Remembering 2018 - Part 1

It is a little late in the year - but here are some memories of 2018 - the first of four editions.

JANUARY

 Snow Geese fill the overwintering fields on Fir Island

 The full moon shines bright over our house.

 Snow Geese flocks - stretch far across the fields

 Hawks, Bald Eagles and Robins all look for winter food.

 Great Blue Herons are year round residents  - often sitting in trees, watching for lunch or dinner.

 Pintail Ducks come by the thousands - huge rafts fill the bays and seasonal ponds in the fields.

 And the majestic Trumpeter Swans enjoy the water

FEBRUARY

 February is usually our snowiest month, and last year it sparkled with snow fairies.

 The Juncos were busy at the neighbor's feeder, which hangs right outside our dining room window in an Oso Berry bush, which had already sprouted leaves when the snow storms hit.

 Snow Geese flying up - and they never run into each other, or land on top of each other.  Click photo for a better view.

 Dunlin shorebirds love the seasonal ponds in the corn fields.  Here they are watched over by a seagull.

 The flowers begin to come out in February

While seagulls dip and dive in the wind. 

 Huge flocks of Trumpeter Swans fill the fields and ponds.

 And Mt. Baker shows some of her majesty.

 It was a very good month.

MARCH

The dolls are ready for the start of Spring Training and spring time parties. 

 And by March the daffodil fields are full of flowers - most years.

 Our favorite lawn in town, completely covered in crocus.

Flowers are everywhere! 

 Apple trees begin to bloom

 And early Rhododendrons show up!

 A different view of Mt. Baker

 And springtime dishes and table decorations.

 While Red Tail Hawks keep watch

 And the last of the Pintail Ducks enjoy a bit of a swim among the grasses

 The Sisters show off their winter coat of snow.

 And a clever spider builds a confusing web, which is sparkling with morning dew.

 How was your 2018?

Santa, Crabapples and Shorebirds

Some random fun as we drive around, looking for Snow Geese, or Tundra Swans, or Bald Eagles, or Red Tail Hawks - or whatever might surprise and delight us.

 At first I thought these were rose hips, but no thorns, with the help of neaby blogger, Lorrie, she tells me these are Hawthorn trees - sure would like to see this tree in bloom in the spring.

 And there was a Velvet, vintage Santa, just enjoying the afternoon on the swing - well into the new year.  I guess Santa needs a rest now and then too.

 And a flock of shore birds, Dunlins I think - so far away in the seasonal pond that I couldn't get a great focus - but a thrill anyway - We've looked for these for two years and finally spotted a medium sized flock.

And they scattered as a hawk passed over - what a thrill!

An Owl on the Skagit Flats

A first for me - a Short Eared Owl - on Skagit Flats.  We were able to pull up quite close to the owl as it sat on a small post and for several minutes watched it as it searched the area.

The sun angle was perfect for catching the tail feathers.

Owls with yellow eyes hunt during the day, those with orange eyes hunt in the dusk or dawn and owls with dark eyes hunt at night.

As we watched the owl, fascinated in how calm it was since it was so close to the road, the man in the car in front of us leapt from his car and swung his gigantic camera around and frightened the owl away - such bad bird watching manners.  You could hear the groans from the cars around us and the little owl flitted off.

Fortunately I had gotten a lot of pictures, and it was especially nice that the sun was lighting up the feathers.  We've been watching for some time for these owls and finally were lucky enough to see one.