High Water

 

Black-necked Stilts, Coyote Creek

The tide had covered up the mud flats along Richardson Bay north of Sausalito, which I guess explains why just about every great and snowy egret in the area was congregating on the edge of the same patch of marsh along the Mill Valley Sausalito Pathway. The egrets, and later the black-necked stilts, were a welcome find compared to just last week, when I saw so little bird life in that area.

I hadn't planned to go up to Mt. Tam again so soon, but I realized when I looked at my trail cam photos at home that the "log cam" wasn't producing much of anything, so I decided to move it. I ended up moving the other cam a little bit as well. Now they point up and down the little dry creekbed, and my hope is that I'll catch some good critter action before it begins to rain enough to get the creek flowing (hopefully soon).

Despite knowing we had a full moon last night, I didn't think to check the tide tables before my ride. The high tide I'd encountered on the way up was even higher on the way back. Parts of the bike path were submerged, but the flooded sections were small enough to ride through. I was there right about the time the tide peaked at 6.5 feet.

Snowy Rock

I spooked up a willet when I pulled over, but it didn't fly very far. Sadly, at least one of its legs appeared to be injured.

A great egret took possession of the roosting branch.

The great and snowy egrets were arrayed around the edge of this little half-moon of marshland, almost all of which was submerged on my return trip.

Stilt in the Salt Grass and Pickleweed

Foraging in the Flood

The stilt in the back appears to have nabbed something in its beak, but the resolution isn't powerful enough for me to tell what it is.

Mt. Diablo View From Mt. Tamalpais

The Log Cam

Coyote Creek Boardwalk at High Tide

This is Coyote Creek behind the Holiday Inn Express. There was no way around, so the lady pushing the stroller had to walk through. Luckily it was no more than two inches deep. 

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