Wild Fidalgo

Today, I visited  Skagit County's Sharpe Park for the first time.  I only recently discovered that it was there.  I found a network of old growth forest trails I can spend many hours exploring.  The headlands offer terrific views of the San Juan Islands across Rosario Strait.  I also found a large pond and wetland, tailor-made for wildlife.  The park is located on the west side of Fidalgo Island off Rosario Road. The pond was my first stop and right off the bat I spotted two handsome male Hooded Mergansers ( Lophodytes cuculattus ) in the company of a male Ring-necked Duck ( Aythaya collaris ).  The peaked crown and a more decorated bill distinguish the latter from either the Greater or Lesser Scaup .  I saw no females of either species. The Hooded Mergansers were eager to display their crests.  This makes me think there were hens somewhere in the area.  Like Wood Ducks , they like to nest in tree cavities near water. ...

Last week, I was pleased to see the Tree Swallows ( Tachycineta bicolor ) had returned to my favorite Fir Island nature site.  This is the Spur Dike Trail at Wiley Slough in the Headquarters Unit of the Skagit Wildlife Area .  The dike provides easy, dry ground access deep into the wetlands of the Skagit River delta.  Tree Swallows migrate north from their tropical wintering areas earlier than any other swallow. The scientific binomial Tachycineta bicolor literally means "fast mover with two colors."  Tree Swallows are indeed fast movers.  They typically feed by catching insects on the fly, soaring and swooping at lightning speed.  Unlike eagles and gulls which like to perch and pose for photos, these swift birds are difficult to catch with a camera.  They might land and perch for only a moment, then dash off on the fly again to the tune of their high-pitched calls. Fortunately, one bird decided to stop and rest a minute.  Although the li...

This past weekend, I decided to trek closer to home and check out my own beach.  It was a good decision, because I hit the wildlife jackpot.  I headed northeast into Similk Bay .  There wasn't much to see for the first half mile or so.  Even Mount Baker was dressed demurely in an early spring haze. Then I spotted a pair of Black Oystercatchers (Haematopus bachmani) , one of the rarer Washington state shorebirds.  They were busy foraging along the water's edge and appeared oblivious to my presence.  According to Birdweb , the state is host to only about 400 of these birds. Today's breakfast was Nuttall's Cockle (Clinocardium nuttalli) .  The Oystercatcher's bill is a specialized tool for opening mussels and clam shells.  The job still required effort to get the shell open.  This included some interesting foot action.  The reward was a delicious shellfish meal. Rocky shorelines are the favorite habitat. ...

This is George.  He stops by my yard almost every day.  Usually Martha comes with him this time of the year, but not today. I always know when they are around.  Their chattering calls announce their arrivals.  This is courtship season, so I expect there will be a lot of chattering in the coming days.  It's usually a noisy affair.  I can tell this is George, because he is not as big as Martha. Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) are monogamous and tend to remain paired for life according to Seattle Audubon.  I have been fortunate to witness their tumbling courtship displays over Skagit Bay.  The pair will fly high above the water circling each other and chattering.  Then they grasp each other by the feet and tumble towards the bay like skaters in a death spiral.  They release just before hitting the water and swoop off in opposite directions to prepare to do it all over again.  They look like they are having a lot of fun. ...

Golden-crowned Sparrow at Wiley Slough I was on Fir Island last week hiking along the Spur Dike Trail at Wiley Slough .  This is always a good place for bird watching, but it was unusually quiet on this morning.  Sub-freezing temperatures may have been responsible for that. Along the edge of the dike, I did encounter a small group of Golden-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia atricapilla) foraging on the frost-covered ground.  There were five altogether, busily scratching in the grass.  Such a group of Golden-crowneds is called a "reign."  I guess this helps them maintain a regal bearing.  They appeared to be eating seeds and other bits of vegetation.  They also eat shoots, berries, flowers, buds and insects, according to iBird Pro .  In my yard, they are attracted to feeders containing suet or safflower seed. BirdCam Photo, South Fidalgo Island I also caught a Golden-crowned Sparrow at  BirdCam One in my yard last week.  They...

Trumpeter and Tundra Swans spend winters in the fields of the Skagit Valley of Washington State.  They have become one of the iconic images of winter here.  Just over a year ago, I posted photos of Trumpeters shot from the same spot.  This year, the birds were farther from the road, but the group was much larger.  The first task was to figure out if these were Trumpeters again or Tundra Swans.  For that I severely cropped a photo to get a closeup view: A flat crown of the head sloping evenly with a straight bill, and the lack of a yellow spot in front of the eye reveals these to be Trumpeter Swans (Cygnus buccinator) once again. The fields last year were grass covered.  This year they are muddy and bare.  We had a bit of drought during the summer and fall before the rains came with a vengeance.  This may explain the difference. In the adjacent field just north of this group, there were two more larger gatherings.  I estimate...

December has been mostly wet and dark, not great conditions for wildlife photos.  Finally, a pair of Bald Eagles came calling this morning.  Literally.  I can always tell when they stop by from inside the house.  They chatter to me, "Hey Dave, come out and take our picture."  From the ground, I didn't realize there were actually two eagles perched in the tree.  Can you spot the second one behind the foliage? Their perch was about 70 feet (21 meters) above the ground and roughly 125 feet (38 m) from my position.  When the eagle took off, I managed to get one quick shot.  I realized there were two only after the second one followed.  I am fortunate to have two hunting perches, one on each side of the yard.  The birds use them to spot fish out in Skagit Bay.  They also use them as loafing perches where they can just hang out for a while.  I think that's what was going on today.