This annoying because I find myself making journal entries in two different books, so any days missing need to be checked for in the large black book... no, not the one with the heavier paper, but the other one, with the lighter-weight paper... and not the square black, lighter-weight paper one either, but the rectangular-shaped one. Yeesh.
Okay. So. I went down to Maplewood Flats which is a nice little bird conservation area. Not much happening today, but I gather, from the long bird list on the side of the cabin, it can be a busy place.
Today we saw pine siskins for the first time. It was helpful that an older fellow mentioned they were around because to me they just looked like streaky sparrows. It was hard to make out the yellow in the wings and tail as indicated by the book. So if the kind birder hadn't mentioned it, it would haven been frustrating to say the least.
Also seen: An American Widgeon hanging out with a flock of mallards
                Two female Buffleheads ( no males nearby)
                Red-winged Blackbirds
                Black-capped Chickadees
                Green-winged Teal
                Numerous gulls ( too complicated to sort out)
                Great Blue Heron
                Horned Grebe ( small and energetic!)
                A loon that was too far away to make out what kind.

Female red-shafted flicker on suet feeder.
Cloudy morning but clearing to blue sky and peach sunset. The clocks went back last night and so it goes.
The starlings are still a nuisance at the suet feeder. Will have to do something about that to protect the suet. Perhaps invest in one of the over-cages used to keep squirrels away.
The apple tree leaves are starting to yellow from the inside out on both trees. I'm surprised the green hangs on so long. The fig is three-quarters of the way denuded, with all the unripened figs remaining so it looks baubled for Christmas.

Every year about this time, a wren appears in the garden nursery. All the cut Christmas trees come in, you see, and they have many a cone still filled with seeds. I don't know if it is the same wren, or just all wrens are clever in general but there is always one in the nursery having a good brunch. He or she will have to be careful as all three cats, Mario, the grey village cat, Apricot ...the apricot coloured cat ( don't know his name he just comes around as cats do) and Aurora, our store cat, are always hiding in the nursery under the boughs. Much luck to you wren!

Very excited. Saw the hybrid flicker again and a downy woodpecker. Hooray!

Yellow-shafted Flicker spotted at the suet feeder today in the backyard. Normally we see the Red-shafted Flicker, with the red mustache, but as I was peering out of the window, I realized with a start that I was staring at a black mustache! I reached for the binoculars only to discover that the black mustache was trimmed lightly with a red outline; a hybrid creature to be sure.

We went to Lynn Headwaters for a short walk. Mushrooms were to be seen growing along the Varley Trail that runs parallel to the river. There were some Boletes ( sp?), coral fungus, sulfur tufts, russulas, mycenas and Dead Man's Fingers!
I do need a brush-up with mushroom ID. I'll have to see if the Vancouver Mycological society is offering an ID workshop.

At the peak in Greenwood Park is a small clearing in the woods, near the horseshoe shape of the quarry. It is protected and has a sliver view of the city. Here one can sit on mossy exposed rock and listen to the birds. You will find the regulars here; the chestnut-backed chickadee, the black-capped chickadee, the red-breasted nuthatch, the silent brown creeper, the whispering golden crowned kinglets, a steller's jay breaking the peace and a raven circling far overhead making soft gulping noises.

It is so hot on the deck the rosemary is drying up. Yep. Rosemary for crying out loud. Go figure. The cilantro is stunted and the basil is sunburned. I will have to rethink these pots. Maybe just a pile of geraniums will do the trick.
The crow knows that I refill his water-bowl and comes right away, especially after he has used it throughout the morning (as he quite often dips morsels of questionable food material into it).

Amazing jumping spider went across the patio today. He had a red back! Black all over but with a furry, red bum. I tried to get a photo, but jumping spiders are impossible. Their huge eyes track every movement and they constantly wheel in a defensive pivot. You just can't get too close. There is also that deep-seated fear of it lunging into the air and clamping on my face. There is that.
Okay. I looked him up and it is a Boreal jumping spider.

So my next door neighbour is an older Italian lady who speaks very little English but can garden and weed her veggie patch faster than it takes me to put my gardening gloves on. It's embarrassing but true. She does not like the crows at all. I had nestled a second plastic saucer in the fake wishing well ( no wishes in there) and he, the crow, flew over for a drink.
Later my neighbour saw him sitting on the fence and flung open her screen door and hissed loud enough for me to jump. I smoothly removed the water dish before she noticed it an put it on the far side of the yard. Otherwise, I imagine the conversation might go something like this:

Philomena (wise old Italian): Aheidi, why you wanna the crow? They eat all the food.
Me (stupid city girl): Yeah, well, umm, I like birds.
Philomena (seen it all, shrugs): Yeah, but you no wanna birds. Is bad.
Me (shrugs back): Okay.
Philomena (a final, closing the conversation shrug): Okay then.

Because, when it comes to the veggie garden versus birding, the garden has got to win and that too, is okay by me.