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| Daylight Time ends tonight. (My SHIP being Washington State, USA) When you're on a cruise, you get one of these cards on your pillow the night you change time zones. 😊 |
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| Anna's Hummingbird as seen from my deck. |
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| [Click on images for larger view.] |
Hummingbird Fountain Pen
You know that I love hummingbirds. But did you know I also love fountain pens? And have you seen the new limited edition hummer pen from Palisades?
Big Bear Eagles Update
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| Image captured on October 19, 2026 by Friends of Big Bear Valley FOBBV. |
The first half of 2026 my favorite story to follow concerned two Bald Eagles, Jackie and Shadow, as they raised two Eaglets in a nest near Big Bear Lake, California. A camera above the nest allowed a 24/7 nest watch streaming on YouTube. (If you've been following this blog you'll know the story. Check out several previous posts.)
The two young Eaglets fledged the nest and have left the
area to find their own new territory. Sadly, Jackie, the mother bird, developed
a severe illness, and, although being taken into a Raptor Care Center, passed
away. The last couple of months we have been watching to see if Shadow would
find a new partner. That now appears to have happened ... an approximately
4-year-old female Bald Eagle, named Kaydee, has arrived, and appears to be
pairing up with Shadow. The picture above shows Shadow, and Kaydee, together in
the nest on October 19th about 6:24PM. Kaydee is a banded Eagle and one of her
bands, purple color, can be seen in the photo. Of course, online speculation
abounds regarding whether these two Eagles may start a new family for us to
watch going forward.
If they mate soon, that would not necessarily mean eggs are coming soon. Courtship, forming a partnership, and producing eggs are related but separate steps. An apparent mating attempt does not establish that Kaydee is ready to produce eggs or that an egg would be fertile. The local monitors say nesting activity usually begins gradually in October or November and increases in December; they have also cautioned that Shadow’s situation after losing Jackie makes this season difficult to predict.
According to U.S.
Fish & Wildlife Service, Kaydee’s youth adds uncertainty. Bald eagles can
breed at four or five years old, but many begin later. At approximately four
years old, she could breed this coming season, but spending the winter with
Shadow without laying eggs would also be unsurprising. There is no sound basis
for assigning a percentage to her chances.
As for eggs surviving harsh winter weather: yes, they can. The parents’ incubation keeps the eggs warm; freezing outdoor temperatures do not mean the eggs themselves are freezing. Jackie and Shadow repeatedly incubated through snowstorms, including Jackie’s nearly 62-hour uninterrupted stretch in February 2024. However, prolonged storms can make incubation, feeding, and later keeping small chicks warm much harder. Winter nesting is possible, but success is never assured. Their companionship is encouraging. I will be watching for sustained cooperation around the nest over the next couple of months, while keeping hopes for eggs flexible.
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| More Critter Fun Here |
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| Puget Sound Sunset Interbay Marina near bottom ... Olympic Mountains in the distance. |
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| Cloudy day sunset. October 27, 2026 |
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| Layers of water and mountains on a hazy morning. Bainbridge Island, WA Olympic Mountains in the distance. |
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| Seattle Skyline on a Sunny Day |
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| Seattle Skyline from Kerry Park on an early October morning. |
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| Full Moon over Puget Sound September 26, 2026 5:24AM |
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| Where to put this image? Yes, looking toward the sky. The leaves were so amazing. |
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| Coast Guard Seattle Vessel 755 (white) and 20 (red) |
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| Norwegian Encore departing Seattle October 4 ... one of the last cruise ships to depart for the 2026 season. |
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| Early morning Ferry ride as the fog lifts. |
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| Seattle waterfront centered on the Smith Tower Smith Tower = tallest building on West Coast 1914 to 1962 |
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| Ship name is Olive Bay Shipping Line is Pacific Basin |
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| The floating groups of logs are called log booms |
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| Log booms allow logs to be collected, stored, and moved by tug before being lifted aboard a ship. |
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| This little vessel is sometimes called a boom boat, or dozer boat, or log bronc. Those names sound like something a pickup truck designer would come up with. 😊 |
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| Notice the workers are wearing life vests. (Just in case 😂) |
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| To most of you ... Never say you didn't learn something on John's Island 👍👍😊 |
Closing thoughts …
On October 27th, the Washington Post published an article: “At 80, he’s a top dementia expert. Here’s how he keeps his brain healthy.”
As one who is getting close to the Big-Eight-OH, I'm interested in articles like this. The article quotes Ron Peterson, an 80-year-old neuropsychologist, who has studied dementia and aging for 50 years.
Here are his 5 recommendations:
1. Exercise at least 3 times a week for a total of 150
minutes. Yes, aerobic is best, but just fast walking will do.
2. Stay intellectually active.
3. Eat a heart-healthy diet.
4. Get regular, quality sleep.
5. Stay connected.
From the Cleveland Clinic: “A neuropsychologist is a licensed, doctoral-level psychologist who studies and treats how biological conditions and injuries in the brain affect a person’s thinking, memory, emotions, and behavior.”
Read the article for the details.
Here is a free link to the article.
Thank you for stopping by John's Island and a Happy Fall season to you.
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