Hawks

Out just past Bow and Edison, WA is a great area for watching hawks.  This Redtail Hawk was on his favorite telephone pole - we've seen him there before - watching for something to eat .  .  .

When he flew off the telephone pole I thought I had lost him for sure, but he landed a little ways away in a field.

After quite a while on the ground - he took off again .  .  .

Soaring above to search for more food .  .  . 

 My favorite - and luckiest shot - I didn't even see the moon in the picture until I loaded it on the computer.

And then there were two .  .  .  

Farther down the road, another hawk in a bush.  It was a good hawk day!

Kingfisher

A Kingfisher is hard to catch, they flit about so quickly.  

Perhaps this one wasn't so hungry and he was able to pose for me for a few minutes .  .  .

Then he flew off - and landed on the top of a mast on a sailboat - but he didn't stay there long .  .  .

Happy fishing, Mr. Kingfisher!

Eagles in Blaine

After lunch in a charming Caboose on the bluffs of Blaine, I spotted something on  a piling that looked interesting - hoping it was a bird .  .  .

And it indeed was a bird - a majestic eagle, sitting on an old piling .  .  .

I wish this photo had been a bit sharper - but I  love the way the eagle looks up at the seagull flying by .  .  .

A crow flying towards the eagle .  .  .  busy day for that eagle.

Herons

 Herons at low tide in Birch Bay State Park .  .  .

Often they are so far out in the shallow bay that I can barely see them, but my camera will bring them close.  I saw the raft of ducks out in the bay and then realized there was a heron out there feeding .  .  .

Flying ove the ducks .  .  .

       

A good landing.

Weekly Top Shot

In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.
- Aristotle





I am sharing with Madge - at The View From Right Here - stop over and see more fabulous shots.

Mergansers at Kashena Falls, Wisconsin

While we were in Wisconsin for Don's class reunion in August, we set some time aside to enjoy the countryside of northern Wisconsin. One of the places we stopped at was Kashena Falls - there is no park there - no benches for sitting - no picnic tables, just a small graveled area off the side of the road to pull over and park. It is quiet and sacred there, the falls, the river, the trees - and the birds. We saw a heron fly in and land on a rock and then we walked across the bridge that goes over the falls. 

Don spotted them first, a few ducks far across the river, swimming together. As I was focusing my camera and trying to find just where they were, they popped up again, right near the bridge. And this is what we saw.

The Mergansers were swimming in a group near the bridge . . .



They line up and followed each other through the small rapids . . .

I had to work fast - focusing and taking pictures - they moved quickly along with the current . . .

They floated down the river and crossed to the other side - still following in a line . . .


Walked up on some rocks on the edge of the river . . .

Crossed under the bridge . . .

And jumped back in the water . . .



And started off down the river - in line . . .

They used the rapids like a water slide . . .

Good Bye ducks . . . and thank you!

Mt Baker in the Summer

Taken from across Bellingham Bay - our mountain was majestic, with just a small crown of clouds that day.  Do you see the hawk's face in the mountain?

Punkins!!

Almost Halloween, time for pumpkins.  This stand is on the road between Birch Bay and Blaine.

Are you carving pumpkins this year? What is your favorite design for carving pumpkins - faces,  creatures, animals?  

Not a Hawk

On my endless search for the perfect hawk picture - I caught this bird circling over Lummi Peninsula - thinking I was getting good photos of a hawk circling, I was excited.  When I got home and viewed the photos I realized I had captured -

 A Vulture!

 They are magnificent in flight .  .  .

And I was so fortunate to get such great photos!  I love their "fingertip" wing feathers.

Fishing on Lummi Peninsula

On a sunny summer afternoon we came upon this man setting out his nets off Lummi Peninsula.  I was fascinated by the way he could row and let out the net at the same time.  

The design made by the net as it grew longer and longer was enchanting .  .  .

Sunset on the Bay

Sunset on Bellingham Bay - down near the Plywood Plant.  I'm not sure of the name of the little park there, but it is a fabulous spot to watch the sun set.

Goodnight Sun!