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A mystery gull flew above me while I was at the #2 viewing platform on Monday (4/8). It initially attracted my attention as its cries did not sound like the screeches emiited by our usual gang of winged beach rats.
Although it looks like a Mew gull in breeding plumage (white head, yellow bill, yellow eyes with red orbital ring), its legs appear to be black, not yellow. If anyone can identify it, please post up.
Same with me. I have had two votes for the mew gull and two for the black-legged kittewake. I am inclined to go with the mew gull as a kittewake would be very rare in my area.
A snipe was briefly out in the mud during low tide at the marsh. This disproves my theory (to a certain degree) that they only come out during high tide when the water level is high.
The rest of the shots were taken along the Pt. Edwards walkway.
Male Anna's hummer.
Another male Anna's hummer. Each male has his own territory and a favorite perch within that territory. Once you identify the perches, the birds are easy to locate and photograph.
A male red-winged blackbird digging for grubs in the cattails.
Artsy shot near sunset of the same male red-winged blackbird doing his mating/territorial call/display.
I think your water level theory is right on, Bill. This bird is staying right where it would like the water to be. I suspect it may have something to do with what it feeds on as well as staying close to cover.
Bill, the "artsy" photo is very cool and now my favorite of your photos. The red-winged blackbird is very photogenic and for the most part, easy to find. But this photo is so different from the usual capture of this beautiful bird. Great stuff!
Wednesday's (4/10) avian action included eagles in the morning, a pileated woodpecker after lunch, and two snipes before dinner. Terry has already posted photos of the pileated woodpecker. He also took photos of the snipes while standing alongside me at the marsh, so I'll just "focus" on the eagles.
I saw this adult (which I believe to be one of the Hutt Park pair) perched in a fir tree near the corner of Edmonds St. and Sunset Ave. Three years ago we photographed a pair perching there quite regularly, but not so much in recent years.
I stood across Sunset Ave. and took a few shots as the eagle took off.
I did not notice it while I was taking the photos, but there may have been another eagle out over the Sound which prompted this one to fly out to investigate. The silhouette on the left side of the photo might be that of another eagle or it might just be the silhouette of a nearby crow which has been distorted by the telephoto lens.
The eagle flew out over Puget Sound past the ferry dock....
made a circle....
and returned.
I thought it was going to land in the same tree from whence it came, but it flew east over the houses on Sunset Ave., then headed northeast towards Hutt Park.
Shortly thereafter, I noticed the Brant and bufflehead which were floating out in Puget Sound all take off in unison. This usually signifies the presence of an eagle.
On cue, a juvie bald eagle flew over the Sound. I guestimate it to be a second year bird based on the number of white feathers. The juvie was in hot pursuit of a gull which was carrying something to eat in its bill.
The eagle chased the gull back and forth about four times over the Sound .....
before finally giving up and flying back to a perch somewhere north of my location.
Thursday afternoon an adult eagle (probably the same one as the day before) once again posed on the fir tree at the corner of Edmonds St. and Sunset Ave. People driving by would see me taking photos and stop their cars to do the same.
The eagle and its gull tourage had flown up and down Sunset Ave. over a train parked on the tracks below Sunset Ave. I was photographing the train with my 5D Mk III + 24-105L medium zoom, a lens which is good for trains but bad for birds.
The eagle landed on the tree and remained there for over an hour, which enabled me to finish photographing the trains and return to my pickup to retrieve my bird lens of choice, the 100-400L telephoto zoom.
I remained by the tree in the hopes of capturing more departure and flight shots like the day before, but the eagle just sat there. When you are our national bird, a protected species, and the top of the food chain, why would you move?
Not even periodic harassment by the evil minions of the Dark Lord could get the eagle to budge.
I finally gave up on the eagle leaving and left it and the crows to each others' company.
Friday (4/12) I saw the first osprey of the year patroling the Sound off Sunset Ave. The local eagles have been frequenting the area as well, which may set the stage for future shots of the eagles trying to steal the osprey's catch.
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Hopefully someone on tweeters will ID it for you.
