Tuesday, September 22, 2009

"Our Firsts for Today Were..."

Monday. Beautiful warm blue evening on Ediz Hook (map). The harlequin ducks are back. A visitor couple in their 70s from Kitchener, Ontario, was out there with binoculars, their copy of Western Sibley tucked under the wife's arm. She said that they had seen female harlequin ducks in Alaska last week, but the males had already left there, so these males were a first for her. She asked me about the gulls, we decided with the help of her book and mine that we had 2nd-winter Heerman's gulls. Then there were black turnstones hopping around on the boom logs under the pilot station. Also firsts for her. She was quite pleased.

Three big ships in the harbor. Polar Discovery at the terminal having maintenance done; Overseas Long Beach and Atlas Navigator anchored out in the middle, well in the case of the Atlas far more easterly than usual for parked ships.

Mount Baker clear on the horizon. A great blue heron passing by overhead.

Strait and harbor, calm blue water. The sun set nearabout due west, couldn't have that experience of absolute reassurance, everything working as it should, because my compass was a little bit off. I set the declination at 20° based on the only topo map I had handy, but it is really 17° 23' at the moment.

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