On the afternoon of March 4, 2024, my wife went waking with a friend while I settled down for a nap to make up for a sleep deficit caused by our cat at 2am. I was just dropping off to sleep when my wife called and said there was a loon at our local marina. I didn’t have much hope of getting really good photos but grabbed my camera and headed down to the marina. 

When I arrived I immediately saw a Common loon in winter plumage and it was somewhat closer to the nearest dock than I had expected. I sat in the car for a couple of minutes to try to determine in which direction the loon was headed. It appeared like it could be headed to the dock below me, so I quickly headed down to the dock. The loon had dived so I used the opportunity to scurry down and stand beside a large pole in an attempt to disguise my outline/presence. I was looking around for the loon when it surfaced behind and very near me with its back turned, giving me the opportunity to quickly adjust my aim and camera settings without startling it. 

I was able to take several photos before the loon dove again, and I correctly guessed where it might resurface, giving me another opportunity for closeup photos. It dove again and this time surfaced on the other side of the dock much farther away and in a larger body of water. I realized at that point that my time with the loon was over. 

So this first photo was actually one of my last, but it matched my expectation of what I expected to obtain upon my arrival at the marina. 

These are some of the photos that I never expected to get!

I spent more time in the yard on February 18, 2024, prompted by a Golden-crowned kinglet (probably a female) flying down right beside me when I was filling birdbaths. The birds are difficult to photograph due to their activity level and the fact that they frequent two of our bird baths where photography is difficult. However this one (or another) came to this water feature later for a drink and I managed a few photos.

While on the subject of golden crowns, here are a couple of photos of Golden-crowned sparrows, of which we have a healthy population this winter.

Another bird which I find difficult to photograph is the Red-breasted nuthatch. We never seem to have more than one or two visiting the yard and they too usually shun the water features that lend themselves to photography.

Here are polxotos of a male Dark-eyed Oregon junco that has been a visitor for several months now. It has lost the function of one leg and ‘skitters’ along the ground rather than hopping. It occasionally uses its lame leg for balance; but doesn’t use it for hopping. You can see in the second photograph that the bird is resting on its stomach instead of being supported fully by its feet. It flies well and when I’m outside I try to see that the bird gets its share of food.

Another visitor of the past year is this male Spotted towhee that is usually around the yard. It has a crossed bill, much like a Red crossbill. I initially thought the bird might starve to death, but it seems to be existing quite well despite the handicap.

Here is a different male Spotted towhee without the handicap.

As you saw in my last post, I have discovered a male Anna’s hummingbird on the same exact perch as where I had photographed it/one last year. On February 16, 2024, I returned to the hummingbird’s location in the neighborhood and managed to get a few feet closer. I also found that I could enlarge my images slightly without losing too much quality. So here are some of the 70+ photos I kept of the more than 250 photos I took of the hummingbird in a little more than an hour…

This is a photo of the hummer without its gorget illuminated.

Here is a photo of the hummer vocalizing. The sound was far beyond my hearing range but I could tell by the birds actions that it was vocalizing.

This is a photo of the hummer stretching. It would spread its wings and splay its tail for a few seconds.

Here is a photo of the bird displaying its illuminated gorget.

And another of the bird vocalizing.

We have had an Anna’s hummingbird at the house which, for several months, I thought was a female. However it is apparently a first-year male and is now in the process of transitioning into its adult male plumage.

And while I was photographing the hummingbird I managed to attract a curious Spotted towhee.

February 15, 2024, provided a good day for photography. I ended with 278 photos (82 after processing!) but of only eight species which greatly lessened the time I needed for processing. My photographic activities began shortly after noon when on my way back home from my second ‘coffee’ meeting of the morning. I drove by the Cap Sante Marina as is my usual habit. The tide was out which meant that waterfowl would be farther away from my access area but I noted a pair of Common goldeneyes very near the shore, and it appeared that the female might be sleeping. I hurried home, retrieved my camera and returned to the marina. There I found that the goldeneyes had drifted further away but I was now in the hunt. I spent over an hour attempting to better my position for photos, but the waterfowl were not unaware of my presence.

While at the marina I also obtained photos of a Common loon, which made only a very brief appearance, a Killdeer and a crow.

Here is a photo of the male and female goldeneyes…

This is a photo of the male…

And another photo of the male with a small fish it managed to catch…

On the way back home I drove through the neighborhood and discovered that there were Varied thrushes in and around the wetland. I saw one male and three females but was unable to get as close as I would have liked.

My best discovery of the day was a male Anna’s hummingbird that was on the same exact perch as last year! I spent significant time watching and photographing it. Again, I wasn’t as close to it as I would have liked to have been but the bird exhibited several episodes of stretching which I managed to photograph.

And here the hummingbird is displaying its gorget in all its glory!

Now that fI know where the bird is hanging out I’m hopeful that I might be able to return and get a little closer!

This was the sunrise that greeted us early on the morning of January 29, 2024. The view is to the southeast from the Cap Sante Neighborhood, across Fidalgo Bay, the refineries on March Point and the Cascade Range. It was taken about two blocks from our house and was a great way to begin our day!

I’ve gotten some relief from the usual visitors lately. On January 30 I had two visits from one or more Ruby-crowned kinglets. They are a rarity in the yard this fall/winter. I was quite happy with this visit because I was able to obtain some photos.

Here’s one our more common winter yard birds, a Golden-crowned sparrow…

And with the possible exception of the two combined chickadee species (Black-capped and Chestnut-sided), our most numerous yard species at this time of year, a (male) Dark-eyed (Oregon) junco…

And here for comparison is the leucistic male Dark-eyed (Oregon) junco that has now frequented the yard for two winters. Note the white ‘collar’ on the leucistic bird.

Finally, the BIG news. On this day (January 31) I had a visit from what I believe to be an unaccompanied female Purple finch. The species is supposed to be in our area but I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I’ve made a positive identification. (And oddly enough, I can remember all or most of the locations!) Part of the problem is that the birds very closely resemble their more common and numerous ‘cousins’, the House finches. It seems a bit strange to me that the females of the two species seem easier to differentiate than the males. So assuming that this is indeed a female Purple finch, this is an extremely rare species for our yard!