Bird talk around Homer is that a group of Whimbrels being seen around local beaches is actually Bristle-thighed Curlews! This calls for diligence in carrying binoculars to spot the telltale buffy-orange rump and unmarked light belly. No sign of them this morning on our Spit walk, but the Semi-palmated Plovers are finding nesting areas on the rocky ground above the high tide line and making a big show of leading us away from them.

The grass seed we spread on the bare areas of the yard last week is quickly being consumed by Golden-crowned Sparrows. Here is a shot of them under the spruce outside the kitchen. Little devils.

 Another low tide today and people were clamming in Mud Bay. The limit for razor clams is down to the first 25 dug. No picking out the big guys. There has been a serious decline in abundance of razor clams, the lowest on record at Ninilchik Beach since 1990 when the surveys began. Not very good news. 

Then there was this surprising photo of a ten pound fish leading the Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby! I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Do we have a replay of the collapse of the Atlantic Cod fishery here?

Photo from the Homer Tribune

House selling and sunny days

Memorial Day weekend 2013: sunny weather, good clamming tides, opening day of Saturday Market and a three day weekend. The perfect storm for tourists. Sunny, but still a chilly 48 with cold north winds on the Spit. Who cares? Not Alaskans!

House For Sale

Today was the first showing of the cabin, and it was 60 degrees here! We worked our butts off getting the place cleaned up and cleared out, and it looked pretty darned good when we were done. This need to maintain cleanliness for short-notice showings is the hardest part of selling and stresses me the most. If the temperature were warmer I'd suggest taking the trailer camping somewhere until a good offer comes in, then we could go back to living like normal slobs. 

The Endeavour Leaves Homer - finally

It took three tries, but at 8:30 a.m. Friday, the Endeavour-Spirit Independence jack-up rig left the Homer Deep Water Dock.   (Link to story in Homer News)

The rig arrived in Homer on August 24 last year and was scheduled to stay only seven days. It spent 218 days at the Deep Water Dock accompanied by much controversy. We'll be happy not to have it in our view, but I predict within a few years this will be a common sight in Homer. Too many people in local government have visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads over the $500,000 harbor fees collected. Then will come the big box stores and that will be the beginning of the end of this charming little fishing town and pristine Kachemak Bay.

Down the hole where Spider waits