Walla Walla Birding

Last Post....New Blog

2010-08-07T16:13:00.000-07:00

Well Its the last post I will be putting on here with photographs. It sad to say that I will be no longer living in Walla Walla and will miss it dearly. I will still post photos on my new blog which is: lundakbirds.blogspot.com This new blog will not be as site specific, though most birds will be taken in the New York State area. I will hopefully get some shots of birds as I drive across the United States and at some point in the two years I will make it to Nova Scotia. Farewell Walla Walla. I have enjoyed the amazing variety of birds available there, The Blue Mountian Audubon Society and the help that the Shoemakes provided me. Stay tuned for more birds....just in a different area

Sandpoint 6-20-10

2010-06-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

Many Swallows, Osprey and a Red Head. Fun day or two in Sandpoint.

6-18-10 Rooks to Bennington

2010-06-20T10:35:00.000-07:00

Lots of Yellow Warblers out today, singing and flying around. The best surprise was the baby Yellow Warbler and the photo of the adult feeding it. There were two babys and two adults. Also saw a Grosbeak, Bewicks Wren, Calliopes and Peewees.

Screech Owl

2010-06-12T20:33:00.000-07:00

This little Screech Owl was on Whitman Campus calling out into the early evening. Glad that I got a chance to take photos of it in at least some moderate to low light rather than in the middle of the night.

Rooks and Bennington

2010-06-04T18:16:00.000-07:00

I went birding on two of the only sunny days so far this spring, or at least thats how it seems. The rain has brought a lot of greenery but has made it hard to bird and photograph. The Yellow Breasted Chats are making their funny alien noise calls, the Yellow Warblers are abundant, a suprising number of Western Tanagers have been present, some singing Lazuli Bunting, Bullocks Orioles, Great Horned Owls, and Calliope Hummingbirds were all out these past two trips to Rook and Bennington. The female Wood Duck was swimming with her young, and the Cedar Waxwings were eating bugs and berries. Both the turtle and the snake were enjoying the rare sun. I tried to stay out of the bushes today, but when I saw a male Wood Duck I crawled through the weeds to try and get a closer picture. I missed the closer picture, but I did get a far away picture.

Hummingbird Banding

2010-05-16T11:38:00.000-07:00

This weekend the Hummingbird banding took place out at Tom Lambs Hummingbird house in Dixie Washington. It was a great place to learn about these birds as well as get some interesting photos.

Bennington on 5-11-10

2010-05-16T09:46:00.000-07:00

I started at Rooks and walked around the upper path area beyond the dam. I then walked to the lake itself. The Calliope Hummingbird on the upper path is back and sat near enough to me to get some good shots. I saw a least one maybe two other Calliopes later in the day. I saw some Yellow Warblers chasing each other around, and a Spotted Sandpiper at the Spillway in Rooks. A male Western Tanager was feeding on bugs and sat in a tree while I snapped a few shots. It was a great day and the birds are on the way back to Walla Walla.

Sandpoint Idaho Visit

2010-05-16T09:13:00.001-07:00

It was nice to be back in Sandpoint for a weekend. The lake brings in some nice birds and the Osprey are almost more common than starlings. Didn't really go birding but took my camera out with me a couple times. I like the Chestnut Chickadees that visit our feeder, all the swallows around the area is nice too.

Long Eared Owl Young

2010-05-06T13:16:00.000-07:00

I was taken out by Ginger and Roger to see the Long Eared Owl young at Bennington Lake, it was a treat to see. Also pictured is a Western Kingbird.

All over Walla Walla

2010-04-24T01:34:00.001-07:00

Here are some photos taken over the past couple weeks, I went out about 5 times and enjoyed the birds, sunshine and the occasional muskrat.

Long Billed Curlew and Horned Lark

2010-04-02T01:32:00.000-07:00

I found the Long Billed Curlew and the Horned Lark wandering around Lambdin Road today. It was a sunny but windy day. I have never been so close to the Curlew before.

American Dipper Nest and Young

2010-03-31T17:56:00.000-07:00

Today up Mill Creek under a bridge I found an American Dipper nest with a pair of nesting American Dippers. After watching for awhile I saw the adults feeding the young. The young birds mouths can be seen as bright yellow open beaks. The nest is a round nest with a hole in it made from moss. A great find for the day.

Second Week of Spring Break

2010-03-31T17:49:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from Washington and Oregon Birding over Spring Break. The Long Billed Curlew is from over by Wallula. The geese, Sandhill Cranes, Pintails, Meadowlark and Harrier are from Ladd Marsh/ Tullee Lakes. The Sparrow and Downy Woodpecker were at Bennington Lake.

Spring Break Birding so far

2010-03-22T22:04:00.000-07:00

I have been driving around Washington and Oregon taking some bird photos, here is what I have so far. Blue birds are from Jasper Mountian.

March Field trip

2010-03-22T21:50:00.000-07:00

The field trip was a great chance to talk with other members as well as see some great birds. It wasn't the best for photographs due to the heat waves and the distance from the birds. But we learned a lot about the area, birds, flowers and habitat. The White Fronted Geese, Swans, Meadow Larks, White Pelicans, and Long Billed Curlew were wonderful to see.

Sunday, Sun and Walking

2010-02-21T23:35:00.000-08:00

It was a great day of walking in the sun looking for birds. I saw the Great Horned Owl and Great Blue Herons having issues sharing space at Rooks Park. The American Dipper (grey bird) was swimming and looking for food and its the first time I was able to get so many pictures of these birds up close and in the sun. The owl was in its Bennington nest again and the Hooded Mergansers at Rooks Park again. Nice walk but I'm ready for migration.

Two Days of Birding

2010-02-15T16:40:00.000-08:00

One Friday I went out to Rooks Park and Bennington Lake. I got some good pictures of a Downy Woodpecker, a Robin and Dipper (just an ok picture). Monday I went to Bennington and saw that the Great Horned Owl was back in her nest in the parking lot. I then Drove up Lewis Peak and Jasper Mountian. Saw a few Northern Shrike. I went to Rooks Park Heron Rookery and saw the male great horned owl sitting in the tree guarding the female sittign in the nest.

Day of Birding

2010-02-05T00:19:00.001-08:00

I put on about 115 miles today while birding. Didn't see much for the milage put on but it was a nice to get out and look. I did see some Stellar Jays and Northern Shrikes up on Lewis Peak/Jasper Mountian. Today on campus I heard one and maybe two Screech Owls. Got a good picture of one sitting under the eve of a house on a wire. I had to use a flashlight since it was midnight.

