Running Out of Cute Titles

When I left home this morning to head out to Nisqually, I thought the clouds were about to burn off. By the time I got to Nisqually, I wasn’t nearly as optimistic, as it was cold and foggy. To make matters worse, I couldn’t find my gloves, though I realized near the end of the walk that they were actually in the backpack I was carrying, conveniently stored away.

It didn’t take long, though, before I forgot about any physical discomfort, as I spotted this Green Heron on the first pond on the trail. I was watching four mallard ducks and just happened to turn my head and spot the heron. He looked nearly as cold as I was and, unlike previous encounters, didn’t seem in any hurry to leave. In fact, he was in the same pond when I came back nearly an hour later. I must have spent an hour today taking multiple pictures, and probably even more time eliminating duplicates and trying to decide which was the best shot.

Green Heron

I’m not sure any of the shote are any better than the ones I got earlier in the year at Belfair, but I figure anytime you’re lucky enough to see one of these your blessed, though I doubt frogs feel quite the same way.

I was a little surprised to discover that there still aren’t many songbirds at Nisqually. I thought surely the migrants would have been passing through by now, but about the only bird I saw that doesn’t seem to be a year-round resident was (what I think is) a Ruby-Crowed Kinglet:

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, I Thinkl

There were hundreds of ducks on the McAllister side of the refuge, though. My favorite, because I rarely see it and because I recognized it instantly from its shape was this female Ruddy Duck:

Female Ruddy Duck

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