Solstice

Walking home up E St. yesterday afternoon from downtown Davis, I spotted a hawk flying low over the parking lot between 3rd and 4th. He landed in the big elm at the corner of 4th and E, which has so few leaves left on it that I could get a good look at him. No doubt it was a red-tailed hawk—light-colored breast, with what I think (imagined?) was a lightish belly band, and when it took flight again the pattern on the tips of its wings resembled the red-tail. But its head was quite dark in contrast to the rest of him, and I swear I didn't see the red tail. I didn't find any other hawk in the Sibley's that it could have been, so I can't be certain one way or another. The more birds I see, the more complicated it becomes. But Tuesday afternoon there were three turkey vultures perched in a big sycamore across from my house. Those, I recognize; no problem there.

I'm getting ready to leave town in a couple of hours, heading to SoCal to spend Christmas with my family. I'm taking Mr. Wonderful along, but blog entries may nevertheless be slightly more erratic than they already are. My winter solstice countdown clock tells me there are 14 hours, 52 minutes and 5 seconds left until the sun reaches its southernmost point and begins the return trip. Spring, with its longer days—and baseball!—will be here soon. Happy hols to all!