Rooks Park

2010-02-02T15:38:00.000-08:00

Today I walked around Rooks Park just ahead of the fog. The sunshine felt great and the birds seemed to be enjoying it as well. I saw a Bewicks Wren, Downy Woodpecker, Hooded Mergansers, Goldfinch and Great Horned Owls. The Great Horned Owl has taken up a nest at the Heron Rookery.

Sandpoint Idaho Visit

2010-01-31T15:18:00.000-08:00

Went back to Sandpoint for a couiple days and went birding for a couple hours. Watched a young bald eagle playing with a piece of wood. Also saw some Goldeneyes, Buffleheads, and Mergansers.

Balance at Bennington

2010-01-20T14:42:00.000-08:00

Townsend's Solataire

Great Horned Owl

Long Earred Owl

Long Eared Owl

Today was a day of finding balance with my photography and my bird watching. I have been so busy lately that I have been taking that stress to the field. I have been rushing to look for birds, to photograph them and to get back to the real world on time. Today I sat in the field above the long eared owls after I got a nice picture. After that sit down I remembered why I was out there and from there I started to notice more birds, bird sounds and relaxed and let the photos happen naturally. I heard the Juncos scurrying through the grasses, the downy woodpeckers drumming on the trees and saw the great horned owl snoozing in the trees. I saw a Great Blue Heron near the lake.I also find myself learning the balance between the actual photography and birding and how that can affect my subject. Getting a good picture and respecting the animals space can be at odds with each other.

Long Earred Owls at Bennington

2010-01-18T13:22:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to see a Long Eared Owl for sometime now. Today was a sunny and warm day. I decided to look for the owls in the thick trees up at Bennington Lake. I looked through a lot of the trees before going through the last stand. Three small owls took off from a tree in front of me, but I didn't get a good look at them nor did I see them before they started to fly. They only flew about 20 or 30 feet away from me. I spent about 30 0r 40 minutes sneaking around in the trees to see what these owls were. Anytime I got close to them they flew away, they blended in so well I never saw them till they flew. I was about to move on because I felt bad about making these owls fly back and forth, when I saw one of them deep in a tree, it was a Long Eared Owl. The picture isn't the best but its my first sight of this little owl.

Sandpoint Idaho Birding

2010-01-06T00:27:00.000-08:00

Sandpoint Idaho

Bald Eagle

Bohemian Waxwings

Chestnut Backed Chickadee

Female Evening Grosbeak

House Finch

Goldfinch

Male House Finch

Common Merganser in water and ice

Red Breasted Nuthatch

Eurasian collared doves

Tundra Swans

Wild Turkeys

Sandpoint Idaho held many nice birding opportunities. I was able to add several birds to my life list, including Tundra Swans, Common Loon, Yellow-billed Loon, Evening Grosbeak, and Bohemian Waxwings. The weather was cold and then turned to rain. Earl Chapin and his wife Bev took me out birding and showed me where to birding as well as where to find the Yellow-billed Loon. The Bohemian Waxwings were flocked in the trees behind our house and numbered around 300 or more. The Bald Eagles were out in force around the lake. We also saw Common Goldeneyes, Red Breasted Mergansers, Common Mergansers, and many others.

Bird Count and Night Photo

2009-12-22T23:21:00.000-08:00

The Walla Walla Christmas Bird count on December 19th went well and I got some pictures, though the lighting was poor. Also included is a picture from tonight. I found a Screech Owl on campus after figuring out which tree it was calling from. It also landed on the Baker Faculty Centers roof for a few seconds.

Whitman Campus Kingfisher

2009-12-17T19:15:00.000-08:00

This Kingfisher has been around for almost 2 weeks and this is the first fish I have seen him with. Almost looks proud.

Cedar Waxwings on Campus

2009-12-16T16:35:00.001-08:00

So I havent been out birding much lately but I have been keepng an eye out on Whitman Campus. There have been frequent visits from Cedar Waxwings on campus, especially near the back side of Douglas hall where the berries are. I took some photos today of the waxwings, one of them seemed sick or injured and didn't move away from me. I don't see any injuries on the bird so I assume it might be sick. It was still in the same tree at sundown, its alert but not wanting to move anywhere. It's sad to see a sick or injured bird, but it was nice to be able to get some pictures that showed the feather detail of these birds. I have heard the calls of the Kingfisher on campus as well as seen it for the past 10 days or so. One of the female Mallards had baby ducks recently, I haven't seen them around and doubt they made it through the cold. I haven't seen the Ringed Teal that escaped from Pioneer park for about 4 or 5 days.

Bennington Lake and Whitman

2009-12-06T17:04:00.000-08:00

Today was a sunny day and so I decided to put my other things on hold and go birding. As I was pulling out of my driveway I saw a Kingfisher hunting over the pond at Whitman campus. I was able to get some good pics. At Bennington Lake I saw Robins, Northern Flickers, Oregon Juncos, Northern Shrike, Townsend's Solitaires and a few dove. It was a nice walk around around the lake area.

Sunny Day at Bennington with an odd Pheasant

2009-11-25T18:26:00.000-08:00

Today was a nice day to be birding as well as to be using a camera, the lighting was pretty darn good. I saw the Great Egret, a Great Blue Heron, a few Killdeer, A friendly Pheasant, a fair number of Mourning Dove, Oregon Juncos, Northern Flickers, a couple House Finch, many Goldfinch, a couple Townsends Solitaire, and a Northern Shrike...( i think). I also saw a Red Tailed Hawk, a Yellow Legs, 3 Bufflehead and a Great Horned Owl, hoot hoot! The Pheasant was the most fun part of the whole trip. I came upon it and noticed it in the weeds about 10 feet from it. I froze and readied my camera. Instead of flying or running away it began to eat and walk around on the trail about 5 or 6 feet from me. I took a bunch of pictures, noticed it had been banded and then left. About 60 feet down the trail I heard noise behind me so I turned around, the Pheasant was chasing me down the trail! I stood there and watched as it got within about 4 to 5 feet from me and began feeding. I walked another 40 or so feet and watched it run through the weeds towards my position. At that point another male pheasant appeared in the trees and my new pheasant friend wandered off towards it. I continued to bird in the sun and ended up seeing some more birds and a few deer. The sunflower area was full of Juncos, Dove, and Goldfinches.

