Wildlife of Edmonds, WA.

[Bill Anderson]

My 2.8/400L telephoto lens has been in the repair shop all summer after I accidentally dropped it. I finally got it back this week and went down to the marsh on Friday the 13th to try it out. These shots were taken with my 5D Mk III + 2x teleconverter + 2.8/400L (the functional equivalent of a 5.6/800L telephoto lens at a fraction of the price) from the western (#1) viewing platform.

Feral pigeon (rock dove).


Wesley flirting with a female of his species. Is our boy blushing?




I believe these are Eurasian collared doves, a first for me.


One flew off and I adjusted my exposure compensation setting for the photos of the one which remained.

 

[Christine]

great shots!!! wish i could win the lottery and get one of those lens!!! I see you still have hummers up that way too..

 

[Terry O]

looks like it is working fine, Bill. Its been a long wait - but they did it - yea!

 

[Bill Anderson]

Welcome back home, Terry.

 

[Bill Anderson]

My backyard bird feeders were quite busy Saturday (9/14) morning.




The moltly crow remains in the vicinity, as my backyard neighbor tosses food to the evil minions of the Dark Lord.


The red-breasted nuthatch is another of my favorite backyard birds.


They have a distinctive, buzzing call and can be quite noisy for such a small bird. This one will probably hide the peanut in the bark of one of my Doug firds.

 

[Bill Anderson]

Down at the marsh, Wesley demonstrates how as a free range hummer, he can hunt bugs on his own and doesn't need no stinkin' feeder.

Shutter speed = 1/500 sec.


Shutter speed = 1/2000 sec.






Check his bill as he is about to clamp down on a bug.

 

[Bill Anderson]

Wednesday (9/18) I swung by two local osprey nests in nearby Lynnwood to see if the babies had fledged. The nest at the Meadowdale softball complex appeared abandoned for the summer. I was surprised to see a juvie still present in the Dunn Lumber nest. I thought it would have fledged by now as we ease into late September.

Papa was perched in a tree in the nearby wetlands.


The juvie (appears to be a female) was crying for dinner.

 

[Terry O]

This does seem late. Hope it makes it!

 

[Bill Anderson]

I got an e-mail from a local raptor expert who said juvie osprey will often hang around the nest after fledging. It was there again today as was one of the parents in a distant tree. I'll keep an eye on it.

 

[Bill Anderson]

From Thursday (9/19). Wesley continues to be captivated by the female which has been hanging out around the #1 viewing platform.



Here are earlier shots of her hunting down bugs.






So beautiful.... and self-sufficient to boot. Wesley should be impressed. For his sake, I hope she sticks around until spring 2014.

 

[Terry O]

You are the master of these shots, Bill!

 

[Bill Anderson]

Some hummer action from the last day of summer: Saturday, 9/21. Fortunately the Anna's hummingbird does not migrate but remains up here to entertain us year around. At least three, possible four hummers were chasing each other around the #1 viewing platform of the marsh.

When I took the photo I thought the chain link fence made an interesting background.


It wasn't until I got home and looked at the photos on the computer that I realized I had also gotten a shot of the hummer's elongated shadow.


Two hummers chasing each other. The one at the bottom of the photo is out of focus.


Two hummers taking a break from the chase.


A passing gull startled this hummer.

 

[Bill Anderson]

The hummers weren't the only birds chasing each other around the marsh. The great blue herons got into the act as well. These shots, all of which are uncropped, were taken with my 7D + 2.8/400L + 1.4 teleconverter, tripod mounted. The cropped frame sensor of the 7D + the 1.4 extender gives me the 35mm equivalent of an 876mm telephoto lens at a fraction of the price.

It was late afternoon and there was some backlighting plus a little distortion from heat waves.

 

[Terry O]

Good work with your re-worked 400 2.8, Bill. Tricky business keeping even a heron in the frame during flight!
Our stormy weather might provide some 'interesting' opportunities for in-flights.
Sure glad that at least we have the hummers and herons sticking around!

 

[Bill Anderson]

Good work with your re-worked 400 2.8, Bill. Tricky business keeping even a heron in the frame during flight!
Our stormy weather might provide some 'interesting' opportunities for in-flights.
Sure glad that at least we have the hummers and herons sticking around!

This morning's weather certainly feels like the first day of autumn. Our big lenses should come handy when the winter migratory ducks start arriving. They always stay at the far south side of the marsh unless the water is very high.

 

[JaniceL]

I had to complete a couple days of online education. It took all I had to keep from heading out to the refuge. LOL

 

[JaniceL]

A passing gull startled this hummer.
View attachment 12173

Love this! Perfect timing.

 

[Bill Anderson]

I had to complete a couple days of online education. It took all I had to keep from heading out to the refuge. LOL

I had originally planned to spend the weekend visiting relatives in PDX and hitting the Tualatin and Ridgefield NWR's. I changed my mind when the forecast was for rain all weekend. This afternoon (Sunday 9/22) my father called me from Vancouver and said they had rain for much of the weekend. Maybe I can get down next weekend if the weather looks good.

 

[Bill Anderson]

Monday (9/23) I saw a small flock of ten greater white-fronted geese in the athletic field adjacent to Lake Ballinger in nearby Mountlake Terrace. This species of goose passes through my area during the fall migration and may/may not spend the winter here. The bird is a "lifer" for me.







Most of the geese turned to intently watch someone walking his dog at the other end of the field.

 

[Bill Anderson]

Earlier that morning a bushel of bushtits hit my suet feeder.




They are rather skittish and did not remain there for very long.


Then there were two.


And then there just only one.


Later that afternoon one of the resident flickers returned to feed at the suet feeder.