October 24, 2026

Where: Lake Accotink Marina

When: 12:45 pm

Bird Species: (includes morning walk at Eakin and late day neighborhood) Eastern bluebird, white-breasted nuthatch, house finch, ruby-crowned kinglet, blue jay, black vulture, American robin, downy woodpecker, great blue heron, Canada goose, red-winged blackbird, double-crested cormorant, golden-crowned kinglet, northern cardinal, European starling, northern mockingbird

Things I Thought About:

• This morning was the second to last farmer’ market of the year and it could not have been a more beautiful day for it. I did not buy apples or mums or fall gourds, and even though no one has ever needed to eat fresh vegetables more than I do this week, I didn't get any of these, either. I bought bread and artisanal short rib ravioli. It was the right thing to do. 
• All due respect to Abdul El-Sayed, but all apples are good now. Bags of red delicious from Aldi are good now. There’s no need to spend $7 a box on some. 
• That will be my most controversial statement on the blog so far.
• After the market my sister went for a walk with me and graciously allowed me to play expert at Eakin Park. She got a life bird today, a ruby-crowned kinglet. 
• I am simply not ready to be inside. It is so beautiful today. This is one of those October skies that are so extravagantly blue, if you wanted to make a dress this color there is simply no fabric where it wouldn't look cheap.

• I decide to swing by the marina, and it is once again packed. I thought maybe because the boat rentals are done for the season it would be quieter, but it turns out everybody loves an insanely beautiful fall day.

• I take the dockside trail, where the elevation is high, and there are large swaths where the water is very close, but you can't see it at all. On two occasions, I hear a very distinctive thwapthwapthwapthwapthwap that can only be the sound of cormorant coming in for a water landing with his wide webbed feet. I saw a couple swimming when I got here, and when the lake is fully visible again there are a dozen and half.

• There needs to be a specific word for the sensation of being outside, pleasantly loose in your limbs from walking slowly on a beautiful trail, sitting on a bench with the shady side chilly on your back, your front side toasty in the sun, and kind of wanting to get your tits out. Not a horny feeling, just kind of like a kitty cat stretching in a patch of sunlight.

BOTD: golden-crowned kinglet. A double kinglet day! They were both impossible. Very hyperactive little birds. The ruby-crown we saw at Eakin this morning, we couldn't see his ruby crown at all, but the white eyering was distinctive. Here there were these two golden-crowns, close to the water, and I was surprised to see the actual golden crown. I had said earlier today that you only see that crown when they're agitated or tryna fuck. There were two of them, so maybe they were so uncooperative because I was interrupting.