Bennington Lake

2009-11-23T19:53:00.001-08:00

I went out in search of the Shrikes again, still no luck. I did see a Great Egret fishing, 2 Great Blue Herons at the lake and 1 Great Blue Heron in a field. I saw many Oregon Juncos, several Northern Flickers, an American Kestrel, a White Crowned Sparrow, 2 Townsend's Solataire, and one Varied Thrush. I took a few photos that had the sunset in them with some birds. The Egret photos were fun to take because it had a fish in its beak a few times. A little more light would have produced better photos but it was great to get out.

Sunny Day at Rooks and Bennington

2009-11-18T18:01:00.001-08:00

Today was the first day in a long time that could actually be called sunny. Although when I actually got to go birding the sun was hidden here and there by some clouds. Between Rooks Park and the Community College I saw two American Dippers, some Hooded Mergansers, American Wigeon, Oregon Juncos and some Black Capped Chickadees. Between Rooks Park and Bennington Lake I saw a lot of Oregon Juncos, Black Capped Chickadees, Downy Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers, American Robins, and a couple Great Horned Owls. I looked for the Northern Shrike but didn't end up seeing them, same with the Townsend's Solitaire. It was a great walk and I enjoying taking some paths I had never been on before.

Rooks Park and Bennington Lake

2009-11-14T18:52:00.000-08:00

Today was a good day for birding since there was some sunshine peaking out of the clouds here and there. I saw some Cedar Waxwings, Great Blue Heron, ring necked duck, a yellow legs and a Pileated Woodpecker at Rooks Park. At Bennington I saw a Great Egret, a few Flickers, American Kestrel and more Cedar Waxwings. The picture with the waxwing eating a berry is my favorite from today.

10-30-09 Bennington Lake Walk

2009-10-31T22:18:00.000-07:00

The walk around the lake was nice, the sun poked out through the clouds and I wandered the area looking for birds. I found Downy Woodpeckers, Oregon Juncos, Common Mergansers, Black Capped Chickadees, one Yellowlegs, Great Blue Heron, House Finch, and two Great Horned Owls. The owls let me get fairly close up for the pictures, and I found one of them because it was making a screeching noise. This is the first time I was able to get pictures with my new camera that I felt good about. The mergansers flying didn't have the correct focus on but I posted it anyways because I liked it. I still haven't seen a Townsend's Solitaires yet this year and have yet to see a Northern Shrike ever. Birding starts back up with my new camera!!

New Post Finally

2009-10-26T15:15:00.000-07:00

My new camera has taken me some time to adjust to. The process of adjusting is still in the works, so bear with me if some of the photos lack the quality I prefer. I learned some new settings on my camera to help focus and keep my photos from being too grainy in lower light. Here are a few pics from the last couple days of birding. The white goose was behind Kmart on the 25th. The picture of the birds on the cross has a bird flying and I really liked the way it froze the bird in place. The picture of the trees has no birds in it, The colors were just amazing in the lighting.

New Lens Arrived.......where be the birds?

2009-10-14T19:37:00.000-07:00

I received a call today that my new lens had finally arrived. I zipped down to the store and picked it up. I took it to Mill Creek behind Kmart and decided to test it out/ learn how to use it. The zoom on the camera is amazing. I'm still working hard on adjusting everything on my camera and learning to use the new lens, but here is a picture from the 30 minutes spent playing with it. American Wigeons...

Practice with camera behind Kmart

2009-10-11T14:48:00.000-07:00

Well I have been playing around with my new camera, however I only have a small lens for it and hopefully the larger lens will come next week. The pictures with the new camera and small lens have turned out marginal at best. I think I need more practice and the bigger lens. As far as birding the past several days I have seen behind Kmart; Great Egret, Yellowlegs, Yellow Rumped Warblers, Canada Geese, Killdeer, American Wigeon, Mallard Ducks, and Kingfishers. The Kingfisher's have been hovering above the water and dropping in after food. I have never seen this and really enjoy it. So here are a few practice shots with my camera and small lens....

Bennington Lake Shorebirds and Behind Kmart Birding

2009-10-02T17:19:00.000-07:00

I went to Bennington Lake to check out the low water level and the birds that would be feeding there. I saw Long-Billed Dowitchers, a White Pelican, American Wigeon, 2 Western Grebes, Canada Geese and a couple other birds that I'm not sure what they were. The sun came out while the wind was blowing and made for a nice temperature to be out wandering in the mud. I then went behind Kmart. I saw I think the same Pelican, since while at the lake that one flew away. A Kingfisher who was over near the baseball stands and then in a tree. American Wigeon, 3 separate Great Egrets, two of which were in trees and a Northern Flicker. The Kingfisher was really hanging out near the baseball stands and didn't seem to want to move far from them, unsure why that was exactly. The marshy area directly behind Kmart was also packed with Canada Geese of course. Good day Birding.

Wallowa Lake

2009-09-24T23:05:00.000-07:00

I went to Wallowa lake for a work related retreat. We stayed at a place that had a creek behind it that the Kokanee were spawning in. Also in the creek were several American Dippers, pictures of them turned out poorly. I saw a Great Blue Heron, Canada Goose, Stellar Jays, and a new one for me: Clarks Nutcracker. Here are some pictures of the Clarks Nutcracker.

Bennington Lake Pelican

2009-09-21T00:19:00.000-07:00

I went to Bennington Lake today, first time in awhile that I walked the trails. I saw a Red Breasted Nuthatch, Downy Woodpecker, White Pelican, Killdeer, Dove, and Flicker. The Pelican was nice to see up close, it was cruising around the fisherman, I'm guessing waiting for an easy meal. Ginger had said there was one up at the lake, I'm glad I was able to get to see it.

Behind Kmart Area again

2009-09-18T20:24:00.000-07:00

I've been busy working on various things and haven't been out in awhile. I decided to take a walk behind Kmart to see if any shorebirds were feeding. I saw a Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, and two Yellowlegs out next to each other. Also got a few pictures of a Kingfisher, White Crowned Sparrow, and the always present Killdeer. Some Geese flew over and the Ducks were there as usual, as were the Starlings, Brewers Blackbirds, and Red Winged Blackbirds. It was right at sunset and the lighting turned out well for the Kingfisher in the tree.

Bennington and Kmart area

2009-09-06T12:37:00.000-07:00

I went wandering again in search of birds, there is a lack of birds lately. Migration has set in and I think that is why the birds are not as abundant. I did see an Egret behind the Kmart area. I was able to get near enough to get a decent picture. At Bennington I saw a Great Horned Owl and later on a Dove sitting on a rock pile. I can't wait to get my new camera and lens. I hope to be getting it in October. Hopefully I will see more birds the next time I go out.

