Did the humming of the drill remind you of a hummer?At least you saw some hummers, Bill. The most I saw yesterday was my Dentist
Wildlife of Edmonds, WA.
- Thread starter Bill Anderson
- Start date
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I got down to the marsh Monday morning (12/2) and was rewarded by more hummer action. I think there were three, but I only got two in the same photo.
Wesley was seeing red at the sight of another hummer in his territory.
The other hummer was not intimidated.
This is the brightest I have ever seen a male hummer, probably due to the low angle of the late autumn sunlight.
Wesley flew over to check out the intruder. A little over exposed to my liking, as I keep forgetting to shoot at - 1/3 exposure compensation in this harsh, low angle sunlight. There are times when the photographer's experience must override the camera's computer.
Wesley was seeing red at the sight of another hummer in his territory.
The other hummer was not intimidated.
This is the brightest I have ever seen a male hummer, probably due to the low angle of the late autumn sunlight.
Wesley flew over to check out the intruder. A little over exposed to my liking, as I keep forgetting to shoot at - 1/3 exposure compensation in this harsh, low angle sunlight. There are times when the photographer's experience must override the camera's computer.
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Wesley hovered around the second hummer, but did not attack.
Eventually he flew out of the focal plane.
One of the hummers perched on one of the hummers' usual perch.
Eventually he flew out of the focal plane.
One of the hummers perched on one of the hummers' usual perch.
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Wednesday (12/4) was sunny but cold. The overnight temps were in the low 20's F and barely rose above freezing throughout the day. My son Daren and I took advantage of the sunshine and were out all day. There was not much avian activity, but here is what we did find.
A junco at the fish hatchery.
A chestnut-backed chickadee along Pine St.
A Bewick's wren at the retention pond at the end of the Pt. Edwards walkway.
A female belted kingfisher at the marina.
A male bufflehead off Olympic Beach.
A junco at the fish hatchery.
A chestnut-backed chickadee along Pine St.
A Bewick's wren at the retention pond at the end of the Pt. Edwards walkway.
A female belted kingfisher at the marina.
A male bufflehead off Olympic Beach.
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We finished the day at Yost Park. While we did not see the barred owls; like clockwork, Terry's male pileated woodpecker tucked into his residential cavity about twenty minutes before sunset. I was able to shoot at a lower ISO setting than usual, so the cropped photos are not as noisy as past photos.
Checking out the cavity.
Not yhet.
Finally going in for the night.
Locals/visitors: Daren and I moved a bench in position so we could sit down and take photos of the woodpecker. Look for the bench on the bank under the trees on the south side of the service road just after you pass the gate from the parking lot. When you are seated at the bench, look north across the service road to the tree with two large holes in it. The pileated woodpecker has been entering the upper hole for the night. You will be forewarned of his arrival, as he will announce his presence and fly to a branch of a nearby tree before entering the cavity.
You will also hear/see a second pileated woodpecker (female/mate?) in Yost Park prior to sunset. It has its own cavity where it spends the night.
Checking out the cavity.
Not yhet.
Finally going in for the night.
Locals/visitors: Daren and I moved a bench in position so we could sit down and take photos of the woodpecker. Look for the bench on the bank under the trees on the south side of the service road just after you pass the gate from the parking lot. When you are seated at the bench, look north across the service road to the tree with two large holes in it. The pileated woodpecker has been entering the upper hole for the night. You will be forewarned of his arrival, as he will announce his presence and fly to a branch of a nearby tree before entering the cavity.
You will also hear/see a second pileated woodpecker (female/mate?) in Yost Park prior to sunset. It has its own cavity where it spends the night.
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While Wednesday was sunny and cold, Thursday (12/05) was overcast and cold. The thermometer on my back deck read 18*F in the morning and never rose above 28*F all day.
I sat in the pickup on Sunset Ave. while my son worked out at the gym. A lone male black scoter was in the water below me. Black scoters are not very common in Edmonds.
A varied thrush, another winter resident to our area, was in my backyard.
The hummer spent the day drinking at my hummer feeders....
or perched quietly in one of the huckleberry bushes. It was too cold for it to do much else.
I sat in the pickup on Sunset Ave. while my son worked out at the gym. A lone male black scoter was in the water below me. Black scoters are not very common in Edmonds.
A varied thrush, another winter resident to our area, was in my backyard.
The hummer spent the day drinking at my hummer feeders....
or perched quietly in one of the huckleberry bushes. It was too cold for it to do much else.
