The snipes are back with my first of the season sightings. Three birds were at the spot off the #1 (far west) viewing platform where we see them most often. I could only manage to get two in any one photo.
Wildlife of Edmonds, WA. 2017
- Thread starter Bill Anderson
- Start date
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I haven't seen Dexter, my backyard male Anna's hummer, for quite some time. At least two other Anna's have been coming to the feeders on my back deck. I sat in a chair on my back deck Monday (11/6/17) afternoon and photographed two of them at one feeder.
One appears to be a first year male.
A female flew in while the male was feeding.
The male gave chase.
One appears to be a first year male.
A female flew in while the male was feeding.
The male gave chase.
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Monday afternoon (11/27/17) from my back deck. Two hummers were chasing each other. I suspect both were first year males encroaching on Dexter's territory.
Hummer #1.
I believe this is hummer #2 based on the lack of dark feathers under its chin compared to hummer #1.
One of them fueling up for the chase.
Hummer #1.
I believe this is hummer #2 based on the lack of dark feathers under its chin compared to hummer #1.
One of them fueling up for the chase.
Wednesday morning (11/29/17) a backyard hummer was checking out the seed feeders that hang from my shed.
I dropped by Sprague Pond at Mini Park in Lynnwood. With the leaves now off the tree, the green heron nest was visible.
I went back to Sprague Pond Tuesday afternoon (12-5). You can find ducks there that don't stop at the Edmonds marsh or stay at the far south of the marsh where photographing them is difficult.
Male ring-necked ducks splashing in the pond.
Female ring-necked duck.
Male American wigeon.
Male ring-necked ducks splashing in the pond.
Female ring-necked duck.
Male American wigeon.
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Thursday morning (12/7) a Bonaparte's gull was flying back and forth past the fishing pier. This time of year I have to shoot with negative exposure compensation to keep from over exposing birds with white feathers.
Thursday afternoon (12/8) two pairs of northern shovelers were swimming in the pond at Pine Ridge Park.
The pond was dry this past summer. Now much of it is frozen over.
The pond was dry this past summer. Now much of it is frozen over.
I haven't had much luck catching any avian action the past few weeks. Here are some bird shots from Tuesday (12/12/17).
A male kingfisher (Katy's mate Don from the marina?) was perched on a train signal below Sunset Ave. until a train rolled by.
Like last year, a red-tailed hawk has been hanging out in the trees that border the east end of the marsh next to Sunset Ave./Hwy. 104. One to three red-tails typically spend the winter in Edmonds in the area of City Park/marsh/fish hatchery/Pt. Edwards.
I thought the red berries in the background gave a holiday look to the junco perched on the handrail of the boardwalk at the marsh.
A black-capped chickadee was digging into a pine tree in the Harbor Square parking lot.
A male kingfisher (Katy's mate Don from the marina?) was perched on a train signal below Sunset Ave. until a train rolled by.
Like last year, a red-tailed hawk has been hanging out in the trees that border the east end of the marsh next to Sunset Ave./Hwy. 104. One to three red-tails typically spend the winter in Edmonds in the area of City Park/marsh/fish hatchery/Pt. Edwards.
I thought the red berries in the background gave a holiday look to the junco perched on the handrail of the boardwalk at the marsh.
A black-capped chickadee was digging into a pine tree in the Harbor Square parking lot.
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Wednesday morning (12/13) on Sprague Pond at Mini Park in Lynnwood. I call this "A Tale of Three Fishermen."
Part 1:
Ducks cleared the pond when a river otter showed up.
I heard loud, unusual noises coming from the pond.
I think it was the otter breaking the ice while it was hunting for fish.
Part 1:
Ducks cleared the pond when a river otter showed up.
I heard loud, unusual noises coming from the pond.
I think it was the otter breaking the ice while it was hunting for fish.
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Part 2:
A male kingfisher was diving for fish from a branch over an open section of water.
Part 3:
This man told me he was just sport fishing after I expressed doubts that a person would want to eat any fish coming out of the pond.
A male kingfisher was diving for fish from a branch over an open section of water.
Part 3:
This man told me he was just sport fishing after I expressed doubts that a person would want to eat any fish coming out of the pond.
More bird photos from Wednesday.
