Catching Up

 It has been a busy summer and start of fall. I guess the best way to summarize the best happenings is with photos.

The lawn llama continues to celebrate the independence of Ukraine. Here's hoping the illegal and immoral war by Russia ends soon.

 

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       Grandson Ian and his partner Kellin stopped by on their way to a grand adventure in California... two concerts, Universal Studios tours, and many miles from Seattle to Los Angeles and back!... all in one week. Ah the energy of youth!

 

 

 

                We bought a new buck to breed to the daughters of our older buck. Alas, Freddie is bonded to humans, not goats, and so far young Freddie is not interested no matter how flirtatious the girls are.

 

 

 

              Although Black Oystercatcher monitoring season ended in September when the one successful nest I monitored fledged one chick, as documented on my Black Oystercatcher blog, I still have monthly and quarterly surveys on beaches to give me reasons to escape to the coast. The above photo of a Western Gull with his bill full of Ochre Sea Star was taken on a survey for CoastWatch, a division of Oregon Shores. This gull was trying to keep the other gulls from stealing its prize, but in order to eat it the gull needed to dis-arm it and whenever it put it down, the other gulls mobbed. I watched and photographed for a long time and the gull was still wading out into the waves, trying to evade the other gulls, when I left.

 

 

 

          On that same survey, I photographed a pair of Black Oystercatchers that frequent the north side of Cape Kiwanda. This year they had no fledgling chick with them so their nest must not have succeeded.

 

September was also the month that friend Mary had surgery. Johnny and I hiked Cape Lookout, a hike Mary would love to take again some day. I took photos and have been sending her one a day since her surgery to keep her focused on the future as she heals. Here is one of the first photos I sent her.

 

      Next year, she and we hope and trust that she will be able to join us on this hike.