SEABIRDS IN THE RAIN FOREST, GALLERY PART 2

More pictures from the birders on our 2010 winter trips to the Pacific Northwest.  HERE YOU CAN FIND OUT ABOUT OUR TRIP IN 2011.

PHOTOS, TOP TO BOTTOM:

Brant loafing along the shore of Hood Canal, Washington State.  Photo by Steve Murray.

Male White-winged Scoter, Hood Canal.  By Steve Murray.

Harlequin couple on the rocks along Hood Canal.  Photo by Jeannie Mitchell.

Male Olds… Long-tailed Duck cruising the yacht harbor at Sequim, Washington.  Photo by Ms Mitchell.

A Glaucous-winged Gull struggles to get up enough speed to show its disapprobation of an adult Bald Eagle.  The eagle seemed to be carrying a Coot  in its talons.  This action shot by Ms Jeannie Mitchell.

Red-tailed Hawk dining on fresh rodent, Sauvie’s Island, Oregon.  Photo by Ms Mitchell.

Trumpeter Swans in flight, Sauvie’s Island, Oregon.  Photo by Ms Mitchell.

Whidbey Island beach, photo by Jennifer Hyypio.  Here we saw a large flock of Black Oystercatchers.  A flotilla of Harlequins, several species of loon and grebe fished offshore and a Pacific (nee “Winter’) Wren came down to insect-hunt in the driftwood.

Still More of Murray’s Marvey Images

Black-bellied Plover on lawn, Whidbey Island.

All thee Pacific coastal cormorants on the dock next to Keystone Ferry Terminal, Whidbey Island.  The lone Brandt’s Cormorant is third from the right.  That species has become hard to find in lower 48 because of El Nino and the lack of upwelling and thus fish along the coast.  On a recent visit to San Francisco I saw ZERO Brandt’s though they traditionally cover the sides of Seal Rocks.

Three Harlequins, male on the right.  Off the beach at Whidbey Island, WA.

This bird needs no introduction, no caption.

Glaucous-winged Gull feeding at Sequim.

Surfbird on the rocks, Seaside, Oregon.

Olympic Peninsula: Winter Birding

Brant on the beach at Dosewallips State Park, north of the river bridge.

AND THEN THERE WERE ALL THOSE OTHER BIRDS

This bird is known as “Common Gull” in British bird guides for Europe.

Gallery of Puget Sound Birds

From top to bottom:

Black Oystercatcher works rocky shore at Seqium’s yacht harbor.

Gaggle of gulls: loafing Glaucous-winged Gulls at Hama Hama River delta along the Hood Canal.

One of a Bushtit flock feeding in an alder.

Male Belted Kingfisher at the Sequim yacht harbor.

Red-necked Grebe on Hood Canal.  We saw many on our five-day trip in Oregon and Washington.

American Wigeons on the lawn at Potlatch State Park along Hood Canal.

Pigeon Guillemot on Hood Canal.

Northwestern Crow patrolling the parking lot at Potlatch Park.

Flock of Trumpeter Swans on farm pasture in Sequim.  Olympic Mountains in the background.

Winter Birds in Oregon

Today I got to Sauvie Island in time for some afternoon birding.  Starting Saturday I will be leading a PIB trip in Oregon and Washington.  We will be looking for those birds that don’t often show up at interior locations.

Here’s one.  An adult Glaucous-winged Gull does some non-political public polling.  This is the largest gull commonly found near the mouth of the Columbia River.

A blizzard of Snow Geese, with a few Ross’s, after a Bald Eagle soared over and stirred them up.

Earlier the same thing happened with a marsh full of Cackling Geese. But the nearby Sandhill Cranes never flinched.

Before the eagle’s appearance, all was peaceful.

Young Red-tailed Hawk.

On the right: Cooper’s Hawk hunting along the hedgerow.

Two cranes coming in for landing.

Location:     Upper Sauvie Island
Observation date:     1/20/10
Number of species:     33

Cackling Goose     1500
Canada Goose     300
Tundra Swan     12
American Wigeon     50
Mallard     50
Northern Shoveler     3
Northern Pintail     4
Green-winged Teal     15
Double-crested Cormorant     45
Great Blue Heron     2
Great Egret     1
Bald Eagle     6
Northern Harrier     4
Cooper’s Hawk     1
Red-tailed Hawk     12
Rough-legged Hawk     1
American Kestrel     4
American Coot     16
Sandhill Crane     220
Ring-billed Gull     650
Glaucous-winged Gull     2
Mourning Dove     3
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)     2
Steller’s Jay     1
Western Scrub-Jay     8
American Crow     14
American Robin     10
European Starling     150
Song Sparrow     1
Golden-crowned Sparrow     12
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)     34
Brewer’s Blackbird     300
House Finch     2

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Location:     Lower Sauvie Island
Observation date:     1/20/10
Number of species:     18

Snow Goose     1500
Ross’s Goose     20
Cackling Goose     300
Canada Goose     120
Tundra Swan     16
American Wigeon     8
Mallard     45
Northern Shoveler     30
Green-winged Teal     25
Canvasback     2
Ring-necked Duck     80
Great Blue Heron     1
Bald Eagle     1
American Coot     60
Sandhill Crane     15
Ring-billed Gull     160
Mourning Dove     16
Western Meadowlark     1