When I left home this morning it was a clear and crisp, one of the first in several weeks, and I figured it would be the perfect weather to get some pictures at Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge.
When I got there I found the conditions less than ideal, though. It was cold, cold enough that the shallow ponds were frozen soild and the ducks and geese were slip-sliding away.
The area was covered in dense, cold fog. The sun looked more like the moon than the sun. Most of the birds, including birds of prey looked like they were too cold to waste any energy flying:
Luckily, a few hours later the sun finally broke through the fog and the pace picked up considerably. I got my best shot ever of a Pileated Woodpecker:
and thanks to the helpful volunteers in the visitors center I also got by far the best picture I’ve ever gotten of an American Bittern:
Despite a rocky start, it was the kind of day I needed to get me back in a Christmas mood.