Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge

I walked Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge for the first time in years today and had a delightful time, despite sporadic bursts of machine gun fire and thudding booms of artillery pieces drifting across the valley from Ft. Lewis.

For a very short time I had a chance to experience this area the way pioneers must have experienced it, nature at its most beautiful.

I really didn’t have too many expectations; I just wanted to try out a new 400 mm telephoto lens, the one I got to take bird pictures.

Strangely enough, one of the first birds I encountered was a Kingfisher, a bird I didn’t even know existed in the Pacific Northwest until I read a Tacoma Tribune article about Point Defiance Park last Sunday. Once I saw the article , I decided that I would get a picture of each of the birds they showed.

It’s not as good a picture as the one above or some others I took and will probably post later, but I was simply delighted the picture I took of a bird sitting on top a dead snag turned out to be the very bird I most wanted to get a picture of. Hopefully it will follow the recent pattern of the Western Tiger Swallowtail and the Hummingbird, with gradually improving pictures until I get one I’m really happy with and can move on in pursuit of another perfect moment.

3 thoughts on “Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge”

  1. I was thinking about your butterfly situation while I was hiking today. I don’t know the type of butterfly but there’s one here that flits madly between clover blossoms and is impossible to get a pictureof with its wings spread – the moment it lights down on a plant it close its wings then its off again seldome sitting still for more than 10 or 15 seconds if that. I tried for some time today to get a picture but alas all failed.

  2. Let me tell you, that little kingfisher is one hyperactive bird. He roared up and down the stream that paralleled the trail.

    It’s going to be a real challenge to get a good shot of him.

    I guess you’ll get your butterfly picture when the time is right.

  3. My Bloglines improved, but your blog is the one that has least improved, for some reason. I can try erasing it (in Bloglines) and starting it new again, but I won’t hold my breath. I’ve lost my memory, i guess, since I don’t seem to miss you every day; I’m a slave to being notified by automation! I haven’t caught up with the reading yet, but nice flowers!

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