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The Daily Bucket. New Year's Day 2023. Wait, what? Is that SUN? [1]

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Date: 2023-01-03

Oh, YEAH, it's gotta be sun to cast a shadow, right? I had not seen the sun, except for glimpses, for the entire month of December. My shadow, American Valley, Leonhardt Ranch Learning Landscape, Quincy, CA.

Sunday, January 1, 2023 New Year’s Day

December was just like being back in the Navy, for one part any damn how: haze grey, every day. I got the weather log to prove it, and I got the photos to make it all better. A great way to kick in the New Year.

The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge. We amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns. We invite you to note what you are seeing around you in your own part of the world, and to share your observations in the comments below. Each note is a record that we can refer to in the future as we try to understand the phenological patterns that are quietly unwinding around us. To have the Daily Bucket in your Activity Stream, visit Backyard Science’s profile page and click on Follow.

It poured rain down all day Dec. 30th and 31st, so I wasn’t paying much attention to the weather forecast for today. But I was up early in the day as is my usual, and reading Dawn Chorus, and realized it was getting light outside and hey why not check what it looks like? It looked (as seen out my bedroom window) that it was CLEAR, and not foggy, so I got myself dressed and my camera outing gear all strapped and buckled on and ventured forth. What a gorgeous morning!

Oh how splendiferous to stand in the sun again and be warmed to a comfortable degree, even though the air temperature was just above freezing. Looking out eastward across American Valley, Quincy, CA

Spanish Peak granite escarpment, as seen looking westward from American Valley. The peak is left-most on the horizon, where the tree line looks like a flat-top hair cut. Spanish Peak is geographically located in the Bucks Lake Wilderness.

It happening to be a Sunday I decided to trek all the way out to the wastewater treatment plant as long as the going was good. New storm systems could leave my way impassable; but such was not the case today. As soon as I got on the Learning Landscape walking path I got my first bird shots of the year; Mallards, but hey, something has to be first. I sure still need to work on my BIF technique, though (or get a camera that works better for that purpose).

Here’s the deal: I was ready, had my camera set on sequential mode, had my zoom set right, and panned as I shot. Still nothing but blur. Ah, well, then, keep on with getting the still shots.

I walked out fairly slowly, keeping my eyes well open for bird movement, and in about twenty minutes I took my first fair photograph of the New Year. Heh heh, even with my new photography gloves my index finger was freezing and I was having trouble getting the shutter button to click. I’m actually using my thumb for this shot:

Black Phoebe

At this point in the morning walk I’m at the end of the regular path and need to decide whether to keep on going over the field to the other side and get up on the dike that leads back to the wastewater treatment plant pond. I pulled my binoculars to check for a particular denizen, one I was familiar with from back in October, and sure enough:

Hard to see in this photo as it blends into the surround, but about three-fourths of the way up the photo and just to left of center. Photo distance approximately 1/3 mile.

Easier:

There should be no question in your mind now.

This settles all debate. Mr. Baldy is inna house!

So, I’m really pretty sure the above is the very selfsame individual as I’ve previously photographed on that exact same branch in that exact same tree, as back in October:

The lighting conditions of October 16 and October 23 were quite different, and that’s why the bird’s body feather coloration looks so different, I believe. I say this because when I finally got out to the wastewater plant and into a much closer position to photograph the eagle this day, the results were similar:

From about 200 yards distance.

I have to remark that it is just wonderful to me that it appears Quincy/American Valley has at least one full-resident Bald Eagle. As I’ve mentioned before, during all the years I spent growing up in Quincy (1960-1972) and during all the years following, it was not until just May of 2021 that I saw my very first one here in American Valley. Much smaller camera than I have now, but still I done good:

May 16, 2021

Same individual as this year, 2023? Could be.

Well, it may be a bit of a “comedown” to digress from the Bald Eagle, but there was more than just Mr. Baldy to photograph this day. I managed to walk up and into position fairly close, about thirty yards, from where this Red-tailed Hawk was perched:

And gone:

The usual company, nonetheless good to see, on the water, once I got to the wastewater plant pond:

Redhead Duck, Bufflehead (female) and Gadwall, I believe.

American Wigeon and American Coot and Mallard (female).

On the way back (and by now I’ve been out for a couple of hours):

Black-billed Magpie

Northern Flicker

Great Blue Heron. First one I’ve seen since Oct. 19, 2022.

What a pleasure to be treated on New Year’s Day to my first GBH of the year!

Common Raven, but hey, it’s a *good* BIF, so why not?

I just had to take a peek in at Dellinger’s Pond too. Not much, but something is better than nothing, I suppose:

Common Goldeneye

And that’s how my New Year’s Day morning went. How was yours?

Bald Eagle parting shots:

* * * * *

Bwat! Well, the scrump-dilly-uptious-ness of the days of the sunny day didn’t last long: Jan. 2, 2023:

On the street in front of my apartment. Fresh snow.

The view out my bedroom window, which I never see unless I specifically look because I have a black-out curtain over my window to make afternoon naps easier.

“Oh, fer cryin’ out loud, who cares?”

Hee hee hee. Not this guy, that’s for sure!

Now it's Your Turn.

What have you noted happening in your area or travels? As usual post your observations as well as their general location in the comments.

Thank you.

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