Got any bird pics?
- Thread starter Wadin' Boot
- Start date
JayB
Steelhead
Not a great pic, but was out fishing and saw this guy hopping along, poking his head in and even diving in the shallow water and had no idea what kind of bird I was looking at. Thanks to my daughter's burgeoning interest in birds and the Merlin app, I think it's an American Dipper?
Hi Jay,
Yes, that is an American dipper. You and your daughter observed their characteristic, but also very unusual behavior, of diving underwater in streams in search of aquatic insect larvae. They also have a characteristic body "bobbing" behavior that they share with spotted sandpipers.
Steve
Now along with the rare eastern bluebird there are a dozen western bluebirds in Leslie Groves Park. Also unusual for the middle of winter. Some shots from the park:
Northern Flicker
Western Bluebirds
Grumpy old man of a Great Blue Heron trying to stay warm and dry
Female mallard
Northern Flicker
Western Bluebirds
Grumpy old man of a Great Blue Heron trying to stay warm and dry
Female mallard
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JayB
Steelhead
Thanks for the confirmation, Steve. Still very new to the world of birding, but I like the fact that it adds another interesting facet to time on the river that I can enjoy while I'm busy not catching fish....
I always thought that when dippers dived underwater, they were visiting their nests that are built in an airpocket in the rocks that can only be reached by traveling underwater. Did I make that up?
Hi Zak,
I'll have some of what you're smokin'... Dippers typically nest on ledges on shear cliff faces, often over the water. At the All About Birds web site, the writers describe dippers as even nesting on vertical walls behind waterfalls.
Steve
"nesting on vertical walls behind waterfalls." I think I read that long ago, and then built on it in my head.
Gyrfalcon22
Life of the Party
Some great photos by you guys! I always look forward to this thread, and the one on “Backyard Wildlife”.
Those Dippers have a very melodic call/song that they make - even on the darkest and most gloomy, wet and rainy winter days. That sound always brings a smile while I’m on a river, and helps to warm me up a bit to keep me fishing a little longer when I’m freezing my tail off. Also, a hike up Umptanum Creek in the spring is always worth it to see them nesting behind the big waterfall up there.
Same goes for the ethereal sounds coming from those Varied Thrush throughout all seasons and weather. I remember hearing that sound as a kid without thinking too much about it, or even knowing what it was that made it. It was one of those things that was just “there” while spending time outdoors, and it wasn’t until decades later that I learned who the critter was that made those beautiful calls out in the woods.
Not all about catching fish… is it?
Those Dippers have a very melodic call/song that they make - even on the darkest and most gloomy, wet and rainy winter days. That sound always brings a smile while I’m on a river, and helps to warm me up a bit to keep me fishing a little longer when I’m freezing my tail off. Also, a hike up Umptanum Creek in the spring is always worth it to see them nesting behind the big waterfall up there.
Same goes for the ethereal sounds coming from those Varied Thrush throughout all seasons and weather. I remember hearing that sound as a kid without thinking too much about it, or even knowing what it was that made it. It was one of those things that was just “there” while spending time outdoors, and it wasn’t until decades later that I learned who the critter was that made those beautiful calls out in the woods.
Not all about catching fish… is it?
Gyrfalcon22
Life of the Party
Glad you got your Short-eared !
MT_Flyfisher
Life of the Party
These Great Horned fellows often nested in the pines a few dozen feet from where we spent the summer in Paradise Valley. In the morning they could often be found resting in the thick Cedars near the river. My friend often went there, slowly and quietly, until the owls would get comfortable with his presence and he could take their pictures without them giving a Hoot.
Bajema:
Back in the old days, we would walk the Nisqually Delta and knew where the short-eared were to be found. They seldom let us down. Of course, the great horned were common and you could bring them right in with a mouse squeak call. Went to shelfs in the old barns and found 8-10 mice/voles all lined for the eggs to hatch.
Can’t do that now.
That was back in the days when McCord jets would practice low level maneuvers while we were crawling up on flocks of ducks to look at them - no hunting.
I would suggest a Nisqually walk to anyone and Bowerman basin around Mother’s Day.
Back in the old days, we would walk the Nisqually Delta and knew where the short-eared were to be found. They seldom let us down. Of course, the great horned were common and you could bring them right in with a mouse squeak call. Went to shelfs in the old barns and found 8-10 mice/voles all lined for the eggs to hatch.
Can’t do that now.
That was back in the days when McCord jets would practice low level maneuvers while we were crawling up on flocks of ducks to look at them - no hunting.
I would suggest a Nisqually walk to anyone and Bowerman basin around Mother’s Day.
MT_Flyfisher
Life of the Party
Good Morning.
wetline dave
Steelhead
How a wild turkey ended up in West Seattle has got to be a story unto itself. Anyone know the details?
I remember deer sightings, coyotes galore and vaguely a cat or maybe bear and racoons are plentiful as are possums, but a turkey is hard for me to comprehend. Probably the closest place WDFW has released turkeys is CleElum except some released above North Bend in the tree farm but were soon eaten
by predators and that was several years ago when it was still Weyerhaeuser land. This according to a biologist.
Dave
I remember deer sightings, coyotes galore and vaguely a cat or maybe bear and racoons are plentiful as are possums, but a turkey is hard for me to comprehend. Probably the closest place WDFW has released turkeys is CleElum except some released above North Bend in the tree farm but were soon eaten
by predators and that was several years ago when it was still Weyerhaeuser land. This according to a biologist.
Dave
Gyrfalcon22
Life of the Party
Had some good local birding in the sunshine today. Finally a perfect day ! (been predicted for all week and we just will get two days now it appears)
Lincoln's sparrow with a band on its leg.
Hard to beat a Ring-necked pheasant in the sunshine. They survived hunting season so they are seemingly celebrating their good luck.
Lastly, there were three immature Bald eagles dive bombing a Golden eagle (perched top right in tree) in front of the moon. Another dark immature eagle is out of the frame. The adults do not seem to tangle very often with the golden. The immatures will until the Golden eagle hits the skies, then they leave him alone.
Saw a Peregrine falcon as well so had perhaps 2 of the fastest animals on the planet locally. Golden eagles can possibly stoop over 200mph -same as the Peregrine I have read. Insane stuff !
Lincoln's sparrow with a band on its leg.
Hard to beat a Ring-necked pheasant in the sunshine. They survived hunting season so they are seemingly celebrating their good luck.
Lastly, there were three immature Bald eagles dive bombing a Golden eagle (perched top right in tree) in front of the moon. Another dark immature eagle is out of the frame. The adults do not seem to tangle very often with the golden. The immatures will until the Golden eagle hits the skies, then they leave him alone.
Saw a Peregrine falcon as well so had perhaps 2 of the fastest animals on the planet locally. Golden eagles can possibly stoop over 200mph -same as the Peregrine I have read. Insane stuff !
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