Whitman Mission Bird Show

2009-08-29T15:10:00.001-07:00

A group brought in some birds that are unable to be released due to various reasons. It was a great chance to see some birds up close, closer than in the wild at least. I brought my camera along and though it feels like cheating to take pictures of captive animals, it let me get some details I couldn't have gotten otherwise. The birds they brought were, Great Horned Owl, Golden Eagle, Red Tailed Hawk, Peregrine Falcon, American Kestrel and my favorite, The Barn Owl. The feathers on the Barn Owl are super beautiful. I have been so busy I haven't been able to go birding so this was a treat to reconnect with what I love to do.

Bennington Lake and Behind Kmart

2009-08-15T17:45:00.001-07:00

The birds at Bennington were busy feeding and there were large amounts of Grosbeaks and Goldfinch around. It was a nice afternoon for a walk, and the weather was warm but not too warm. I saw an Egret and a Yellowlegs behind Kmart.

San Juan Islands

2009-08-14T17:43:00.000-07:00

The San Juan Islands were a pretty place to camp, but the birding was minimal. I did see a few birds almost everyday, like the Chestnut Backed Chickadee and the Black Capped Chickadee. I saw a new type of bird, the Harlequin Duck and got to see a Bald Eagle. The owl that we saw on Lopez Island looked different to me than I'm used to but I believe its a Great Horned Owl. I was surprised at the lack of shorebirds, but the forests were full of woodpeckers and and I heard a Pileated Woodpecker call as well as a Flicker. There was almost always a Turkey Vulture circling above the island. Now I'm back in Walla Walla where the birds are plentiful.

Pictures from Sandpoint Idaho

2009-08-09T13:39:00.000-07:00

I had a little bit of time while in Sandpoint to take some pictures of birds. I think the Spotted Sandpiper picture turned out the best, it stayed close maybe due to a nest. We had a nest of Osprey near my mom house up on a post of lights, they were noisy but neat to have around. I watched them chase a Bald Eagle out of their area. A Ruffed Grouse walked in front of me on a mountain road, and I took a few pics at our bird feeder. The Barn Owls I took on Dodd Road on my way up to Sandpoint.

Sandpoint Idaho

2009-08-02T18:26:00.000-07:00

I have been putting in a fence and earning some money for a new camera up here in North Idaho. I think I will be here one more week and then I'm off to the Olympic Peninsula for a couple days and then back to Walla Walla. While here I have seen a Ruffed Grouse, got a great shot of a Spotted Sandpiper, had Black Capped and Chestnut Backed Chickadees visiting our bird feeder. While working on the fence near the lake I can hear the Osprey and their young making a lot of noise. I will post pics when I get back. Can't wait to go birding in Walla Walla soon.

Bennington Lake Walk and Behind Kmart Again

2009-07-19T20:19:00.000-07:00

I walked around Bennington Lake with Mr. Mike and Sue. Before we even got to Bennington Lake we saw two Kingfishers waiting over the water near the fishery. Once there we saw Yellow Breasted Chat, Yellow Warblers, Gray Catbird, Eastern King bird, Spotted Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Black Capped Chickadee, and Great Horned Owls. The Great Horned Owls were sleeping near the lone large tree on the creek. The Owls were near some quail who were making a lot of warning sounds which eventually got the owls interested in them. One was perched on a log and the other under a tree in the shade. One owl was a youngster and the other look more like an adult. At Rooks Park we saw a Double Crested Cormorant sitting a ways below the bridge. Behind K-Mart I saw 3 Night Herons, and 1 Great Blue Heron. The picture of the Night Heron in the tree has other birds flying in the background, turned out to be a nice picture.

Hummingbird Tagging at Tom's Hummingbirds

2009-07-18T21:47:00.000-07:00

One of the traps, the net falls down by remote control

The small tags for hummingbirds.

The weighing of the bird, its wrapped in fabric to keep it safe.

measuring the bill.

A feather from a Hummingbird.

Waiting to fly away, its so light you don't know its in your hand.

Up close of the tail feathers.

Male Black Chinned Hummingbird.

Male Black Chinned Hummingbird

Calliope Hummingbird

Female Roufus Hummingbird

Today was an informative and fun experience. The tagging these small birds was a well planned out process. First they would catch the birds in a cage after the bird flew in for some food. Next they would place the bird in a small holding bag. The person tagging would then, take the bird out and put in into a piece of fabric to keep the bird still and safe. They would weigh, measure the bill, measure the wings and tail feathers. Then using a straw they would blow on the chest area and head area to look for fat and molt to see if they were migrating, then tag them and let them go. After the process they would set the bird in your hand and it would sit there for a bit and then fly off. The person tagging held the bird up to my ear so I could hear the heartbeat which was super fast. I was also shown how they tell the sex of the younger birds by looking at a certain feather on the wing. They also looked at the bill for ridges to determine age. If you use a magnifier you could see the little feathers around the eye that looked like eye lashes. A few of the birds really made a lot of noise, and others were very quiet. The place we were at had 42 hummingbird feeders, the hummingbirds were all over the place. We saw Roufus, Calliope and Black Chinned Hummingbirds. It was an amazing day. The video below shows the process using the straw to blow on the bird and check for fat and molt.

Behind Kmart

2009-07-18T21:41:00.000-07:00

I went behind Kmart after we were done watching the Hummingbirds being tagged. I saw two Night Herons and two Greater Yellow Legs. The Night Heron is fishing and leaning over waiting for fish, check out the video below.

Mill Creek, Tiger Canyon, and Behind Kmart

2009-07-17T19:52:00.000-07:00

Up Mill Creek I saw the American Dipper, actually I saw two of them. They would jump into the water and catch underwater bugs. Unfortunately my camera wouldn't handle the low light and the pictures turned out a bit grainy. While up there I also saw a couple Kingfishers. I then traveled up to the Tiger Canyon area and didn't find much to photograph. On the way down I found a Crossbill sitting in a tree and it was a wonderful red, it stayed on the branch while shot photos. I then went behind Kmart where I saw 4 Night Herons, one of which was a young one and then two Lesser Yellow Legs and a small plover or sandpiper. I also saw a Long Billed Curlew. It was a great day for birding even though it was like 100 degrees today.

The Overpass

2009-07-16T20:58:00.001-07:00

I went on the Birding Field Trip and had a fun time talking with the members and learning about the bird calls. On my way home I turned off on the first exit to Walla Walla and saw a Great Horned Owl sitting under the overpass. Three of the owls were sitting together and one was on its own. The picture is kinda fuzzy due to a lack of light, so I took a little video.

