Wildlife of Edmonds, WA.
- Thread starter Bill Anderson
- Start date
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It was dark, overcast, and raining all day Wednesday (10/2). The best I could manage was a shot of a resident flicker looking for peanuts at my backyard feeder. I don't know why she was at the peanut feeder, as the flickers usually feed off my suet feeder with the peanut mix.
No pics for me yesterday - hopefully maybe something will turn up today.
Thursday (10/3) started out with the flicker once again raiding the peanut dispenser in my backyard.
I got a Sasquatch shot of a varied thrush in my backyard neighbor's tree. The varied thrush is a colorful winter resident in our area.
My son Daren and I had lunch with Terry. After lunch we met up with him and his wife at the fishing pier. The winter migrants have been slow to arrive and all we saw were some cormorants,
surf scoters,
as well as Heerman's gulls and the usual assortment of resident winged beach rats. A school of salmon was swimming around inside the marina. Too bad fishing is not allowed inside the marina.
I got a Sasquatch shot of a varied thrush in my backyard neighbor's tree. The varied thrush is a colorful winter resident in our area.
My son Daren and I had lunch with Terry. After lunch we met up with him and his wife at the fishing pier. The winter migrants have been slow to arrive and all we saw were some cormorants,
surf scoters,
as well as Heerman's gulls and the usual assortment of resident winged beach rats. A school of salmon was swimming around inside the marina. Too bad fishing is not allowed inside the marina.
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Terry and his wife had to leave, so Daren and I went over to the marsh. I had been there before noon and had seen nothing, so I was not holding out hope for any exciting discoveries. One thing about birding in the Edmonds Birdmuda Triangle is that your avian fortunes can turn around quite quickly.
The first indication that our luck was about to change was a juvie Cooper's hawk circling very high over the marsh. I took several photos, but the hawk was too high for them to turn out well. When I viewed the photos at home on the computer, I discovered a humming bird flying about in the photos. Given focal lengths and compression factors of telephoto lenses, it looks as though the hummer is chasing the hawk.
The big shocker came while we were at the western (#1) viewing platform. Something flew across the marsh from the south and landed on the "tree" which holds the martin gourds. The "something" turned out to be a colorful male American kestrel, our smallest member of the falcon family.
It did not stay for long, but took off and headed north.
I had never seen a kestrel in Edmonds and always associated them with rural areas. I have now photographed the Puget Sound Falcon Trifecta at the marsh: peregrine falcon, merlin, and American kestrel.
Other flyovers included a swallow
and a kingfisher.
The first indication that our luck was about to change was a juvie Cooper's hawk circling very high over the marsh. I took several photos, but the hawk was too high for them to turn out well. When I viewed the photos at home on the computer, I discovered a humming bird flying about in the photos. Given focal lengths and compression factors of telephoto lenses, it looks as though the hummer is chasing the hawk.
The big shocker came while we were at the western (#1) viewing platform. Something flew across the marsh from the south and landed on the "tree" which holds the martin gourds. The "something" turned out to be a colorful male American kestrel, our smallest member of the falcon family.
It did not stay for long, but took off and headed north.
I had never seen a kestrel in Edmonds and always associated them with rural areas. I have now photographed the Puget Sound Falcon Trifecta at the marsh: peregrine falcon, merlin, and American kestrel.
Other flyovers included a swallow
and a kingfisher.
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Wesley, the male Anna's hummingbird who guards the #1 viewing platform at the marsh, has been getting quite a workout as of late. Three other hummers have invaded his territory and he has been busy keeping them in line. The hummers get so focused on chasing each other that they ignore or forget about us humans. Today two of them flew between Daren and me below shoulder level.
I have yet to get all four hummers in one shot or even a good shot of three of them. Here are some shots from Thursday. With the sun getting lower earlier, I think may start using my Speedlite flash as fill light to compensate for the late afternoon shadows.
Two of the combatants taking a break.
