Tis the season…
The Skagit Valley is full of raptors at this time of year. Unfortunately for me as a photographer, there are not that many options for natural perches next to the fields where they hunt their prey. So while it’s relatively easy to find raptors to photograph, most of them are on power lines or poles. Here is an example… a Red-tailed hawk perched on a power pole.
On the other hand, every once in awhile you get lucky. Early in December there were daily reports of a Tropical kingbird being seen just outside Stanwood. I made three separate trips to the area in the hopes of photographing the bird, but I never even saw it. However, on one of the trips back to my house an accipiter flew low over the road in front of me and continued into one of the Cap Sante Marina parking lots. After a short search I managed to find the bird and it was compliant enough to allow me several photographs. One of my more knowledgable birding friends identified this bird as a juvenile Cooper’s hawk.
On November 17 I hit pay dirt! I discovered a large flock of 50 or more birds eating berries from a madrone tree only about a block from my house. For about 20 minutes I was able to photograph various birds in the tree. Here’s a Cedar waxwing…
and a female Northern flicker…
and an American robin exerting a fine degree of control in berry acquisition…
and another one out of control!
On the same day I discovered a Common loon preening in the Cap Sante Marina…
This was as good a photography day as I have had in some time!