Down at the Fill

On Sunday, back when it was still sunny (yes, the gray and the rain have returned...sigh), Truman and I had a lovely (though chilly) walk around the Montlake Fill loop trail.

Our first rare sighting was of Connie, who used to practically live there but who hasn't been going regularly for many months due to various reasons.  I was cheered to hear that she plans to go more often now.  We always have a good time chatting while looking for birds.  We spotted both a Ruby-crowned and a Golden-crowned Kinglet in the Alder Grove, along with a Yellow-rumped Warbler and a Downy Woodpecker.  None of them posed for my camera.

So I took a photo over at the Southwest Pond of the easiest bird to snap pictures of:

Thank you, Great Blue  Heron.  Nearby was another easy snap:

And this little guy stayed still for me quite nicely:

The ducks, of course, are generally pretty cooperative.  Out on the lake there were Mallards, Gadwalls, Wood Ducks, Buffleheads, American Wigeons, Green-winged Teal, Northern Shovelers, Ring-necked Ducks, Greater Scaup, and in the "not a duck but still waterfowl" category, there were Double-crested Cormorants. American Coots, and Pied-billed Grebes.

Wood Duck and a Northern Shoveler:

It seemed quite a bit colder than when we went on Friday.  Turns out it was colder on Sunday -- cold enough that in the afternoon, when the sun went away and the clouds rolled in, we got snow flurries.

The snow did not stick, and Truman was unimpressed.

Today Tru gets to go to daycare -- even though I'm retired, I want to keep Daycare Tuesday as he loves to romp with this friends there, and it gives me at least one day a week where I can be gone many hours without feeling guilty about leaving him.

So far, retirement has not sunk in, as it just feels like a long weekend or a vacation.  I am enjoying sleeping in until 6:30 or even seven (!), and really enjoying not spending nearly an  hour on the bus commute one way.  Hurrah!