Category: Special Places

The Real Thing

One of the best things about being stuck in the house while it rains for a week is that nearly everything looks fresh and brilliant when you finally get out.

Belfair was certainly no exception yesterday with new flowers breaking out everywhere like shooting stars,

simple Columbine, or

rich, delicious Chocolate Lilies.

There were even new visitors

like this Western Wood-Pewee I’ve never seen before.

Amazingly, this juvenile Red Breasted Sapsucker already looks as large as his mother.

Sometimes when you’re stuck inside you begin to confuse pictures of birds with the real thing, but this robin loudly reminded me that there’s no confusing art with the real thing, though that may be less clear to you while sitting in front of your computer trying to figure which, if any, of these is the Real Thing.

God Bless the rain, and all it does for us.

And Raging Fireweed

It’s been longer than I thought since I visited Nisqually Wildlife Refuge, and things have changed considerably since the last time I was there. The fuzzy little goslings have grown considerably under mother and dad’s careful watch:

Overall,there didn’t seem to be as many birds as I’d seen before, but perhaps that was because the grass and reeds have grown higher than I’ve ever seen them before. Still, the scarcity of birds was partially compensated for by colorful, berry-laden elderberry bushes:

the blossoming forth of native roses:

raging Fireweed:

and quiet visits with Lorquin’s Admiral:

Between Showers

Lots of rain again this weekend, but I managed to get in a short hike at Belfair while Leslie entertained friends from Portland.

Though I missed the best shot of the day, a Green Heron flying about six feet over my head, I finally managed to get a clear shot of this guy, which is most likely a Swainson Thrush, or Salmonberry Bird, judging from this.

It was also the first day I’ve seen a Two-Tailed Tiger Swallowtail when I had a camera in hand:

Of course, even if you don’t happen to get a good wildlife picture there are beautiful flowers like these at the visitors’ center that make it easy by standing still:

In other words, it’s hard to have a bad day at the Theler Wetlands in Belfair.