I have yet to get all four hummers in one shot or even a good shot of three of them. Here are some shots from Thursday. With the sun getting lower earlier, I think may start using my Speedlite flash as fill light to compensate for the late afternoon shadows.
Two of the combatants taking a break.
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Friday (10/4) started out with my son Daren and I taking a morning walk of Lake Ballinger Park in nearby Mountlake Terrace with Terry and his wife.
Several small flocks (or maybe one large flock) of Canada geese were grazing in the park.
One of the Lake Ballinger bald eagles has returned from wherever our local eagles go in mid August. It was perched in one of the family trees on the private golf course east of the boat ramp.
After lunch Daren and I went to the Edmonds marsh, where we saw some black-capped chickadees in the bramble and on the fence behind the #1 viewing platform.
Continued on page 42.
Several small flocks (or maybe one large flock) of Canada geese were grazing in the park.
One of the Lake Ballinger bald eagles has returned from wherever our local eagles go in mid August. It was perched in one of the family trees on the private golf course east of the boat ramp.
After lunch Daren and I went to the Edmonds marsh, where we saw some black-capped chickadees in the bramble and on the fence behind the #1 viewing platform.
Continued on page 42.
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Continued from page 41.
A Douglas's squirrel, the squirrel native to the PNW, was perched on a branch near the #3 viewing platform. It did not mind several of us photographing it from the nearby platform and continued to groom itself. This is the first time I have seen a Douglas's squirrel at the marsh. It should not be confused with the peanut mooching tree rats common to most of our back yards, the invasive eastern gray squirrel.
One of the marina's male belted kingfishers was perched on a telephone pole located across the railroad tracks from Anthony's (restaurant) employees' parking lot on Admiral Way.
An approaching coal train scared it and it took off.
A Douglas's squirrel, the squirrel native to the PNW, was perched on a branch near the #3 viewing platform. It did not mind several of us photographing it from the nearby platform and continued to groom itself. This is the first time I have seen a Douglas's squirrel at the marsh. It should not be confused with the peanut mooching tree rats common to most of our back yards, the invasive eastern gray squirrel.
One of the marina's male belted kingfishers was perched on a telephone pole located across the railroad tracks from Anthony's (restaurant) employees' parking lot on Admiral Way.
An approaching coal train scared it and it took off.
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My wife called the house around 5:30pm to ask me to pick up dinner. I called Tosh's Teriyaki in downtown Edmonds to place a take-out order. As I prepared to leave the house to pick up dinner, I debated whether or not to take the 5D Mk III + 1.4 teleconverter + 100-400L zoom. I ended up leaving the camera and lenses at home. Afterall, what could I possibly photograph on the short drive downtown and back home?
Well........ as I drove down the Main St. hill past Yost Park, I noticed evil minions of the Dark Lord strafing something perched atop one of the trees in the park which borders Main St. My 7D and camera case were in the pickup, so I attached the 70-200L zoom and took some photos of what turned out to be a red-tailed hawk.
Well........ as I drove down the Main St. hill past Yost Park, I noticed evil minions of the Dark Lord strafing something perched atop one of the trees in the park which borders Main St. My 7D and camera case were in the pickup, so I attached the 70-200L zoom and took some photos of what turned out to be a red-tailed hawk.
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The hummer wars continued Saturday (10/5) at the #1 viewing platform of the marsh.
I believe one of the combatants is an immature male which is just starting to develop his bright red head feathers.
It was buzzed by another hummer...
then it flew off.
One hummer approached a second one that was already perched on a branch.
I believe one of the combatants is an immature male which is just starting to develop his bright red head feathers.
It was buzzed by another hummer...
then it flew off.
One hummer approached a second one that was already perched on a branch.
A stand-off developed...
which led to a sit-off.
Hummers don't sit still for very long and one flew off....
followed by the other.
which led to a sit-off.
Hummers don't sit still for very long and one flew off....
followed by the other.
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Later that afternoon I noticed a female downy woodpecker feeding at my suet feeder.
I have now seen three of our five local woodpecker species (downy, flicker, and pileated) in my backyard. Still missing are the hairy woodpecker and the red-breasted sapsucker.
