Day 171 - 31st July 2018 - Wildflowers, Purple Loosestrife and a Cobweb

Here it is the last day of July, another month has flown by! The weather sites have the "heat warning" red bar back up. It does seem that the nights are cooling down some, it's quite nice out there this morning.  I guess we can look forward  to this humidity right into next week. Hopefully it will change then. Good day at work on Monday, today I'm back in the Dory Shop (nope I'm not building dories). Saw lots of birds yesterday on my walk but of course I had left Big B. home, guess I better take her with me this morning. The Robin's nest I've been watching in the garden at work was empty Monday morning when I went in, the young have fledged. They've been fun the last few weeks as they constantly  had their hungry little beaks open looking for food. The Mom spent most of the day back and forth gathering them something to eat.

Wildflowers

Purple Loosestrife

Cobweb




Enjoy your day!

Day 170- 30th July 2018 - Hummingbird, Bindweed and Common Yellowthroat Warbler

A new week begins, might just be a little cooler out there this morning but the forecasts say the humidity is still hanging around. Yesterday we had heavy drizzle most of the morning but the back channel in the river is dropping, too many rocks are showing.  We need more than drizzle. We never did get birding yesterday, by the time it cleared off the heat and humidity arrived so we opted for Moe's Shake Shack for an ice cream. I did up some cooking and cleaning in the morning, Larry puttered outside, cleaning up his inside his building (I'm sure to make room for more "stuff"). Stopped to Margie's on the way back from town, Alice arrived and because it was too hot to do anything we had a game of marbles. Alice and I beat Margie and Larry for the second time in the last two days. He and Danny went  mackerel fishing after supper and I had the house to myself to just chill and relax.

Hummingbird - looks like maybe one of the youngsters

Bindweed  - not Morning Glory. This one is invasive

Young Common Yellowthroat Warbler




Enjoy your day!

Day 169 - 29th July 2018- Common Yellowthroat Warbler, Common Terns and Yellow Warbler

It has started raining a little, so guess we'll do some things around here this morning and maybe go in search for a few birds once it clears. Had a good day out on Saturday, didn't go too early, figured with the fog we wouldn't see much. It was still foggy on Cape Sable Island when we got there but we still had a good morning. Most shorebirds were too far off to get good photos, saw a few warblers, missed the Little Blue Heron and a chat with a few other birdwatchers who were roaming around. Lunch at West Head Takeout (over half of mine came home for supper), groceries in Barrington then home. Larry mowed the lawn, I got laundry on the go and went for a quick jaunt. Once again it was hot and humid, any day now the humidity can lift. A quick game of marbles finished off the day.

Common Yellowthroat Warbler

Common Terns

Yellow Warbler





Enjoy your day!

Day 168 - 28th July 2018 - Yellow Rumped Warbler, Palm Warbler and Common Yellowthroat Warbler

An Owl is  close to the yard this morning, being very vocal. Lovely morning sounds. Slept in a bit (5:30 am), so feel good, and I'm off for the weekend which is even better. Going to be some birding on my agenda.Suppose to be some drizzle/rain but not a lot or depending on what weather site you check out it might be sunny. Ah well options are good. Think we'll head in the direction of Cape Sable Island today, then of course after some birding, maybe lunch at West Head take out then we'll toss in some grocery  shopping before heading home.  That will still give us time to do a few things around home. Good day at work on Friday, I lucked in and got to do some research - I truly love research.

Male Yellow Rumped Warbler hiding in the branches.

Palm Warbler

Common Yellowthroat Warbler





Enjoy your day!

Day 167 - 27th July 2018 - Northern Parula, Yellow Warbler and Great Blue Heron

Hard to believe another month is creeping to an end, just a few more days and we will be heading into August.  Well we did have some rain but I don't think much. It was a windy, windy day yesterday a few showers off and on, a bit more at supper time and maybe some overnight.  Every time someone opened the door at the shop everything went flying including the customers sometimes! The morning started out slow but turned into a fairly busy afternoon. I enjoyed the day. Humidity wasn't quite as high but looks like it will be back up today. Saw a family of Hermit Thrushes on my morning walk. Lots of  young are out of the nest now and learning the fine art of feeding themselves from their parents. Our humming bird feeder empties rapidly these days as well and I see more around. Of course there is one male who sits on the fence guarding the feeder above him.

Northern Parula

Yellow Warbler

Great Blue Heron




Enjoy your day!

Day 166 - 26th July 2018 - Daisies, Red Eyed Vireo and Black & White Warbler

Seems every day is a repeat of the day before - hot and humid, gee it would be nice for this weather pattern to break some and we could have cool evenings again. The weather is one thing we can complain about, but have no control over it! Weather sites are giving rain for today, heat warning is off (at least for today) meaning the humidex will be below 30. Rain is welcome, time to get the rain barrels filled up again for the garden. The garden seems slow this year or maybe we were just a little later getting it going but we are enjoying a few things - beet greens, peas, beans. Other things will soon be ready. Good day at work on Wednesday - although I don't think the number of visitors are where they should be. Today I get a change of  pace - am working in the Dory Shop.

