Month: August 2008

Volunteering at Theler Gardens

Wednesday’s trip to Theler Wetlands in Belfair wasn’t very successful birdingwise, but it was a sunny day and I managed to see enough birds and flowers to make the day entirely enjoyable.

This Common Tern kept flying up and down the creek, making it impossible to ignore him.

Common Tern

For some reason I had better luck getting a picture of an American Goldfinch in a tree than on eating thistles, which is where I usually manage to get a shot.

Goldfinch In Tree

About the only thing that came close to unusual was this bird, which was sitting in the same tree as the goldfinches. At first, I thought he was in the shadows, but then I realized that he was nearly solid black, but not a shiny black like a crow or a blackbird. I’m still not sure what he was, but I think it’s a Slate-Colored Fox Sparrow.

Slate-Colored Fox Sparrow

Needless to say, I spent some time photographing the flowers in the garden, particularly this variety.

Yellow Flower

While I was photographing a man supervising the work in the garden introduced himself and told me the name of the flower, which I promptly forgot. Dr. Masley designed the garden several years ago and continues to help maintain it.

I was surprised to learn that they’ve had very little luck attracting volunteers to work in the garden, depending on two volunteers and local inmates to maintain it. Although it’s a rather long drive for me, and Friday from 9-11 is a less-than-ideal time, I told him I would try to get there two or three times a month to help in the garden, starting tomorrow. Considering how many photos I’ve taken there, I didn’t see how I could do otherwise.

What I Learned at the Beach

I learned several things on Monday’s trip to the beach. First, I discovered some great places to find birds that I’ll return to again and again. Second, I discovered some great places to find birds that I’ll probably never return to again.

Unfortunately, my best shots came at the two places I’ll probably never go back to. I love these shots of a Short-Billed Dowitcher, probably only the second one I’ve ever seen

Short-Billed Dowitcher

and these shots of a Long-Billed Dowitcher (on the right) hanging out with several Short-Billed Dowitchers.

Long-Billed Dowitcher

Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy lining up at Tokeland waiting to get these shots, even though I enjoyed talking to other birders and photographers about equipment.

My favorite shots of the day were taken in Westport. In fact, I had a very hard time deciding which shot of the Brown Pelican I should use because I had so many I liked.

Brown Pelican

My favorite shots of the day were of this Pigeon Guillemot as it took off, first running on the water, and finally flying right by us.

Pigeon Guillemot

Photographically, this was certainly one of the best birding days ever, seeing several birds for the first time ever and getting some of my best shots ever.

But if I ever do it again, I’ll probably skip the two best areas to see birds, and I’ll spend my time wandering the beach hoping to get a great shot of a bird I have, or haven’t, seen before. What I really learned, again, is that it’s not the birds I see and it’s not the photographs that I take that are important to me.

It’s the experience of being one with nature that’s important. If I can’t get that experience while getting shots of birds I haven’t seen, then I guess I won’t be getting shots of birds I’ve never seen before.

Washington Coast

Monday I went to the Washington Coast with noted local birder Ruth Sullivan, who was hoping to see some rare birds reported on Tweeters. Me, I was just looking for some hints on where the best birding on the coast might be.

We were heading for Tokeland in order to get there before the high tide, but first we stopped at Bottle Beach, which is a noted birding spot, though I’ve managed to drive by it several times without ever noticing it. I would have driven by it again if I’d been driving, but luckily Ruth was driving. Unfortunately, the tide was unusually low and the only birds we spotted were a pair of Semipalmated Plover, which was fine with me because it’s a bird I’ve never managed to capture before.

Semipalmated Plover

We also stopped at Midway Beach, where we had a little better luck, at least the first time. I managed to get by far the best shot I’ve gotten of a Lesser Yellowlegs

Lesser Yellowleg

and my first shot ever of a pair of Red-Necked Phalarope’s.

Red-Necked Phalarope

The weather wasn’t nearly as cooperative on our return trip, though. Although it was sunny nearly everywhere else, here’s a shot of the same Lesser Yellowlegs, this time obscured by heavy fog and blowing sand.

Lesser Yellowlegs in Fog

Which just confirms my belief, from living in Aberdeen for nearly a year, that you never know what kind of weather you’re going to get at the beach.

Butterfly Bush

I was so enamored of the large butterfly bush in our yard when I moved in that I spent hours moving it to a new area in the yard when I rebuilt the fence and added raised gardens to one side of the backyard.

I made the effort because it attracted the beautiful Tiger Swallowtail to the yard. And once they land, butterflies seem too absorbed in the beauty of the plant (and the safety of being five foot up in the air) to be distracted by a mere human with a camera lens.

Tiger Swallowtail on Butterfly Bush

It didn’t hurt that bees and hummingbirds are also attracted to it.

I’m interested in using native plants that will naturally support local birds and animals. So I was considerably perturbed to read that the butterfly bush has been declared an obnoxious weed in King County and may soon be declared so throughout the state. In fact, it’s being compared to Scotch Broom, a plant I’ve grown to detest through experience.

So far they’re not suggesting that homeowners remove their plants, but, instead, that they cut off flower heads when they’re done blooming and put them in the garbage rather than garden recycling to prevent their spread.

I’ll probably feel obligated to remove the plant in the future, but for now I’m simply going to sit on the deck and enjoy a royal feast for the eyes and soul.

Tiger Swallowtail on Butterfly Bush