I have now seen three of our five local woodpecker species (downy, flicker, and pileated) in my backyard. Still missing are the hairy woodpecker and the red-breasted sapsucker.
Sunday (10/6) Daren and I ran into our friend Dave, an avid bird spotter, at the marsh. We found it to be very quiet at the marsh and the marina as well. I had heard reports of a Cooper's hawk at Yost Park and neither of us had seen the park's resident barred owl pair for awhile, so off we went.
A woman at the park had a very interesting bird perched on her shoulder. I am inclined to believe she did not find it roaming the park.
Terry had told me it was about a year ago when we began to photograph the autumn arrival of varied thrushes at the park. Dave spotted one in a tree and felt it was a good omen. I got off a Sasquatch shot to document the sighting date.
Dave also spotted a pileated woodpecker in a tree past the one where we had seen the thrush.
A woman at the park had a very interesting bird perched on her shoulder. I am inclined to believe she did not find it roaming the park.
Terry had told me it was about a year ago when we began to photograph the autumn arrival of varied thrushes at the park. Dave spotted one in a tree and felt it was a good omen. I got off a Sasquatch shot to document the sighting date.
Dave also spotted a pileated woodpecker in a tree past the one where we had seen the thrush.
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Dave thought he saw a large raptor fly through the ravine. The bird returned and landed on a tree at the bottom of the ravine not far from us. Although it was about the size and color of a juvie bald eagle, I recognized it as a turkey vulture. I had seen one only once before in Edmonds and it was a "lifer" for Dave.
Getting good shots through the foliage proved difficult.
Although the vulture's featherless head may appear ugly, it is a superb adaptation to the bird's place on the food chain as a scavenger of large mammal carcasses. You must also keep in mind that it probably looks very beautiful to a fellow vulture.
The vulture did not stay long. As I was climbing around the foliage, Dave warned me that the bird was about to take off.
The autofocus locked on the intervening foliage as it took off, but you get the idea.
The vulture circled the park, then flew south accompanied by its crow-tourage.
Getting good shots through the foliage proved difficult.
Although the vulture's featherless head may appear ugly, it is a superb adaptation to the bird's place on the food chain as a scavenger of large mammal carcasses. You must also keep in mind that it probably looks very beautiful to a fellow vulture.
The vulture did not stay long. As I was climbing around the foliage, Dave warned me that the bird was about to take off.
The autofocus locked on the intervening foliage as it took off, but you get the idea.
The vulture circled the park, then flew south accompanied by its crow-tourage.
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A jay raised %&@*& throughout the vulture sighting. Its squawks continued long after the vulture had departed, so we thought it had spotted one of our elusive owls. Dave tracked down the source of the jay's consternation as a Cooper's hawk which was perched on a branch eating an eastern gray squirrel. I felt a little relieved that the hawk's dinner was not one of our native Douglas's squirrels which live in the park.
Warning: These photos depict some of the more graphic moments of the Circle of Life.
Initially the hawk had its back to us.
I climbed through the foliage and waded into the mud to get a (poor) frontal shot of the hawk.
The hawk must have felt sorry for me, as it turned around and faced the trail so I had a better photo angle.
Our pesence did not bother the hawk and it ate all the while we were there.
Like all birds of prey, it continually paused to scan the area for intruders which might try to steal its meal. That did not include us.
Dave was right. The varied thrush was a good omen, although the squirrel may beg to differ.
Warning: These photos depict some of the more graphic moments of the Circle of Life.
Initially the hawk had its back to us.
I climbed through the foliage and waded into the mud to get a (poor) frontal shot of the hawk.
The hawk must have felt sorry for me, as it turned around and faced the trail so I had a better photo angle.
Our pesence did not bother the hawk and it ate all the while we were there.
Like all birds of prey, it continually paused to scan the area for intruders which might try to steal its meal. That did not include us.
Dave was right. The varied thrush was a good omen, although the squirrel may beg to differ.
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