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I sent my photos of the tick infested squirrel to some people I know at the Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife (DFW). One of them replied and said that ticks are fairly common in this area. Here is a link to a CDC website showing the distribution of ticks in the US. http://www.cdc.gov/ticks/geographic_distribution.html
Here is what the website has to say about our "local" tick:
The western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus) can transmit the organisms responsible for causing anaplasmosis and Lyme disease in humans. Wild rodents and other mammals are likely reservoirs of these pathogens. This tick is distributed along the Pacific coast of the United States. Larvae and nymphs feed on birds and small rodents, while adult ticks feed on deer and other mammals. Both adult and nymphal ticks are known to transmit disease to humans.
Thursday (4/14/14) I saw my first of the year Wilson's snipe at the Edmonds marsh. It was standing in the circular mud flat fairly close to the board walk betwen the #2 and #1 viewing platforms. Terry's wife found a second one off the #1 platform, but it was not in a place where we could easily photograph it.
These shots were all taken with my 7D + 4.0/500L + 1.4 teleconverter.
I like to toss peanuts off my back deck for the squirrels, crows, and Steller's jays.
The jays have mastered a technique of stuffing one peanut down their throat so they can carry a second peanut in their bill. Then they fly off to stash both peanuts.
Their corvid cousins have not learned this technique. The braver of the evil minions of the Dark Lord will swoop down while I am still standing on the deck and peck apart a single peanut. The more timid ones will wait until I go back into the house before landing in the backyard to look for peanuts. They will fly away with only a single peanut in their bills.
The jays will hide the peanuts in the boughs of my Doug firs.
some great snipe shots, too... i haven't seen any yet this year, though to be honest, i haven't really been searching for them. might have to have a look next time i'm out...
The jays have mastered a technique of stuffing one peanut down their throat so they can carry a second peanut in their bill. Then they fly off to stash both peanuts.
Yes, they love peanuts and I've seen them try that trick often. I even had one Jay who would imitate the sound of a Hawk, wait for the feeder to clear, and then grab the best seed. I noticed one day when I saw him perched on the feeder and heard the noise. All the rest of the birds flew, but he stayed there. I'm thinking "You're about to get eaten!" when I hear the noise again, and see his beak and head moving in sync. Watching closely, I realized he was making the noise.
Pretty smart cookie. But I always wondered what happened when he makes the noise and one of our resident Red Tails is nearby. "You talking to me?"
Some shots from 4-10-14 of the female flicker excavating her burrow at the fish hatchery.
You need a high shutter speed to freeze the action and a small aperature opening to get everything in focus. Both are difficult with our usual lousy light, especially in the shade.
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