Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Wednesday

 

Spring break was quick and easy this year.  The park stayed full; we’ve been pretty much full since the middle of January.  The character of the park changes dramatically during spring break though.  By spring break, the winter Texans have started leaving, and they’re replaced mostly by travel trailers with young families; parents with their own kids.  Short-term friendly neighbors instead of long-term friendly neighbors.  For two weeks the streets are filled with bicycles, skateboards, and scooters.  It’s a lively change from the rest of the winter.  I like it.  I take my scooter out and play with the kids.

 

During Spring Break, we stay off the parts of the beach that are filled with spring breakers getting drunk.  It takes a little more time to drive through town.  It can take two or three cycles to get through the first stop light in town (there are only three stop lights), instead of the normal one time, but that’s certainly manageable.  The ferry line can be long, but we can check the ferry-cam before we decide to go.

 

Warm weather now.  80s and 60s every day in the 10 day forecast, except for two days the highs will only be in the 70s.  A steady breeze from the southeast.

 

Remember last year’s Big Day with Jon?  170 birds.  Pretty good.  Jon is putting together this year’s plan.  We’ll start earlier and end later.  We’ll get more than 170.

 

A quick trip to Paradise Pond tonight before dark got some good birds.  White eyed vireo, blue-gray gnatcatcher, northern parula, common yellowthroat, hooded warbler, lincoln’s sparrow, indigo bunting.  An early wave of the mass migration still to come.

 

Can you spot the gray catbird in this picture?