Ridgefield NWR, etc.

The good news is that the sun is shining and I think we may have actually hit 60 degrees today!  The bad news... well, that's everything else.  I just read on the Oregon Birding list that one of our local birders, Randy Stafford, has passed away.  I met him once last December while I was looking for the Bobolink on Sauvie Island.  If you check out my blog post from that visit you'll see I mentioned meeting some "nice birders."  He was one of  'em.  I distinctly remember him warning me that bird photography is extremely addictive... Ain't it the truth. 

In other bad news, I just tried to make iced coffee and found my lonely ice tray completely dry.  Also, where the hell did all my yard birds go???   My only visitors this week were squirrels, a couple juncos, a few House Sparrows, and an Anna's Hummingbird.  At this point I would welcome starlings (though I don't plan on shooting them or eating them or any of the other suggestions I've seen on OBOL this week).

Anyway.  I went up to Ridgefield yesterday...  Saw a couple rails but no Soras.


I found the Marsh Wrens were rather cooperative (and acrobatic).



There were Fox Sparrows and flickers digging in the leaves near the trail to the blind.


In the forest a White-breasted Nuthatch was flitting from tree to tree...


That was about it.  At the end of the route I think I saw the Northern Shrike but it took off and I didn't have to time to sit and wait. 

Ok, no more bad news!  Well, besides the fact that I have ants and Ralph keeps chewing up my ant traps.  Oh and Ralph and Jake had their first tiff this morning.  Over what I don't know.  Damn dogs.

Comments

  1. Ok, except for your opening paragraph about Randy Stafford's passing, I didn't see one bit of bad news in your blog today -- well, the part about the dogs' tiff wasn't good - but my goodness, what a stellar picture of the RAIL! And the MARSH WRENS came out to play and pose for you. MARSH WRENS, whose favorite sport is hide and hide.

    No dice, Jen - not feeling sorry for you one bit!

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  2. That's a great photo of Virginia Rail, Jen--one of your best!

    I'm jealous!

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  3. And to top it off, you get not only a comment but compliments from Greg G -- what a day!

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  4. You certainly got some good shots Jen. Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  5. Great photos...love the beak on that rail, good light there!!
    Sorry about your friend--I understand your dismay--
    Hope that tiff with the dogs is a One and Only--I have a third dog this week (babysitting my sis's dog) and my 2 have to get heart worm blood checks today or tommorrow--NOT FUN!

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  6. Wow, your photos are awesome. I would be very excited to see the rails out in the open. Or any sighting of a rail. Sorry for the loss of your birding friend.

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  7. Virginia Rail and I haven't seen one in Virginia.... Very good looking bird though.

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