Scratcher of heads, rubber of bellies
One difference between Oregon and Arizona is I spend a lot more time outside on the back porch. Our rental house has a covered patio and a large backyard where I see a variety of birds (23 species so far this month). My porch buddy has returned with the cooler weather, Ellie likes to sleep on the cool ground though we do keep a dog bed there for her.
A western gull (I think) perches on a large boulder in front of a moss-covered cliff on the beach at Heceta Head on the Oregon coast. A stream was flowing between us, emptying into the Pacific just to my right. The rich greens of western Oregon were something to behold, I miss seeing moss growing on the rocks, on the trees, in the grass. I don’t miss seeing it growing on the roof, on the steps, on the car …
I love his chicken-wing pose.
📷: Canon 7D II | Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM
🗓️: October 7, 2017
I had visited Heceta Head before but spent more time on this visit, photographing birds near the creek and wandering up to the lighthouse. Sadly it was only as the sun began to set over the Pacific that I realized there were tide pools here, in a part of the beach I hadn’t yet explored. I took a few quick pictures in the soft orange light, here of large acorn barnacles, and made a mental note to visit again when the tide was out as photographing tide pools was something I wanted to do more of. Sadly it was my last visit to the coast before we moved so it will be a while before I can visit again.
As I hiked along the Windgate Pass Trail I was surprised to see snow-capped peaks here in the Sonoran Desert, especially to see them at my feet. Looking at this large quartz rock reminded me of the glaciers and snowy mountains of the Cascades in the Pacific Northwest. At least I think it’s quartz, learning the rocks of my new home is on my list, but it’s a long list.
After a hot summer (even for Phoenix) October set records for rainfall halfway into the month. I didn’t do any hiking when it was raining, these were not the gentle rains of Oregon, these were Noah-build-the-ark deluges. These storms lacked the thunder and lightning of the summer monsoons so Sam was rather nonplussed.
Harbor seals eke out as much rest as they can amidst the crashing waves as the Pacific rises to embrace them. I too was awakened recently by gentle but relentless sounds, once by the sound of Boo trying to get out of the bedroom closet he got trapped in, once by the sound of him trying to get into a different closet. The Pacific is mighty and mysterious, but not so much as Boo.
After a hike up to Inspiration Viewpoint this morning when it was too windy for my liking, the day turned lovely and I’ve spent the rest of the morning and afternoon relaxing on the back porch. At the moment there are house finches and sparrows atop the feeder while below are Gambel’s quail, mourning doves, and Eurasian collared doves. A pair of curve-billed thrashers have been drifting in and out throughout the day, making their presence known with loud whistles. This one I saw singing atop a saguaro six months ago while hiking early one morning on Brown’s Ranch Road in McDowell Sonoran Preserve.
Boo appears alarmed but it was just a moment of goofiness before he fell asleep with his head on my chest, taken in 2013 a few days after we adopted him.
Boolie 