I Used to Hate Birds

Yesterday I decided to keep things old schooland without checking OBOL or Tweeters, I headed up to Ridgefield for a loop around the auto tour followed up by a dog walk at Frenchman's Bar.  This is what I did ALL the time when I first started birding six years ago.  Check out this hilarious post from November 2009 where the always kind and helpful Laura W. corrected some impressively misidentified birds. 

Anyway.  Yesterday was fun.  Ridgefield treated me well. 

Red-shouldered Hawk

Twin teasel



 Hooded Merganser, not my friend

I failed to find any Fox or White-throated Sparrows as I had hoped, but I did find a well-hidden Lincoln's. 


Red-headed Woodpecker.  Kidding.  Obvi. 

Sharp-shinned Hawk.  Kidding again.  See 2009 post comment. 

I was watching a kestrel hunt for a bit and I could see that it was catching things and eating them, but I could not tell what exactly.  The prey looked too small and thin for a rodent which is all I've ever seen kestrels eat.  When I got home I stud…

I'm losing the will to chase.  A pile of nice birds showed up near Newport recently and I could not bring myself to make the drive, even when I had the day off and the weather was pleasant.  What does this mean about the future of my blog?   Does it mean I will start torturing you all with foggy backyard bird shots that you don't care about at all? 


Over forty Pine Siskins have been coming every damn morning, but I know you don't care


Does it mean I will turn to all bugs all the time??

Bold jumping spider

All dead or dying stuff all the time?


I put this dude to sleep in my freezer... 

Does it mean I will start posting all dog photos?


Jake's 10th birthday!!!!  Warrior Rock trail on Sauvie Island 

Does it mean I will quit birding finally and obsess over squirrels instead?



Does it mean...gasp...that I will no longer list??????

No!  No!  No!  No!  No!  I don't know what it means, but I promise it means none of those things.  Look!  An owl!  County bird 162 for the year.  S…

What a place.  It never gets old and never fails to impress.  Last week I hiked the Shadow Lake trail and the Fremont Lookout trail with my friend and despite not finding most of our target animals, it was still a blast.

American Robin decidedly not having a blast. 

A Sooty Grouse was wandering the parking lot at Sunrise.


Along the trail to Shadow Lake we got our first taste of the day's raptor fest with a Rough-legged soaring over us with a Red-tailed and a Cooper's Hawk.



The trees including the one below were filled with Mountain Chickadees, though the photo does not prove this.


Gray Jays begged for snacks all day.

i know you have a nut bar give me your nut bar nut bar nut bar nut bar

A second Sooty Grouse on the trail felt a bit more legit than the parking lot bird...


 Spiders are neat

At Shadow Lake we were hoping for some good wildlife but found only people and an American Dipper.


After a lunch break we set out on the Fremont Trail in good company.

Townsend's (?) chipmunk

 Mo…