On a recent trip to Washington state we were lucky to have a little time and perfect weather to re-do one of our favorite hikes along the Olympic Peninsula. This particular route takes the hiker through tight forest for a couple miles before dropping down to the shore where you walk on the rocky beach for a mile to a lagoon where bald eagles tend to hang out. In the past we have been blessed to observe a Northern Spotted Owl for some time in the wooded portion although I was not lucky enough to get any shots of the rare bird.
But my favorite part of this hike is actually along the shore where I can see birds that I rarely have the opportunity to view. The first surprise on this trip was the Harlequin Ducks. I have spent countless hours shooting them in Yellowstone over the years so it was a real treat to see them in their winter habitat. Strangely enough, even though the males are the focus of almost every photographer - for obvious reasons - my favorite shot from this group of images is the female claiming her rock, above.
The lagoon did not disappoint with several eagle sightings. They seemed to be hanging around the nests in the trees so my shots were long distance.
One of the shore birds I most look forward to seeing is the Oystercatcher. There were two pair hunting for mollusks in the rocks. I find their long black toenails on flesh-colored legs fascinating!
Another tree bird we saw was the Ruby-crowned Kinglet. They are hard to identify if they are calm as their namesake ruby crown is inconspicuous unless they are disturbed.
The last surprise of the beach hike was this pair of Surf Scoters. The bill of the male is unmistakable and so beautiful!
No comments:
Post a Comment