One of my backyard squirrels made several trips with its mouth full of leaves to line an old squirrel nest in one of my Doug firs.
My son and I made the rounds of the usual locations on a very cold and sunny Friday (12/6). My best photos were taken using "spot metering" and/or -1/3 exposure compensation to keep the harsh, low-angled, shortest days of the year, late autumn-early winter PNW sunlight from completely washing out the light colored feathers.
Steller's jay at the fish hatchery.
Anna's hummer on the Pt. Edwards walkway.
A male red-breasted merganser off Olympic Beach. I had the circular polarizing filter attached on this shot.
The Pt. Edwards eagles passed over the marsh on their way to their perches on the pilings off the Senior Center between the marina and the ferry dock. This spooked the herons in the marsh, who took off en masse and flew over the railroad tracks to the marina. They did not remain long at the marina but returned one by one to the marsh. If a returning heron landed too close to one which had already arrived, a squabble ensued.
A flock of killdeer briefly landed at Marina Beach.
Steller's jay at the fish hatchery.
Anna's hummer on the Pt. Edwards walkway.
A male red-breasted merganser off Olympic Beach. I had the circular polarizing filter attached on this shot.
The Pt. Edwards eagles passed over the marsh on their way to their perches on the pilings off the Senior Center between the marina and the ferry dock. This spooked the herons in the marsh, who took off en masse and flew over the railroad tracks to the marina. They did not remain long at the marina but returned one by one to the marsh. If a returning heron landed too close to one which had already arrived, a squabble ensued.
A flock of killdeer briefly landed at Marina Beach.
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On our way home we stopped at Maplewood Park in the hopes of seeing the barred owl pair. Maplewood is probably one of the lesser known parks in Edmonds, even though you drive past its northern border as you wind down the 196th St/Puget Drive ravine on the way to downtown Edmonds.
http://www.edmondswa.gov/government...rvices/edmonds-city-parks/maplewood-park.html
We saw no owls, but several thrushes were in the park. By now it was getting dark and I was shooting at high ISO settings. The first thrush we saw was a lone hermit thrush. With a name like that, I would not expect to see two.
There was a flock of varied thrush. Here is the best photo of the bunch.
Not pictured is the robin mixed in with the thrushes. The robin is also a member of the thrush family.
The best entertainment was provided by a Douglas's squirrel, our native squirrel. The furry tree rats which you see everywhere everyday are eastern grey squirrels, a species introduced to the Pacific Coast states. The Douglas's is smaller and daintier than the eastern gray. It is also much faster and more nimble, both on the ground and in trees. It moves as fast as a chipmunk on the ground and its movements alone are enough to distinguish it from the eastern gray.
These photos were taken using very high ISO settings. Picasa's "auto contrast" function was used to make them presentable ("artistic"?) after cropping.
The squirrel was digging a hole. I inspected it later and found it to be quite deep. It looked more like the burrow of a snake or small rodent rather than a hole to cache nuts.
Paw in the cookie jar?
http://www.edmondswa.gov/government...rvices/edmonds-city-parks/maplewood-park.html
We saw no owls, but several thrushes were in the park. By now it was getting dark and I was shooting at high ISO settings. The first thrush we saw was a lone hermit thrush. With a name like that, I would not expect to see two.
There was a flock of varied thrush. Here is the best photo of the bunch.
Not pictured is the robin mixed in with the thrushes. The robin is also a member of the thrush family.
The best entertainment was provided by a Douglas's squirrel, our native squirrel. The furry tree rats which you see everywhere everyday are eastern grey squirrels, a species introduced to the Pacific Coast states. The Douglas's is smaller and daintier than the eastern gray. It is also much faster and more nimble, both on the ground and in trees. It moves as fast as a chipmunk on the ground and its movements alone are enough to distinguish it from the eastern gray.
These photos were taken using very high ISO settings. Picasa's "auto contrast" function was used to make them presentable ("artistic"?) after cropping.
The squirrel was digging a hole. I inspected it later and found it to be quite deep. It looked more like the burrow of a snake or small rodent rather than a hole to cache nuts.
Paw in the cookie jar?
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Local plug.
Most of my bird photography is done in Edmonds' city parks within the Edmonds Birdmuda Triangle, a short drive from my home.
For those who do not live in Edmonds but would like to explore my photo locales, here is a link to the Edmonds Parks & Rec website. On the right side of the website you can click on a link to each city park for directions and more info about the park.
http://www.edmondswa.gov/government...eation-a-cultural-services/explore-parks.html
Most of my bird photography is done in Edmonds' city parks within the Edmonds Birdmuda Triangle, a short drive from my home.
