It's True. All of it.

Rumors are to be believed. Rob Rockly and Don Mastwell are heading back out to the Farallones. Rob's trip was cut short by a pesky eyeball infection(?), resulting in some Seriously Missed Birds, but the pain was more obtuse than it could have been.

If rumors suggest that I am already on The Island, those rumors are Lies.

Rumors that I have unfinished business, however, are true. I do have unfinished business. Here you will find business, finished. The final blog of the 2015 season.

First order of business:

107.04	101.1
SCI	SEFI

Alas, it is true. The Stahlian Hordes were able to surge to victory in the great Battle of El Niño. However, a rematch has been ordered and will commence Saturday, 24 September, upon the arrival of Don and Rob on The Island.

Here, now, are your eight missing portraits from 2015. 

[Portait #1 is the new frontispiece of the blog (look up there ^)]

A traditional portrait of a traditional man

This is a Pelagic Cormorant. Contrary to unpopular belief, this is not a snake.

This must be one of the least disappointed bird species that ends up on SEFI, the lovely Rock Wren. Please, friend, inform the Canyon Wrens of our stony bounty.

"Bloody Mary Bloody Mary Bloody Mary" The smaller of these two Elephant Seals (bottom) took a grazing bite from a shark--it was a shallow wound and likely healed right up.

"Hello"

Red-breasted Nuthatches are probably somewhat more disappointed than Rock Wrens. Few things to hatch.

Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon couperi)

It Takes Noctuid to Tango

11 Sep 2015

On this day I have a new niece or nephew. It is impossible to know which, but I think it's a niece. My sister is wise to hide this from me. I can't know until I bring her a herring, a truffle, and a rainbow roll.

The 11th of September had few birds. More birds than nieces/nephews, but not by much.

In their stead, here is the large yellow underwing (Noctua pronuba), a widespread Palearctic species that was introduced to North America in the 1980s and has rapidly colonized the continent. This character (in part) was featured on TPAD last year.

Large yellow underwing (Noctua pronuba)

Keeping up the babe theme, here are two Pelagic Cormorant chicks.  This cliff ledge is typical nesting habitat of this species. Look at that neck-fluff.