Month: October 2016

Although I still eat lunch in Port Orchard after birding Theler Wetlands because I love Chiles Rellenos, I haven’t birded there the last two months because birds are few and far between.

When I glanced out at the marina after lunch this time, I decided it might be worth walking out to the end of the marina. There still weren’t many birds, but there were some hopeful signs.

There were several Pelagic Cormorants

out fishing.

There were even some Surf Scoters

[SerfSctr.jpg]

eating shellfish off the marina poles, but they moved way out as we came closer.

This Horned Grebe was much more

accommodating, though, as it seemed totally indifferent to my existence.

I’ll delete all these shots, but it was nice to see that the birds that overwinter on the Puget Sound are starting to return.

Birding seems to be picking up at Theler Wetlands; before long the hunters will be out firing away the whole time I’m there. Still, I was pleased to see almost as many Green-Winged Teals as I did in the Spring.

I was a little surprised to see a large flock of American Goldfinch

since I didn’t see any there the last time we were there.

We also spotted a large flock of Cedar Waxwings

that seemed determined not to have their picture taken by staying in the top of the tallest trees.

This Bald Eagle,

however, flew by several times at eye level, though it seemed more interested in a dead salmon than it did in us.

The high point of the morning, though, came relatively early when I finally managed to get a shot of this mink

that I’ve glanced on several occasions but never managed to get a shot of before. It was so close I had a hard time getting my telephoto lens to focus on it. I still get thrilled when I get this close to a wild animal.

The resplendent huckleberry colors seemed destined to be the highlight of our Indian Heaven trip until Leslie spotted this Mountain Goat near the top of Sawtooth Mountain.

If I hadn’t seen (and photographed) it myself, I wouldn’t have believed that she had actually seen a Mountain Goat here. After all, we climbed to the top of the mountains several times in the past and never seen any sign of Mountain Goats. As far as I know, the nearest goats are nearly 100 miles north of Indian Heaven in the Goat Rock Wilderness.

The Mountain Goat seemed almost as curious about us as we were about it. Though it would have been easy for it to scramble to the other side of the ridge, it seemed content to climb a little higher

to get a better look at us.

I have seen Mountain Goats on distant ridges in the Goat Rock Wilderness, but I never imagined I would ever see one this close in the wild.

I have to admit, it was definitely the highlight of our trip for me.