Daisies

Black & White Warbler

Red-Eyed Vireo





Enjoy your day!

Day 165 - 25th July 2018 - Goldfinch, Gull and Cormorant

Quiet out there, maybe some fog (too dark to tell yet), no stars in the sky. Warm and humid again this morning. Heat warning still in effect. Not sure if we are going to ever see a break in this weather pattern. A day of rain would be nice but as they say some good old thunder and lightening is needed to clear the air.  It was a good day at work, fairly busy making the time fly by. Glad I did cooking on Monday, all I have to do at night is reheat in the microwave. It's my early day in town, so maybe I'll find some interesting photo subjects along the waterfront this morning. Hopefully it will be cooler there for walking.

Goldfinch

Gull

Cormorant


Enjoy your day!

Day 164 - 24th July 2018 - Mist, Swamp Sparrow and Northern Parula

Still warm and humid this morning, thick fog but lots of cobwebs on the ground. I'd say it's a repeat of Monday. Heat warning in effect on the weather sites, humidex suppose to be around 36 - stay cool, drink water. Had a good day off, lots done early - chicken pieces cooked, casserole made and muffins, so we are all set for meals when we get home this week. Laundry done and some light housework all by 10am. Off at noon for Thelma and Louise lunch out, couple of errands and solving  some of the world problems. With the heat, most evenings are now deemed lazy or have very little activity. We did get the air conditioner sorted out and it ran all night keeping us cooler.

Mist rolling up off the lake.

Northern Parula

Swamp Sparrow




Enjoy your day!

Day 163- 23rd July 2018 - Boats, Lilies and the Fisherman's Memorial

The humidity has been so high during the night, didn't cool off one little bit from yesterday. The new AC and I are at odds, it's one of those portable ones, but with the high humidity it shut off about 12:30am and had to be emptied. Grrr! I'm off today and since it's going to be another hot one, I'm tackling meal prep for the rest of the week early. Chicken pieces in the oven, then muffins for Larry and a casserole. Should sort us out for evening meals when we get home from work this week. And it's going to be Thelma and Louise day! Something to look forward to after the housework and cooking this morning. Doesn't look like a lot of relief with the weather this week.

Typical view from Dock St these days

Lilies - I have no idea what kind are what.

The Fisherman's Memorial - I always get a quiet feeling when I think of so many lives lost over the years.



Enjoy your day!

Day 162 - 22nd July 2018 - Chickadee, Hollyhocks and Lillies

Raining this morning, but yesterday we got through the day with only a shower so Founders' Days went along nicely. A few things still going on but it will wind down and most be cleared out by supper time today. Lots of people roaming around the waterfront, museums were busy. It's kind of like old home week where you see family and friends and get to catch up from one year to the next. Grandparents are around with children and grandchildren who have come home to visit. Both the parade of lights and fireworks ran last night so no fog. Work today then off tomorrow.

Chickadee

Hollyhocks

Lillies





Enjoy your day!

Day 161 -21st July 2018 - Swamp Sparrow, Magnolia Warbler and a Sailboat

Too early of a morning to be out of bed, going to be a long day. Darn I was hoping to sleep in some this morning or at least til a normal time. So it doesn't pay for me to stay up later. Ah well enough whining, suck it up and move on. Fairly busy day around the complex and of course vendors, etc were setting up along Dock Street for the Founder's Days Festival.  Unfortunately the fog rolled in last night, cancelling the fireworks. Looks like some rain on the way for today, as much as we need it, this perhaps is not the best weekend.  A few birds around on my walk yesterday. Larry went down and played marbles with the girls, I stayed home and chilled.

 Swamp Sparrow

Magnolia Warbler

Calm morning on the harbour.


Enjoy your day!

Day 160 - 20th July 2018 - Boats, Common Tern and Grandmother's Journal

Another cool morning. Stars are all out. Although yesterday the humidity popped up  and no doubt will do the same today. Keeping things short this morning, time to hear from Grandmother.
Grandmother's Journal: 
20 Jul 1977 - To town to work. Very hot. Some places all record. Hot in store. Home late. Did shopping for weekend. Saw a doe and fawn on way to town. Warners in their house today. Very hot up her cooled off nice this evening.
21 Jul 1977 - Another day at home. Very hot but there was a breeze. Worked all day on one thing or another. Fran and friend up today for a short while. Sidney still here. Has helped his Grandfather no end. Gertrude, Reg not back yet. Looks like a storm tonight, hope not.
22 Jul 1977 - 
Very light showers, some distant lightening and thunder overnight. To town as usual. Sidney went home with me this morning. Turned out a beautiful day. Very cool after the heat wave. Gertrude, Reg back today. Glad to see them. Saw a deer this morning. Beautiful tonight. Terrible storm - hail, thunder, lightening in Halifax, very unusual to have a hail storm. 

Nice spot to sit and enjoy the harbour

Finally caught up with one of the Common Terns















Lots of boats




Enjoy your day!