Bennington Lake

2009-07-15T18:26:00.000-07:00

I went and walked around Bennington Lake today. I saw Goldfinch, Grosbeaks, Spotted Sandpiper, Bullocks Oriole, Flickers, Yellow Breasted Chats, Peewees, Killdeer, and Wrens.

It was really hot and dry. The Birds were eating from the sunflower patches, but were mostly in the area of the parking lot to the spillway.

Bennington Lake

2009-07-14T20:01:00.000-07:00

I walked Bennington lake with Mr. Mike and here are few birds we saw today. I really liked seeing the Hummingbird eating and getting the photo of it. The Goldfinch was eating bugs off the weeds, you can see all the bugs in the picture. The House Wren was singing for us and was not bothered by us watching him.

Jasper Mountain and Rooks Park

2009-07-12T19:08:00.000-07:00

I saw some Western Bluebirds up on Jasper Mountain and possible a Mountain Bluebird flying off a fence post. I also took a picture of the view from Biscuit Mountain with my wide angle lens. I saw a couple Western Tanagers, a young Pileated Woodpecker(only one young one left in the nest), a Red-naped Sapsucker, and some Chipping Sparrows. At Rooks I saw a lot of American Goldfinches, A couple Hummingbirds, a couple Gray Catbirds, a Kingfisher fly over, Black Headed Grosbeak,and some Cedar Waxwings. The birds were starting to drink at the beaver pond when the lighting stopped being cooperative for pictures. The Barn Swallow was sitting below me on the dam area, and let me take a few pics up close. The video is a Gray Catbird making one of its calls.

Biscuit Ridge

2009-07-09T19:10:00.001-07:00

I went up Biscuit Ridge today in search of the Green Tailed Towhee. I didn't find one but I did see a Medowlark, Chipping Sparrows, and a fair amount of Western Tanagers. The Tanagers let me get close enough to get a few pictures. It was really pretty up there and I only saw one car the whole time.

Lewis Peak, Jasper Mountain, and Rooks Park

2009-07-08T19:47:00.000-07:00

Today we (MerryLynn and Ginger and I) started by going up to look for a Green-Tailed Towhee up Lewis Peak. We didn't find any Towhees, but saw some Crossbills, Mountain Chickadees and Chestnut Backed Chickadees, Rufus Hummingbird, and Brewers Sparrows. The birds were not sticking around long for the photographs till we found a nest with two young Pileated Woodpeckers and one adult. They young were being fed by the adult and calling out when the adult was gone looking for food. The Pileated Woodpecker is the size of crow and is one of the largest woodpeckers in North America. While wandering around looking for the Pileated Woodpecker we saw a Hairy Woodpecker and a young Red Napped Sapsucker. One the way down the mountain we saw Western Bluebirds. I came back home, grabbed some food and headed to Rooks Park. There I saw several Gray Catbirds, tons of Waxwings, Wood duck with babies, Calliope Hummingbirds, and some Warblers. It was a good day!

Bennington Lake and Behind Kmart

2009-07-07T20:29:00.000-07:00

Today I went to Bennington Lake and found a Double Crested Cormorant, Peewees, Black Chinned Hummingbirds, Yellow Breasted Chats, Warblers, Lazuli Bunting, Goldfinches, Grosbeaks, a Great Horned Owl and House Wren. The two hummingbirds I saw were acting strangely. The female was being buzzed by the male and the female didn't move from her spot. I got closer and noticed the females head was stuck in between two branches. I took off my gear and was ready to pull the branches down to help free her, but she did so on her own. Then I stopped by the field next to the New York store and checked out the nest in the field, there was a fluffy white baby in the nest and the adult was not pleased I was there, unsure what the hawk was, but I did include a picture of the adult. I continued to the area behind Kmart and found two adult Night Herons and one juvenile Night Heron. It was a great day birding. I included a video of the chat making noise.

Part 3 Oregon Coast

2009-06-28T22:52:00.000-07:00

The trip to Newport Oregon was an amazing experience for finding birds. I saw Goldfinch, Whimbrels, Great Blue Herons, Black Oyster Catchers, Tern, Double-crested Cormorants, Brandt's Cormorants, Pelagic Cormorants, Kingfishers, Common Murres, Pigeon Guillemont, Red Breasted Merganser, Scrub Jay, White Crowned Sparrow, Tufted Puffin, Turkey Vulture, and Brown Pelicans. Alot of my pictures were taken on the drive between Newport and Toledo on Yaquina Bay Road. I saw 20 Great Blue Herons in one spot and about 5 kingfishers on the powerlines while on this drive. The Yaquina Head Lighthouse was located near the nesting rocks of thousands of Common Murres and various Cormorants. The Scrub Jays were taken while in Corvallis/Albany Oregon. The Puffins were taken from a long distance away but being able to watch these birds fly and hang out in the nesting area at Haystack Rock was amazing. They had beautiful yellow tufts and bright orange beaks. Check out the blue eyes and blue under the Brandt's Cormorants chin. Look at the light blue eyes of the Double-crested Cormorant.

Part 2 of 3, Seattle Washington

2009-06-27T23:05:00.000-07:00

I went to Seattle to visit a friend of mine, Jonas. He took me out to some parks and we walked around looking for birds. I got a good picture of a Marsh Wren, which was an exciting photo since they usually move faster than I can snap off a shot. I took the picture of the lizard at the Columbia Gorge overlook and the seal at the Locks. The baby ducks were cruising through the lily pads and didn't seem to care about us at all.

Post 1 of 3, North Idaho

2009-06-27T21:39:00.000-07:00

I went up to North Idaho and took along my camera. My mom and I went out birding and we saw Great Blue Herons and Rookery, Redheads, Calliope Hummingbirds, and a bunch of Osprey, killdeer and a yellow warbler. I took some pictures of a some baby geese down at the city beach, and some swallows flying and eating bugs from near the waters edge. Some of the pictures of the Swallows are not fully focused but I liked a few of them enough to put them on to be looked at. With all the water in North Idaho the Osprey were more numerous than Starlings...well almost.

Bennington Wander

2009-06-11T19:48:00.000-07:00

The first bird I saw today was a Double Breasted Cormorant. I didn't get a good picture of it but it was fun trying to figure where it would pop up after it kept diving underwater. I found an adult Great Horned Owl sitting across the canal, it was looking sleepy and relaxed. I came across a couple of Yellow Warblers chasing each other around, I watched them for awhile but missed any good pictures due to their speed and the low light. I also saw a wood duck, male and female. The Grosbeaks were eating up in the trees but none seemed to want to give me a picture. The Spotted Sandpiper was on the south end of the lake but flew away too fast for a picture. I did watch a female Bullocks Oriole eating a big fat green caterpillar. I heard the baby Downy Woodpeckers making noise but have yet to see them. It was a refreshing walk.

