The local landscape

Yeah, I know. Now I'm just showing off.

I see Great Blue Herons (I'm told--please correct me if I'm wrong loyal reader) daily in the estuary. After Sunday night's storm, a real 12 hour soaking, I noticed that many of the birds relocated to shore. This guy was even still there in the afternoon. He (she?) is behind a fence on top of the beach cliff, about 12 feet away from me. This morning he (or another individual, but I like to think it's the same one) was on my side of the fence. A jogger passed within 5 feet of him and he didn't startle at all.

Many of the other big shorebirds (great egrets, snowy egrets, other things with long legs, cormorants, and a variety of ducks [and yes, I know ducks aren't shorebirds]) have returned to the slough as the week has gone on. The water level in the river-y part of the slough has fallen a good 3 feet since Monday morning. I wonder what motivates them to move? I'm guessing the water is too turbid for them to see what they're eating.

The rain has freshened up all the spring vegetation, and each morning's bike ride is extremely fragrant. I wonder if it's mostly the eucalyptus that I'm smelling? There are distinct times it's citrus (because I can see it). But there's lots of different scents. It's a smell party riding in each day.

The longer ride is also having an effect on me. I think I'm in a belt-loop already. And I'm hungry on a totally different schedule, and hungry for different things. More cravings for protein and starch. Less for salty snacks. I had to force myself to each my chips and (fresh, local) guacamole last night while my dinner cooked.

I know....poor me.