We just had a gully washer, like 4 inches of rain in 12 hrs. I was in the middle of trying to do yet another repair to my van. I had to quickly slam the hood and let it go for the day but I used the opportunity to run to town and get some parts I need to make this repair. Good thing my windshield wipers are working good! Did I tell you about the time I was driving in heavy rain and my wiper flew off the car and into the woods? LoL..that was way back in the 80's but I will never forget that. Just when you need them Wham gone!
I had to get waterproof boots...
SO the rain stopped and the wind started 40-60 miles per hr for an entire day! A tree nearly hit my mailbox, the trunk missed but the limbs were all around it so I spent the morning sawing it up. Then the battery died in my chainsaw so I will try to finish it up tomorrow. It will go to the wood pile.
I had to get waterproof boots...
SO the rain stopped and the wind started 40-60 miles per hr for an entire day! A tree nearly hit my mailbox, the trunk missed but the limbs were all around it so I spent the morning sawing it up. Then the battery died in my chainsaw so I will try to finish it up tomorrow. It will go to the wood pile.
One day later this entire park is underwater from the rain upstream
The new norm...puddles and mud everywhere. This is the new County River Park. I put it on the ebird as a hotspot...and now the two other regular county birders are listing from there! I snagged up 31 species there the other day myself.
Black berry bushes are already leafing out...briers ready to defend, I notice the Eastern Towhees love to hang out under black berry brambles.
And the park staff finally fixed up the new boat location over at the State Park! NO more wading in mud to get to the boats.
I plan to rent one and paddle that Canoe Trail this year. Tried twice last yr and nothing doing as you recall...
So As mentioned above, a day after the rain flooding started...our river the Wateree was 4 ft over flood stage! I went to one of the spots I like to go called Bucks Creek Landing, there is a Spillway dam there and GUSH it did!
This structure is normally 8 feet from the bank
There is an Electric Generating Station at his location...
Normally no water comes over this dam...but the day I was there it was thundering over..
This guard rail of the fishing pier is 4 ft off the ground normally today a Double Crested Cormorant is enjoying having no fishermen in the way...
ebird didn't like it when I said there was 100 Great Egrets but there was...I changed to an X just cause I could not photograph all 100 they were all over the place flying, perching, stabbing at the edge, competing with ring billed gulls for the little "shiners" that slide over the dam with that flood water.
That was last Sunday ....So I went back on Valentine's Friday to see...
Compare this shot to the one of the Cormorant standing on the fishing pier...above You can see just how much the water has gone down yet there is still a huge amount thundering over the dam..which normally has no water coming over.
Still many Great Egrets around I counted 28 just standing around...
As well as many perching birds...like this Carolina Wren..
Ring Billed Gull continue to pick up lots of Shiners...
The other park that was under 4 ft of water is drying out and was reopened. All the picnic tables and the trash cans are gone probably downstream somewhere...and new Porta Potty's were in place. I should have taken a photo of the new potty...but I did take this, the trail is in pretty rough shape...big drifts of debris cover it up in some areas.
And the trail Bridge has shifted about 6 ft to the right...and is unsafe to use in it's current condition.
That's how I spent my week and then Valentine's Day
it was SUNNY and Beautiful what a Gift!
it was SUNNY and Beautiful what a Gift!
PEACE
Every day is a new Adventure.
Hello, that is a lot of rain and the wind is scary. I noticed there were a lot of egrets and gulls. Is the a egret rookery nearby? Love the cute wren. I hope things go back to normal after the flooding and yay for the sunshine. Happy Birding ! Enjoy your day, wishing you a great new week!
ReplyDeleteThere was a lot of Egrets and Heron, they nest all along the edges of the river, and on the opposite side, there is no access to that area, plenty of nesting spots away from Humans...It's getting better each day drying out some but more rain is always on the way. The soil is sandy and drains fast.
DeleteClimate the world over is one extreme after another. I think we had better get used to it, because I think it is going to be normal in the future.
ReplyDeleteSo do I David, It has rained 2 to 3 times week here since last May...we now have mud all the time, and that with a sandy soil!
DeleteAmazing videos that sure was lots of water in an area that really doesn't flow over the dam. So many gorgeous birds. Nice that you are venturing out and doing your birding.
ReplyDeleteHI Jo, Im trying to get out as often as I feel up to it. Also getting a lot of projects caught up..The water has such power!
DeleteWe've had heavy rain too with floods. Our weather patterns are usually a few days after you if the jet stream is following its usual pattern. This weekend we had a months rain in 48 hours. Like David says its the extremes of weather that will now be the norm and this coupled with the rise in sea levels will have huge effects.
ReplyDeleteHI Dave, as you said the rise is showing already around here soon the "water table" will rise even if we don't live near a body of water the soil can become inhabitable as it is completely saturated.
DeleteWow that water is certainly gushing!! We've had storms and flooding here over the past ten days all over the country! Good photos of the Wren they're difficult to get here, always on the move!
ReplyDeleteHI Pam, One problem we had was the rain was much heavier upstream so once that water combined with what we had the flooding happened quickly. We were really aware it was coming.
DeleteNice birding and pictures of it! Impressed esp with the flight shots. Don’t even think of going out on one of those kayaks until the weather stabilizes. Yikes, scary all that water. Be careful out there. I don’t know anything about how E-bird works, so what happpened when you said they didn’t like your egret count? Did they come get you? Take your membership away?( I hope I’m joking.) I would testify on your behalf.. I’ve seen a hundred egrets (all in one place) here in Florida more than once , I definitely believe you.
ReplyDeleteIt's almost like the Gestapo...lol...but what it meant is for this time of yr compared to the data they have for that area in the past the count much more than normal...normally these birds would be spread out and not be visible for a count..BUT with the flood and the fish being pushed over the dam they were basically bellying up to the bar! I just figured since I had no way to SHOW the 100 birds I'd just put an X meaning I could not be certain of the exact count. No worries I won't be kayaking till warmer weather.
DeleteHere in the UK we've had bad storms, the weather really is topsy turvey!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed seeing your bird photographs.
All the best Jan