Hey, the kitties and I had a great day of wildlife watching today. We saw:

Otter One otter galumphed down the beach and into the water early this morning. He swam around in the calm water, surfacing once in a while. He made me wish, for the millionth time, that I was a river otter, too. All-seasons beach swimming? Count me in.

Hummingbirds I was down at the fire pit, burning old credit card receipts, when I saw a hummingbird go to the feeder at one of the other apartments. When I got upstairs, I saw another hummingbird using the feeder on my deck, which I had not hung yet. I hung it up, and the kitties called my attention to the bird's ongoing presence by jumping from the back of the couch, running to the french doors, and making that "ack ack ack" sound cats make when they are stalking something. Intense interest on the kitties' parts.

Rattus norvegicus Or so I presume. I've heard that most rats in this area are of the Norwegian variety. Now I know what holds the cats' interest outside the doors in the dark - it's Ratty McRatt! (Note to self: No bird food outside the feeder.) I actually don't mind a rat here and there, IF they don't come inside. They are kind of cute, and apparently smart.

Brant's cormorants They love to hang out on the swimming float just south of us. The cats don't know what to make of them. Or the herons.