Crows kept dive bombing a tree across the street from Sprague Pond while I was photographing the otter. I assumed a raptor was the center of their attention. A few minutes later a red-tailed hawk flew out of the tree and circled the pond.
A female bufflehead flew over the pond.
A mystery bird was in the water off the fishing pier. Although a few red-necked grebes were present, I thought this bird looked different. A loon?
Several people have reported an ancient murrelet off the fishing pier. I got a few photos, which unfortunately were taken at the south end of the pier looking into the low afternoon sun.
Crows kept dive bombing a tree across the street from Sprague Pond while I was photographing the otter. I assumed a raptor was the center of their attention. A few minutes later a red-tailed hawk flew out of the tree and circled the pond.
A female bufflehead flew over the pond.
A mystery bird was in the water off the fishing pier. Although a few red-necked grebes were present, I thought this bird looked different. A loon?
Several people have reported an ancient murrelet off the fishing pier. I got a few photos, which unfortunately were taken at the south end of the pier looking into the low afternoon sun.
Thursday (12/14) was predicted to be the last sunny day for awhile, so my son and I went down to the fishing pier to photograph birds. I especially wanted to get a photo pf the ancient murrelet that was not back lit like those of the previous day. I spotted the bird just below the south end of the pier, but it dove before I could swing the 1Dx + 100-400L II telephoto zoom into action. It surfaced farther south and was once again backlit.
This time I came prepared with my super telephoto bird package: 7DII + 500L telephoto + 1.4x teleconverter mounted on a tripod. It is a pain to carry, but well worth the effort as I got some fairly decent shots of the bird after tweaking them with the Windows processing program to compensate for the back lighting.
This time I came prepared with my super telephoto bird package: 7DII + 500L telephoto + 1.4x teleconverter mounted on a tripod. It is a pain to carry, but well worth the effort as I got some fairly decent shots of the bird after tweaking them with the Windows processing program to compensate for the back lighting.
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Katy, the marina's resident kingfisher and official mascot of the Puget Sound Birdfest at Edmonds, perched on the breakwater opposite the fishing pier. Two kingfishers had been chasing each other around the fishing pier and marina earlier, but I was not fast enough to take photos of the action.
I forgot to post up Thursday's photos of a black turnstone that was on the marina breakwater opposite the public pier. Friday afternoon (12/15/17) there were two of them. Most of the time they look primarily brown....
but they turn a brilliant white when flying.
A Bonaparte's gull banks for a turn.
but they turn a brilliant white when flying.
A Bonaparte's gull banks for a turn.
Autumn went out Wednesday (12/20) with a bright, sunny day. My photo day started out at noon at Sprague Pond in Lynnwood's Mini Park (yes, that is its name) where I caught the locals eating lunch.
Sprague Pond is a good place to get close up shots of American wigeons.
Sprague Pond is a good place to get close up shots of American wigeons.
Next stop was the Edmonds marsh, which was full of great blue herons. As I later learned, they were at the marsh because of high waves along the beaches due to high tide and high winds.
I went to the fishing pier prior to sunset. Like last year, I feel that except for cormorants, the number of winter migrants is down from previous years.
I refer to double-crested cormorants as "dragon birds" due to their heads and the scale-like appearance of their feathers.
Three surf scoters were swimming below the pier....
as was a golden-eye.
I refer to double-crested cormorants as "dragon birds" due to their heads and the scale-like appearance of their feathers.
Three surf scoters were swimming below the pier....
as was a golden-eye.
Some photos from Friday (12/22/17), the second day of winter.
A heron lands at the marsh.
An American green-winged teal swam fairly close to me in the small retention pond at Pine Ridge Park. I though the yellow pin stripes separating green band from the russet on its head were a little wider than usual. It was getting dark in the park and I had to shoot at slow speeds to keep the ISO setting low.
Shooting ducks across the large pond created an abstract scene.
A heron lands at the marsh.
An American green-winged teal swam fairly close to me in the small retention pond at Pine Ridge Park. I though the yellow pin stripes separating green band from the russet on its head were a little wider than usual. It was getting dark in the park and I had to shoot at slow speeds to keep the ISO setting low.
Shooting ducks across the large pond created an abstract scene.
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