Bennington Lake, short jaunt

2009-06-10T19:00:00.000-07:00

Today I found the hummingbird nest and the flicker nest to be empty, but I found a Downy Woodpecker feeding its young. I didn't see the young but I could hear them in the tree making noise as the adult flew back and forth collecting bugs. I got a sweet shot of a quail that stood still for me and then I ran into the owl chicks. The two chicks can fly and move around in a pretty local area. I got to see both of them fly and they also sat extremely close to where I was and watched me.

La Grande, Oregon.....Good Birding

2009-06-09T23:04:00.000-07:00

We went out foothill road, hit the nature trail, and Tulee Lake. I saw several new birds and others that I had only seen once before. I saw White Pelicans, Black Crowned Night Heron, Blue Winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Shoveler, Ruddy Duck, Red Tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Sandhill Crane, Spotted Sandpiper, Black necked Stilt, Wilsons Phalarope, Black Chinned Hummingbird, Eastern Kingbird, Western Wood PeeWee, Violet green Swallow, Barn Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Marsh Wren, Cedar Waxwing, Coot, Common Yellowthroat, Medowlark, Yellow headed black bird, Red Winged Blackbirds, and Black Headed Grosbeak. We saw more Stilts, and Yellow Headed Black birds than you could shake a stick at. It was a great day and I enjoyed seeing the Common Yellowthroat, but it was hard to get it a good picture of it.

La Grande Oregon to Bennington Lake

2009-06-06T20:50:00.000-07:00

The pictures above were all taken in La Grande, Oregon except for the two young flickers, those were seen at Bennington Lake. The Sandhill crane has three redwinged blackbirds flying around it.

2009-05-31T22:40:00.000-07:00

Today was a day I finally got a good picture of a Bullocks Oriole, I have never seen so many chasing each other around and landing on or near the ground. After seeing them I walked through some trees and hear a buzzing sound around my head. It was a hummingbird who kept in the same area and landed in the trees and just looked at me. I figured I was close to a nest. Sure enough I found a nest on one of the branches, but didn't see any baby heads poking up from it. I tried getting a different angle on it and finally found a spot far enough from it that the female sat in the nest while I took the picture. It was hard to get the photo of her in the nest because of the leaves and the fact she was very uneasy about being watched. Later on the trail I found a male Downy Wood Pecker on a tree and then watched him go in and out of a hole, I could hear him tapping around inside the tree.

5-30-09 Bennington Lake Baby Birds

2009-05-30T20:08:00.001-07:00

Today's bird walk was hot and there was less bird activity. The Chats weren't calling very much but I did see a lot of Eastern Kingbirds out and about. The good part of there not being a lot of activity as far as birds go was that it made me explore and watch a few more of the little side paths. I found a flicker hole with two babies in it. The next set of babies came from watching a black cap chickadee with a worm in its mouth sit on a branch really close by and not eat or move away. I figured she had a nest nearby so I backed off. Sure enough when I did she flew into a little hole in a half tree stump. I walked over to the stump and looked into the nest, I could see about 5 little mouths wide open and black and white little feathers on the babies. I stood back after getting a few pictures and watched the two parents bring food to the nest. The picture I took of the parent holding the bugs was a surprise because if you look closely at it the parent has several bugs in its beak at once. A slow birding day, but a nice one for seeing baby birds.

Last few times birding

2009-05-29T20:02:00.000-07:00

I went out a few days back with Mary-Eileen and then today on my own. Between those days I saw a Kingfisher, Eastern Kingbird, many Calliope Hummingbirds, a Gray Catbird, Bullocks Oriels, Black Headed Grosbeaks (no pictures yet), many Yellow Breasted Chats, some Peewees, Lazuli Buntings and today for the first time ever a Western Tanager. The Bullocks Oriels have been hard to get good pictures of so the ones posted are what I have so far. Today I watched a Cedar Waxwing eating berries and watched a woodpecker eat an ant crawling up a tree. Today was interesting in that I didn't walk as far, walked slower and got many good views of birds. I got a few pics of the many Dragonflies and a wonderful yellow butterfly. Took a picture of the Gray Catbird and got a hummingbird in there too. Found a mushroom growing on a tree which reminded me of the one on campus that Mary-Eileen photographed. Photographed a Kestrel and a baby starling being fed.

Bennington Lake 5-21-09 and 5-22-09

2009-05-22T17:29:00.000-07:00

I went to Bennington Lake on 5-21-09 and then Mary-Eileen and I went back on 5-22-09. We saw Lazuli Bunting, Yellow Warblers, many Yellow Breasted Chat, Eastern Kingbird, the Kingfisher was seen at the spillway at rooks two days in a row, waxwings were seen two days in a row, flycatchers, Spotted Towhee, the Great Horned Owl chicks and adult, many Calliope Hummingbirds, another unidentified hummingbird, ruddy ducks, Bullocks Orioles, Spotted Sandpipers and other warblers. Really nice to get out and see the birds, still want to see a Western Tanager.

5-14 and 5-15 Rooks and Bennington

2009-05-15T23:36:00.001-07:00

We saw the Calliope Hummingbird, Yellow Warblers, lots of Lazuli Buntings, American Kestrel, Western Kingbird, some type of flycatchers, Cliff Swallows, Spotted Sandpiper and a few other birds we just couldn't tell what they were due to the sunlight. I had trouble getting good photos with the evening light, but it was a great time for a stroll. We almost stepped on a snake, we thought it was a rattle snake but it was a Gopher snake.

Sunday 5-10 Bennington Lake

2009-05-11T19:38:00.001-07:00

We saw all kinds of birds today. The juvenile Saw Whet Owl, Lazuli Buntings, Yellow Warblers, Yellow Breasted Chat, Northern Harrier, Ruddy Ducks, Calliope Hummingbirds, Northern Flicker, Osprey, Spotted Sandpiper and Spotted Towhee. Finally got some pictures of a Spotted Towhee!

