Getting busy!!!!

It is getting busy out there!

water levels are dropping down to almost ideal viewing conditions.  As we approached the estuary this morning this quartet of Bald Eagles was just across from us, busy feeding on salmon that had been left high and dry as the water drops.

up the other way...

could see some Swans and ducks. Most of the swans appeared to be Trumpeter Swans but....

but this one is definitely a Tundra Swan.  Now there are 2 types of Tundra Swans.  The usual is the American or Whistling....the amount of yellow on the base of the bill of this bird probably signifies it although I'm almost wondering if it could be edging into the rarer Eurasian or Bewick's version.  Maybe if it sticks around I'll get a better look as I had to really crop the photo to get this close.

here is the same bird with a bunch of Mallard and an American Wigeon....  so that was this morning, then after a trip into town, later this afternoon we put our boots on and made it over to the park and were we glad we did!

there was so much activity just too the south of the log bay...

lots of Canada Geese....

Ducks, including Mallard, Northern Pintail, Common Merganser....and a Glaucous wing gull.

and then a Trumpeter Swan family came gliding out of the little pond to the side.....

to join in the party!

In the bay itself...

there were a number of Common Merganser.  This is a young female....seems to be a late family.

also at the log bay...you can see the swirls from the spawning Chum Salmon and there is one lone crow perched at the edge....

not sure what it was doing just sitting there.

heading back there was yet another group of swans....the front adult is a Tundra (note the tiny bit of yellow at the base of the bill), the young one is also a Tundra but the one in back appears to be a Trumpeter....

and way out there, lots more swans and ducks...

and eagles galore!  Tomorrow am going to have to make a concerted effort to do an actual count as it is extremely important to get the high numbers counted and recorded in order to keep our IBA designation...

and for tonight's feeder section....well sometimes when you feed birds, you feed other things as well.  This was taken at  4:30 am the other morning...a Raccoon of course.

the peanut feeder was already on the ground....so now the feeders are getting taken down when it gets dark and put out again in the morning....including the hummingbird feeder which had been drained.