Grades were due today and I spent a fair amount of time in my office working on them and trying to get it re-organized and cleaned up. This afternoon there was a break in the clouds, so I decided to go for a short walk down to Totem Park.
Weather: It was another windy day. Winds seemed to be out of the west or southwest down at the park. The breeze was blowing pretty strongly on to the west shore at Totem Park. In the woods, the smaller hemlocks were all showing the light undersides of their needles as they were blowing in the wind. Just a short distance through the woods in the estuary, it was actually pretty calm. The tops of some of the trees were swaying in the wind, but down at ground level there was little wind.
Birds: Many birds seem to enjoy soaring in one place as they face into the wind. I saw eagles, ravens, and gulls all doing this.
There were only a few birds that I could see off the west beach of Totem Park. There may have been more that I did not see due to the waves blocking them from sight. I did see Harlequin Ducks diving near to the shore. A little later I saw several Barrow’s Goldeneye right where waves were breaking over a shallow area some distance from the beach (the tide was up pretty high). It appeared to me that the goldeneyes had chosen to hang out where the waves were breaking on purpose. Perhaps they find it fun.
Other birds at the park included several Mallards in the estuary and out at the point, just out of the stronger winds. There was a Great Blue Heron perched on a stump in the estuary.