July 01, 2012

Dusk at Ridgefield

I've been wanting to get up to Ridgefield in the evening. When the clouds started to break up this afternoon I decided today was the day.

Right off the bat I heard a Bittern vocalizing. I parked and waited and scanned the grasses for a while with no luck. If you have never heard one before, it is quite a unique sound. As I was listening I decided it was kind of like the sound my plunger makes when I have to use it on the tub. Nice.


Lots of Great Egrets were around.

The field grasses are getting to so high it makes it hard to photograph birds in the wetlands.





A White-breasted Nuthatch family made me really happy.

You can see this is a yonng one by the pink around the bill.
As I watched, the young were foraging, but the parents were still feeding them some.



Coot adult and offspring.


Ruddy Duck! Love that bill.



The yellow flowers and his yellow eye are pleasing to me.


Quite the tattered ears!

Near the freeway I caught a view of Mt. St. Helens with the sun still glowing on it.

I went for a walk at Tualatin Hills Nature Park this morning, so next time I will post about that.

3 comments:

  1. Great outing and visit to the refuge. The birds are all wonderful and it is cool to hear the bittern making their weird sounds. Lovely photos.

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  2. Very nice! I tried to go in the evening a week or two ago but realized I went too early! Love all the egret shots and the sky is awesome..

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  3. The Ruddy is so sweet. I thought they bred elsewhere but I must be misinformed. Will have to look that one up! I love their fakey blue bills.

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