With my recent photo coup in the yard you may be tired of hearing about my extraordinary  photographic exploits, but I’m far from through!  On January 30 I mounted a little birding expedition around the county and happened on some significant birds. On March Point I  had a (the) Black oystercatcher fly in and land directly out from my vehicle, but it was low tide so it wasn’t that close.  At the south end of March Point Road I saw and photographed a yellowlegs (probably Greater), but it too was too far out for good photos.

Next, in the order I found them…

About 50-70 American robins…

About the same number of Dark-eyed juncos of the Oregon race…

A male House finch…

A female Red-winged blackbird…

A rather rare form of male House finch, orange-colored.  Compare this with the male House finch pictured above.

A Spotted towhee…

A Fox sparrow…

A Song sparrow (admittedly not a great photo)…

A Golden-crowned sparrow…

A White-crowned sparrow (juvenile)…

A White-throated sparrow, the first I’ve photographed in Skagit County in the 16 years I’ve lived here.  I took 41 photos of the bird and retained 34, far too many but I don’t know how long I might go before encountering another one.  When I first saw this bird I thought it was a sparrow with a feather in its mouth!

Immediately after the sparrow left this female Red crossbill flew in.  It seems to be one of the yellowish I can remember.

 

Then it was the male Red-winged blackbird‘s turn to pose… 

Followed by a male Ruby-crowned kinglet…

Finally (there’s always a finally) I photographed a European starling…

I missed getting a photo of a Northern flicker that flew in but was too shy to pose.

And the best part?  Every photo you see in this post was taken within about a two-hour period… from my car… in exactly the same location!   Happy birding!