Bennington lake 5-9

2009-05-09T14:53:00.000-07:00

Started out by seeing a House Wren building a nest in a tree, as well as singing its little song. Was able to see a pair two young Great Horned Owls who were just down the path a ways. They might be the same little ones from the parking lot. I saw some Yellow Rumped Warblers, but didn't get a picture of them. I saw the Calliope Hummingbird again. I followed around some Yellow Warblers who were just amazing. I found what I think to be a juvenile Northern Saw Whet Owl in a hole in a tree. Also saw some Western Bluebirds, Black Capped Chickadees, lots of swallows, and a Bullocks Oriole (first one for me ever!). The Spotted Towhee I saw today got away again with out a picture. I spent a good 3 hours wandering, could have spent another 3 if I had the time.

Few pics from the last few days

2009-05-07T22:21:00.000-07:00

The goldfinch was taken on Whitman Campus. The White Pelicans, killdeer, warbling vireo, and meadowlark were seen near the turn off from highway 12 to Pasco.

5-2-09 Field Trip

2009-05-02T21:27:00.000-07:00

Todays Field Trip was rainy but full of blue birds, Mountian Blue Birds that is. We got the grand tour from Tom who found a fair amount of eggs in the boxes he checked. He took us up into areas of wonderful flowers as he cleaned out a couple dozen bluebird boxes. We saw a Vesper Sparrow, Great Horned Owl and Chicks, Horned Lark, Red Tailed Hawks, Mountian Blue Birds, Great Blue Herons, Medow Lark and other friendly bird species. It was a great trip! The weatehr made photographing some of the birds a bit tricky, the bluebird photos turned out not as sharp as I would like. But what a day!!

Bennington Lake and Rooks Park

2009-05-02T21:18:00.000-07:00

Today after the field trip Mary-Eileen and I went out to look for more birds. We stopped by and got a look at the owl chicks who were curious of all the onlookers and decided to do some stretches. We saw the Calliope Hummingbird that was doing his usual flying around and perching in the same two spots. We saw a goldfinch and the owl who nests in the heron rookery. The highlight of the visit was the Belted Kingfisher we got to see rather up close.

4-29-09

2009-04-29T22:46:00.000-07:00

Went to Bennington Lake and got a good shot of an owl chick. Also we went to Rooks Park and then cut over to the area where we see the hummingbirds. We saw Calliope Hummingbird, about 4 Western Kingbirds and then saw some Herons at the rookery. In the rookery we saw some more owl chicks that were hopping around in the nest. (The heron picture is kinda fuzzy but Mary-Eileen made me put it up)

4-25-09 Baby Birds

2009-04-25T21:43:00.000-07:00

I found some swallows, baby Killdeer and baby Canada Geese. I also saw an Osprey in Mill Creek taking a bath. All this right behind K-Mart.

4-24-09

2009-04-24T23:06:00.000-07:00

I went to look for more Warblers and Hummingbirds just down the trail from Rooks Park. The upper trail produced several Warblers, Hummingbirds and a Western Kingbird. The Hummingbird was doing his best to attract a female by zooming up and then straight down to the ground while making little chirping zippy noises. It was a great day!

4-19-09

2009-04-19T14:29:00.000-07:00

I went to Bennington Lake and though it was busy I saw several wonderful birds. I saw a Spotted Towhee, Nashville Warbler, Calliope Hummingbird, Buffleheads, and a few Goldfinch. Also found a Flicker cleaning out its nest. Also found that one of the parking lot owls fell out of his nesting hole and is tucked into a hole next to the ground while the male keeps eye from a high tree.

4-18-09 Field Trip Whoo Hoo!

2009-04-18T20:50:00.000-07:00

Today was an amazing field trip, we saw all kinds of various birds and enjoyed the sunshine. This is not a full list of birds we saw but some that I really enjoyed. Gold Crowned Kinglet, Rough Winged Swallows, Snipe, Rough Legged Hawk, Red Tailed hawk with young, White Pelicans flying above us, Turkey Vulture flying above us, Sandhill cranes flying above us and we heard them, Eurasian Dove, Yellow Headed Blackbird, Cliff Sparrow, Orange Crowned Warbler

Cinnamon Teal, Rock Wren, Long Billed Curlew, Horned Lark, Avocet, Great Egret, Black Capped Night Heron, Black Necked Stilt, and a coyote:) I think we interrupted the coyotes hunting. Some of the pictures were taken from really far away and it pushed my camera to the limit and beyond, so not all of them are of the nicest quality. I took about 250 pictures today.

4-15-09 Bennington Lake

2009-04-15T18:13:00.000-07:00

Wow, today at Bennington Lake was great. I was able to a Black Necked Stilt and two Caspian Terns. I watched the young Great Horned Owls eat (if you look at the owl chick on the right he has a rodent in his mouth). There were a fair amount of Flickers out and about and a lot of Osprey, one caught a fish while I was there. I saw two pairs of Townsend Solitaires and was able to get up close to them. I saw a pair of Tree Swallows Landed and was able to take a few pictures of them. It was sunny and warm and there were a fair amount of fishermen out today, but good birding nonetheless. The picture of the adult Great Horned Owl has him with his feet showing which are fuzzy.

4-12-09 Baby Owls

2009-04-12T15:40:00.000-07:00

Its been awhile since my last post due to being busy and poor weather. I got up to Bennington lake just for a few minutes today so I could look at the baby Great Horned Owls in the side of the hill. They are actually pretty big already.

4-4-09 and 4-5-09 Updated

2009-04-05T14:01:00.000-07:00

Mary-Eileen and I went out on 4-4-09 to Fish Hook Park and spotted a alot of neat birds. The Saw-Whet owl was still there, we saw a great horned owl, many house finches, canada geese, juncos, robins, flickers, some type of young grebe or loon, and goldfinch.

On 4-5-09 I went to Rooks Park in the morning and saw a weasle or mink. Usually I see a muskrat but it was not a muskrat this time. I saw goldfinch, brown creeper (which are really hard to get pictures of since they constantly move), commom mergansers, blue heron, spotted towhee (just missed it with my camera), flickers, and of course robins. I also saw a snake and a tiny butterfly. I saw a killdeer and I didn't notice till I looked at the picture how huge their eyes are.

Update:

While wandering down the street I saw this little Red Breasted Nut Hatch flying into a little hole in the tree. Must be a nesting spot.

4-3-09

2009-04-03T21:48:00.000-07:00

I got close to some Wood Ducks, got a couple nice shots of the male. I saw them at Rooks Park in the small pond. The sun was out and it was much better for my cameras telephoto adapter.

