the wildfire smoke was still with us and the water was getting pretty shallow as we headed out in the direction of the Harrison River.
Canada Geese and lot's of ducks. Most of the ducks were Mallard and all were so flighty that they took off before you could get a picture....
so I was really surprised when I down loaded this one because those are Northern Pintail! The last year or so we have seen a lot more pintails in this area than in the past, but it seems early for any to be here.
it was starting to sound like fall out there with the cries of gulls in the distance. The only one we actually saw was this Glaucous-wing on the fallen over tower, now decorated with yellow markers that people in the neighbourhood attached to dangerous items out there when the water was high....this does at least demonstrate the difference in water levels between high water and now.
the 2 stone rings have also reappeared.
but what was most exciting was spotting shorebirds ahead.
a few little guys with their black legs and long slightly drooping bills being Western Sandpiper....
the rest of them being the slightly larger Baird's Sandpiper - only the second time we have found them out there.
there was another little group flying around finally settling, this being part of them. At this point we headed back planning to go up the arm of the Chehalis but with a trio of kayaks heading up it, figured there was no sense doing that so cut directly across to .....
the spot where there had been so much bird activity our last trip....of course no two trips are ever the same and this time there wasn't much of anything happening in that spot. It must have been a mixed flock moving through the last time.
conversely there was more activity at the Purple Martin boxes...notice the 2 Great Blue Heron....the one on the right was attacked by a Purple Martin moments after this photo was taken. In fact there were heron all over the place, in one spot 4 of them were spread along the shoreline.
still some young Purple Martin at the boxes although most did seem capable of flight. I don't expect they will be hanging around much longer.
Back at home in the afternoon, which had turned quite warm, there was a lot of activity in the garden out back with a few surprise visitors....
Western Tanager were enjoying the garden with the bird bath....
and the berries from the laurel bushes. Cedar Waxwings flew about in the tree tops almost constantly, occasionally coming down for a berry but not cooperating for photos.
a number of young Black-headed Grosbeak were there....
but most surprising were....
a pair of Yellow Warblers!
Of course also the regulars, robin, Steller's Jay, Spotted Towhee etc. etc. Anna Hummingbird activity has really picked up recently with the Rufous Hummingbirds pretty much gone.
So now this definitely is the last post until we return in October.....so, see you then! We will return like the eagles.
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