Birds

DoD (Duck of the Day) - the Harlequin Duck! One of our most colorful sea ducks. I found this guy resting contentedly on a seaweed-covered rock just offshore, here on Bainbridge Island.

DoD (Duck of the Day)... the Surf Scoter. A large sea duck that breeds in Alaska & northern Canada, but spends its winters along the Pacific coast. Love their colorful bills. Photographed these guys yesterday morning.

Great Blue Heron gazing at the Space Needle...

He's back! Now I know where his favorite perch is...

"Pelicans on Ice(plant)". Iceplant is a common ground cover along the central California coast. Beautifully colored, but unfortunately it's considered an invasive species (originally from South Africa). These Brown Pelicans have made a nest in the iceplant at Point Lobos, California.

Brown Pelican gullets - Point Lobos, Monterey County, California.

Turkey Vulture - Point Lobos, California.

Finally got some rain this afternoon after a couple dry, smoky weeks. Kept this heron busy, preening his wet feathers...

Smoky Seahawk

Heavy wildfire smoke turns the sun into a sickly-orange disc. I positioned myself so the sun was directly behind this local Osprey nest. The Osprey quickly obliged with some nice landing poses.

Wind Sock

"Wind Sock" One of this year's young Ospreys - having just learned to fly - uses the ferry terminal wind sock to gauge his glide path over the harbor, looking for some fish.

Mono-crow-m

Crow overhead rendered in black & white.

A heron and a juvenile bald eagle, both feasting on small fish trapped in oyster beds at low tide. On the shore of Hood Canal near Seabeck, WA.

A beautiful day to go visit the eagles over at Hood Canal. Counted 31 eagles today - probably the most I've ever seen there at one time.

"Stop Following Me!" This juvenile bald eagle was being harrassed by a determined crow, nearly the entire time we were at Hood Canal today.

Last night this Great Blue Heron took over the Cormorant's usual spot on our beach - sitting on a post in front of Mount Rainier. And also like Cormorants, spreading its wings either to dry or warm them. Don't think I've seen this behavior in herons before.

Flaps down! Coming in for a landing on the oyster beds - Seabeck, Washington along the Hood Canal.

Eagles - Hood Canal.

Eagle and crow - Hood Canal - near Seabeck, WA.

Paid another visit to our local eagles today. This one was posing quite nicely on the oyster beds, not too far away.

Seen on the beach this weekend: silhouette of a cormorant, posing in front of Mount Rainier.

Spent most of the morning out on the beach near our house - trying to take "panning" action shots of birds. Much harder than it looks, but *DO* try this at home if you get a chance :-)

"Dive Bomber". Caspian Tern fishing just off the beach today, about to hit the water.

Local Bird of the Day: Belted Kingfisher. Snapped her photo this morning just before the rain came back.

Here, I brought you a fish! Caspian Terns - Bainbridge Island, WA

Pileated Woodpecker - Bainbridge Island, WA

How about some Kung-Fu fighting Ospreys? From my walk yesterday. Not sure if they're competing over a mate, over a nesting site, or what. But it was entertaining...

How about some Kung-Fu fighting Ospreys? From my walk yesterday. Not sure if they're competing over a mate, over a nesting site, or what. But it was entertaining...

How about some Kung-Fu fighting Ospreys? From my walk yesterday. Not sure if they're competing over a mate, over a nesting site, or what. But it was entertaining...

Visited our neighborhood Ospreys today on my walk. Awfully nice of them to line up their nest directly in front of the Death Star, er crescent Moon.

Barrow's Goldeneye - Bainbridge Island, WA

Harlequin ducks - Bainbridge Island, WA

Got Penguins?

Adélie penguin colony - Paulet Island, Antarctica. Home to an estimaged 100,000 breeding pairs.

Adélie penguin, Antarctica

Adélie penguin, Antarctica

Adélie penguins, Antarctica

Adélie penguin, Antarctica

Gentoo penguins, Antarctica

Gentoo penguins, Antarctica

Chinstrap penguins, Antarctica

Chinstrap penguin, Antarctica

Chinstrap penguin, Antarctica

When Penguins Fly

Gentoo penguin, Antarctica

Gentoo penguins, Antarctica

If you're going to guard a harbor entrance - make sure your penguins are all aimed properly! South Shetland Islands, Antarctica.

Chinstrap penguin, Antarctica

Bald Eagle with view of distant downtown Vancouver.

Bald eagles in front of Mount Baker.