kvetching up

I never thought about the education and entertainment I would get living on a shy acre in the Duwamish riparian zone.  Coyotes, possum, the occasional raccoon seem to be ubiquitous in Seattle now. The eagles, hummingbirds, Northern flicker woodpeckers, bald eagles, coopers and red tail hawks, barn owls and last night the second bat I've seen in the last 5 years. Field mice abound, which is why I love the birds of prey. Between them and my traps, they have not been a problem for a long time--knock on wood. The California Scrubjay and sparrows occupying spaces in the roof in the back, the stellar jays in the front are lovely, but need to be evicted. You can hear their bird feet scritch-scratching early each morning.  On the adjacent property to the South stand 2 or 3 large Alders right on the property line. There at particular times of year, you could shoot scenes for another Omen remake--given the 100s of crows who roost there in spring's early morning, and in the early morning...

Hoh Rainforest in drought, 2017. Entry 1 I miss the forest, the primordial Pacific Northwest forest. This is the second summer in memory where I haven't been out day hiking, backpacking, or camping in recent memory. I don't see it happening, however nourishing it is for my soul.     A couple of evenings ago, as I lay in the bath, I saw something extraordinary. Over the course of 30-45 minutes, countless numbers of crows--serial murders if you will--flew by the window, heading in a southeasterly direction. Now, adjacent to my yard stands a large deciduous tree where a couple hundred or more crows make their home for some of each day and much of each evening. But this murderous bunch appeared to be heading toward the Kent Valley. Apart from my awe at the number of these birds passing by, I thought little of the incident. I have read about a place out between Kenmore and Bothell where tens of thousands flock to each night. So, I assumed there must be a place in Kent--I mean what ...