Rooks Park 3-29-09

2009-03-29T20:44:00.000-07:00

The Spillway was dumping a lot of water and above the spillway was full of flood water. In the flood water was swimming two pairs of Wood Ducks. I also found a small bird that I think is a Say's Phoebe. I took a picture of it in flight as well. I got a great shot of the Hooded Mergansers in the water, male with a big puffy head. And practiced taking pictures by using the Bewick's Wren as my subject. I saw several swallows flying but I don't know what type. While looking at the Rookery where the Herons and the Great Horned Owl nest I saw about 6 Blue Herons take off in a big commotion as the male Great Horned Owl swooped amongst them. It was quite the site and I would have liked to had a picture of it.

3-26-09 Rooks Park

2009-03-26T21:58:00.000-07:00

I went out for about an hour to Rooks Park on my own and took a nice picture of flicker and dove. I went back out there with Mary-Eileen and spent about an hour and half looking at birds. We went to the Blue Heron Rookery area and found the two Great Horned Owls there along side the Blue Herons. The Blue Herons were smacking their beaks against the trees and squaking loudly at each other. We found a nice little gold finch who posed for us and didn't seem to want to move from his perch in the sun. It was a really pretty day with sunshine, good company and a few white tailed deer.

3-23-09

2009-03-23T21:22:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd post the picture of the Common Merganser riding the rapids, I saw a Hooded Merganser do the same thing, sorta made me laugh. Heres a picture of a Goldfinch taken at Fort Walla Walla. The Merganser was taken at Rooks Park.

3-22-09 Rooks Park

2009-03-22T20:03:00.000-07:00

Today I decided to go out and bird a little at Rooks Park. I saw Bewicks Wren, Varied Thrush, Hooded Mergansers, American Robins, Great Blue Heron, and American Widgeon. First time I have ever seen a male and female American Widgeon. I really liked their blue bills.

Northern Saw-Whet 3-20-09

2009-03-20T20:09:00.000-07:00

Well I went to Fish Hook Park just to see this little Saw Whet Owl. He was really small, it actually suprised me. He was just a little bigger than a soda can. I laid on my back under this shrub and took pictures of him, he didn't seem to care I was even there and looked like he dozed off at times. Im having trouble with my new camera lens, but I was too close to take the picture with it anyways.

Fish Hook Park 3-18-09

2009-03-18T22:28:00.001-07:00

I went to Fish Hook Park today and I was the only person in the whole park for the two hours I was there. It was a really productive day, though I didn't find any Saw Whet Owls. I did find a Flicker in a hole in a tree, a Red-Breasted Nuthatch and Cedar Waxwings (First Time I have ever seen them). I saw a Great Horned Owl, Robins, Oregon Juncos, House Finch, American Coot, Canadian Geese, a fair number of Quail and 4 doves sitting on a wire. It was warm and sunny and the birds were loud and active. Looked like the Waxwings were feeding on bugs.

Owl in the Heron Rookery

2009-03-13T19:27:00.000-07:00

Today while at Rooks Park with Mary-Eileen we went to where the Great Blue Herons have their nests. While llooking at them we noticed a Great Horned Owl in one of the nests. Later on we snuck up on a Great Blue Heron feeding, we both had a great time.

3-12-09 Rooks Park

2009-03-12T20:42:00.001-07:00

Today was full of firsts. I saw my first group of Varied Thrush and took my first picture of a Varied Thrush. I watched a Ruby Crowned Kinglet zooming around trees. The Ruby-Crowned Kinglet is only about 4 inches in size and has a bright red stripe on his head. Then I watched a Brown Creeper creeping up some trees. Its another small bird but it clings to the side of trees. I saw lots of Robins, several Flickers, Downy Woodpeckers, Black Cap Chickadees and Oregon Juncos. I played with the manual function on my camera which turned out some nice photos. It was a nice day.

Blue Heron Paradise

2009-03-11T17:44:00.000-07:00

Today I went to Bennington Lake and pretty much saw nothing in the way of birds. So later on in the day I headed to Rooks Park. I saw a couple Bewicks Wren right off the bat and a few hungry Robins. I heard Quail calling and also heard a Great Horned Owl. I found the owl in a patch of trees just outside of the park and in the same patch was 3 pair of Great Blue Herons in what looked like nests. They were really making a lot of noise and I don't think I have ever seen so many Herons in one spot that close to each other. I saw a Goldfinch and Oregon Juncos later on in the walk. Nice day.

Up close 3-9-09

2009-03-08T19:33:00.000-07:00

I went on a walk with a friend who also work at Whitman College. While at Rooks Park we came upon this Sharp Shinned Hawk. He was sitting so close it was a amazing, usually they are so skiddish. We also saw Downy Woodpecker, Flicker, Canadian Geese, Mallards, Bewicks Wren, Oregon Juncos, Magpies and Robins. Saw the Male owl at Bennington, and the female in her nest.

Muskrat and Hooded Mergansers

2009-03-07T17:51:00.000-08:00

The male and female Hooded Mergansers were cruising around a little pond area in rooks park. They were really skiddish and I had to creep up on them by crouching down behind cover, they were not a big fan of the Muskrat that kept swimming by them. They kept moving out of its way and then following it around. The close up picture might be used in the Magpiper (The Blue Mountian Audubon newsletter). Also check out the March Newsletter it contains a picture I took of the Great Grey Owl===> CLICK HERE

3-4-09 and 3-5-09

2009-03-05T15:25:00.000-08:00

Well I went to rooks park to find the hooded mergansers. This time they were below the spillway rather than above. They were almost too far away for me to get good pics but I did get a couple fair pics. I watched the female catch and eat a fish. Also saw my first bluebirds playing right below the spill way. They were to far away for a good up close picture but I did get a couple ok pics of them on a log. Also included is an American kestrel from the day before eating on top of a tree. I also saw the hooded mergansers on the 4th of March as well.

2-28-09 Bennington Lake

2009-02-28T14:47:00.000-08:00

Love was in the air today as I walked around the lake. I saw a few birds who were chasing each other around. The pictures I have posted are a pair of house finches, a pair of Townsends Solataires and a lone hawk. I also saw some Red Winged Black Birds, Robins, Common Mergansers, Mallards, Great Blue Heron, nesting Great Horned Owl, and a Downy Woodpecker. I have been looking for a Kingfisher but not seen one yet.

2-27-09 Bennington Lake

2009-02-27T22:41:00.001-08:00

I walked around Bennington Lake and also to Rooks Park. That route made for a long day out but it was nice to be outside in the sunshine. I looked at the Great Horned Owl in the hole and the Great Horned Owl male in the tree keeping an eye on the nest (pictured). I saw Canadian Geese, Common Mergansers, Mallards, Great Blue Heron, American Kestrel, Magpie, Robins and Oregon Juncos.