch when I was far away.

A good sized flock of Wood Ducks were on the beach at the north end of the park. The males are about the most beautiful of our native birds. During nesting season you will find them in trees in marsh complexes. Wood Duck nest in woodpecker holes and when the ducklings hatch, that first step is a doozy. At the urging of their parents they launch from the hole and fall to earth, bouncing off their still chubby breast. They have quite a bounce when they land and seem no worse for wear.

I only lasted about 2 hours in the rain. Scotchguard goes on my shopping list as my favorite coat seems to have lost its protective ability.

Atkowchug (Lake Washington) showing why we drink so much coffee and read so many books.