Wild Fidalgo

Last Tuesday I went hiking and picture-taking at the Kukutali Preserve .  I headed out to the far end of the beach off Flagstaff Island to check on the Black Oystercatchers .  I noticed a pair of brown birds sticking together on the root of a large driftwood tree.  They would fly up occasionally, then return to their perches on the root.  When they flew, they resembled swallows, but when perching, I didn't recognize what they were. They steadfastly kept their backs turned to me.  This was frustrating my efforts to get a decent photo.  One of them held possible nesting material in its beak.  The story was emerging.  They were building a nest nearby, but did not want to reveal its location to me.  For as long as I stayed on the beach, they would stick to their perches on that root with their backs turned. I got a few shots (of their backs) then left so as not to disturb them any more.  When I got home, I took a good look at ...

I was back hiking at the Kukutali Preserve today.  While crossing the tombolo to Kiket Island, I met this Colombian Black-tailed Deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) .  Our local indigenous deer, they are a subspecies of Mule Deer.  While I was hiking in, she was heading in the opposite direction on the beach next to the tombolo. It is not uncommon to spot deer on beaches around here.  Those that pass through my yard are usually heading to the beach.  I suspect they go there to add a little salt to their diet. We didn't stop to chat.  In this case, I believe she detoured to the beach when she spotted me.  From her expression and brisk pace, I could tell she was not happy with the encounter.  Once we passed, she climbed up to the tombolo road behind me and we each went our separate ways.

I am in the midst of my annual Pacific Rhododendron photo hikes  in Deception Pass State Park.  These wild, native rhodies are blooming now providing some incongruous color to favored Pacific Northwest forests.  Usually, I encounter more than flowers on these hikes.  Yesterday, after visiting the rhododendron grove, I continued up the Goose Rock Summit Trail.  Along the way, I met a pair of Mourning Doves (Zenaida macroura), Washington's only native dove. These extremely wary birds always flee in terror when humans approach.  While one flew off into the trees, its mate perched on the trail uphill from me long enough for a photo. Until about two years ago, Mourning Doves were daily visitors in my garden.  I suspect they nested somewhere nearby, perhaps even in the yard.  They were especially fond of safflower seed.  They came to the feeders and liked to hang out on the basement patio to get some sun.  Then, the non-native  E...

These  Black Oystercatchers (Haematopus bachmani) have come home to their nesting site in the Kukutali Preserve .  When I visited the island this morning, I was treated to a little courtship song and dance. They always leave their nesting site during the winter to join their friends over on Fraggle Rock at West Beach in Deception Pass State Park.  But now they are home for the summer to raise a brood of youngsters.  Pairs are monogamous and usually return to the same isolated nesting sites every year.  I have been observing this pair since 2011. Note that I am taking these picture from a good 100 feet/30 meters away with a telephoto lens.  Visitors to the Kukutali Preserve should be respectful of this nesting site.  If you come to visit, please be careful not to disturb the birds.

The Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) is one of my favorite birds.  They always look confident and happy and they love to sing.  Instead of fleeing, they will often sit still long enough to get a photo.  They seem to like watching us while we watch them.  This is another appealing trait for me. Look for them along forest edges.  They can be seen year-around foraging in dense thickets of shrubbery or in leaf litter on the ground.  Sometimes you will hear them scratching in the leaves before you see them.  They will be looking for insects, spiders, seeds and fruits.  I caught this one in a Nootka Rose thicket on Kiket Island.  I think they might like those rose hips.  For bird feeders, the Towhees in my yard are especially attracted to safflower seed. Spotted Towhees are the largest of the New World Sparrows (Emberizidae).  The black feathers reveal this bird to be a male.  The back, head and wings of females will be dar...

Last week, I drove over to Fir Island to visit the Skagit Wildlife Area wetlands.  It had been closed for several weeks for construction of a new pumping station.  I was glad to be able to get in there once again.  This is part of a complex system of dikes and drainage sloughs that prevent Fir Island farmlands from being flooded by the Skagit River.  Fir Island is actually the Skagit River delta where it flows into Puget Sound. This portion of the delta is a state wildlife refuge administered by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife .  Mixed uses include hiking, duck hunting, bird watching and dog training.  It offers the unique feature of hiking out into the wetlands atop the spur dike.  There has been an ongoing program of restoration here to improve Chinook salmon spawning and rearing habitat.  This has become one of my favorite places to explore and view wildlife. On last week's visit, everywhere I looked, there were Bald Eagl...

Black Oystercatchers and Friend Solitary pairs of Black Oystercatchers (Haematopus bachmani) nest on solitary islands above the high tide mark.  A simple scrape in the rocks is all they require.  Locally they can be found around the rocky shores of the San Juans, Whidbey and Fidalgo Islands.  Pairs are monogamous and return to the same nesting sites every year. During the fall and winter, however, they give up their isolation and come together in flocks or "parcels."  One spot where this can be observed is at West Beach in Deception Pass State Park.  They can be seen mid to late mornings on the large rock just offshore from the parking lot.  I have unofficially dubbed this " Fraggle Rock ." On my visit yesterday, I watched as more gulls flew in to join the party.  I have never witnessed squabbling between gulls and Oystercatchers.  Mixed groups always appear amicable. More gulls continued to fly in.  Peace continued, but it...