Heavy overcast with periods of rain. Light to moderate winds.
Rowan recently asked me whether chickadees will re-use a nest hole. She had noticed them around and wondered if they would be nesting again in a nest box the neighbors have up where they had previously nested. I thought they might, especially if the nest box had been cleaned out.
This morning, I noticed chickadees coming and going from a nest box Connor hung up some years ago in our yard. I don’t remember if they’ve used it previously, but now suspect they might be considering it for this year.
My walk to the park occurred shortly after high tide. Though the tide wasn’t too high as high tides go, there was not a lot of beach showing.
The only shorebird I spotted was a Greater Yellowlegs on the rock in front of Visitor Center.
I was on a call at the time, so wasn’t able to listen for birds as I would usually.
Several moths were on the exterior walls. Among them was one of the few pug moths I feel like I can recognize. Eupithcia tripunctaria has white spots on its wings and back that are reasonable distinctive.
At home I documented the parts of a willow flower for identification purposes. Based on what I saw and how it compared with illustrations in the Willows of South Central Alaska book, I’m pretty sure it is Hooker’s Willow (Salix hookeriana). It’s a species that was on my radar based on its occurrence both north and south of Sitka, so nice to confirm finding it.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
