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Some birds at the marsh Wednesday (4/19) afternoon.
Male house finch.
White-crowned sparrow picking a dandelion seed.
Golden-crowned sparrow at the #3 viewing platform.
Two male red-winged blackbirds on the east end of the marsh off the #4 viewing platform. Click on the photo to see their red shoulder patches contrasting against the background.
I followed this Cooper's hawk across the marsh to a tree by Willow Creek.
And finally, a double-crested cormorant in breeding plumage took off and flew past me just as I was photographing it from the north end of the fishing pier.
Terry, Daren, and I went out to the fishing pier Friday (4/21) afternoon. A pair of pigeon Guillemots in breeding plumage just below the pier provided entertainment.
Underwater shots.
The birds were so close that I am sure they mistook me for Rocky.
Yesterday I posted up some distant shots of a flock of Bonaparte's gulls flying out in the Sound. Friday a lone bird was swimming off the fishing pier. Photographing it was very tricky. We had to use negative exposure compensation to keep from blowing out the white feathers, but we couldn't get the bird too dark or its distinctive black head (mating plumage) would disappear into the background of the water.
Brandt's cormorant in breeding plumage. This week all three of our local cormorant species (double-crested, Brandt's and pelagic) have made appearances in breeding plumage.
Next we went to the marsh, where the male red-winged blackbird that has claimed the patch of cattails by the #2 viewing platform was perched in the tree behind the platform.
The marsh wren that has been singing off the #1 platform had an itch to scratch.
They are tiny little things, aren't they? I got one from about 15 feet away a couple of years ago - it was huddled in some rocks and didn't think I could see it...
They are tiny little things, aren't they? I got one from about 15 feet away a couple of years ago - it was huddled in some rocks and didn't think I could see it...
Pt. Edwards walkway:
The male rufous hummingbird that last year hung out just past the retention pond at the west end of the walkway appears to be back to spend another summer with us.
Marsh:
Wesley was out hunting for bugs near the #1 viewing platform.
A flock of violet-green swallows was flying around the marsh.
Male marsh wrens build several nests to entice a female. I located one nest of the male that has been serenading off the #1 viewing platform. He was plucking fuzz from a nearby cattail to line the nest.
Tuesday morning (4/25) I was parked on Sunset Ave. when I spotted some unfamiliar birds flying south past the tethered log in the dive park. Following my mantra of "shoot first and ask questions later", I took some grab shots. The shots were good enough to identify the birds as black oystercatchers, a bird usually not seen in my immediate area. Three local birders quickly came down to the waterfront after I reported my sighting to one of them.
I went down to the fishing pier to look for the oystercatchers. A small flock of Barrow's goldeneye was looking for something to eat on the supports. I have seen surf scooters prying off and eating the mussels you see that are attached to the piers.
Friday afternoon (4/28) two red-tailed hawks were engaged in courtship behavior high over Mountlake Terrace. I have only witnessed this once before. Photos were taken from the parking lot of Lake Ballinger. I wish the hawks had not been so far away.
One hawk tucked in its wings and dove like a falcon.
More overcast weather for May Day. A flock of shorebirds had landed at the marsh. The overcast cut down on the glare and heat waves rising off the mud, so I mounted the 5DIII + 500L telephoto + 1.4x TC on a tripod and stayed a while.
I believe these are all dunlin. I have read that the length of the bills can vary quite a bit among individual birds. There were a few that were starting to develop the rufous back and black belly breeding plumage.
This one had the furthest developed breeding plumage. Although it appeared to be larger than the others, I think it is a dunlin.
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