Sitka Nature

After nearly two months that seemed unseasonably warm and lacking in precipitation, this week has been a return to what I tend to expect of late winter and early spring weather. Monday’s cooler temperatures with heavy clouds and rain, were followed by a short reprieve in partly-cloudy Tuesday, but Wednesday temperatures dropped again, and we saw rain, snow, sleet, and maybe even a bit of hail broken up by brief patches of blue sky an attending sun.

I took a little time while on my way home last night to shoot some pictures of the moon rising over the mountains and Crescent Bay.

After 3 cold springs in a row, it’s been kind of refreshing to have this year’s warmth in late winter, and an early start to Spring. There’s still a decent chance of below freezing temperatures and/or snow to come in March and even into April, but I’m hoping there aren’t any more hard freezes, or the berry crop will probably be a bust. It is an El Nino year, so perhaps that will keep things a bit warmer than usual. I would like to take some time to look back at the springs in other El Nino years to see if there’s any consistent pattern.

The pictures in this entry were taken yesterday, but the blueberries started blooming around town at least a couple of weeks ago, and there were crocus blooming by 2 February.

On a recent birding outing, I was able to record some vocal shorebirds, including one of a dozen Black Oystercatchers and a flock of Black Turnstones (with a Dunlin and 8 Rock Sandpipers mixed in, though I’m not sure if their voices can be picked out).

Black Oystercatchers

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Black Turnstones (with accompanying calls from other birds in the area)

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