For those who do not live in Edmonds but would like to explore my photo locales, here is a link to the Edmonds Parks & Rec website. On the right side of the website you can click on a link to each city park for directions and more info about the park.
http://www.edmondswa.gov/government...eation-a-cultural-services/explore-parks.html
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Saturday afternoon (12/7) I photographed one of the local red-tailed hawks perched in a tree at the north end of the smaller section of the marsh located between Sunset Ave. & Second Ave. and between City Park & the sewage treatment plant. You can access the area by driving south on Second Ave. from Dayton St. to the dead end just past the sewage treatment plant.
I could hear red-winged blackbirds in the cattails. A male flew up into one of the trees after the hawk left.
I could hear red-winged blackbirds in the cattails. A male flew up into one of the trees after the hawk left.
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Early Sunday morning (12/8) I took a frigid walk out into the Edmonds marsh.
http://www.pnwphotos.com/forum/showthread.php?9471-Marsh-Walk
The temps were in the mid teens (F), which may be why I did not see many birds. The birds I saw were the usual suspects, but being out in the marsh gave new photo angles and closer distances than my usual shots.
One of two killdeer I saw. I was fairly close, but that did not seem to bother it. Perhaps it is not accustomed to seeing people out in the marsh.
Song sparrow.
The two great blue herons I saw.
A flock of red-winged blackbirds flew into the tree behind the #2 viewing platform. Some members of the flock flew between the tree and the cattails. I have always suspected that the red-wings don't migrate, they just hunker down and lay low for the winter.
http://www.pnwphotos.com/forum/showthread.php?9471-Marsh-Walk
The temps were in the mid teens (F), which may be why I did not see many birds. The birds I saw were the usual suspects, but being out in the marsh gave new photo angles and closer distances than my usual shots.
One of two killdeer I saw. I was fairly close, but that did not seem to bother it. Perhaps it is not accustomed to seeing people out in the marsh.
Song sparrow.
The two great blue herons I saw.
A flock of red-winged blackbirds flew into the tree behind the #2 viewing platform. Some members of the flock flew between the tree and the cattails. I have always suspected that the red-wings don't migrate, they just hunker down and lay low for the winter.
I returned home to watch football. The Seahawks lost, but I came up a winner as the varied thrush continues to hangout in my back yard. I sneaked these shots through a basement window and used Picasa's auto contrast feature to enhance them. I hope it spends the winter.
It is a pretty bird but very difficult to photograph as it prefers to forage on the ground and hide in the foliage.
It is a pretty bird but very difficult to photograph as it prefers to forage on the ground and hide in the foliage.
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As I drove past Mountlake Terrace's new Lake Ballinger Park (the former Lake Ballinger public golf course) around noon on Monday (12/9), I noticed a large flock of wigeons grazing in the grass near the street. I dropped my son off at tennis and returned to photograph the flock. The birds all appeared to be American wigeons, but a local birder told me with large flocks, look for the occasional red-headed Eurasian wigeon as well.
It turned out there was a Eurasian wigeon in this flock. Can you spot it in this photo?
Male American wigeon.
Close up of one male which was either a Eurasian wigeon or an American x Eurasian hybrid, as there was a trace of dark green on his red head. Last month I photographed a similar hybrid at the Edmonds marsh.
The flock flew back and forth between the grass and the lake. After studying my photos, I believe there were over 100 wigeons in the flock.
I caught the same or possibly a second Eurasian or American x Eurasian hybrid in the water.
Wigeons don't quack, but make the classic rubber ducky bathtub toy bink bink sound.
For the locals who have not yet visited Lake Ballinger Park, I recommend you check it out. Be sure to wear water-proof footwear as you will be walking through a lot of wet grass.
http://www.cityofmlt.com/cityServices/parks/ballingerParkBAFA.htm
The park's page is out of date as it does not state that the former public golf course is now part of the park. The golf course's page indicates its current status.
http://www.cityofmlt.com/cityServices/parks/ballingerLakeGolfCourse.htm
It turned out there was a Eurasian wigeon in this flock. Can you spot it in this photo?
Male American wigeon.
Close up of one male which was either a Eurasian wigeon or an American x Eurasian hybrid, as there was a trace of dark green on his red head. Last month I photographed a similar hybrid at the Edmonds marsh.
The flock flew back and forth between the grass and the lake. After studying my photos, I believe there were over 100 wigeons in the flock.
