Chasing the Sun

When I woke up to a clear blue sky after three days of solid rain, I knew I was going birding not sit inside reading a poetry book, especially with rain, and possibly snow, forecast for the rest of the week.

Since I haven’t been to Theler Wetlands for quite awhile, I decided to go there. It’s not a short drive, though, and by the time I got there it was no longer clear, but it didn’t rain and there were moments of brilliant sunshine.

I was pleased that the Redwing Blackbirds,

Red-Wing Blackbird

at least the males, seem to have returned to lay claim to the wetlands surrounding the first pond, though this female Barrow’s Goldeneye

female Barrows Goldeneye

didn’t seem to recognize their claim. Since I seldom Goldeneye on freshwater ponds, I assume it was just a stop-over on the way to the Sound.

Year-round residents, like the elegant male Mallard

male Mallard

were too resplendent to ignore, especially when the sun was reflected off that beautiful green head.

This little male House Finch

male House Finch

wasn’t quite as striking, but I couldn’t resist taking a shot when it landed right in front of me.

At 37 degrees with snow in the forecast, it’s too early to claim that it’s spring, but the birds seem as ready for Spring as I am.

2 thoughts on “Chasing the Sun”

  1. Those birds are certainly in their breeding plumage Loren – I love that blackbird with the red wing. We have redwings here in the blackbird family but they are winter visitors from Scandinavia and the red is under the wing.

  2. I’ve been hearing the Red-winged Blackbirds and finches but haven’t seen them. Thanks for the images of them with this detail. It’s overcast here today, one of my two days off, and I’ll be walking down by Bellingham Bay soon with my camera (-:

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