The Stockpond is again almost empty of dawn bird visitors, it’s warmer today but again in the 50s, and humid. It alarms me to see that since yesterday the red algae has about taken over the whole surface of the water, but as the morning progresses it drifts into pieces and the water opens. Some friends will be along at sunset time to wine- and cheese-it while watching the bird show about which word is getting out to the naturalists on The River.

Beautiful Yellow-headed Blackbirds give their distinctive calls from the wheel line irrigators under a hot and sweaty half-moon–those temperatures by 8:00 am are flying up the scale, later, to 107 degrees. Down the humidity goes, to single digits.

Evening, though, is exceedingly pleasant by the water, with our cheese and the red wine. An elegant Cooper’s Hawk flies in while we sit there, stands on a rock at water’s edge a long time, ready to pull back her bow and let fly if a luckless bird comes past. We chat in low voices, and watch the hawk–

“Boy, she’s sure sittin’ there a long time!”

“Patient is the hunter.”

“We should call her Diana.”