WEST SEATTLE BIRDS: 10 super photos

In honor of Super Bowl Sunday, here’s a super lineup of contributed bird photos. Above – something to watch for – a hummingbird nest, photographed by Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch. Kersti also shared this photo of a Red-winged Blackbird:

From Jerry Simmons, a Spotted Towhee:

Another orange-and-black bird you might see around, the Varied Thrush, photographed by Mark MacDonald:

Also from Mark, a Golden-crowned Kinglet:

Steve photographed this Great Blue Heron hanging out in a tree:

One more seabird view – WSB’s Patrick Sand saw these while we were checking out the wind and waves at Constellation Park on Sunday:

We don’t have an ID on those, nor on these photographed by Jessica Benson:

Meantime, we end where we began – with hummingbirds. Gentle McGaughey shared the feeder view:

(It’s best to have your feeders out of service right now, though.) And Theresa Arbow-O’Connor got the colorful closeup:

Big thanks, again, to everyone who shares photos, from birds to breaking news – westseattleblog@gmail.com!

21 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE BIRDS: 10 super photos"

  • Toni February 7, 2021 (5:28 pm)

    I think the birds photographed by Jessica are cedar waxwings. Hoping those who are true birders will check out that assumption!

    • JS February 7, 2021 (6:09 pm)

      Bohemian waxwing!

  • WS Futurist February 7, 2021 (5:32 pm)

    Beautiful photos! The pretty brown and yellow birds are Cedar Waxwings.

  • Edina February 7, 2021 (5:45 pm)

    Beautiful photos! The tan birds with masks are cedar waxwings.

  • Amateur Ornithologist in WS February 7, 2021 (5:49 pm)

    Great pics!  The waterfowl flying are likely Brant and the masked bandit songbirds are Cedar Waxwings.  Thanks for sharing all of these!

    • Patrick H. February 9, 2021 (8:29 am)

      Seconded that the waterfowl are black brant. The flocks have been building up again, munching on all the tasty eelgrass around Alki Point.

  • JS February 7, 2021 (5:49 pm)

    We’re supposed to take down hummingbird feeders too? I thought just seeds 

    • WSB February 7, 2021 (5:54 pm)

      The linked WDFW post advises *all* feeders, to be absolutely safe.

      • JS February 7, 2021 (6:10 pm)

        Thanks 

  • lowmanbeachdrive February 7, 2021 (6:37 pm)

    Never tire of the bird pics. Thanks WSB for another glorious round!

  • Yma February 7, 2021 (7:07 pm)

    I love The WSBlog for all things WestSide -but my weekly bird-fix is a real treat! 

  • Terese Metz February 7, 2021 (9:37 pm)

    Lovely photos!Thanks so much!

    • kathy February 8, 2021 (8:07 am)

      Ditto what YMA said!!

  • psps February 7, 2021 (10:08 pm)

    Watch out for those hummingbird nests. They’re very small and can be mistaken for just some loose material that you might sweep away. I see them every year in my camellia!

  • wssz February 7, 2021 (10:34 pm)

    I second YMA! The bird photos are a delight. The birds in Patrick’s image are indeed Brant geese. Here’s a photo with similar silhouettes for comparison — https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-brant-geese-branta-bernicla-flying-over-the-ocean-during-herring-spawn-29994536.htmlAnd here are closeup images along with fascinating tips about their lives  — https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brant/id.  

  • wssz February 7, 2021 (11:52 pm)

    Correction: This link to All About Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology) works — https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brant/id

  • newnative February 8, 2021 (9:30 am)

    Slog A.M.Super Bowl Sunday Birds got mentioned in The Stranger’s Slog A.M.  Congrats!

  • Beto February 8, 2021 (9:53 am)

    Beautiful photos!  What I want to know is why all those hummingbirds seem get along well and those in my backyard don’t want to share the feeders? They’re always chasing one another. 

    • Gentle McGaughey February 10, 2021 (10:43 pm)

      I was absolutely stunned when I saw this! We have 3 resident hummingbirds- two females and one male, I think. The 4th one must have been passing through. The 3 regulars are usually squabbling, so this was a shock! 

  • MS February 8, 2021 (9:53 am)

    These pictures are for the BIRDS hahaha SORRY I had to say it LOL Thanks for these all you with your cameras in hand please keep doing it and sending the pictures in !!! Beautiful  THANK U

  • Jazz February 10, 2021 (12:51 pm)

    I love all of these photo’s! Um…I have no idea what to say, but the birds are beautiful!

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