There are plenty of weasels in politics and running big corporations, but the water weasels that occasionally inhabit our pond are both honest and fun to watch. How’s that for a change?
The arc of the dive. 
This river otter anted to be sure we saw that he had a fish in his maw. 
This is an otter who’s logged on. 
Needless to say most of the ducks had left the pond and a small group of Mallards huddled in the shallows at the far end. Only the lonely little PB Grebe seemed unperturbed and he kept his distance.
The Scrub-Jays around the pond this morning were in a snit. Screaming and chasing one another about. At first I suspected they had uncovered somebody nearby on the lengthy Jays’ Enemies List. But I could discern no pattern or focus for their fussing. No owl, no hawk, no Crow or Raven. No squirrel. I finally chalked it up to seasonally affected disorder: the intense drive to own private property carved out of the commons, and all the anger and jealousy that causes in societies large and small. I suspect many of the smaller birds huddled out of sight while the laws of jaynomics were debated loudly and publicly to nobirdy’s satisfaction.
Ashland Pond, Jackson, US-OR
Feb 19, 2015 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
17 species
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 9 FLY OVERS
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 12
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 1
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 1
Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) 3
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 1
Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) 15
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) X
Oak Titmouse (Baeolophus inornatus) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 40
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) X
Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) 1
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) 1
Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla) 3
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) 6
Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) 1
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 2
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