Wild Fidalgo

The Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) was the bird that led me to bird watching.  I had recently moved into this house, and as I recall, it was late August.  The house was new and there was no yard yet.  I spotted a bright red bird with dark brown wings.  It was perched on an Alder snag and preening.  I had no idea what it was.  In the late afternoon sun, the red color was brilliant, almost glowing.  I tried to memorize everything I was seeing.  The important thing I could not see from a distance was that unique bill. I bought my first bird book, a Peterson Field Guide to Western Birds, because of this sighting.  Using the book, I tentatively ID'd it as a Scarlet Tanager, but I had doubts.  It did indicate they were "accidental" in the Pacific Northwest.  The picture of a Red Crossbill in that book looked pink to me, and my bird was brick red, more like the Tanager. Now, move ahead in time about 12 years.  Add a b...

I was wandering around the yard checking out the garden to see what was blooming.  I had the Canon 7D and the 100 mm macro lens with me.  Behind some big rhododendrons there is an empty shaded spot where I am working on some ideas.  In the corner of my eye I caught movement and something brown.  That neighbor's cat is here , I thought.  Then suddenly, this little fellow came rompity-stomping right up to me!  He was only about five feet away, almost too close for the lens. His reaction was a mix of curiosity and wariness.  My reaction was f-stop, f-stop!  He ran up the bank to the driveway, stopped and stared at me for a moment.  Then he scampered back down to get a closer look again.  He continued to move around me as if to check me out from every angle.  He was a tiny little guy, no taller than a Border Collie.  But he was full of spirit, bold and curious.  I am probably the first human he's laid eyes on up close....

Well at least this morning it was for this mother Wood Duck ( Aix sponsa ) swimming with her brood in Wiley Slough.  I wonder if this is the same hen I saw here last fall .  On that encounter, she was swimming with a mate.  Wiley Slough is in the Skagit State Wildlife Recreation Area on Fir Island. Here it is possible to hike out into the wetlands of the Skagit River delta on the Spur Dike Trail .  This is one of the best spots I have found in the area for viewing wildlife.  The site is a partially wooded wetland which is ideal Wood Duck habitat. Another shot provides a look at a few more of the ducklings.  There were 12 to 15 in all.  I spotted the ducklings first before mom swam into view. Wood Ducks have the unusual characteristic (for ducks) of nesting in trees.  They have claws on the ends of their webbed toes to facilitate this.  They will nest in a natural cavity or in a nest box according to BirdWeb .  There are some ...

I was at Goose Rock in Deception Pass State Park today checking on the rhododendron grove .  Afterwards, I headed up to the summit to look at the wildflowers.  On the way down, I met this fellow, a Douglas Squirrel (Tamiasciurus douglasii) .  He was pretty angry at me trespassing in his territory and gave me a good talking to.  He was in such deep shade, I wasn't sure the photo would turn out.

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. ...