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I took advantage of my season pass to Ridgefield NWR by stopping there to and from a recent trip to Vancouver and Portland.
Thursday (6/7)
After getting my day pass, I headed west on the first leg of the River South (S) unit's driving loop. To the left of the road is a wetlands and to the right is a ditch full of water. A cinnamon teal was sharing a log with a large water turtle.
A female redwing blackbird had snagged a beetle.
A red-tailed hawk flew over the wetlands, drawing attention from numerous red-winged blackbirds.
A pair of ruddy ducks, the first ones I have seen outside a zoo.
Yellow-headed blackbird. They have a weird call that sounds like a parrot. According to my Washington state bird book, they nest east of the Cascades. I wonder if they are extending thier range as several were present and calling.
A pair of redheads. I kept trying to make them into canvass backs, which would be rare for this area.
Halfway through the driving loop is a wooded parking area with a blind reached by walking down a short path through the trees. If you come, bring mosquito repellent.
Like last year, barn swallows are nesting inside the blind. This one did not mind my presence as it flew in and out bringing food to its hatchlings.
A mystery flycatcher was in the woods outside the blind. Western wood-pewee?
The croaking of bullfrogs could be heard throught the loop. At times it sounded quite spooky. I saw one in a waterway beside the road and took this shot from the pickup.
I have never believed those who have told me they were out driving and saw a snipe in plain view beside the road.
A flock of geese threw up a roadblock on the last leg of the loop.
I returned for another loop on the way back home. Some of the birds were probably the same ones that I saw Thursday. From the wetlands west of the parking area and volunteer booth.
Cinnamon teal.
Great blue heron. My son took this photo as the bird was on his side of the road.
Redheads
Yellow-headed blackbird.
Mystery bird. It looks like a juvie, but I cannot ID the species. Update: this is a juvie American coot.
The first eagle continued flying east with the red-winged blackbirds in pursuit. Two gentlemen who were also photographing the action said there is a nest on the other side of the slough.
The other eagle landed in the tree where the vultures were perched, which stirred up the vultures.
I accidentally knocked my shutter speed down to an even slower 1/200, but I like the way it blurred the background as I was following the vulture in flight.
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