Blog

Sporadic dispatches from the hinterlands.

Birding on my birthday

It was unseasonably warm and sunny on my birthday, so we got out for a little birdwatching.

We started at the harbor, hoping to get a closer look at the grebes I’ve been seeing when I paddle. The grebes were actively feeding on fish that we think are topsmelt, eating amazing amounts for such small birds.

Later, we made a quick tour of Westlake Park, but didn’t see as many different waterfowl as we’d hoped. Finally, we finished off with a walk through the arboretum. The land birds were quiet; most of the day’s action was with the waterfowl. All in all, a good day.

Thanksgiving

We visited Marvin to share a pre-made prime rib dinner from Whole Foods. It was good! The trees at Harmony Farm are still covered with colorful leaves, so we enjoyed the golden late-fall light. On the way home, we stopped at San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge, which we’d never visited before. We had a good day of birding, with 57 varieties of birds.

Point Reyes

We got away for a short vacation in Point Reyes.

We stayed in Creekside Cottage, Point Reyes Station, Nov. 11-15, 2020.

Hope Valley

As the wildfires subsided across the state, Joy, Marvin, and I made a day trip up to the Hope Valley area. We lucked into some great colors from the aspens.