Day 159 - 19th July 2018 - Mallow, Chickadee and Hermit Thrush

Looks like a beautiful day in the making. The wind has hauled around and blown the humidity out. Hoping it stays that way. Nice and crisp this morning. We had a good rain yesterday, mostly ending in the morning but at least a few inches came down maybe more. Rain barrels are filled again and I could see water in the swamp on my walk. The garden is slowly coming along, peas are almost ready to pick, beans are forming. Maybe the rain will perk up the tomato plants, they aren't looking as good as what we usually have. Quiet morning but busy afternoon at work. It's my early day, I go in with Larry so will get my walk in along the waterfront. Nice change and I like that time of day down there. Everything is still sleepy except for a few that are out walking.

Mallow

Chickadee

Hermit Thrush



Enjoy your day!

Day 158 -- 18th July 2018 - Hermit Thursh, Red-Breasted Nuthatch and Northern Parula

Raining this morning - we can use it. I had another fabulous day home on Tuesday. Spent a couple hours in the kitchen doing up lunches for Larry - 11 done, that will hold him for a couple of weeks.  Good variety- meatloaf, haddock and chicken stirfry. All include veggies and quoina or pasta. Did up pulled pork for a couple of suppers this week. Went for a roam in the hood - found a few birds and then did some sewing when I got back. Lois and I went swimming and played on her paddle board late in the afternoon. It was much easier yesterday than on Monday. So I had a good two days off filled with work and relaxation and now it's back to work for the next 5 days. Founder's Days starts on Friday so will be a busy weekend.

Hermit Thrush

Red Breasted Nuthatch

Northern Parula



Enjoy your day!

Day 157 - 17th July 2018 -Black & White Warbler, Northern Parula and Chickadee

Monday was a great day off - quite hot and humid but that problem was solved with a swim in the lake and some paddle boarding. Yup - Lois had her board out so I got to play on that again. Only thing, it's not like riding a bicycle you have to figure it all out again every year or at least I do.  Maybe we'll do it all again today since I'm home. Had the kids for supper, nice time with them. Put together a seafood casserole/pie type of dish in a puff pastry shell, coleslaw, carrots and potatoes with carrot cake for dessert and sent them on their way with 4 dozen chocolate chip cookies. Think they were full. This morning I've got get some lunches done up a head for Larry, his supply is starting to dwindle. A few hours in the kitchen before it gets hot will look after that chore. Then an hour or so at the sewing machine and the rest of the day should be for chilling, roaming and swimming.

Black & White Warbler

Northern Parula

Chickadee


Enjoy your day!

Day 156 - 16th July 2018 - Goldfinch, Gull and Whale Tails

Slept in this morning, almost 6 am, wohoo! That's good for me. Am off today and  tomorrow, company coming for supper this evening so lots to do and of course some housework. I'm looking forward to this little break. Hoping to get a little roaming around the hood in, been a few days, might just have something new pop out. Good news - the baby whale that was caught in rope was freed on Saturday. Sunday was a nice day at work - spurts of visitors but not overly busy. Those quiet times in between are always good for cleaning and catching up on other things. 

Goldfinch

Gull

A few more Whale Tails

Enjoy your day!

Day 155 - 15th July 2018 - Whales, Whales an Birds

We couldn't have asked for a better day than  we had on Saturday. Weather was perfect and we saw lots of whales!  Piled into the car and took off about 8:30am from home, up the back road - quiet, peaceful woods. Made a brief stop at the lighthouse in Gilbert's Cove. As many times as we have stopped there it's never been open but it was yesterday. Nice little spot. Then off to East Ferry to catch the ferry over to Long Island. We had good luck, they were busy and running an overflow so we left 15 minutes earlier than normal. Stopped at Dorothy & Roger's in Freeport with our picnic lunch, Dorothy provided tea and coffee we shared our sandwiches and had a short visit with them. Then it was Whale watching time. Probably the best we've been out for whales. There were 13 whales, 5 of which were in a pod. A mother and baby (I say baby but he looked pretty big to me), and a number of others. Porpoises were plentiful but they move much faster and are harder to get pics of. Not a lot of birds, but I did see some Shearwaters and Storm Petrels. The Coast Guard was watching a baby with two adults while waiting for the whale rescue team to arrive. The baby had rope around his snout that needed to be removed. All the whale watching vessels stayed well away so as not to create more stress. They did arrive but I've not heard what happen, will see what I can find out today. No matter how many times we go - it's still so exciting and such a thrill to see the whales. Had supper at The Captain's Daughter - a new restaurant opened up where Lavenia's used to be. Good food. A big ice cream at the take out along side the ferry in Tiverton and then we were homeward bound. Twelve hours later I had my pj's on and my feet up! I'm back to work today, pretty tired this morning so may be dragging my backside.

There was lots of tail action

The baby was performing - flipping over on his back so you could see his belly.

It's the tails that tell who they are. 

 Shearwater

Storm Petrel dancing along the water






Enjoy your day!