I caught the same or possibly a second Eurasian or American x Eurasian hybrid in the water.
Wigeons don't quack, but make the classic rubber ducky bathtub toy bink bink sound.
For the locals who have not yet visited Lake Ballinger Park, I recommend you check it out. Be sure to wear water-proof footwear as you will be walking through a lot of wet grass.
http://www.cityofmlt.com/cityServices/parks/ballingerParkBAFA.htm
The park's page is out of date as it does not state that the former public golf course is now part of the park. The golf course's page indicates its current status.
http://www.cityofmlt.com/cityServices/parks/ballingerLakeGolfCourse.htm
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Nothing exotic on Tuesday (12/10), but I did see some nice birds in my backyard and down at the marsh.
A Steller's jay checking things out from my back storage shed.
I have come to recognize the calls of the varied thrush which continues to hang out in my and my backyard neighbor's backyards. My best photos are of it perching on the backyard fence. My apologies to Terry, who does not like any man-made structures visible in bird photos.
While my son was working out at the gym, I drove down to the marsh where I saw this killdeer off the #3 viewing platform. You can always depend on the killdeer being at the marsh, come h*** or low water.
My nemesis bird, the ruby-crowned kinglet, showed a little of its signature ruby crown as it made a rare appearance in relatively open terrain where I could get off some shots.
A Steller's jay checking things out from my back storage shed.
I have come to recognize the calls of the varied thrush which continues to hang out in my and my backyard neighbor's backyards. My best photos are of it perching on the backyard fence. My apologies to Terry, who does not like any man-made structures visible in bird photos.
While my son was working out at the gym, I drove down to the marsh where I saw this killdeer off the #3 viewing platform. You can always depend on the killdeer being at the marsh, come h*** or low water.
My nemesis bird, the ruby-crowned kinglet, showed a little of its signature ruby crown as it made a rare appearance in relatively open terrain where I could get off some shots.
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A Bewick's wren was on one of the trees at the east end of the marsh walkway.
A male and female Barrow's goldeneye floating in Puget Sound below Sunset Ave. Not many goldeneye have shown up in Edmonds this migratory season.
The neighborhood flickers love the peanut bar in my suet feeder. The attachment ring on the top of the feeder broke. Rather than buying a new feeder, I improvised with a coat hanger.
A male and female Barrow's goldeneye floating in Puget Sound below Sunset Ave. Not many goldeneye have shown up in Edmonds this migratory season.
The neighborhood flickers love the peanut bar in my suet feeder. The attachment ring on the top of the feeder broke. Rather than buying a new feeder, I improvised with a coat hanger.
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Some photos from Wednesday (12/11). After dropping my son off at tennis; I drove down to Sunset Ave., where a small flock of black scoters were in Puget Sound. My local bird book says they should not be there, but birds seldom read books.
male
female
A pair of Barrow's golden eye was there as well. In past years lots of them have been in the Edmonds Marina, but I have not seen many this year.
I stopped off at the marsh before returning to pick up my son. A killdeer had dug through the ice looking for something.
male
female
A pair of Barrow's golden eye was there as well. In past years lots of them have been in the Edmonds Marina, but I have not seen many this year.
I stopped off at the marsh before returning to pick up my son. A killdeer had dug through the ice looking for something.
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Some black-capped chickadees were busy digging larvae out of the cattail heads.
My son and I met Terry for lunch. Terry had recently returned from Hawaii and brought a little warm weather back with him. After lunch we went down to the fishing pier, where a flotilla of surf scoters had assembled nearby. I'm not sure how many birds need be present before a flotilla becomes an armada.
The scoters swam under the fishing pier where they hunt for mussels imbedded in the barnacles on the supports. They are very shy and will swim away if they see people on the pier.
Terry had to leave, but my son and I drove down to Marina Park. Terry upheld his tradition of leaving just before I spot the bird of the day, in this case an adult Cooper's hawk perched on a telephone pole beside the railroad tracks.
My son and I met Terry for lunch. Terry had recently returned from Hawaii and brought a little warm weather back with him. After lunch we went down to the fishing pier, where a flotilla of surf scoters had assembled nearby. I'm not sure how many birds need be present before a flotilla becomes an armada.
The scoters swam under the fishing pier where they hunt for mussels imbedded in the barnacles on the supports. They are very shy and will swim away if they see people on the pier.
Terry had to leave, but my son and I drove down to Marina Park. Terry upheld his tradition of leaving just before I spot the bird of the day, in this case an adult Cooper's hawk perched on a telephone pole beside the railroad tracks.
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