Wild Fidalgo

Autumn Blue Heron She is dancing with the wind Taking flight with me Skagit River Delta, Fir Island, Washington Quiet visitor Softly singing with the wind Music of the earth Skagit Bay, South Fidalgo Island, Washington

The Spur Dike along Wiley Slough in the Skagit River delta has become one of my favorite spots for exploring.  There always seems to be something new to discover there.  Maybe this is a benefit of the Washington "Discover" Pass .  On my last visit a week ago, I came upon this group of long-billed wading birds in the marshes south of the dike.  At the time, I wasn't sure what they were.  This was a busy, active bunch, about a dozen in all, moving quickly as they probed the shallow waters with those specialized bills.  The moved along in unison like a troupe of caffeinated dancers. With bright morning sun, the lighting and shadows were terrible for both photos and for identification of the birds.  When I got home, I hunted through my bird books and internet sites to try and determine what they were.  With some reservation, I have identified them as Greater Yellowlegs ( Tringa melanoleuca ) .  As usual, please correct me if I am wrong. U...

I drove across Deception Pass to Whidbey Island this morning to see if I could spot any wildlife.  My first stop was Ala Spit where I spotted a "parcel" of Black Oystercatchers, six in all.  The sun was right behind them which ruled out a decent photo.  They were not going to let me get close, either. The next stop was West Beach in Deception Pass State Park.  I took a stroll around the Sand Dunes trail.  As usual there were a lot of gulls and crows, but not much else going on.  Even my reliable old friend the Douglas Squirrel, the " Mayor of West Beach ,"  was nowhere to be seen. Heading back to the parking lot, I spotted something moving behind the reeds growing at the edge of Cranberry Lake.  I practically walked right into a Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias ) patrolling the shallows at the edge of the lake.  They have the habit of freezing in place when alarmed.  This makes them great photo subjects. I was amazed h...

A great blue heron Softly singing like the tides Taking flight with me Heron in the marsh Moves silently with the earth Welcoming the sun The blue heron speaks You are laughing at the rain I know this is home Morning blue heron Takes flight warmly with the dawn Spirit of this place Waiting blue heron She is speaking for the earth Awakening us Sunrise on the marsh Blue heron greeting the dawn Taking flight with her Tranquil blue heron The tides speaking with the earth The song of moonlight Heron in the mist Whispers softly like the dawn The name of the earth Blue heron at dawn Tells a story to the tides The song of the earth Misty yellow sun Awakening with the marsh A heron takes flight Ripple in the marsh The dawn shifting to the past Heron awakens Resting blue heron The sea smiling with the day Taking flight with him The visitor speaks Awakening like the sun I know what we are Visiting a Great Blue Heron in the tidal marshes of th...

It's neither the name of a Viking chieftain nor a town in New York State.  The Greater Yellowlegs ( Tringa melanoleuca ) is a wading shorebird related to Sandpipers and Curlews.  They winter along the Pacific Northwest Coast and are common migrants in Washington's lowland wetlands and salt marshes.  According to BirdWeb , a few may remain in this area through the winter.  The solitary bird was spotted this past weekend in Wiley Slough in the Skagit River delta.  Lesser Yellowlegs ( T. flavipes ) are smaller, seasonal migrants, but unknown in Washington this time of year. This part of Wiley Slough is outside the barrier dike which protects the farms and homes on Fir Island .  It is open to the sea and the water levels here fluctuate with the tides.  At the time, the tide was outgoing and the mudflats were exposed.  The dormant vegetation includes cattails and other salt marsh grasses.  This is part of a restoration project  (.pdf...

Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias ) From Fidalgo Island Crossings , I spotted this Heron standing watch at the Cap Sante Boat Haven the other day.  This is downtown Anacortes, Washington and he's obviously a city bird.  I am only about 20 feet/6 m from him.  The birds at home on South Fidalgo would never let me get this close.  Another shot reveals the context of the photo:

Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias ) A Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias ) takes a break from foraging off the South Fidalgo shore.  They are daily visitors and I have noticed an interesting behavior while they feed.  The birds will space themselves respectfully 100-200 feet/30-60 meters apart along the beach.  They become alarmed if they get too close together and quickly rearrange themselves.  While they seem to prefer foraging in isolation, they nest in crowded rookeries that can number several hundred pairs.  This bird is probably from the March's Point Heronry with nearly 400 nests at the present time.  When running, you can see what is happening there on the live Heron Cam .  Another rookery can be found on Samish Island nearby.  The local birds have some rather expensive tastes which include Japanese Koi from my pond.