More of the same...

As promised, made it down to the Nanaimo River estuary for a post work visit. As seems to be the case most times I go there (since the duck killing season came to an end), I had the place to myself.
Not so much avian activity, though a singing western meadowlark in the small trees in the field was a welcome, er, welcome.
Otherwise, it was a few song sparrows and towhees and little else.
Checking from the viewing platform, there were 11 trumpeter swans on the river plus good numbers of pintail, mallard and American wigeon. A few bufflehead and common goldeneye were also present.
A northern shrike was hunting near the river's edge.
I could hear the mournful song of a varied thrush drifting across the river, and picked it up singing from the top of a conifer. Very evocative in the dusky light!
I came face to face with a fine river otter, who after having a good stare at me, legged it off into one of the pools.    
I had a quick check along the long hedgerow, but there were no migrant yellow-rumps feeding up before roosting, or indeed, readying for a spot of over night migration. With all the juncos and sparrows having seemingly departed, it's bloody quiet down there! Only a matter of days and I'll be tripping over off-passage goodies... maybe!

Don't forget to vote on the identity of the mystery duck, if you haven't already. The truth is out there.