Day 17.050: Erosion

I've taken a few pictures of coastal erosion from our one-two punch of bad storms back around the Exile New Year. Here are some pictures of the trails skirting some of the effects from our recent visit to East Point:

Day 17.049: Mystery photo

I forgot that I took this, but decided it would work as a mystery photo challenge. Any ideas what my colleague and I were doing here?

Day 17.048: Weird weather

The weather turned warm today resulting in some fairly thick patchy fog where there was still snow on the ground (especially around the various wooded areas). I missed the worst of it earlier this evening, but it was still quite misty when I took this:

Apparently it will be warmer still tomorrow and then may suddenly freeze overnight which is always fun when everywhere is wet with snow-melt. 

Day 17.047: Four days to go

Well, five from when this was taken, but even so I’m not sure these will be in flower by Friday.

Some just-sprouting daffodils at the cemetery

The Welsh members of the household* may have to find a different way to celebrate St David’s Day. 



* That is everyone except me of course but i'm usually allowed to take part.

Day 17.046: Exile #2's Sunday Column #470

Exile #2 writes...

Our resident red squirrel is getting bolder (and somewhat more destructive)! I caught them, this week, in the act of ripping our grill cover to shreds. I presume that means there will shortly be more red squirrels in the neighborhood and not just that it had taken against the cover in some way.

In classic fashion for our household, I didn’t chase it off but stood and watched its impressive technique. We haven’t seen it since but there are claw marks on the roof of our grill to serve as a reminder.

Day 17.045: Snow goose

After lunch, Exile #2 and I went to Laurel Hill Cemetery to stretch our legs while the sun was shining. It was cold and breezy, but felt good nevertheless. When we got down to the overlook over the Saco River estuary mud flats, we saw another birder who asked if we'd seen it, assuming we knew something we did not - that a snow goose had been spotted among its Canadian cousins.

Peterson shows their normal overwintering range only as far north as Delaware or so, Sibley has them as "rare" in Maine - as does Vickery who notes that occasional overwintering birds have become more common in this area since the 90's.

Apart from that surprise, what we saw was rather mundane - a lot of Canada geese, some mallards, a crow and a few dark-eyed juncos.

Day 17.044: Flashback Friday: hat?

Not much to report at this end of the work-week, so here are some photos from 15 years ago today of E5N1 with some novel headwear. 

Day 17.043: Curiosity

I stopped on my way home from work one day a week or so ago to take this picture of a curiously sharp-edged cloud. I suppose the most interesting thing might be that it was daylight at coming-home time. A sign that spring will be with us soon.

Day 17.042: Wordless Wednesday: Sunset

Day 17.041: Trombone Shorty

This evening, three of us went to the State Theatre in Portland to see Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue. Here are some pictures:

And one short video when we were standing in the perfect place as the horns went on a walk around the theater.

Day 17.040: Bayview

Exile #2 and I had a short walk on the beach yesterday.

It wasn't very productive in terms of birding, but I'll share what we saw.

A small raft of black scoters (I think there were seven in all). a common loon, a great black-backed gull on some fairly distant rocks and a rather closer herring gull (one of two).

Day 17.039: Exile #2’s Sunday Column #469

Exile #2 writes...

It’s school vacation this week. Or “Presidents’ Day week” as I like to call it. Even Exile #1 and Exile #3 get the day off tomorrow. It’s a little chilly to be spending too much time outdoors but we did make it to the beach this afternoon and saw what remains of the damage from the recent storm. I have to say, I’d be feeling a little nervous at the moment if I was one of the homeowners along the beach. But there are plans to extend a breakwater and disperse some of the strength of the waves in future, so we’ll see what happens when it’s built.

Day 17.038: East Point birds

Exile #2 and I had a walk at East Point Sanctuary in Biddeford this morning. As we arrived there was a large crowd looking out to see from near the sanctuary entrance. It turned out this was not - as we first imagined - because some unusual bird had drawn a crowd, but a group learning from one experienced birder. He pointed out the bird on the top of the post. This was the view even with 450 mm of lens:

but some digital zoom confirms what he told us - that this was a great cormorant:

We left the group and went on our way after that and saw plenty more birds.

An eider, likely a common eider transitioning to breeding plumage

Horned grebe

White-winged scoter

Common loon - there were several and at least one was giving its eerie call

Surf scoter

Common eider

American black duck

Merganser (likely common)

Long-tailed duck

Long-tailed duck

Common goldeneye

Day 17.037: Red; woods

I had an opportunity this week to get some photos of the red squirrel - just in the edge of the woods behind the house.

Day 17.036: Jazz Combo

Our day last Saturday started with a walk on the beach, included a couple of games of rugby (watched on TV, not played) and then we had a quick outing to see one of E5N1's performances at a schools jazz festival. This was the jazz combo he's in - a mostly brass group who (one person down due to sickness) performed three tunes. This was the third - a rendition of RVA All Day by No BS! Brass. Several of them did double duty - adding some percussion and then E5N1 had a third part to play.